Razer Unveils High-End Gaming Tablet

adeelarshad82 writes "A year after Razer tantalized us all with a concept device codenamed Project Fiona, the company has unveiled the Razer Edge, the world's first tablet designed exclusively for high-end gaming. With the help of crowdsourcing endeavor of tapping into Razer's fanbase for input on everything from chipset to physical dimensions, 'Project Fiona' has morphed from concept to full-blown reality. The Razer Edge is a 10.1-inch device which weighs a shade under 2 pounds and measures 0.8-inches thick. The device comes in two models: Base and Pro. The Base model sports an Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB RAM, and a 64GB SSD, whereas the Pro comes configured with a beefier Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB RAM, and the option for either a 128GB or 256GB SSD. Both models feature a USB 3.0 port, and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and both run on a full version of Windows 8 with Intel architecture, in turn allowing PC games to run natively on the Edge without the need to be ported or optimized."

Comments

The problem isn't looks.

[Macthorpe]

Battery life - 4 minutes.

Relevant Penny Arcade: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/09/16

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Baloroth]

Battery life and cost. The damned thing is $999. I can buy quite a decent laptop for that, with similar or better specs, better battery life, and a lot more usability (since it's an actual laptop).

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[h4rr4r]

Yet, someone will buy this. Not everyone buys the cheapest or most practical thing. I could buy a new keyboard for $10, instead I buy a used Model M for $50 when I need another one.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[sortius_nod]

Yet another poorly thought out tablet aimed at cashing in on the market. The problem is it seems to be aimed at "hardcore gamers", which rarely ends well. Most of us already have tablets to browse & play touch based games, so I don't see what this will add other than a hole in your bank account.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[dnahelicase]

Yet another poorly thought out tablet aimed at cashing in on the market. The problem is it seems to be aimed at "hardcore gamers", which rarely ends well. Most of us already have tablets to browse & play touch based games, so I don't see what this will add other than a hole in your bank account.

This one actually had a lot of input from the market it is aiming for.

Since when does hardware aimed at hardcore gamers rarely end well? Razer does alright at that. I would not like using a Razer Naga Epic here at work, but I don't want anything else for an MMO at home.

This has some features not available in any other form, and for that reason I think it could sell. A full PC in a tablet size that has several input configurations (making it like a laptop, a tablet, or a gameboy-style device) and two different ways to hang on an additional, removable battery. It's pretty nice for the market and the purpose it was designed.

If you aren't a hardcore gamer, why would you think you would like it, if it was being made for you to play your basic tablet touch-based games?

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Eirenarch]

Their whole company is aimed at hardcore gamers.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[beelsebob]

But that's because the model M is actually better. Typically everyone buys the most practical thing for them. This is unlikely to be practical for anyone.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[drinkypoo]

For that you can get a refurb T900 with an i7 which sounds great right until you run into the intel graphics.

If you want gaming then it might be a good deal, especially if it will let you use the tablet display and the output for different things.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[sortius_nod]

I am an hardcore gamer, and most hardcore gamers I know don't use Razer because it's cheaply made overpriced junk. More than likely hardcore gamers are going to go with what works, not what's aimed at them.

This tablet is not nice, it's overpriced junk like everything else Razer produces. Again, us hardcore gamers already have tablets, we already have portable consoles, we have gaming laptops, we don't want or need another proprietary device that adds nothing new to the market.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Anonymous Coward]

Bullshit. I have been using my $10 keyboard since 2005 and it still works just fine. In fact, it has a lifetime guarantee. No Model M can match that.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Anonymous Coward]

Most gamers I have met disagree with you. Go back to your Angry Birds and WoW, Mrs. Casual Gamer.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[blackest_k]

Ok put price aside for a moment, why do you think a Laptop is better than a tablet?

There honestly doesnt seem to be that much difference other than a hinge and a built in keyboard.

With the tablet you have an onscreen keyboard a small portable keyboard of varying sizes a full size keyboard a mouse, a trackball, a graphics tablet, a games controller or two wired wireless what ever you like.
you can have the screen standing or lying flat, being used for pen input if you want. while using a full size monitor with hdmi.

The only situation where a laptop actually is better is when you have it perched on your lap and its not that great an experience. How often do you do that?

In a case a tablet is practically the same as a Laptop a tablet is simply more versatile and there are very few things that can be plugged into a laptop or even a desktop that will not have a version that can't be plugged into a tablet.

A laptop is not as flexible as a tablet in different use cases. It's almost a games console but a portable one that can be used anywhere. Possibly it's best and worse features is it runs windows but a dual boot and virtualbox mix would work for me.

Price is a bit high but over all not a bad concept at all.

 

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[SternisheFan]

One thing about laptops. Don't they have a negative effect on a guys sperm production over long term use? Not joking here. Or were those studies debunked?

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[EvilIdler]

If this input Razer got was in the form of a survey like the ones I get occasionally (and get $10 Amazon coupons for), the questions were probably designed to be able to interpret the answers any way they wanted. Multiple choice - THEIR choices.

This tablet can't possibly last very long while playing a game, so you'd want to be near a power outlet. At that point you're better off with a gaming laptop at least, or perhaps a real desktop. With a real screen and a comfy chair. It's also clearly not intended for purely touch-based input. The two-part gamepad on the sides should be a giveaway there! The controller is a bloody major part of the design, so it's clear they want it to be a portable console of sorts.

Even if battery technology has reached the point where this could let you play CoD for 4 hours, it looks bloody uncomfortable.

Re: The problem isn't looks.

[Anonymous Coward]

There honestly doesnt seem to be that much difference other than a hinge and a built in keyboard.

Maybe the DVD drive, video port, Ethernet, mouse support, options for larger hard drives, lower cost, and a few other things. Sure, a laptop doesn't ave a touchy screen, but is that worth losing all those other options?

Tablets have their place. I even own one and enjoy the convenience it offers. It is not a replacement for a laptop for any users, and not at the price point of the Razer Edge.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[geminidomino]

Razer MICE seem to be okay, except for a weird issue where plugging it into USB chokes any attempt to use a USB Mass Storage on my Win7-64 desktop...

Every other peripheral with their name on that I (or family who were well-intentioned and fleeced) has been utter crap. The last straw was the Onza gamepad my youngest brother gave me for my birthday. In less than 3 months, it was dead. Contacted Razer for an RMA.

No cross shipping, and I ended up paying almost half the price of a new one to ship the POS back to finally get a replacement over a month after they received it.

"Premium" brand, my arse.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[rtb61]

Gaming on a 24" screen versus, what, are you fucking joking, aimed at hardcore gamers. More like a gimmick to suck gaming noobs with inflated egos out of their money.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[mjwx]

Battery life and cost. The damned thing is $999. I can buy quite a decent laptop for that, with similar or better specs, better battery life, and a lot more usability (since it's an actual laptop).

It's Razer, what do you expect. Razer charge A$70 for a DeathAdder mouse, I paid 300 Baht (less than A$10) for a near perfect copy (exact same internals, shape and weight, sans Razer branding).

When Android tablets came out, they cost as much as Ipads. As more competition got into the market and the unit cost lowered, prices decreased. You can still by a Galaxy Tab for A$6-700 but then again, I can get a Nexus 10 for A$400 (A$350 if I wanted to stuff about with imports).

It wont take long for tablet/console hybrids to drop in price. The biggest problem they have is the lack of a game back catalogue but with old games being resurrected on Android this wont be a problem for long.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[jones_supa]

Ok put price aside for a moment, why do you think a Laptop is better than a tablet?

There honestly doesnt seem to be that much difference other than a hinge and a built in keyboard.

A couple of ergonomic factors make tablet a poorer choice.

Laptop can have a matte display. A capacitive touch screen can be made only glossy.

A tablet you have to hold in some position constantly. A laptop can freely sit on your lap, with the keyboard and screen nicely aligned.

A touchpad stresses the hands much less than poking the screen.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Anonymous Coward]

You're wrong. I have seen capacitive matte touchscreens, though they are becoming increasingly rare. You can still apply a matte finish screen protector and be done with it if you really want to. The problem with matte finish screens is their colour is all washed out and dull compared to a glossy screen, which is why glossy won out.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Richard Dick Head]

So true. Logitech makes better mice, period. I'm a store brand kinda guy, so I really don't care who makes it as long as it works...

The problem with Razer mice is that they seem to need a lab environment to function. Sure they work fine out of the box. But as your mouse working area accumulates oil and Cheeto dust, the skipping and jumping starts. Personally I am really prone to nerd rage and destroy tools that force me to notice them too often (if I'm really mad, with a large hammer). Every Razer product I've owned has met my hammer.

Even their mouse pads suck. A few grains of salt got on my pad, and 24 hours later the whole thing looked like it was keyed to death by a psycho ex-girlfriend.

Logitech G500 or G9X (depending on your mouse grip style) + Steelseries 9HD mouse pad. I've been through a lot of hardware, there is the winning formula right there. (I actually had to get up and go look at what I had. It is really nice to be able to ignore the tools that you are using and get work done!)

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Kdansky]

I think the price is much more of an issue than the battery. It's a niche product and does not replace my main gaming needs (desktop / TV / console), so it really can only cost a few hundred at best.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[h4rr4r]

From 2005?
My youngest is from 1991. It does not need a lifetime guarantee, it is built to last.

Re: The problem isn't looks.

[BlackSnake112]

The touch screen is why I don't like tablets for any 'real' use. Looking up something quickly, fine. Typing a paper, coding, anything where you will be typing for more then 5 minutes no way. Give me a real keyboard. My laptop is a 17 inch model with an almost real keyboard. It has all the keys. Only the arrow and the insert, home, end, delete keys are in a different place. The number pad in there. I have tried to use a few ipads for long periods. I hate it. The tablets are not for me.

If razer was charging in the range of $200-$300 I could see it as a more of a gaming platform. According to razer's website, you can get (unless this thing comes with them I doubt it) different bases for it. It is a tablet. The handles are what razer calls portable console mode. There is a dock/stand that allows for controllers and an HDMI connection. It looks like the dock allows you to connect it to you TV. It looks like you can move the tablet from one form to another. I can see an edge, so the tablet look like it can be removed from the handle thing. Basically this is the bigger windows 8 tablet with a better video card in it.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[Anonymous Coward]

As a web developer, I refuse to work without my naga. Turn those MMO keys into ten of your most used shortcuts

Re: The problem isn't looks.

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't the problem one of using the wrong tool for the job?
Okay Im writing this reply on a touch screen and it is limited I am not going to make a long reply. My options are to plugin a wireless keyboard and mouse press the pair button on a Bluetooth keyboard probably my ps3 Bluetooth one. A wired USB keyboard or even use my phones tiny touch keyboard via wifi (maybe Bluetooth also).

I can dictate this message but in this case the touch screen will do. The touchscreen isn't compulsory just because it is there.

Re:The problem isn't looks.

[RespekMyAthorati]

Logitech: the hardware choice of slobs.

Integration of controller a great idea

[GodfatherofSoul]

I don't know about running PC games on this thing, but I bet there'd be a market for an alternate console platform.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[poetmatt]

uh, no. It's already on a platform - windows. The concept of having handles on a tablet is not new, alternate, or creative. It's incredibly retarded. Which isn't exactly a surprise that Razer doesn't understand the market anymore after their response to the "you must have your mouse connected to the internet" problems of a few weeks ago. This is a shit product, at a shit price, with shit design. I'd be surprised if they sell at all, considering a $999 price tag. That's even more than surface's crazy price in the first place.

Razer has no idea what they're doing - they keep wanting to foray into gaming, but they really should just double down on making great mice and keyboards instead of these continual failure products. First they had that "gaming laptop" thing which was crap, now this.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[GodfatherofSoul]

Let me clarify. What I mean is an alternative to console hardware to host your console OS. So, you can buy your X-box or a more compact tablet version. I didn't see that price tag, which isn't appealing to me. But, I'd consider a bigger tablet-sized handheld gaming console (not those little pocket ones).

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[Eirenarch]

To be fair ultrabooks with similar specs (i5/i7, 4/8GB RAM, 64/128GB SSD) are not much cheaper and this one has powerful dedicated NVidia GPU. People who play games on laptops with connected monitor, mouse and keyboard can actually play on this and you get a tablet and a handheld console for when you travel.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[aztracker1]

Personally, I think that a bluetooth game controller with a seat for a 4-6" device (phone or iThingy) with say Sega and/or Namco's classic game catalogs for android & iOS at release (not included, but for $1-4 ea.) would be incredibly successful.

Essentially a quality controller... make the cash on first to market, and best hardware... let the games come (beyond initial games from vendors)

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[kiriath]

I'd buy this... I think it is a brilliant idea, especially with the Steam 'Big Picture' which I think would look splendid on a touch device. Controller based gameplay is not going away anytime soon, and to be able to integrate a controller in way that is functional yet doesn't melt your hands is awesome in my book.

Why do people have to spread so much hate?

So you don't want it... awesome, you don't have to buy it thank goodness.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[Anonymous Coward]

He's a moron and a hater. He doesn't hate this product so much as he blindly hates Windows 8 and is just pissed and jealous that this thing might actually sell.

I'd buy this thing too. I have a Nexus 7 tablet already, but it's proven to be far too limited and this looks like an awesome replacement. I can give the Nexus 7 to my niece, my mother or someone who doesn't have many computing needs.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[poetmatt]

Why yes, clearly the issue is my "hate", not the fact that it's a garbage product by a company sending clear signals of "we do not understand our customers". Clearly that is an argument of substance! Ignore any questions about whether this is even a good design, lets go straight to "Wow, look at what it can do!"

Facepalm. You are what's wrong with technology on every level. Thank goodness you do not represent the public at large.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes please, anon troll more. What a compelling argument.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[kiriath]

No, really, you are full of hate. *I* do not feel like it is a poor design... though I've not actually played with it yet, I could be proved wrong by actually USING it.

But from a conceptual point of view I think it is a wonderfully refreshing idea.

The REAL problem with technology on every level is that the MAJORITY of 'Techies' are douchebags, with a massively narrow viewpoint and feel like they are better than everyone else because their opinion is correct. YOU sir are the problem with technology, not I. I embrace technology, I LOVE technology. I can do anything I need to do with any OS, any machine, any interface. I am not limited by what I feel comfortable with.

You are a hateful little narrow minded jerk.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[poetmatt]

Please, keep going ad hominem. It is clearly reflecting poorly on me. Yes, that must be it. Any other phrases I'm missing? Excuse me while I imagine up some sort of rage you perceive I have, but I don't. Call me whatever you want, but going after people for stating that a product was incredibly poorly designed from a company that treats their customers like crap is not hate, it's explicit fact. Sorry that facts hurt your feelings, I guess?

If you think techies are douchebags, maybe you should find other techies. If you think I am a douchebag, maybe you should try not assuming I'm a douchebag with your silly little confirmation bias which is not based on anything.

I encourage people to try new technology constantly. As someone who represents a lot of vested interests in technology with a larger impact on people than I can even handle anyway, that's basically what I do. However, I don't give any berth to bad products or products made by companies which are known for treating consumers poorly or in an unethical fashion. Which in this case is Razr, with having a mouse that still requires online activation (they never turned it off, they just made it that you *can* turn it off later), while defending the situation. The last company to have done similar anti-consumer things and defend themselves was ubisoft, and look at how much people don't like them. I didn't know that magically this calling out of crap products was somehow "hate", or wrong, or somehow incorrect for being *logical*.

quit trolling me.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Argument? It was a statement of fact.

Re:Integration of controller a great idea

[Anonymous Coward]

shut the fuck up

Only 128GB or 256GB SSD options?

[VGPowerlord]

Games tend to be particularly oinky for disk space... newer "big budget" games seem to be around 12 GiB (12.88GB) standard a piece these days.

Also, how big is Windows 8?

Re:Only 128GB or 256GB SSD options?

[Anonymous Coward]

Also, how big is Windows 8?

8 GrB. Which is to say 8 grillion bytes.

Re:Only 128GB or 256GB SSD options?

[Anonymous Coward]

While I may switch between ten or more casual games, I'm rarely playing more than one or two big budget games at a time. 10-20GB is not a lot of space if I can delete it when I'm done and re-install it if I get the urge to play again.

Re:Only 128GB or 256GB SSD options?

[sexconker]

Games tend to be particularly oinky for disk space... newer "big budget" games seem to be around 12 GiB (12.88GB) standard a piece these days.

Also, how big is Windows 8?

The PC version of Max Payne 3 is over 30 GB.

Re:Only 128GB or 256GB SSD options?

[Anonymous Coward]

I seem to recall that God of War 3 (PS3 only) weighs in around 35 GB, which is why Sony didn't bother offering it for download at launch.

The answer to a question no one asked?

[crazyjj]

Hey, why doesn't someone make a gaming PC, but without all the pesky mouse and keyboard to get in the way?

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[dpidcoe]

I'm waiting for a PC stuffed into a small form factor that I can keep in a backpack and interface with it via goggles and a virtual keyboard (motion tracking gloves with tactile feedback?).

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[oodaloop]

Nice sig. Must be nice to have a monopoly on all the right opinions.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[NettiWelho]

Tablet stand, keyboard and mouse sold separately!

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, I've asked that question. About 5-10% of the people I've asked agree with me that using a gamepad beats the pants off a keyboard/mouse combo. Yes, we all agree the mouse is more accurate, but we're not playing for perfection, we're playing for fun, and using WASD + mouse isn't fun for us.

I like this new design. 5% of the PC market is a huge number. Unfortunately, their pricing puts it out of reach for me, so I guess I'll wait for the next try.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[HeckRuler]

uuuuhhhhh, a tablet can't fit in a backpack? How about a smartphone you can fit in your pocket. The issue is not the form factor of the computer, they're (more or less) powerful enough and plenty small enough. The issue is not the connectivity, bluetooth and wifi can connect it to peripherals and the internet.

It's the goggles. They do nothing.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anubis IV]

Indeed. Whoever gave the okay on this was insane. It would have been one thing if this was an Android device, since a market for touchscreen games exists on that platform, but Windows 8 has virtually no touchscreen games to think of (or, at the very least, I can't think of a single one). Why bother making a touchscreen device if, as they show in their gallery, you'll need to hook it up to the separately sold controller, dock, or keyboard accessories in order to play the games it's meant to play?

For the $999 that the base model costs, you'd be better off purchasing a base MacBook Air. While many of its base specs, such as storage, CPU, graphics, and memory seem to be comparable or identical, it (ironically) has more upgradability since you can bump up its RAM, as well as having a bigger screen and better software compatibility, being a tenth of an inch thinner, having more ports and connectivity, probably having a better battery life, and coming with the keyboard accessory that's necessary to play most PC games built right in.

And the fact that it runs Windows 8 will come back to haunt them, since it puts them in direct competition with Microsoft's Surface Pro that is due to be released later this month. While I don't expect the Surface Pro to do well, I don't see how you can expect to compete head-to-head with that while targeting an extremely niche/non-existent market and expect to come out intact.

Hopefully Razer kills this before it ever ships.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anubis IV]

The controller is a separately sold accessory (as is the keyboard accessory and the dock accessory that allows you to hook up separate controllers), and they're a moot point anyway. If all you want is to use a controller on your PC, you can pair your PS3 controllers to your PC via Bluetooth or you can pick up a Microsoft Wireless Gaming Receiver for between $15-20 and use your 360 controllers. No need to purchase a $999 PC with a touchscreen attached that is useless with almost every game.

At least for me, I prefer using controllers in certain types of games, such as platformers, and the Wireless Gaming Receiver has been useful for that. Plus, by giving me the option of playing with controllers on my PC, I don't need to buy a game for a specific console just because I think it'd be better with that console's input device. That comes in handy when there are Steam sales going on that drop prices of cross-platform games far below their prices on the PS3 or 360. Plus, Steam these days even has lists of which games have full controller support or partial controller support and that new Big Picture feature they have is designed with controllers in mind.

It sounds like that'd all be right up your alley, is already on the market, is significantly more modular, and comes in much cheaper, so I don't see what purpose Razer's tablet could meet that isn't already being handled for you.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[dpidcoe]

uuuuhhhhh, a tablet can't fit in a backpack? How about a smartphone you can fit in your pocket. The issue is not the form factor of the computer, they're (more or less) powerful enough and plenty small enough.

Way to misinterpret my post.

This new tablet is rather useless in my opinion because:
1) gaming on a 10 inch screen sounds painful
2) gaming with a touch interface? Maybe if you want to play angry birds or fruit ninja, but you don't need an I7 to run those

If you remove the screen from the tablet and include an HDMI connector, now it's suddenly a lot more useful for actual gaming because you could plug in a display device such as an oculus rift or the vuzix glasses and have a bigger display with less power usage. Add a mouse + keyboard and suddenly you can play FPS anywhere you can get a decent mousing surface. Bring a joystick in your carry on and now you can play FSX on your cross country plane flight.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anonymous Coward]

The mouse is more accurate when at a desk, but as PCs moved into our living-rooms, mousing on the couch was no longer so accurate. At this point I prefer an Xbox 360 controller for PC games.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[dnahelicase]

Indeed. Whoever gave the okay on this was insane. It would have been one thing if this was an Android device, since a market for touchscreen games exists on that platform, but Windows 8 has virtually no touchscreen games to think of (or, at the very least, I can't think of a single one). Why bother making a touchscreen device if, as they show in their gallery, you'll need to hook it up to the separately sold controller, dock, or keyboard accessories in order to play the games it's meant to play?

While I don't expect the Surface Pro to do well, I don't see how you can expect to compete head-to-head with that while targeting an extremely niche/non-existent market and expect to come out intact.

Hopefully Razer kills this before it ever ships.

Hopefully, you are wrong. These are the same people who thought, "hey, let's make a normal mouse with a bunch of buttons, then let's add 12 thumb buttons on the side." I'm sure it sounded stupid, but it's a nice mouse.

I've asked the question for a long time. Sure, this isn't going to play everything well, but it is going to be able to play mainstream games in the back of the car like you would use a DS.

People don't buy these to save money, and for the money it would be silly to buy an air, as you get better gaming on a cheaper system. That's not the point. People will pay for an innovative device and buy accessories. Consoles come with one controller and you have to buy extra, and pay a premium for games, and have a million accessories you can buy. People buy them when they are nice. There is a market, and when you are the first to market, you generally have a good chance to shape it and eventually profit.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[dnahelicase]

Hey, why doesn't someone make a gaming PC, but without all the pesky mouse and keyboard to get in the way?

Hey, why doesn't someone cram an ipod, a cell phone, and a web-browser all together?

Hey, why don't we create a website where people can only post messages 140 characters long?

Hey, why doesn't someone create a website where people can post normal photos, but we put them through a filter to make them look old?

Hey, why doesn't someone make a device that runs like a pc but you can hold like a portable gaming device, with an extra removable battery, so my kids can play mainstream games in the back seat?

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anonymous Coward]

> gaming with a touch interface?
Again someone who didn't even bother to look at the device let alone the article.
You are not going to be using the touchscreen to play games. It supports xBox controllers, and has a dock with gaming handles that look like they might be fun in WOWp (not WoW but World of Warplanes). It also supports keyboard/mouse combo.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[flimflammer]

It depends on the game. I always believe in using the right tool for the job when it comes to controlling video games. I absolutely believe using a controller is a more pleasurable experience usually but some things were just never designed with that in mind. Any RTS is nearly out of the question outright, and first person shooters are generally clunky unless they have some sort of aim assist functionality built in. Platformers, various action games, etc, all feel much better with a controller to me.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anubis IV]

You're lumping all crazy ideas together, regardless of whether they're good or not. The mouse with loads of buttons was a crazy idea, sure, but it was a good one. They recognized a need that existed for MMO gamers and provided a product that fit it perfectly. Had I still been playing WoW when that thing came out, I'm fairly certain I would have bought it for myself. The same goes for quite a few of their products. Gamers want to be able to play their games better, so Razer provides tools that help them do that, which is why they've been so successful.

But this tablet? As far as I can tell, this tablet has exactly one killer feature: it's quite possibly the best hardware in the world for touchscreen gaming. So, if they can manage to position themselves in the market for touchscreen games, they stand to make a large profit, as you said. Unfortunately, they haven't done that, since if there was a Venn diagram with touchscreen gaming in one circle and Windows 8 in another circle, the two wouldn't be overlapping at all.

All of the touchscreen game developers have already gone to where the touchscreen gamers are at: Android and iOS. There's massive momentum behind the touchscreen gaming markets on those platforms (fueled in large part by the fact that pretty much everyone needs a phone, meaning the platforms are quickly becoming ubiquitous), whereas there's no market at all for touchscreen games on Windows 8. It doesn't matter if Razer has created the best device for touchscreen gaming if there aren't any touchscreen games that can run on it.

Now, there are ways they can try and spin this, but all of the ones I can imagine are subverted by the fact that it's running Windows 8. For instance, using Apple products and game consoles as examples, they could try to market it as being lower maintenance, more hassle-free, a better deal, or simply an expression of a preference in how things should work. People flock to dedicated gaming devices because of their low cost and easy upkeep, but this device costs $1000 and comes with all of the headaches and baggage of a typical PC, since it is a PC. They could try to market it as a premium product, but it's running Windows 8, which is largely being shunned by the gamer demographic they're targeting, so that'll be a hard sell. What it looks like they're trying to do is make it a matter of preference, saying that people want to be able to run full-blown Windows games, but that preference can be expressed better by buying a laptop that can run Windows 8, and all of the accessories it uses can be had with a laptop just as easily.

People may be willing to put down a bit of money for a gimmick (e.g. buying a Wii on a whim), but very few people are willing to plunk down $1000 without doing some research. And when they do, they'll see that any argument they could make for this device could be just as easily applied to a laptop or a cheaper tablet.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[cbhacking]

FWIW, there are touchscreen games for Win8. Completely leaving aside the Windows Store games (some of which are pretty fun, but which play more like oversized smartphone games than "serious" PC games), there are some other games which explicitly support touch on Win8. The first one that comes to mind is Civilization 5, which has an explicitly touch-enabled-and-friendly UI option which is intended for use on Win8 touchscreen devices.

That said, I understand that this is /. and all, but assuming that it's touchscreen-based gaming just because the description uses the word "tablet" is stupid. "Read" the article (i.e. look at the picture) and you'll see that it's not targeting touchscreen gaming at all. The thing has grips with hardware controls (buttons/analog sticks/probably triggers) on the sides, intended to effectively substitute for a gaming controller or joystick. Additionally, it can use Xbox 360 or PS3 (or probably Wii) controllers without any trouble (as any Windows system with USB ports and Bluetooth can do), and many PC games are designed to be playable with such a gamepad (unsurprising, considering how many are console ports).

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anonymous Coward]

You know what's fun? Rocket jumping across a chasm while simultaneously spinning 180 degrees and sniping your opponent from a kilometer away in mid-air. Boom, headshot!

n00bs always have excuses as to why they suck. One of the most often heard ones is that they "play for fun" and that good players obviously can't be having fun because they're so good. Go figure. Winning is the goal of every game so if you're not even going to try, you shouldn't be playing.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anubis IV]

I read the article and looked through the gallery of images before my posting here (in fact, I even referenced the pictures you told me to look at in my first paragraph), and my point still stands: seeing as there are very few AAA titles created with touchscreens in mind, it makes little sense that a company would create a "gaming" device whose primary differentiator from competing gaming products on the market is that it has a touchscreen. Ignoring the touchscreen, it's not hard to find laptops that are better-specced at similar price points, so I don't see why this device has any appeal whatsoever.

(Quick aside: To make sure I wasn't talking out of my ass, I just configured an HP ENVY to have similar specs, and it came out to $669, has a bigger screen, and more ports. Those only downsides I could see were that it uses the GT630M instead of the GT640M and had a 500GB HDD instead of the 64GB SSD, though since 64GB will disappear almost instantly for Windows gamers, I should think most people would find the 500GB HDD to be an advantage.)

Those hardware controls you mentioned could have been interesting, but it's merely a separately purchased first-party dock accessory, rather than a core feature. And if you're willing to tack accessories onto a tablet, why not get a laptop or even the Surface Pro? The Surface Pro costs $100 less and has a lot of pretty typical tablet features that appear to be missing from the Razer Edge (e.g. front and rear facing cameras, a microSD card slot, video output, accelerometer, etc.), yet could be easily connected to your already-purchased controllers, as you pointed out. Plus, the Surface is likely to see more widespread adoption and thus have a larger ecosystem of accessories, giving a buyer even more reasons to go with it instead. The graphics card is definitely a nice touch in the Edge, however, though as I already pointed out, it's trivial to find laptops with similar specs for FAR less money.

All of that said, I was not aware of any AAA titles that had touch support, so I would like to say thanks for bringing that to my attention. The fact that there are any at all comes as a surprise to me, to be perfectly honest.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[BlackSnake112]

I see we have a PC gamer using mods that the console gamers can't use. Then claiming how much better they are. When certain games became who cheats best wins, the only people playing are the cheaters.

I stopped playing FPS in the 90s. I see the only thing that has changed is the game graphics.

I do not have an xbox or ps what ever number sony is up to now. I know people who do. I have played with them. I do not like the controllers. Most of those controllers are too small for my hands. Due to breaking many fingers and other bones in my hands over the years, those controllers are very unconformable for me to use. It is very clear to see the PC people in those FPS game vs the other console people. The PC people seem to be able to shoot head shot after head shot with a hand gun from very large distances away. Yet the console people can never make those shots. Those people also move much faster then the console people. I watched one person run up, I should say blur up, and knife person after person. Why would that be? They are on a PC and using something to give them an advantage.

Re:The answer to a question no one asked?

[Anonymous Coward]

When certain games became who cheats best wins, the only people playing are the cheaters.

That's another excuse I hear a lot from people who suck at playing.

The PC people seem to be able to shoot head shot after head shot with a hand gun from very large distances away. Yet the console people can never make those shots. Those people also move much faster then the console people. I watched one person run up, I should say blur up, and knife person after person. Why would that be? They are on a PC and using something to give them an advantage.

The advantage PC gamers have is keyboard and mouse controls. A mouse is so much quicker and more precise as to make playing against anyone on a gamepad a joke. Seriously, the worst players on keyboard/mouse can easily beat the best players on gamepad. You're an idiot if you think cheats are possible in all online games and an even bigger idiot if you think we need cheats to play like that (come on, seriously you think rocket jumping spin snipe is hard? really?). I've been playing first person shooters since Catacombs Abyss 3D, playing multiplayer over LAN competitively since Doom and playing multiplayer over internet competitively since Quake. It's easy to read noobs like you in game.

GPU? Resolution?

[Anonymous Coward]

GTX 640M??

What an awful GPU for "high-end" gaming.

battery life?

[Joe_Dragon]

battery life?

Dead in the water

[El_Muerte_TDS]

Target audience is the hardcore gamers that play on consoles or higher end PCs. Why would they trying the mess with an inferior system as a tablet.

Re:Dead in the water

[Anonymous Coward]

Because sometimes I have to go places where my uber-rig isn't, and this is a much better option than anything currently available.

Re:Dead in the water

[Anonymous Coward]

I just don't get why people would buy this. It's incredibly bulky and ugly, 2cm thick and 0.9 kg, they probably made those handlebars to make it easier to use, THEN added buttons and called them a feature. MS Surface and WindowsPhone suck but have lots of potential and would do better with more support and real marketing, this sucks. period.

Re:Dead in the water

[KermodeBear]

There are small form factor laptops that are excellent for gaming. I've been using them for many years now; they suffer from a lack of being easily upgradable, but a good machine will be good for four years or so - and after that, they're still perfectly good, they just don't run the newest games at the highest graphics settings.

Re:Dead in the water

[HeckRuler]

Maybe the anonymous coward's spindly little arms can't lift a laptop after years of subsisting on nothing but mountain dew and cheezypoofs?

Re:Dead in the water

[miroku000]

Target audience is the hardcore gamers that play on consoles or higher end PCs. Why would they trying the mess with an inferior system as a tablet.

Consoles are essentially low-end PCs for about half of their lifetime...

Re:Dead in the water

[beelsebob]

Then he wouldn't be able to lift this heavier device.

Re:Dead in the water

[webmistressrachel]

This device could form part of his rehabilitation. ;-)

Re:Dead in the water

[cbhacking]

You have a gaming laptop that weighs less than two pounds?? I mean, this isn't even two pounds, (~900g) so if you know of a gaming laptop (dedicated GPU, decent CPU, at least 4GB of RAM) that weighs less, please let me know. Even the lightweight ones tend to be at least 2.5lb.

Re:Dead in the water

[Anonymous Coward]

"Hardcore gamers" and "consoles" should never be in the same sentence. If you play on a console you are, by definition, a casual gamer.

Button position

[Russ1642]

When I hold my tablet I prefer to hold it near the bottom. The button position on this thing forces your hands to be near the top of the screen. This means you either have to hold your arms up quite high or strain your neck.

screen resolution?

[Anonymous Coward]

A tablet is basically a screen. Why don't you tell us the resolution? What kind of bs are you trying to hide?

Re:screen resolution?

[Anonymous Coward]

1366x768

Maybe try reading their web site, you stupid piece of shit.

Games?

[DoofusOfDeath]

So what games to you play on a high-end gaming tablet? " Insanely Incandescently Pissed-off birds"?

Re:Games?

[Anonymous Coward]

Considerring the specs, Skyrim. (while they are pissed off, and they do fly, don't call the dragons "birds")

It's official

[dnaumov]

the world has gone full-retard.

Why the fuck would I want to play Windows games, on a tablet, and pay 999$ to do so with horrible battery life?

Re:It's official

[jones_supa]

Remember, we're living in the POST-PC ERA. ;)

This is a joke

[dpak1170]

Why? Battery Life Storage Windows 8

Re:This is a joke

[oodaloop]

Battery Life Storage Windows 8

Is that a new version of Windows 8? It's so hard to keep track of all the different versions.

Useless

[Anonymous Coward]

n/t

Re:*barfs*

[cayenne8]

But...will it run Linux?

It was unveiled at 2012 CES

[Bill_the_Engineer]

It is still vaporware now.

I'm interested, but not for gaming

[javakah]

I like the iPad for casual stuff, reading, websurfing, light games, but there are times when it just feels limited. You're out somewhere with it and have some time, but can't really work on your programming projects. Depending on the battery life/power economy when not running hardcore games, it could be a good platform, not so much for games, but for straddling the line between a casual platform and a serious work platform. You can do reading/websurfing on it one moment, but switch into a regular IDE as needed and continue with your projects (and not look strange since tablets have become so socially acceptable). You could have it attached to a monitor/keyboard/mouse at home to act as a regular computer.

Nah! You just need an addon...

[DarthVain]

Mobile Power Unit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_generator

Re:Nah! You just need an addon...

[Anonymous Coward]

I was thinking more like this.

On a related note, a few things that I have seen on Kickstarter (not that I'm endorsing any of these) that are more mobile-friendly than either of our suggestions above):
eClipse
Wakawaka Power
some kind of charging station box

Build it and the software will come?

[ZombieBraintrust]

What software is being made for this tablet? Is it a Windows 8 machine? If this thing doesn't get big releases that are coming out in the next 5 years then there is no point in buying it.

Re:Build it and the software will come?

[ZombieBraintrust]

allowing PC games to run natively on the Edge

Man I can't read. Says its windows 8 in summary.

God, you're a grumpy bunch.

[goldcd]

It's just something a bit different.
An option we'll all shortly have, we didn't have before.
Of course it's not going to be wanted by 99% of us - but surely you can find it in your heart to be glad that somebody out there is at least trying to innovate.
Razer, who were previously just an accessory maker of random gaming bits actually seem to be trying to push the boundary and putting some investment into creating interesting products - and then actually bringing them to market.

Full Disclosure: I own one of their mouse-mats - and it's the finest mouse mat I've ever seen/used.

Re:God, you're a grumpy bunch.

[phantomfive]

Full Disclosure: I own one of their mouse-mats - and it's the finest mouse mat I've ever seen/used.

What on earth can make a mouse mat so much better than any other mouse mat?

Re:God, you're a grumpy bunch.

[Barny]

The fact it doesn't slip around. That your mouse tracks well on it. That your mouse slides over it with less friction. That it is the 'right size' for your gaming habits.

Ha

[Type44Q]

I read that as "Razer Unveils High-End Gaming Toilet" and did a double take...

Re:Ha

[cbhacking]

Remarkably enough, that's where I do a non-trivial portion of my tablet gaming... what features would one *made* for such an activity offer, I wonder?

Re:Ha

[Barny]

Made from plastic that, like your toilet seat, resists germs. Waterproof. Extra paper dispenser (as a backup for when the main roll is empty).

Re:Ha

[Anonymous Coward]

When I first noticed this article my first thought was "Oh god why", now i understand.
The only problem is, I don't understand how you are supposed to "hard core game" on a tablet.... unless you have eaten too much fibre I suppose.

About Time!

[organgtool]

No more playing Angry Birds at a mere 500 fps like a damn cave man!

Re:About Time!

[Anonymous Coward]

especially since it runs x86 OS that cant run Angry Birds, you definitely wont be playing angry birds like a cave man

Re:About Time!

[cbhacking]

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/app/angry-birds-star-wars/c7628194-ce39-4a18-97e9-590af59c2fd0
http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/app/angry-birds-space/8ece2571-91e0-4f2f-b7e5-b0b7944ced2d

Clearly, you know a great deal about the Win8 app ecosystem...

Re:About Time!

[gl4ss]

especially since it runs x86 OS that cant run Angry Birds, you definitely wont be playing angry birds like a cave man

being x86 it can run _several_ versions of angry birds. even the js one(that uses flash for sounds..).

Re:About Time!

[Black LED]

I was at Fry's just yesterday and saw several different boxed Angry Birds variants for PC, so it's definitely available.

The first useful Windows 8 implementation

[Anonymous Coward]

Finally, someone has made the right Windows 8 platform. Putting it on a tablet, basing that tablet on iCore so that it will actually run native Wintel apps, while at the same time being a platform for Metro that makes sense. Not that that necessarily guarantees that people will buy, but at least, it is less likely to run afoul of people's expectations unlike either Windows 8 on PCs or Windows RT on ARM tablets or phones.

The tablet built for Homer

[phil_aychio]

This reminds me of the old Simpsons episode where Homer designs a car for his long lost brother's car company. "...and when I step on the gas, I want people to feel like the world is going to end. And the horn should play 'La Cucaracha'..." What eventually did them in was the price for all of the outlandish 'capability'...which very well may be the case here too. Those who don't learn from the Simpsons are doomed to...relive their...zany antics. Or something like that.

Re:The tablet built for Homer

[LordKronos]

Those who don't learn from the Simpsons are doomed to...relive their...zany antics. Or something like that.

I think the words you are looking for are "Simpsons did it".

The average user doesn't program

[tepples]

You're out somewhere with [an iPad] and have some time, but can't really work on your programming projects.

If there's one thing I learned from comments to the recent story about the discontinuation of netbooks, it's that there are not enough other people who program as a hobby to make a device for mobile programming. As rolfwind wrote: "The average user doesn't program shit. They want to play their youtube videos and facebook." Mass production serves the masses, not the niche. The smaller the niche, the smaller the economies of scale, and the more expensive the product.

So it's a laptop?

[Dunge]

I bought a laptop with the exact same specs and price last year. 1080p screen and a keyboard included! They don't mention if it's a touchscreen, that would be the only advantage.

Re:So it's a laptop?

[oodaloop]

They don't mention if it's a touchscreen, that would be the only advantage.

Uh, yeah. It's a non-touch screen tablet. Basically a thousand-dollar hand-held monitor with no built-in interface except for the power button and volume control. It's amazing it took this long for someone to come up with the idea.

Re:So it's a laptop?

[Anonymous Coward]

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA
This is why i read slashdot.

Re:So it's a laptop?

[Anonymous Coward]

with a crappy onboard video card that can barley run minesweeper. a laptop with a 1080p resolution is not the same as a laptop that can play skyrim maxed out in 1080p. very different things.

Re:So it's a laptop?

[kiriath]

Why oh why did I click '1 hidden comment'.

Barely run minesweeper? You're a moron. I think in this day and age A N Y T H I N G released by nVidia is going to be FAR better than any old intel piece of trash that currently FLOOD the market in every even remotely reasonably priced portable device.

You have a laptop that can play skyrim maxed out in 1080p? Awesome, I bet you spent more than $1,000 US on it. A 10 inch tablet doesn't *have* to run 1080p to look great and be smooth. The price for the power AND portability in my eyes, is pretty spectacular.

I applaud Razer for their efforts in bringing the console feel to PC power. Go back into your cave...

Re:So it's a laptop?

[Anonymous Coward]

I bought a laptop with the exact same specs and price last year. 1080p screen and a keyboard included!
They don't mention if it's a touchscreen, that would be the only advantage.

There is indeed 10 point touch
Source: http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-edge-pro

Re:So it's a laptop?

[Anonymous Coward]

Does it have rounded corners?
 
Apples lawyers will be contacting them shortly...

No GPU?!

[Anonymous Coward]

Intel was a poor choice. An AMD A8 with Radeon would've been much better.

Re:No GPU?!

[Jaysyn]

Would have been a bit cheaper too, I imagine.

Re:No GPU?!

[gl4ss]

Intel was a poor choice. An AMD A8 with Radeon would've been much better.

640m.. or at least some comment said so.

Re:No GPU?!

[cbhacking]

The AMD hybrid CPU/GPU chips are great from the perspective of a low-cost chip that can handle moderate gaming, but they don't have the ultra-low power designs that Intel does. They also are less powerful as CPUs than an i7 (4 hardware threads vs. 8). They might be suitable (if the power consumption can be held in check) for a mid-range device capable of some gaming, but this is intentionally a fairly high-end model (its GPU is nothing to write home about... except that they shoehorned it into such a compact package, and that there's a discrete GPU at all).

As a programmer

[Anonymous Coward]

I am actually tempted to get this, because as a programmer being able to have something that can run visual studio to show off your work, is a god send. Also it can be upgraded to 8gb of memory vs the surface pro which is only 4gb. Decisions are to be made :P. Glad I have hardware choices unlike iOS.

Re:As a programmer

[crolix]

Yes, that's the point everyone seems to be missing. With the keyboard dock it's essentially a very compact and yet very powerful 10 inch laptop: http://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-edge-keyboard-dock. I might actually buy this tablet simply because it's the only 10 inch tablet I know of that you can order with 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, an Intel Core i7 processor and a fast video card. I don't care about those gaming handles that you can attach to it or even that docking station for your tv, because I would use it solely for doing some work when traveling. Sure, it's a bit pricy, but not too pricy given those specs. When everyone is focused on making the cheapest possible hardware with crap specs, it's refreshing to see someone coming out with a product not aimed for an average Joe. The complete specs are here: http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-edge-pro

Re:As a programmer

[cbhacking]

Excellent point. This device is a very well-specced ultra-portable computer... that also happens to be a tablet, and to be designed to support gaming. Not everybody who wants such hardware specs in a compact form factor is going to want the touchscreen or the gaming power, but in a market of a thousand look-alike low-end devices, it's nice to see somebody branching out.

My one concern from a productivity standpoint is the size of the keyboard. The Surface manages to (barely, or perhaps almost... it's missing a couple keys) squeeze a full-size keyboard onto its cover, with the spacing correct for touch typing from muscle memory and even usable for light coding (well, scripting on the Surface RT), but it's not ideal. A 12" laptop or tablet can fit a proper keyboard without needing to map so many keys onto Fn+[other key].

Re:*barfs*

[spazdor]

You mean, the summary? Agreed.

adeelarshad82 meant to write "designed specifically for high-end gaming", not "exclusively", given that it wasn't designed to actually exclude non-gaming functions. I can barely even parse "With the help of crowdsourcing endeavor of tapping into Razer's fanbase", which seems to express the same concept twice redundantly without a preposition, and God only knows where the hyphen in "0.8-inches thick" came from or what it was meant to express. Absent these other issues, it would perhaps be forgivable that he saw fit to specify "Windows 8 with Intel architecture" even though he's already told us what CPU options we have (which are both Intel architecture) but it's a mediocre conclusion to that trainwreck of a summary.

2/10, would not read again.

"and measures 0.8-inches thick"

[Anonymous Coward]

And IS four fifths of an inch thick?

0.8-inches?

WTF? Idiots.

Heat dissipation

[saccade.com]

Along with short battery life, I wonder how hot the thing gets. Hmm, might be handy to have a tablet that keeps your coffee warm. Or fries your eggs. Do they make non-stick Gorilla Glass?

Everyone else went AMD

[Anonymous Coward]

Nintendo Wii U = AMD (although still PowerPC CPUs for backward compatibility)
Sony PS4 = AMD (CPU and GPU)
Microsoft XBox720 = AMD (CPU and GPU)
Valve SteamBox = AMD (CPU and GPU)
Microsoft Surface Pro II tablet = AMD (CPU and GPU)

No sane company allows Intel anywhere near new gaming or tablet systems. Intel's CPUs are overkill, and insanely expensive when the model is 'faster' than AMD. Intel's GPUs (either licensed powerVR, or their own design) are slow, have low compatibility, miss many hardware functions (that then need to be emulated on the CPU), and have the world's worst drivers (for anything other than simple desktop acceleration or video decoding).

So Razer builds an 'ultrabook', gives the screen a touch surface, and lops of the keyboard- big whoop. Poeple have been making junky so-called Windows tablets like this for years- way before the iPad existed. For gaming, they would be the worst idea ever. Sadly, this seems to be Intel's fate now. Paying to have their dying parts stuffed into ever more exotic and unloved failures, while AMD and ARM continue to capture every successful new market.

Will it req. activation/internet ?

[Lime Green Bowler]

I'm wary of Razer ever since their Naga mouse was released. You need to load their Synapse software for "cloud" access and programming in order to use the special features of the mouse... which requires an internet connection and account activation. Activation? For a mouse? Sure, otherwise, it functions as a plain old featureless mouse. At first they required constant internet access to use the mouse's additional button features, but finally released an update to Synapse that allowed offline use after public pressure. This is a hardware mouse, not a software product or OS that needs activation. That's customer-unfriendly to me. They've also never come clean as to why internet is required, as the Synapse license states it will also collect and send data back to Razer. No thanks Razer, you're on Santa's naughty list.

resolution too low

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd buy one today if it had a decent resolution, anything below 1080p is pointless with visual studio..

Re:resolution too low

[jones_supa]

I'm so tough guy that I can code in any resolution.

Another fail in gaming

[TheSkepticalOptimist]

Again another poor design for a game platform.

Whacking on some controllers to a screen is not a game platform. This neither functions well as a tablet, nor a game device.

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