My Razer Blade Laptop blew up.

Razer Blade 17" (2012)

Puffs of white smoke and the smell of electrons leaves me scrambling to rip off the charger while holding down the power button to force shutdown just as the computer boots onto the desktop from a cold start. Good morning to you too...

I've always had a display issue with this laptop. Any movement of the screen while in use and/or closing and opening of the laptop would bathe the whole image in a beet red that would make Stephen King jealous. Adjusting the display back and forth a couple of times would finally bring the picture back to normal. Apparently this was tolerable as I lived with it for 4 years...though I did attempt to find a solution as posted here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/replacement-lcd-ribbon-cable-for-razer-blade-r2.765798/

3 weeks ago while at a lan party with friends, I noticed I was unable to see, let alone connect to, the 2.4ghz wifi access point everyone else was using. A complete win10 reformat did not solve this issue, thus eliminating any potential software issues. Opening up the back panel, I discovered that one of the two antennas (the black one) running from the wifi card, to the display hinge, and into the display was severed. Ah...that's where my 2.4ghz band went. Some solder and the problem was "solved." "Solved" because this antenna is incredibly thin (stranded 22 gauge?) making it difficult to solder and thus any movement of the display would cut out wifi connection temporarily. I guess I can live with this as well...

...until it all went up in a cloud of smoke today. Looks like the lcd ribbon cable on the right side of the laptop (right side of normal usage positioning) shorted out, overheated, and melted a hole in its sleeving. Of course, this is located right at the hinge as well (same location as the severed wifi antenna cable). This cable is most likely also the cause for my initial red screen issues, and after all these years of opening and closing, finally gave out.

Thus, metal fatigue from cables being shoved through too tight of a clearance next to the hinge has led to the ultimate demise of this laptop. Perhaps if they went with the flat flexible ribbon cables like those in my immortal Thinkpad I would not be in this position today. Who knows. The only hope now is if a replacement lcd cable exists or if Razer is willing to send me one (doubt it).

See photos here:
http://imgur.com/a/TOnDW

 

Time to throw that old Razer Blade and get RBP now?

 

or a Workstation laptop that is not a fire hazard?

 

I assume that he has RB he's RB enthusiast?

 

Well, from what I read, I'd say the LCD cable was likely pushed onto the CPU heatsink somehow and that melted it (based on positioning). Honestly, considering the cost of the original RBP, this is a big shame to have to put up with so many issues throughout the lifespan - distorting image, wifi breaking, LCD cable melting - and of course, from the looks of it anyway, Razer support has been as useful as a fire hydrant during a monsoon.

 

im curious if it still works with an external monitor even after all that?

 

^^ Same here, any update?