The Gateway 15.6" is significantly less expensive and lighter, making it more suitable for general use and portability. It has midrange specifications, making it adequate for everyday tasks and lighter engineering work. On the other hand, the Razer Blade 18 is much more expensive but offers a more powerful processor, double the memory, and a high-end graphics card, which is ideal for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. It is heavier, which impacts portability, and it also has a better keyboard, screen quality, and overall build quality. However, the high-performance hardware in the Razer Blade 18 may result in shorter battery life compared to the Gateway. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
The Razer Blade 18 elevates general use with its higher-end CPU and double the RAM of the Gateway 15.6", providing a smoother and more responsive experience; it also boasts superior screen quality with a larger, higher-resolution, and brighter display. However, the Gateway 15.6" is more portable due to its lighter weight and has a longer battery life, making it better suited for users who prioritize mobility and longer use on a single charge over performance.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Razer Blade 18 exceeds in gaming and 3D performance largely because it has a high-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a screen with a high refresh rate of 240, providing smoother and more detailed visuals in fast-paced games, whereas the Gateway 15.6" has a more modest Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard 60 refresh rate screen, making it suitable for lighter gaming demands. Additionally, the Razer Blade's superior CPU and screen quality, represented by its Intel i9 processor and higher pixel density, further enhance its suitability for intensive gaming and 3D applications compared to the Gateway's Intel i5 CPU and lower pixel density screen.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
9.3/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Razer Blade 18 excels in engineering and design use due to its cutting-edge CPU, double the RAM, and a high-performing GPU, which are very important for such tasks, coupled with a superior screen quality that enhances visual clarity and color accuracy. On the other hand, the Gateway 15.6" has modest specifications in these crucial areas, leading to just fair performance suitability for engineering and design purposes; it is lighter and potentially easier to carry, but this portability comes at the cost of raw power and display fidelity that professionals may require.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.7/10
8.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.1/10
8.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop like the Gateway with fair screen quality will provide adequate clarity and brightness for everyday tasks, but the Razer Blade with very good screen quality will offer sharper images and more vibrant colors, making extended viewing more comfortable. When it comes to engineering and design, the Razer Blade's superior color gamut ensures more precise color representation crucial for detailed work, while the Gateway's fair screen may not accurately display colors, which might be less suitable for professional design accuracy. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both the Gateway and the Razer Blade fall short as their refresh rates are not optimal for the smooth motion required for high-speed gaming and rendering, despite the Razer's better resolution and panel type.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Gateway 15.6" has good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.5/10
The Razer Blade 18 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$380
$10
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $10.
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the Razer Blade 18
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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