After a marketing campaign claiming that PC gaming was not dying (and seemingly believing that the masses assumed it was), Razer have unveiled their new product – the world’s first true gaming laptop. Dubbed the Razer Blade (catchy, I know), the laptop itself features an aluminium chassis, “true portability”, “incredible performance” and a “revolutionary user interface”.
This laptop is to encourage developers and gamers alike to return to the PC market as the main platform, but I’m somehow doubtful that’s going to happen. Why? It costs the completely unaffordable price of – wait for it – $2799.99. Yes, really.
Let me put that in perspective for you: for about $1500-2000 less you could build a high-end gaming PC that will run Battlefield 3 very nicely. Sure, it won’t be portable, it won’t weigh just under 7lbs and it won’t be the undeniably impressive 0.88 inches thin, but it will do the job very well.
The Razer Blade does feature a lovely Intel i7 processor (just dual core, mind), 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a 17.3″ display and a high performance NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M GPU with 2GB dedicated VRAM, however. Another interesting feature is the Switchblade User Interface: which features 10 dynamic keys and a multi-touch LCD that can be used to display in-game information or control the game instead of a mouse when you’re on the go. It also includes a built-in HD webcam and only a 320gb HDD.
So – yes, it’s a nice piece of kit; it’s just unfortunately way out of most gamers’ (read: everyone’s)Â price range so it doesn’t look to be bringing people into the world of PC gaming any time soon. It will be available later this year, so get your pre-orders in!*
*My advice? Don’t, just build yourself a PC, get a games console and a decent laptop; you’ll still have some cash to spare.
Source: Press Release
Delriach
Lol who the hell can afford something like that O_O
mynameisblair
People with a lot more cash than sense.
yogdog
HOLY MOTHER OF DOLPHINS, that’s expensive!
ericzap
So- I- What?
hol
It looks lovely but, & it’s a big but, just as capable laptops exist at half the price!
If pc gaming is your thing the build it yourself for better specs at a 3rd of the cost /)
G_The_Enemy14
Haha that’s stupid. I’ll be surprised if they sell more than 2000 :p
Erroneus
Actually I see this sell quite a lot more. I agree it’s a tad to expensive, but there lots of people who really wants a high powered really portable laptop.
Crocadillian
I can see this being bought, but they have the wrong market.
ron_mcphatty
320GB? Pah! Obviously hardcore mobile gamers have gone all riteous and deleted their stockpiles of illegally obtained Infected Mushroom and Metallica. Personally, if I can store my lossless B*Witched anthology and Andrew Lloyd Webber collection as well as playing Peggle in 1080p then I’m not interested. The touch-pad/screen looks nice though.
Amphlett
I know how to make this laptop sell by the bucket-load, even at this crazy price – Stick an Apple logo on the lid… “Must buy Apple. Must buy Apple. No idea why. Must buy Apple. All the other moms in the playground have iphone. Must buy Apple.”
BoyDay
That’s ridiculous, it’s not even that good a spec! I had a custom PC built a month ago with an 8-core i7 which can be overclocked to just under 5ghz, 8gb RAM, 2TB HDD and a 2GB GFX card and that came to under £1,000.
BoyDay
Forgot to say, my PC will comfortably run Crysis 2 while Portal 2 is loaded and paused in the background – both at max settings.
Mikiyaru
can you play it on your lap without having to plug it in? can you play it in your car? on a train?
Yes your specs are better and much cheaper… but this isnt aimed at people who want a desktop :D
bacon_nuts
I know nothing about computers so the specs were just confusing. Must be shit hot if it runs those at once though..
BoyDay
The thing is though, who is ever actually likely to want to play those games in a car or on a train? The occasions where the journey would be long enough would be few and far between, and you’ll be moving around so won’t be able to play as well. That’s the reason laptops generally aren’t as high spec as PCs, not because companies couldn’t make them, it’s because people wouldn’t have need for them.
colmshan1990
You don’t play them there.
You play them on a flight, or if you’ve got an hour or two to kill before your next lecture, etc.
You can take it out of your bag, put it down, and play.
KeRaSh
You can take a laptop with those specs on a train or a plane, but what will you do, after the thing runs out of juice after the first hour or so? So you will be bound to a wall plug anyways which kills the on-the-go argument.
bacon_nuts
Most trains and planes have wall plugs now, so you can still plug in and play..
wick15
Way overpriced. Especially for the system specs. Unfortunately this is the way with most Razer gear. If you really wanted a gaming laptop, you would be far better going for MSI or ASUS. Can’t believe I’m saying this, but even Alienware is better value. All of those companies offer gaming laptops with better specs than the Razer blade and are a damn sight cheaper.
I built my own rig and the system specs are miles better than the Razer Blade. I’d say so far I have have put maybe between £600-£800 into it. If you want a gaming machine, you are better off building or finding a custom built PC. Saves you a hell of a lot of money.
After they had that ad campaign about PC gaming not being dead, this is just a completely stupid thing to release. If anything that is just going to encourage people to buy cheaper consoles and leave PC gaming alone. Not impressed by this at all.
scion_tc1
I agree There are better options out there MSI gaming laptops ASUS even Dell/Alienware, however If they wanted top of the line (performance wise) then a custom built one is the best way to go and even those are cheaper. The bare system here is cheaper and the only difference is the RAM the Razer has 2Gb more, however that laptop I linked can be customised to hell and back and will still cost less. Personally Razer can go stuff themselves. What would make even more sense would be to build youself or even buy a pre-built desktop PC for Half the price and would still be better spec, easier to upgrade. I also agree with the last part you made. “After they had that ad campaign about PC gaming not being dead, this is just a completely stupid thing to release. If anything that is just going to encourage people to buy cheaper consoles and leave PC gaming alone. Not impressed by this at all.”
http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7282-clevo-x7200-p-2881.html?wconfigure=yes