What you need to know
- Razer Book 13 is a premium productivity-focused Ultrabook.
- It features a 16:10 anti-reflective display (optional touch and 4K).
- There are options for a 28-watt Core i5 or i7.
- The Intel Evo-certified laptops launch this month, starting at $1,200.
For years, Razer's premium gaming laptops have served as jumping-off points for those looking to switch from Apple MacBooks. It is an odd side effect for what are primarily gaming machines, which is the opposite of Apple's premium offerings. Razer is finally leaning into the growing demand for its hardware design ... without the gaming frippery.
Enter the new Razer Book 13 — a lovely 13.4-inch laptop that is both powerful and a bit different from other premium Ultrabooks on the market.
Razer is expanding its laptop line to productivity and non-gamers. The new Book 13 packs a powerful 28W processor, 16:10 display, and a Chroma RGB keyboard with a bevy of ports. It should launch in November 2020.
Razer Book 13: Specs, and everything else
The Book 13 features a 16:10 anti-reflective, factory-calibrated display that seems not too dissimilar to what Dell uses in its highly praised XPS 13 laptops. There are three display options, including full HD with no touch (and matte), full HD with touch, and a "4K" model also with touch. That design allows for exceptionally thin bezels on all four sides. Indeed, Razer claims they are the "world's thinnest bezels on any 13.4" panel."
| Category | Razer Blade Stealth (Late-2020) |
|---|---|
| OS | Window 10 Home (64-bit) |
| Display | 13.4-inch 16:10Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) Non-TouchFull HD+ (1920 x 1200) TouchUHD+ (3840 x 2400) TouchGorilla Glass 6Anti-reflective |
| Processor | 28W 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 (2.4 GHz / 3.8 GHz)28W 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 (2.8 GHz / 4.7 GHz)Vapor chamber cooling |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe |
| RAM | 8 or 16GBLPDDR4X 4267MHz |
| Storage | Up to 512GB PCIe M.2 (upgradeable to 2TB) |
| Security | Windows Hello (face) |
| Ports | 1x microSD card reader1x HDMI 2.0 port2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) (power, 4 lanes of PCI Express)1x USB-A 3.2Headphone/mic jack |
| Keyboard | Razer Chroma w/ per-key RGB backlightingAnti-ghosting |
| Trackpad | GlassMicrosoft Precision |
| Camera | 720p webcamWindows Hello infrared camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 Intel Wireless AX 201 (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac)Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Audio | 2x upward-facing speakers + Smart AmpTHX Spatial Audio |
| Dimensions | 0.60" x 11.6" x 7.8" (15.15mm x 295.6mm x 198mm) |
| Battery | 4,602 mAh65-watt charger |
| Battery life | Up to 14 hours (full HD models)Up to 11 hours (UHD) |
| Weight | 2.95 to 3.11lbs (1.34 to 1.4kg) |
| Colors | Mercury WhiteT6 CNC Aluminum, anodized |
Where things get really interesting is the processor. Razer uses the more powerful 28-watt 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 (this is the first time Razer is offering a Core i5 option). Ultrabook laptops typically have just 15-watt processors, so when combined with Razer's premium vapor chamber cooling, we should see some exceptional performance we usually do not get from 13-inch Ultrabooks.
For graphics, Razer opts for Intel Iris Xe graphics instead of a discrete GPU, which serves as a nice differentiator from the Blade Stealth 13. Those needing some serious graphics will be pleased to know Razer is making its popular Core X eGPU in matching mercury white, too.
The ports are also different. These days, many laptops suffice with just a couple of Type-C Thunderbolts, but Razer is doing that plus more. There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports, but also a Type-A 3.2 for those who still need one. There is also a full HDMI 2.0 port and micro SD reader, both of which are exceedingly rare on 13-inch non-business laptops.
Audio features two upward-firing amped speakers with THX Spatial Audio (360-degree sound), which should be adequate for this market.
A full per-key Chroma RGB keyboard lets you pick your color (including plain white) or specific colors for frequently used keys or macros.
Brad Wildes, senior vice president and general manager of Razer's Systems business unit, had this to say about the Book 13:
The new Razer Book 13 is the culmination of a decade's worth of experience in developing and crafting high-end gaming machines. Sleek, powerful, and compact, the Razer Book 13 breaks-out from the boring crowd and delivers prosumers an experience not yet realized in a work laptop.
Razer Book 13 is Intel Evo certified (and what that means)
Update: Intel has now reversed its position and is calling the entry-level Razer Book 13 Evo certified.
The Razer Book 13 models are also now all Intel Evo certified.
Intel Evo is the second iteration of Project Athena, but more formalized. To meet the criteria, the laptop needs to have a touch display, Wi-Fi 6, 11th Gen Core i5 or i7, Xe graphics, far-field microphones, Thunderbolt 4, and a big focus on battery life. That should result in:
- Consistent responsiveness on battery.
- Wake from sleep in less than 1 second.
- 9 or more hours of real-world battery life on laptops with a Full HD display.
- 4 or more hours of battery life in a 30-minute charge on laptops with Full HD display.
But don't fret if you only want the $1,199 entry-level model, which is technically not Evo certified. That model actually meets all the requirements above except the required touch screen. If that doesn't bother you, you still get all the Intel Evo benefits for power and instant-resume.
Razer Book 13 is shaping up to be one killer laptop that looks like a cross between an XPS 13 and Surface Book. It could very well make it our Best Windows Laptop 2020 list pending our review.
Razer Book 13 price and availability
Pricing starts at $1,199 for the Core i5 model without a touch screen, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage (user upgradeable up to 2TB). That model is available from Razer.com and RazerStore retail locations worldwide this month (November).
Moving up to the $1,600 model, you jump to a Core i7, touch display, and 16GB of RAM. The top tier is $2,000 and features that "4K" UHD touch display and 512GB of storage. Those Core i7 models start shipping in November 2020 at Razer.com, RazerStore retail locations, and select retailers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and China.
Razer will host a live event at 7:00 PM PDT at the RazerStore in Las Vegas today where Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan will be talking about and unboxing the new laptop on the Razer YouTube channel.
Razer is expanding its laptop line to productivity and non-gamers. The new Book 13 packs a powerful 28W processor, 16:10 display, and a Chroma RGB keyboard with a bevy of ports. It should launch in November 2020.
