I love the push-the-envelope-until-it-breaks insanity of this product. I feel like finding out what their margin is and just giving that to them, just for making it. Innovation like this is just what most of the PC industry is lacking. Good on Razer!
A ulv trinity a8-4555 (19W) or an a10-4655(25W) would be cheaper(less board real estate and complexity), have better battery life and run cooler while performing about 25%(guesstimate) slower than the gt640le, why go intel nv?
Yeah. Actually, Razer's CEO tweeted a picture from his seat on the flight back from Vegas, it looked perfectly comfortable. The footprint isn't much bigger than an Eee PC or Transformer, just way thicker.
Cool -- I saw the pic of the Edge with the keyboard dock on the CEO's page, but I wasn't sure whether the extra width added by the gamepad would be an issue.
If there ever was an ideal use-case scenario for Thunderbolt, this would be it. Separate the GPU into the controller design, complete with its own battery and cooling system. That'd allow the main tablet to be thinner and more portable. This would also allow the controller to contain things like full sized USB ports and HDMI that can limit the thickness of a typical tablet.
This would also allow them to update the tablet and controller/GPU on different cycles or diversify the product line up. Want AMD graphics? Just redesign the controller. nVidia comes out with new 700 series mobile parts? Update the controller. Want Haswell but the GT640 is good enough for you? Just update the tablet.
The flexibility also opens up a slew of options for desktop docking solutions too.
I don't like Thin tablets. I want for my tablet to be nice and thick. Sure, a thin tablet is more portable, but the thick tablet fills your hand more. I think your idea is interesting, but not something I want to see on THIS Tablet.
Another alternative would be to put all of the hardware and batteries into a laptop case (which could fit under the seat in front of you), and have the handheld part just be a display with a game controller connected via HDMI and USB.
Then when it is docked you could run it in SLI. That way you would not have problem running it at 1080P. So when it is docked it could be a decent gamer on a external monitor, and when it is not docked it will work on its display at 720P
This is Project Fiona, right? Why did they rename it, it is confusing :p
There are a lot of cons in this version. The resolution is disappointing. You simply have to go Full HD for a tablet that could be operated in portrait mode, otherwise nothing will fit properly. I've had 2 tablet convertibles now and I know it from experience. Yes, a higher resolution would be harder on the GPU, but you always can use a lower-than-native resolution in games and have scaling. The game controllers being one whole inseparable thing together with that backplate seems like a poor design as well, adding too much bulk. Surely they could have made them attachable directly to the tablet without that backplate. Doesn't seem to have an active digitizer and a pen as well... That is a huge drawback to anyone that has ever used a good digitizer. People that have not used it just don't realize yet how different of an experience it is, but me personally... I've already been spoiled by Wacom once and I do not want to be missing that on any of my future tablets.
But I like the idea, and I will buy it despite the drawbacks if it ever makes it to stores in my neck of the woods, even if just to reward them for trying, and encourage them to make a successor.
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jibberegg - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
I love the push-the-envelope-until-it-breaks insanity of this product. I feel like finding out what their margin is and just giving that to them, just for making it. Innovation like this is just what most of the PC industry is lacking. Good on Razer!monstercameron - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
A ulv trinity a8-4555 (19W) or an a10-4655(25W) would be cheaper(less board real estate and complexity), have better battery life and run cooler while performing about 25%(guesstimate) slower than the gt640le, why go intel nv?lmcd - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
More like one of the Trinity-refresh chips (whatever they're called), A10 version ULP. That's what I'd prefer, personally.RoninX - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
Vivek, was the tablet with the gamepad attached reasonably sized for use in a typical coach class airline seat?VivekGowri - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
Yeah. Actually, Razer's CEO tweeted a picture from his seat on the flight back from Vegas, it looked perfectly comfortable. The footprint isn't much bigger than an Eee PC or Transformer, just way thicker.RoninX - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
Cool -- I saw the pic of the Edge with the keyboard dock on the CEO's page, but I wasn't sure whether the extra width added by the gamepad would be an issue.Kevin G - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
If there ever was an ideal use-case scenario for Thunderbolt, this would be it. Separate the GPU into the controller design, complete with its own battery and cooling system. That'd allow the main tablet to be thinner and more portable. This would also allow the controller to contain things like full sized USB ports and HDMI that can limit the thickness of a typical tablet.This would also allow them to update the tablet and controller/GPU on different cycles or diversify the product line up. Want AMD graphics? Just redesign the controller. nVidia comes out with new 700 series mobile parts? Update the controller. Want Haswell but the GT640 is good enough for you? Just update the tablet.
The flexibility also opens up a slew of options for desktop docking solutions too.
Inteli - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
I don't like Thin tablets. I want for my tablet to be nice and thick. Sure, a thin tablet is more portable, but the thick tablet fills your hand more. I think your idea is interesting, but not something I want to see on THIS Tablet.RoninX - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
Another alternative would be to put all of the hardware and batteries into a laptop case (which could fit under the seat in front of you), and have the handheld part just be a display with a game controller connected via HDMI and USB.manwdaplan - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
Then when it is docked you could run it in SLI. That way you would not have problem running it at 1080P. So when it is docked it could be a decent gamer on a external monitor, and when it is not docked it will work on its display at 720Plmcd - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
More like one of the Trinity-refresh chips (whatever they're called), A10 version ULP in the tablet.Then put a 8670 for hybrid crossfire.
VivekGowri - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
I have zero faith in hybrid crossfire. Literally none at all. AMD + Drivers = LOL.mayankleoboy1 - Monday, January 14, 2013 - link
Isnt 1366x768 kind of shitty in this age ? And does it have a OS on it too ?watersb - Tuesday, January 15, 2013 - link
My home-server NAS lopes along at 40 Watts, driving a 6-disk ZFS storage array.A 40-Watt tablet is pure crazy.
Visual - Tuesday, January 15, 2013 - link
This is Project Fiona, right? Why did they rename it, it is confusing :pThere are a lot of cons in this version.
The resolution is disappointing. You simply have to go Full HD for a tablet that could be operated in portrait mode, otherwise nothing will fit properly. I've had 2 tablet convertibles now and I know it from experience. Yes, a higher resolution would be harder on the GPU, but you always can use a lower-than-native resolution in games and have scaling.
The game controllers being one whole inseparable thing together with that backplate seems like a poor design as well, adding too much bulk. Surely they could have made them attachable directly to the tablet without that backplate.
Doesn't seem to have an active digitizer and a pen as well... That is a huge drawback to anyone that has ever used a good digitizer. People that have not used it just don't realize yet how different of an experience it is, but me personally... I've already been spoiled by Wacom once and I do not want to be missing that on any of my future tablets.
But I like the idea, and I will buy it despite the drawbacks if it ever makes it to stores in my neck of the woods, even if just to reward them for trying, and encourage them to make a successor.