CES 2011: Razer shows off Switchblade gaming netbook concept

Alienware's M11x has been viewed as a gaming netbook, but Razer has something a little different in mind with its Switchblade concept. The company says it's been working on the device for the past two years after secretly acquiring an engineering team from an undisclosed mobile handset company.

While the M11x has a traditional laptop approach, the Switchblade is much smaller at 7 inches and would use a touchscreen display and a transparent keyboard that could update its keys depending on the game you're playing. The keys can even be animated. Razer says the unit would come with both built-in Wi-Fi and 3G.

One curious design decision is that the Switchblade concept is built around the Intel Atom processor. While it's the de facto standard for the netbook form factor, it's not known for its graphics prowess. Using the much more robust Tegra 2 chip from Nvidia would seem to be a more logical choice. In any event, while there's no timing on when this will ever see the light of day (and if it will) as a shipping device, Razer says it's working with partners to develop products around the concept.

Below find a promo video Razer has created extolling the virtues of the Switchblade concept.