If you were on board with us this time last year, you might just remember the humble beginnings of a gaming tablet called ‘Project Fiona’. Razer revealed a prototype of the tablet at CES 2012, but this year it has the finished product, which is now called the Razer Edge – and it’s awesome.
Compared to other tablets on the market right now, the Edge has specifications that blow everything out of the water. Designed to be the world’s first tablet specifically for gamers, the Edge has a host of components that you’d expect to find in a gaming PC or laptop, starting with a powerful Intel Core i5 processor.
Razer actually has two tablets ready to launch within the next few months; the Edge and the Edge Pro. Both run on the full-fat version of Windows 8, which means you’ll be able to run cutting edge PC games like Dishonoured and the same software you would have on your PC, and as the names suggest, the Pro is a more powerful tablet.
Starting at $1,000, the Edge has a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD hard drive and a powerful Nvidia GT 640M graphics chip. For those who want something even more mind-blowing, the Edge Pro has a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB or 256GB SSD hard drive and the GT 640M graphics, starting at $1,300. Both models sport the same 10.1-inch display with a 1366 x 768 resolution.
When spotting Project Fiona for the first time back at CES 2012 we were most excited about the unique controls it was sporting on either side of the tablet. It turns out that this will be an add-on for both tablets, costing $250. It adds two handles to the tablet which encompass vibration technology, two analogue sticks, shoulder buttons, a D pad and an Xbox-style diamond formation of four buttons. Of course, you can use the tablet on its own with touchscreen operation, but this looks much more fun.
In addition to the controller there will also be a $200 keyboard dock to turn the Edge into a true Windows 8 netbook, and a $100 dock that offers HDMI connectivity to beam your game onto a big screen and USB connections for peripherals. In theory this can turn a tablet into a PC/console, with the option to add USB gamepads such as Razer’s excellent Sabertooth.
Currently there’s no word on a European launch, but Razer will be going ahead and launching both tablets in North America and Asia some time before the end of March.
For more of the latest news from the Consumer Electronics Show 2013 click here>>>