During an early morning press event at PAX, we got a first look at Razer’s new gaming laptop, simply called the Razer Blade.
Razer co-founder and CEO, Min-Liang Tan, told us that several years ago Razer set up a stealth division to start working on experimental gaming products. The first example of this was the Switchblade, which Razer demoed earlier in the year at CES.
The selling point of Razer’s Blade is its unique new touchpad controls. This full-sized touchpad is really a touchscreen that can function a bit like an iPhone. Razer says this screen can be used for a variety of things. Players might use it to manage units in their RTS, surf the Internet while gaming, IM their friends, etc. The touchscreen can basically function like a second monitor. This unique trackpad can also be used as a mouse alternative. Razer has worked in custom gestures that will allow gamers to perform macro-like functions with a special swipe across the pad. Anyone who’s tried to play an FPS with a trackpad knows it’s not easy, but Razer claims that playing shooters with the Razer Blade’s touchpad is almost as good as using a mouse.
Above this unique keypad are 10 dynamic keys whose functionality changes depending on what you’re playing. The Razer Blade features a 17 inch display and is only 0.88 inches thick. Since it’s made from aluminum, it’s less than seven pounds in weight. Razer also co-developed a new chipset with Intel. Check out the specs below.
- 2.8GHz Intel® Core™ i7 2640M Processor
- 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory
- 17.3" LED Backlit Display (1920x1080)
- NVIDIA GeForce® GT 555M with NVIDIA® Optimus™ Technology – 2GB Dedicated GDDR5 Video Memory
- Built-in HD Webcam
- Integrated 60Wh Battery
- 320GB 7200rpm SATA HDD
- Wireless Network 802.11 b/g/n Compatible
- 16.81" (Width) x 10.9" (Depth) x 0.88" (Height); 6.97lbs (Weight)
Of course, you’ll have to pay for all this power and portability. The Razer Blade will retail for $2,799.99. Still, the Blade is a slick-looking machine and we can’t wait to put it through its paces before its release near the end of the year.