Razer Edge: A Gaming Handheld That's Neither Steam Deck Nor Switch

Speaker 1: The future of handheld games has never looked brighter. There are so many to choose from, and this isn't even all of them, but one of the newest is the Razor Edge. I just wish that it was a little more like two of the best ones out there, the Steam deck and the Nintendo Switch. Now before you get really upset with me, there's a reason I'm comparing these because these have features that I really feel could make this better and it's what holds it back from me really loving it as a do-it-all handheld game system. So the [00:00:30] razor edge when you get right down to it is kind of like a phone with a game controller attached, but an optimized one. So much like these types of game controllers, like the backbone one or razor zone kechi controller, which snap onto phones, well you're gonna do the same thing here. Speaker 1: This thing is its own snap on game controller and that's how this works. It actually snaps onto this seven inch tablet and that's your package. Now you can't use this on its own. You have to use this when [00:01:00] it's paired. And that's part of the disconnect here that I don't like. If you look at something like the Nintendo Switch, of course the Nintendo Switch has its own modular game controller system. I have come to really appreciate the fact that the Switch has its own detachable controllers that work wirelessly. And sure you can also stand this up with a kickstand or you could connect it to a tv. You can play it in a variety of ways. You can't do that on the razor edge really. This is a handheld and there are times where I've wanted to, you know, kick it up with a kickstand. Speaker 1: I could [00:01:30] make my own I guess, but again, you'd have to pair a different game controller with this, which I guess you could do. Um, and it's just not built in as a solution. The other thing is connecting to a tv, which is, this is not designed to do. Maybe at some point Razor could design this though because Razor has done a ton of gaming solutions. They're a very innovative company and they even designed a gaming handheld a long time ago, also called the Razor Edge that I reviewed a decade ago that plugged into a TV and was a game handheld [00:02:00] and it predated the switch. So I, I think this needs that type of a docker. I'd like to see that. The other thing this lacks that I admire from the steam deck on the other hand is the steam deck's optimized design for PC gaming. Speaker 1: Now this thing has a large screen and it's the proper aspect ratio and the controllers on the steam deck feel really nice and pro. They feel like holding a regular console game controller. Plus there are even these track pads built in. Now it's very big this by the way, this kickstand is not part [00:02:30] of it. We 3D printed that, but this is a, a big package but it really can make gaming, uh uh, PC games feel pretty good. Now the razor edge is also angling for the PC and console gamer through some of the same streaming app solutions that are also available on your phone or your tablet. Those are things like you can tap into using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to stream some games or stream locally from your Xbox or from your PlayStation. Or you could use this to connect to Steam link and play PC games. Speaker 1: It works much like it [00:03:00] would work on a phone, but the aspect ratio of the razor edges screen is different than the steam deck and the switch. It's very long. And what that means when you're streaming games is it has these black pillars on the side. Pillar boxing cuts out a lot of the playable area and makes the screen feel smaller. I found myself squinting when playing things like Forza Horizon five and I watched my, my kid play Eldon ring on this, which was a great test for how good this is for gaming on the go. My 14 year old son [00:03:30] played it for a bit and said he would not use it again For him it wasn't just the screen size, it was, it was also that these controllers didn't feel as pro or his console like as maybe something he was used to it. Speaker 1: I'm pointing to the steam deck because they just feel more controller like you know, this has tiny clicky buttons and they're fine. They're no different than the ones that you would use for other phone connected controllers, but they're also no better. Now there is the ability to add haptics into this controller, which a lot of games so far I've not taken advantage [00:04:00] of as far as I can see. But other than that it, it's a similar proposition to what you would get from plugging in a phone controller and I'd like to see more and that aspect ratio shrinks down the screen so much that it really makes the steam deck screen seem a lot bigger. And that's something that I really like to see on this is an aspect ratio that would fit the games that it seems most suited to play. Cuz I'm not just here to play Android games, I'd be here to play console games. Speaker 1: So the Razor Edge also brings up another question. Why not just use your phone? Well why not just use your phone If you have a good [00:04:30] phone you can buy something like the backbone one or razor key sheet controller and basically get the same experience for about a hundred dollars. These controllers are great, they're versatile, we highly recommend them and they can turn your phone into a perfectly fine gaming and streaming game device with that same aspect ratio problem. But for a hundred dollars you'd forgive it. $400 for this is not too much to pay considering that it comes with a seven inch computer tablet thing, you know with it. But you know, that's that [00:05:00] little thing that you've got here is not a phone, it's not built like a phone. Uh, it doesn't have all the phone features, it doesn't have a back camera, it has a front camera. Speaker 1: Uh, it has vents on the side for, for heat venting. It's not meant to be exposed to water. So you know, you could use it to play games like Marvel Snap, you could use it to play other Android apps or check your mail, but it has its own limits and I don't know if I'd want that entire package as it currently stands. Now the Razor Edge does come with an optional 5G version that's sold through Verizon, but the [00:05:30] price of that is higher and you've also got these cellular data plans that you've gotta buy into. I totally would not recommend that, but it is there could make it something you could play on the go and stream with on the go, but I don't think the landscape is set up for a device like that yet. So at the moment, you know, who knows what Nintendo's gonna come out with next or what valve's gonna come out with next. Speaker 1: But I think that the future of these types of handhelds are gonna get more modular, are gonna get more streaming friendly. And I think devices like the Razor Edge are showing where phones and tablets are going to go. [00:06:00] But what Razor Edge is right now feels too much like phones and I feel like I would wait. Um, then again that's me, but I would be really curious to see what Razor would come up with in a razor edge too if there is such a thing. Those are my thoughts right now. Feel free to add some comments below if you have them and be sure to like and subscribe. Thanks for watching.