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Engadget evaluates Razer Blade performance
Our fellow bloggers at Engadget have gotten their hands on the Blade laptop from Razer (the very first commercial fruits of that "Switchblade" concept seeded so long ago), and the unit gets some high marks, despite some significant flaws. The worst issue with the laptop seems to be the audio (the built-in speakers are so bad that Engadget suspected their unit was broken somehow), but in general the problem with the Blade seems that it's tuned for a mix of portability and performance, which means neither gets to be perfect.Yes, the Blade is sleek and super thin for a PC laptop, but it trades on that build by being a "gaming" unit that doesn't play StarCraft 2 on its highest settings perfectly. (see update) For the sticker price of $2,799, Razer traded a little too much performance for the admittedly impressive form factor.But while Engadget doesn't recommend the laptop wholeheartedly, the site does praise the Blade's "bright and delectably tactile" LED buttons. The article surmises we'll see those types of controls again soon, either in Razer hardware, or units from other device manufacturers.Update: Engadget has discovered that they didn't have the latest drivers for the graphics card, and with those, apparently Skyrim runs much better. Engadget is working on updated benchmarks for all of the Blade's performance aspects.
Razer teaser reminds us that 'PC gaming is not dead,' neither are viral videos
Looks like Razer's not buying the whole "console > PC" argument. The company just went live with a new website that couldn't possibly be more esoteric. Aside from telling us that "there's something terribly wrong with gaming today," we aren't given much to go regarding its impending announcement. Apparently, something "big" is coming on the 26th of August, and whatever it is (Switchblade, perhaps?), it'll remind the world that PC gaming is, in fact, not dead. Hit the source link to sign up for more, or head on past the break for a look at the ominous teaser vid.
The Razer Switchblade concept slithers its way to GDC 2011
Razer was on hand at the Intel booth on the GDC expo floor with a sealed-off concept unit of the Razer Switchblade, the company's new small-form gaming PC. Travis Wannlund, Razer's global community manager, gave me the ins and outs of the hardware. The unit has a touchscreen to replace the pointer and also accepts a USB or Bluetooth mouse as an input device. The keyboard is made up of small LED screens that work as contextual keys, changing to ability keys with pictures, alphabetical keys, arrows, and more. The Switchblade was cycling through games, showing off different context-sensitive key setups depending on the game. Quake Live placed down a row of abilities ranging from grenades and rockets, alongside buttons for walk and crouch. A WASD array also popped up, and presumably a mouse would facilitate the view space. I couldn't touch it, of course, as the machine was guarded by a nefarious plastic box, but it was there, working, and impressing the heck out of everyone who stopped by. The Switchblade looks very promising, even in its concept stage, showing that Razer intends to push a whole lot of boundaries with its new little darling. It is almost as if the machine were built with the express purpose of playing a game like WoW on the go, with other games as an added bonus. Now we just have to watch and wait, hoping this little beauty goes from concept to production as soon as possible.
Razer Switchblade impressions: It's a 7" gaming PC with an LCD keyboard
Razer may be best known for its well-regarded line of angular, extreme gaming peripherals for the core PC gaming set – think mice, keyboards, mouse pads and yes, motion controllers – but the San Diego-based company is looking to branch out into an area you may not have expected: efficient (and graphically anemic) netbook computers. While it's an unusual move for the peripheral maker, it's not a departure from their core competency. Gaming laptops may have whittled down the bulk required for a high-end gaming experience but they're still far from portable. Inversely, netbooks are steadily becoming increasingly capable laptop replacements, but fall short when performing the most demanding tasks ... like video gaming.%Gallery-113462%
Best of CES 2011
Maybe, just maybe, you've noticed that Engadget relocated this past week to the City of Sin for CES 2011. Oh yes, we set up camp in a double-wide trailer, liveblogged our hearts out, combed the show floor, and worked our rear ends off to bring you more gadget news than you ever thought possible. It's true, we've written over 720 posts (40 or so about tablets alone!), shot more than 180 videos, and brought you over 350 photo galleries in the last seven days. That's a ton of technology news and products, but naturally, only certain ones have been able to rise above the rest and stick out in our scary collective hive-mind. With that said, we've complied our annual best of list for you, so hit the break and feast your eyes on what are bound to be some of the best products of the new year.
Razer Switchblade mobile PC gaming concept unveiled
Not paying attention to the Consumer Electronics Show this year? You should be. Today, Razer revealed the Switchblade, its concept for a mobile PC gaming platform -- a PC gaming and multimedia device that fits in your hand. Though this product is but a concept at the moment, Razer's vision for the Switchblade includes a 7-inch screen and a dynamic LCD keyboard. That is, the keys are clear, tactile buttons laid atop a dynamic LCD screen that will change depending on what game you're playing or what you're doing in the game. Imagine questing in World of Warcraft and jumping into a vehicle. Rather than your in-game UI changing, the keyboard's display itself would change to represent the vehicle's controls and abilities. It's unlikely that a device like this could be used for long sessions of hardcore gaming -- even if the keyboard works perfectly, that's some serious eye strain -- but it could make PC gaming on the go a reality rather than the clunky kludges it's been thus far. Here's hoping this product actually hits the market. [via Engadget]
Razer Switchblade preview: 3G, Intel Oak Trail, almost definitely going on sale
Whoa, Nelly! We just made a beeline to Razer's booth here on the CES show floor, and were presented with a fairly technical talk surrounding the newly launched Switchblade. While officially deemed a concept, we came away with a serious impression that Razer's not investing loads of time and money on this just for kicks. In other words, we'd cautiously expect to see this thing on sale at some point next year -- but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. We spent a good half-hour toying with this Windows 7-based mini netbook, and we came away seriously impressed by what's happening here. Head on past the break for more of our impressions. %Gallery-113039%
Razer announces Switchblade 7-inch PC gaming tablet concept
CES 2011 is proving to be a veritable cornucopia of radical, tantalizing concepts that aren't real products just yet. For instance, PC hardware manufacturer Razer turned our heads with the Switchblade -- a 7-inch gaming tablet with a multi-touch screen and keys that change based on the game that's being played. Trust us, it's much more impressive on video -- check out the demonstration posted after the jump to see this shape-shifting magic act in motion. Sadly, Razer hasn't announced any plans to actually take the Switchblade to market, nor most of the device's technical specs. We'll try to get some answers when we stop by Razer's booth on the CES show floor. If that doesn't work, we'll try to totally steal whatever demo model they've got. Oh, wait. We probably shouldn't have said that part on the internet. You didn't hear that, capiche? %Gallery-113018%
Razer Switchblade: 7-inch pocket gaming concept blows our minds six ways from Sunday
The most beautiful thing to come out of CES 2011? The show ain't over yet, but we're unafraid to say that Razer's Switchblade is the device to beat. Before you go getting your hopes up, we have to (regretfully) point out that this here gaming handheld is but a concept, but considering that Toshiba's Libretto W105 made it to store shelves (if but for a moment), we're hoping and praying that the Switchblade can also find its way to a production line. Little is known about the device itself, but Razer has imagined it using a pair of 7-inch multitouch displays as well as a layer of tactile, dynamic keys on the lower screen. Much like the Optimus Maximus of yesteryear, this keyboard would enable gamers to place different screens underneath depending on title, and even within a game, you could imagine the keys shifting to account for different POVs, levels, scenarios, etc. Internally, the concept is based around an Intel Atom processor, but there's no word on what kind of GPU would work alongside of it. Sadly, Razer's unwilling to talk pie-in-the-sky details when it comes to price and release, but if four million comments show up below begging and pleading for the company to take this commercial... Update: Just to be clear, the keyboard on the bottom is a full-on LCD , but covered with physical keys. In contrast, the W105 had a flat touchpanel on the bottom. Update 2: Check out our in-depth preview from the CES 2011 show floor! %Gallery-112395%
