CES 2013: Project Fiona reborn as the Razer Edge, a tablet designed for rich PC gamers
Starting from $999...
At CES 2012, Razer unveiled its ambitious Project Fiona - a Windows-based tablet designed for PC gamers that featured a high-quality touchscreen tablet between two handles sporting analog sticks and a full suite of buttons.
We thought it sounded a bit odd back then, and our own Jon Jordan predicted that it certainly wouldn't be released under the name "Project Fiona".
Jon turned out to be correct, as 'Project Fiona' became the Razer Edge at this year's CES, and it's due for release in the first quarter of 2013
At what price performance?While the Razer Edge offers a host of options for tablet gamers - like HDMI output and a dock that supports a keyboard, and two USB controllers that clip onto the back - it is by no means cheap.
The base model retails for $999, and the more powerful Razer Edge Pro will set you back $1,299. Both run Windows 8.
The base model Razer Edge is powered by a 1.7GHz Intel Dual Core i5 processor and is supported by 4GB of DDR3 RAM, plus an Nvidia GT 640M LE GPU with 1GB of DDR3 memory.
The Pro, by contrast, boasts a 1.9GHz Intel i7 Dual Core processor and 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and the GPU has 2GB of RAM.
Both share the same screen - a 10.1" touchscreen with a native resolution of 1366 x 768.
The base model is only available with a 64GB solid state drive, while the Razer Edge Pro offers a 128GB/256GB drive with the following friendly caveat:
"The Razer Edge Pro comes with great software to enhance your gaming experience. This software uses significant storage. Available storage is subject to change based on system software updates and apps usage"
Hands on extrasOutside of the common screen, the Razer Edge and Razer Edge Pro share one other, rather glaring, technical spec: they both ship without the Gamepad Controller.
Thus, if you want the full Razer Edge experience as advertised at last year's CES - with the handles, analog sticks, and buttons - you will need to purchase the Gamepad Controller for an additional $249.99.
Or you can spend $99 on a dock plus buying two of Razer's standard game controllers and end up in the situation you see below.
Yet despite our cynicism and the rather steep price, there was plenty of consumer for the Project Fiona back in October, when it amassed 10,000 Facebook likes in a single day.
The Razer Edge and Razer Edge Pro are not available for purchase just yet - and it looks like they will be initially limited to US consumers - but those interested can head over to Razer's website and sign up for notifications.
