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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Razer unveils new $2,800 gaming notebook

By | August 26, 2011, 10:16am PDT

Summary: Got a spare $2,800 in loose change in your piggy bank or burning a hole in your pocket? Here’s something to spend it on!

Is PC gaming dead? Not according to Razer. And to prove just how committed it is to PC as a gaming platform it unveils a new $2,800 gaming notebook - the Razer Blade.

So, what do you get for $2,800?

  • 2.8GHz Intel CoreTM i7 2640M Processor
  • 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 Memory
  • 17.3″ LED Backlit Display (1,920×1,080)
  • NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with NVIDIA Optimus Technology
  • 2GB Dedicated GDDR5 Video Memory
  • Built-in HD Webcam
  • Integrated 60Wh Battery
  • 320GB 7,200rpm SATA HDD
  • Wireless Network 802.11 b/g/n Compatible
  • Dimensions: 16.81″ x 10.9″ x 0.88″
  • Weight: 6.97 lbs

Another innovative feature of the Razer Blade is the ’Switchblade User Interface’ which features an combo LCD screen/multitouch panel and 10 dynamic keys to the right of the keyboard.

Is there a market for a $2,800 gaming notebook? Probably, but how much of a market remains to be seen. I love PC gaming, but gaming on a notebook has always felt lacking - the power’s not there, there’s the heat and noise, and battery life sucks. On top of that, $2,800 is an awful lot to pay when a gaming PC can be picked up for a lot less and a new Xbox 360 will only set you back $200.

Interested? The Razer Blade will ship Q4 2011.

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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Razer unveils new $2,800 gaming notebook
SnappyD3 Updated - 29th Aug
Dunno why they do not make a Graphics / Lightroom / Photoshop laptop instead, with proper keyboard for the applications.
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As I understand it , the reason why they put the GT 555M in their is to extend some battery life. Its a pretty phenomenal little chip all on its own but in THIS set up it should really shine. So the 2640M isnt the most badass of that series , but with 3.5 GHZ Turbo its doin its job
It seems as tho every article I read about the Blade people are put off by the price tag , but what you're gettin in the whole package is pretty substantial. @the_pc_doc makes a good overall point: When you have to add "for a laptop" to the end of every compliment, something is still "off"
I like the keyboard. It makes a lot more sense for a laptop that it does standalone, like their Star Wars: The Old Republic keyboard. I'd still rather have a number pad though.
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PC gaming needs to make a come back. I'm tired of sh*tty console ports, poor DX9 graphics, and worst of all, extremely poor gameplay.
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RE: Razer unveils new $2,800 gaming notebook
Aerowind Updated - 26th Aug
@Cylon Centurion We're still here and the modding community is great. Just because it isn't seen as "cool" like console gaming seems to have become doesn't make it less so.

And well, I'll laugh at anyone who says that mobile touchscreen gaming will ever be as good as console/PC gaming.
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RE: Razer unveils new $2,800 gaming notebook
I am Gorby Updated - 29th Aug
@Cylon Centurion Hear! Hear! We've got CPU power to run most countries economies, and Graphic cards capable of amazing resolutions and power, and the games don't take advantage of it!!!

I have purchased Gaming Mice (mouses?) and keyboards, including a special gaming keyboard with enlarged buttons for the most used functions. Brilliant to use! The PC is not the latest spec, but easily beats an XBox, Wii or PS3.

I'm disappointed with games nowadays!
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RE: Razer unveils new $2,800 gaming notebook
LoverockDavidson_-24231404894599612871915491754222 26th Aug
The switchblade user interface looks like a very nice feature.
$2800 seems steep compared with other gaming PCs out there, especially given that you're just getting a 320GB HDD rather than a SSD for that price. Toshiba's new Quosimo has an i7 2630M but a GT 560M graphics card, a 3D display and dual HDDs including a 500GB Momentus XT and another 750GB HDD for only $1699 at NewEgg. Is that fancy touchscreen-in-the-keyboard gizmo raising Razer's price by $1K?
who games on battery?
Laptops are never great for gaming, no matter how you slice it. I agree with Andrian's conclusions on price for gaming. The thing to note is the cutting edge today will become the norm "tomorrow". I am very happy to see the GPU starting, just barely, to get involved in business level applications where FPU work is best handled on a GPU. This, to me, is very exciting to see as resources will be properly distributed depending on demand type. As for gaming, well, that just needs a healthy dose of wattage and any desktop for half this price, with an SSD and spindle drive for storage will eat this laptop for dinner.
Kid's, this is your game, this is your game on a laptop. See how the egg doesn't cook quickly at all? happy.
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and what about us lefties?
Nihon8888 27th Aug
looks like us lefties would require a mouse which takes of some of the gloss
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@PedroTabs You know, it's funny! I was concerned that the touchpad was on the right hand side, because that is the hand I would be using my mouse, and using the other controls (keyboard, etc) with my left.
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The ones who would buy a "gaming laptop"
oncall Updated - 28th Aug
Will be focused mainly on getting the most horsepower for the buck. They won't appreciate the lighter form factor of this machine that comes with significant added costs and perfomance hits. IMHO they won't buy this. That and the loss of the standard keypad for a gaming interface pretty much rules out purchases by non-gamers.
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RE: Razer unveils new $2,800 gaming notebook
SnappyD3 Updated - 29th Aug
Dunno why they do not make a Graphics / Lightroom / Photoshop laptop instead, with proper keyboard for the applications.

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