A gaming laptop with a vapor chamber will often deliver superior thermals compared to a machine outfitted with a traditional heatpipe solution, assuming it has been designed correctly. With Razer, a Blade 18 owner reveals that this pricey purchase stopped throwing hot air from the vents, with condensation showing around the vapor chamber, indicating that the cooler had broken. Upon further investigation, it’s revealed that these gaming laptops ship with a major flaw that Razer hasn’t addressed.
There have been countless instances on Reddit where customers bash Razer’s Blade lineup because it’s riddled with a blend of software and hardware problems that take weeks to resolve from the company’s subpar customer service. Unfortunately, what Redditor “Low-Field6977” has experienced with his Blade 18 can only be addressed with a proper vapor chamber replacement, assuming Razer entertains this request. He provides the following details, noting that condensation formed on the left side of the gaming laptop.
“So yesterday I was playing Forza and was getting really good FPS but this morning I hop on and my computer can’t even open the app so I think it’s a driver issue and I update the drivers but that doesn’t fix it and then I realize the air that the fans are blowing out is cold and I fear the vapor chamber broke and when I opened it up, I could see tons of condensation around it with the laptop just being out of warranty I don’t know what to do. If you look in the pictures, you can see the condensation on the left corner of the actual vapor chamber. The most frustrating part is I barely use it and have never opened it. I heard razor is charging two grand just to fix anyone have a cheaper solution as I don’t feel like spending two grand after I just purchased this laptop for four. does anyone have a link that I can buy a new vapor chamber or at least get a solution?”
Despite the fact that the vapor chamber is made up of copper, which can easily be crushed and force the cooling vapor out of the system, there were no signs of damage on this unit. However, another Redditor, “ResoluteFalcon,” has shared details in a separate thread , revealing that various Razer Blade models outfitted with a vapor chamber have a visible and non-visible “fill port” where the seal is present to keep the vapor from escaping.
Unfortunately, over time, this seal can weaken and break, forcing the vapor out of the chamber, rendering it practically useless. This explains why the Blade 18 owner stated he could feel cool air blowing through the vents rather than hot air, implying the cooling system had failed. Bear in mind that the motherboard requires no replacement and that only the vapor chamber needs to be swapped out with a new unit.
Sadly, Razer doesn’t make these parts readily available to the masses, meaning the company can charge whatever it deems appropriate for this service, leaving its customers high and dry. It’s puzzling how a company charging upwards of $3,000 for its products made a massive oversight of perhaps one of the most vital parts of a gaming laptop, but it’s hardly surprising given that Razer receives immense flak for its poor quality control standards.
News Source: Reddit
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