Razer Preps Portable 5G Android Gaming Console

Qualcomm
(Image credit: Qualcomm)

Verizon announced on Wednesday that it had teamed up with Razer and Qualcomm for an always-connected portable game console that uses Google's Android operating system and allows to play Android games and games streamed from the cloud or a stationary game console.

The Razer Edge 5G game console leverages Qualcomm's Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 system-on-chip explicitly designed for portable gaming devices. Qualcomm introduced the SoC a little less than a year ago but still has not disclosed its specifications, so the only thing we do know for sure is that the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform supports gaming at an up to 4K resolution at up to 144 frames per second, rendering in 10-bit HDR, Wi-Fi 6E, and 5G (including both sub-6GHz and 5G mmWave) connectivity. In addition, the platform allows you to attach a 4K TV or a display to the console and an XR accessory using a USB-C port.

Razer built a reference software developer kit equipped with a 6.65-inch Full HD+ OLED screen for Qualcomm, though it is unclear whether the Razer Edge 5G relies on the design aimed at game designers.

Razer has been trying to enter console gaming  (with Oyua) and portable gaming (with Razer Phone) markets for a while without significant success. Perhaps its Razer Edge 5G will always be connected and essentially rely on remote gaming platforms developed by third parties, and Android will be a more successful product.

Razer plans to announce more details about its Razer Edge 5G gaming system at its RazerCon event on October 15.

Anton Shilov
Freelance News Writer

Anton Shilov is a Freelance News Writer at Tom’s Hardware US. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.

  • -Fran-
    Oh, look. A 2022 N-Gage!

    I'm sure it'll flop like it as well.

    Regards.
    Reply
  • Alvar "Miles" Udell
    Sounds great for China or South Korea, but in the USA with extremely limited 5G services, it should be a massive flop.
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    Alvar Miles Udell said:
    Sounds great for China or South Korea, but in the USA with extremely limited 5G services, it should be a massive flop.
    even then its a hard sell.

    Its Razer branded so it'll be "premium" costing.


    Steam deck is the issue with all these handhelds in that its extremely cheap for what it does.

    I mean logitech has a streaming handheld one for like 50-100$ less than steamdeck..and its awful price to performance. Razor will be more costly due to betetrs specs & stuff but still liekly a poor deal comapred to steamdeck.

    Nintendo is likely only one who will thrive in a handheld market anymore vs Valve (due to Nintendo's IP's commanding a huge fanbase)



    also....the thing is gross looking. Even die hard razor fans will notice that.
    Reply
  • _dawn_chorus_
    How did the same company that designed the absolutely clean and beautiful line of Blade 14/15/17 laptops manage to let this monstrosity out the door?? This looks like something from Razer 10 years ago.
    Reply
  • Giroro
    I don't understand why anybody with a phone would want a dedicated console to play phone games.

    Most people have phones, so I'm guessing not many people will want to buy this thing.
    Reply
  • demonicus
    why would they wanna flop and lose money like google stadia like someone else said. we basically all have super good phones... make a nvidia network like ps or xbox network would be the way to go and if it has 5g sure hope u can at least txt and make calls drop geforce now well i would
    Reply
  • Wilazn
    I can already do this with my Samsung S22 ultra and a razer kishi v2 though... Who would pay a premium (it's razer you know it's going to cost a premium) for a device that will only play games and still need an additional cellular line?
    Reply