Razer has announced the Razer Blade, the World’s First True Gaming Laptop.
PAX Prime, Seattle – August 26th, 2011 – The PC industry today has never 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 cost-cutting, the PC industry has seen a severe dearth of innovation in recent years. Gaming consoles have also taken advantage of this innovation slump in the PC industry to garner attention from game developers and gamers alike, to the extent that now PC versions of cross-platform games are often sub-par ports of their console counterparts.
Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, introduces the Razer Blade – a full 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 modern-day systems engineering and technology, Razer is reinvigorating technological and design innovation for the entire PC industry, and encouraging gamers and developers to return to the PC as 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 are over 2 inches thick and can weigh more than 10lbs. The Razer Blade measures 0.88 inches thin, less than half that of current mobile gaming systems, and weighs only 6.97lbs, achieving a balance between portability and performance – making it the world’s first true gaming laptop.
Developed in partnership with Intel, the Razer Blade features a fast Intel® Core™ i7 processor and a high performance NVIDIA GeForce® graphics processor. The hardware was designed to run the most demanding games of today without sacrificing the laptop’s portable form factor. The Razer Blade also does not compromise on screen size as it comes with an incredible 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 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.
“The Razer Blade was designed to give gamers a laptop they could truly use on the go,” said Min-Liang Tan, CEO and Creative 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 PC Client Group, Intel. “Utilizing our fast Intel® Core™ i7 processor, the Razer Blade delivers top-class gaming performance in a portable form factor.”
“Powered by an advanced NVIDIA GeForce® GPU with award winning NVIDIA® Optimus™ technology, the Razer Blade has the muscle to run cutting edge games with intense graphics while still offering amazing portability,” said Rene Haas, General Manager of Notebook Products, NVIDIA.
“The Switchblade User Interface on the Razer Blade is a revolutionary innovation that truly defines the new standard for gaming experiences on a laptop,” said Min-Liang Tan.
Watch the “Introducing the new Razer Blade” video at www.razerzone.com/blade
About the Razer Blade gaming laptop
The Razer Blade is a 17” gaming laptop that delivers incredible performance and a revolutionary user interface in a sleek, portable form factor. It features a fast Intel® Core™ i7 processor and a high performance NVIDIA GeForce® graphics processor designed in a lightweight aluminum chassis. The revolutionary Switchblade User Interface, found next to a full-size keyboard, was designed from the ground up to enhance gaming experiences and provide more control at the gamer’s fingertips. It features 10 adaptive tactile keys and a multi-touch LCD panel that can 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® Core™ i7 2640M Processor
- 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory
- 17.3″ LED Backlit Display (1920×1080)
- 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)
For more information, please visit www.razerzone.com/blade
Photos
Teaser Campaign
Razer launched a series of teasers via the PCGAMINGISNOTDEAD.COM website all adding up words in different code such as binary, hex, morse, and wingdings. The last code teaser by Razer, barely an hour before the countdown finished, said the word “Laptop” in Wingdings font. The complete code says “World’s First True Gaming Laptop”.
With all the hype on this epic product many quickly thought it was going to be the SwitchBlade.
Razer has stated before that SwitchBlade was only a prototype codename, not its final trademark title. Recently, Razer’s “PC Gaming Is Not Dead” teaser campaign criticized closed consoles such as Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3.
This led a few fans to theorycraft Razer was preparing to announce the world’s first true gaming Laptop-Console hybrid with open architecture for developers to have the freedom they have dreamed of and wished from the console companies for many years.
The images below were released by Razer through a whole week of teasers climbing up to today’s climax at PAX 2011 where Razer unveiled the Razer Blade to prove PC Gaming Is Not Dead.
Razer responds fans
Min-Liang Tan @Aaron – good question – well, it sucks out air from the bottom and pushes it out DIAGONALLY from the back (so it won’t blow on your hand) – now I can’t tell you more or our ninjas will have to take you out. But that’s part of the thermals magic that our engineers have designed to keep it cool.
Min-Liang Tan @Drew Hamlett – yes, but we design stuff for gamers. That’s all – it’s not about getting rich – it’s about designing the stuff we really want.
Min-Liang Tan @Anthony – yes there will be a numpad and we will have detailed benchmarks etc being released soon.
Min-Liang Tan @Kevin Li – We are actively trying to bring the price down. As I mentioned, I want to sell these at US$999 more than many of you want to buy it at $999 (or $199, 299, or free as many have asked for it 
). It’ll take time – you’re an engineer, you know that custom parts are expensive – that’s how it is.
Min-Liang Tan @Tan Tian Sheng – the Razer logo is glowing on the back of the Razer Blade. Don’t use it at night in public though – you might get mugged.
Min-Liang Tan @James Lambert – we have no plans for the UK or Europe for the Razer Blade right now unfortunately….
Min-Liang Tan @Paolo Chen – and how big would it be? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been repeating this over and over again. If you just care about power, get an Alienware, Origin, Asus, etc – they make GREAT performance machines. But they’re 1.8-3inches thick and can weigh 10-15 pounds. The Razer Blade caters to a different audience – one that wants BOTH performance and portability.
Min-Liang Tan @Sean Rodrigruez – we’re considering options like SSD – but that’s not confirmed yet. More details later.
Min-Liang Tan @Sean Turner @Jeremiah – we’re working on providing class A support – which is why we’re only launching in the US first.
Min-Liang Tan @Robbert-Jan de Jong – We did a lot of innovation on the thermals – it’s one of a kind – that’s how we brought down the thickness of the laptop.
Min-Liang Tan @Michael Anscomb – absolutely, we believe in openness and will open the Switchblade UI to everyone.
Min-Liang Tan @Nick Shively – we worked really closely with Intel and nVidia to develop the Razer Blade – we’ll be releasing benchmarks when we get the chance to and you can make your assessment from there. How’s that?
Min-Liang Tan @Cameron Kelly – well, if we succeed today and grow – we’ll do what we can to innovate all the time and bring the prices down. I promise you that. I want to sell one at $999 more than you guys want to buy one.
Min-Liang Tan @Zac Conely – we’re going to open up the API for anyone to develop on it – and you can bet that we want that app too.
Min-Liang Tan @Adam – well, we wanted to address the fact that no one’s been excited in the PC space for some time – when was the last time you saw anyone so passionate about a laptop? The fact we’re all talking about it – we’ve done at least a small thing for the industry here
Min-Liang Tan @Kevin Li – we actually specced a Macbook Pro on the Apple site and it came up to about $2940 with a lower end GPU.
Min-Liang Tan @Austin – we believe that most content will be online in the future. I haven’t used a DVD myself for the longest time. But don’t worry, the Blade will work with external drives no problem.
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