Something big’s been brewing over in Carlsbad , and the time has finally come for it to be revealed to the realm: the Razer Blade. The onyx aluminum beaut before you is the culmination of over three years of labor by a stealth team of engineers — a lot of them absorbed from the previous OQO team , but Razer also pulled talent from other places to construct the Blade. Despite being only 0.88-inches thick (thinner than another 17-incher we all know… ), the svelte number still packs a punch with a 2.8GHz Core i7 2640M CPU and GeForce GT 555M graphics replete with 2GB of GDDR5 video memory. All that graphical horsepower will splay your exploits on a 17.3-inch LED 1920 x 1080 full HD panel with an HD webcam nestled above. Rounding out the package is 8GB of RAM, three USB ports (one which’ll support 3.0), HDMI out and a 60Wh integrated battery. And it might all be yours for $2,799 when it debuts in Q4 of this year.
That’s dandy, but we’re more stoked at the 480 x 800 LCD trackpad simply to the proper of the backlit keyboard. It really works either as a multitouch enabled input device or as a further display for in-game info when the mood strikes to slay demons with an external mouse. North of that hotness lie ten fully customizable buttons, both in appearance (courtesy of a separate LCD) and in function. The keys and trackpad are running a custom Switchblade UI — inspired by the company’s oh so sexy Switchblade concept that we saw at CES . And like the concept, Razer’s used a custom lighting panel to make sure you can see those keys clearly from an angle — people don’t look straight down at their keyboards, in any case. Follow on past the break for more impressions, video and PR.
Michael Gorman contributed to this report.
0 We got to communicate with Razer’s CEO, Min-Liang Tan, concerning the firm’s latest offering, and he explained what prompted the shift from peripheral production into PCs. He said the need to expand beyond 8 mice 8 and 9 headsets 9 was grounded by a waning interest from other manufacturers inside the gaming-PC space. Razer packed some serious hardware in its first foray into laptop manufacturing, and the corporate worked extensively with both Intel and NVIDIA on such things as thermal management to get it right. Tan was quick to indicate the custom power brick (half the dimensions of its competition), the fully anti-ghosted keyboard, and the tailored green innards of the USB 3.0 port (which is able to be in production models, but wasn’t within the prototype we laid eyes on) as examples of places where Razer may have compromised but didn’t. In brief, Razer has clearly done its homework here, and the eye to such detail is way appreciated.
1 Despite only spending a temporary time with a prototype Blade, we came away mightily impressed with its construction and execution. It’s an understated machine with its matte ebony exterior, however the green accents give a touch that here’s no ordinary PC. The LCD trackpad and Switchblade keys wowed us again, but since the Blade was only running a demo loop we couldn’t get any impressions of the custom UI. We also can’t let you know how deep those tweaks go, but Razer assures us that the API it’ll make available allows rather a lot of customization (Engadget key anyone?). We’re awaiting a more extensive review once it hits the market, when we’ll have the capacity to put it during the ringer. Until then, we are able to say that while the Blade would possibly not take the FPS crown from more 0 potent “portable” gaming laptops 0 , at just seven pounds, the Blade may give you some quality gaming cake and allow you to actually carry it too.
Razer launches the Razer Blade at PAX Prime featuring
true portability, incredible performance, and a revolutionary user interface
PAXPrime, Seattle – August 26th, 2011 – The computer industry today hasn’t ever looked bleaker. The world’s largest PC-maker Hewlett-Packard just announced their intention to explore the separation of its PC business. With PC manufacturers increasingly abandoning design and technology in lieu of outsourcing and price-cutting, the computer industry has seen a severe dearth of innovation lately. Gaming consoles have also taken good thing about this innovation slump within the PC industry to garner attention from game developers and gamers alike, to the level that now PC versions of cross-platform games are sometimes sub-par ports in their console counterparts.
Razer, the area leader in high performance gaming hardware, introduces the Razer Blade – a whole aluminum chassis gaming laptop featuring true portability, incredible performance, and an all-new revolutionary user interface. With the introduction of the Razer Blade – a feat of contemporary-day systems engineering and technology, Razer is reinvigorating technological and design innovation for the whole PC industry, and inspiring gamers and developers to come to the computer because the primary gaming platform of choice.
Mobile systems developed for gaming today compromise on portability and form factor for game performance. While such machines run games well, they’re over 2 inches thick and may weigh greater than 10lbs. The Razer Blade measures 0.88 inches thin, lower than half that of current mobile gaming systems, and weighs only 6.97lbs, achieving a balance between portability and function – making it the world’s first true gaming laptop.
Developed in partnership with Intel, the Razer Blade incorporates a fast Intel® CoreTM i7 processor and a high performance NVIDIA GeForce® graphics processor. The hardware was designed to run the foremost demanding games of today without sacrificing the laptop’s portable form factor. The Razer Blade also doesn’t compromise on screen size because it comes with a great LED- backlit high-definition 17″ display.
The Razer Blade features the Switchblade User Interface – Razer’s multi-award winning, highly intuitive interface technology. The interface is produced from 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys for less complicated access of in-game commands, and an LCD able to two modes: one mode that displays in-game information when a mouse is in use; and another mode that functions as an ultra-sensitive, multi-touch panel designed for gaming at the go.
“The Razer Blade was designed to offer gamers a laptop they can truly use at the go,” said Min-Liang Tan, CEO and inventive Director, Razer. “Its sleek, lightweight aluminum construction makes it the thinnest 17-inch gaming laptop available today.”
“We’re proud to co-develop this revolutionary gaming laptop with Razer,” said Mooly Eden, VP and General Manager of the computer Client Group, Intel. “Utilizing our fast Intel® CoreTM i7 processor, the Razer Blade delivers top-class gaming performance in a conveyable form factor.”
“Powered by a sophisticated NVIDIA GeForce® GPU with award winning NVIDIA® OptimusTM technology, the Razer Blade has the muscle to run innovative games with intense graphics while still offering amazing portability,” said Rene Haas, General Manager of Notebook Products, NVIDIA.
“The Switchblade User Interface at the Razer Blade is a revolutionary innovation that really defines the hot standard for gaming experiences on a laptop,” said Min-Liang Tan.
Watch the “Introducing the recent Razer Blade” video at www.razerzone.com/blade
In regards to the Razer Blade gaming laptop
The Razer Blade is a 17″ gaming laptop that delivers incredible performance and a revolutionary user interface in a graceful, portable form factor. It includes a fast Intel® CoreTM i7 processor and a high performance NVIDIA GeForce® graphics processor designed in a light aluminum chassis. The revolutionary Switchblade User Interface, found next to an entire-size keyboard, was designed from the floor as much as enhance gaming experiences and supply more control on the gamer’s fingertips. It features 10 adaptive tactile keys and a multi-touch LCD panel that may also display in-game information. And at just 0.88 inches thin and only weighing 6.97lbs, the Razer Blade is the world’s first true gaming laptop.
Price: US$2799.99
Availability:
North America Q4 2011
Product Specifications:
- 2.8GHz Intel® CoreTM i7 2640M Processor
- 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory
- 17.3″ LED Backlit Display (1920×1080)
- NVIDIA GeForce® GT 555M with NVIDIA® OptimusTM 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)
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