Razer Unleashes Razer Edge Gaming PC/Tablet/Console, We Go Hands On at CES 2013
Plenty of folks thought that Razer was blowing smoke when it announced that it was developing a high end gaming tablet, dubbed Project Fiona, at last year’s CES. A year later, lo and behold, the company has a whole booth full of them at CES 2013. And the device is gorgeous.
After garnering loads of input from actual PC gamers, Razer put together what is, in the most basic sense, a 10.1-inch tablet, albeit one loaded with high-end hardware and also essentially a Windows 8 PC and a portable gaming console, all wrapped up in one device. There are two models slated for release in Q1, with the base model set for a price tag of $999.
The Razer Edge Pro
Before we get into the specs, here’s a tasty sampling of the Edge in action:
The sticker shock subsides rather quickly when you consider what’s inside the Edge. The base model runs an Intel Core i5 chip with NVIDIA GT 640M LE graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The more heavily-spec’d Razer Edge Pro will be rocking a dual-core Intel Core i7 processor, with double the RAM (2x4GB DDR3-1600) and up to 256GB of SSD storage, with Intel HD 4000 graphics in conjunction with the NVIDIA GPU. Both versions have Windows 8 on board.
There’s also a 2.0MP HD webcam, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, stereo speakers, and dual array mics.
Razer will be offering bundles with the Edge and Edge Pro, including the piece de resistance--the Gamepad Controller--which is fully programmable, with dual analog sticks, vibration feedback, and plenty of buttons and triggers to enable gaming “right out of the box”. You can already pre-order the Gamepad Controller for $249, and note that it includes USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0.
An optional keyboard dock is also coming late this year and will enable users to interact with the Edge using a good old-fashioned keyboard and mouse combo, and a $99 docking station delivers a trio of USB 2.0 ports as well as HDMI 1.4 and mic and stereo out jacks. The docking station also serves up the gaming goodness to a TV, so users can hook up multiple gamepade controllers and game with friends. A $69 extended battery will double the battery life of the Edge as well. We'll be circling back with Razer in the weeks ahead for a review unit, so stick around!
After garnering loads of input from actual PC gamers, Razer put together what is, in the most basic sense, a 10.1-inch tablet, albeit one loaded with high-end hardware and also essentially a Windows 8 PC and a portable gaming console, all wrapped up in one device. There are two models slated for release in Q1, with the base model set for a price tag of $999.
The Razer Edge Pro
Before we get into the specs, here’s a tasty sampling of the Edge in action:
The sticker shock subsides rather quickly when you consider what’s inside the Edge. The base model runs an Intel Core i5 chip with NVIDIA GT 640M LE graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 64GB SSD. The more heavily-spec’d Razer Edge Pro will be rocking a dual-core Intel Core i7 processor, with double the RAM (2x4GB DDR3-1600) and up to 256GB of SSD storage, with Intel HD 4000 graphics in conjunction with the NVIDIA GPU. Both versions have Windows 8 on board.
There’s also a 2.0MP HD webcam, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, stereo speakers, and dual array mics.
Razer will be offering bundles with the Edge and Edge Pro, including the piece de resistance--the Gamepad Controller--which is fully programmable, with dual analog sticks, vibration feedback, and plenty of buttons and triggers to enable gaming “right out of the box”. You can already pre-order the Gamepad Controller for $249, and note that it includes USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0.
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