The Razer Blade is a Stunning New 17" Gaming Laptop

Earlier this week, Razer posted a cheeky teaser site saying that PC gaming was not dead. Those of us enjoying games on our PCs know this, but Razer had to make things a bit dramatic – and today we know why. Razer revealed at PAX Prime its gaming laptop, which on first impressions, is a stunning specimen.

Razer claims that it has made the world's first gaming laptop – but really, there are plenty of laptops on the market that can play Crysis. What Razer's saying is that it has created the first gaming portable laptop. It's called the Razer Blade and it measures 0.88-inches thick and weighs only 6.97 lbs, besting even Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro.

Here are the full specs:

- 2.8 GHz 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)

Razer, known for its high-end PC gaming peripherals, had Intel's help in making the Blade.

"We're proud to co-develop this revolutionary gaming laptop with Razer," said Mooly Eden, VP and General Manager of the PC Client Group, Intel. "Utilizing our fast Intel Core i7 processor, the Razer Blade delivers top-class gaming performance in a portable form factor."

Graphical muscle comes courtesy of Nvidia's GeForce GT 555M, but that takes a back seat to Intel's integrated graphics when there isn't any intense 3D action.

What really sets the Razer Blade apart from any other laptop is the Switchblade User Interface. The interface is comprised of 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys for easier access of in-game commands, and an LCD capable of 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 on the go.

At $2799.99, it's not cheap, but also not unheard of for a 17-inch high-end laptop. It'll be hitting North America in Q4 2011.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • robertito
    I thought it looked pretty cool until I saw the price. Still a real nice looking machine.
    Reply
  • tmax
    WOW! I hope this makes it to production.
    Reply
  • arcus_doom
    It's priced 2,800$ and it doesn't have a SSD? What the hell?
    Reply
  • Meatymutawings
    finally some decent use for number pad area. But shame it doesn't have SSD, 320GB HDD, really?
    Reply
  • i want it for christmas mom!!! ;)
    Reply
  • Azn Cracker
    cut the price in half, add an ssd, and ill buy it
    Reply
  • el33t
    Whoa...these guys beat even Alienware in ripping off... And secondly, nothing can replace the keypad....
    Reply
  • Sashmo99
    SSD will prob. come second gen. Let's not forget to take a moment to *drool
    Reply
  • Sashmo99
    SSD will probably come in 2nd-gen. Let's not forget to take a minute and *drool
    Reply
  • Burodsx
    Someone posted a hilarious (but true) article on reddit in regards to what you can buy INSTEAD of this laptop. http://i.imgur.com/wTTck.png
    Reply