In brief: Razer’s first cloud gaming handheld is coming later this month. Not to be confused with the decade-old product by the same name, the new Razer Edge will be offered in two flavors in the US starting January 26. The Razer Edge (Wi-Fi) will be available exclusively from Razer priced at $399.99, while the Razer Edge 5G will be a Verizon exclusive that’ll command $599.99.
Verizon announced multiple promotions for the handheld, including a $10 per month financing option spread over 36 months for a total of $360 when you add a new line. Qualifying customers buying a new 5G phone may be able to score the Razer Edge 5G for just $179.99.
Announced at RazerCon 2022, the handheld features a 6.8-inch AMOLED display operating at a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 and a 144Hz refresh rate that’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform. There’s also 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB of UFS 3.1 solid-state storage, a microSD card slot, a 5,000mAh battery and support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.
Razer is pairing its handheld with its Kishi V2 Pro detachable controller, an upgraded version of its smartphone gamepad featuring two programmable buttons and Razer HyperSense haptics.
Razer’s new handheld will compete with similar offerings already on the market, like the G Cloud. Logitech’s handheld launched late last year for $349 but is on sale for $299.99 as of this writing. Razer’s higher price feels justified given its superior hardware, but not everyone is after the latest and greatest.
Established platforms like the Nintendo Switch and Valve’s Steam Deck aren’t really in the same field as those are more focused on local gaming.
Speaking of, Nintendo was planning a mid-generation refresh for the Switch according to a recent report. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition – perhaps because Nintendo wanted to avoid the possibility of another Wii U-like flop. Instead, Nintendo launched an updated Switch OLED model with a slightly bigger screen, more storage and a redesigned kickstand.
