When choosing between the ASUS ROG Zephyrus and the Razer Blade, both options are excellent, but they serve slightly different user preferences due to their design, performance characteristics, and battery life. Here’s a more detailed comparison based on your criteria and additional factors:

Design and Build Quality

• Razer Blade: Known for its sleek, minimalist design with a black CNC aluminum chassis. It’s very sturdy and gives a premium feel, often compared to the MacBook Pro in terms of its aesthetics.
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus: Features a more aggressive, gamer-oriented design with angular lines and a magnesium alloy body. It’s also designed to be durable but with a more pronounced gaming aesthetic.

Battery Life

• Razer Blade: Generally offers better battery life, which you noted is around 6 hours for general use. This can be a significant advantage if you travel frequently and need to use the laptop on the go without constant recharging.
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus: Has a slightly shorter battery life at about 5 hours. While this is decent for a gaming laptop, it’s something to consider if you're often away from power outlets.

Performance and Thermals

• Performance: Both laptops typically come equipped with high-end specs suitable for gaming, including powerful CPUs and GPUs. It’s important to compare the specific models as the configurations can vary (e.g., different GPU or CPU models, RAM size, etc.).
• Thermals and Fan Noise: Gaming laptops tend to get hot and can be noisy under load. Reviews suggest that the Zephyrus has an innovative cooling system that helps manage heat but can still be quite loud. The Razer Blade also manages heat effectively but can similarly become noisy when running intensive games or applications.

User Experience

• Keyboard and Touchpad: The Razer Blade often receives praise for its comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad. The Zephyrus also has a good keyboard, but its layout and touchpad positioning might take some getting used to due to its gaming-oriented design.
• Display: Both models typically offer high refresh rate displays, which are great for gaming. Checking the specific screen resolution and color accuracy might help, especially if you also intend to use the laptop for content creation.

Price and Value

• Both laptops are in the high-end price range. The value for money will depend on the specific configurations and any additional features like extra ports, better speakers, etc.

Personal Experiences and Recommendations

Since you are looking for first-hand experiences, you might want to check online forums, product review pages, or subreddits related to gaming laptops. User reviews can provide insights into long-term durability, customer service experiences, and day-to-day usage nuances that might not be apparent from product specifications alone.

Conclusion

Both the ASUS ROG Zephyrus and the Razer Blade are top-tier choices. If battery life and a sleek design are your top priorities, the Razer Blade might be the better choice. If you prefer a laptop with a distinctive gaming look and possibly better thermal performance, consider the ASUS ROG Zephyrus. Ultimately, the decision might also come down to which specific model configurations are available and how they match your performance needs and budget.

I prefer ROG Zephyrus, I love the design.