When I want to play a video plot , I have no shortage of gadget that can help oneself me do that : PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Nintendo Switch , PC , MacBook , Steam Deck OLED , Legion Go , Ayaneo 2S , PlayStation Portal , Meta Quest 3 , PlayStation VR2 , iiRcade , Playdate , iPhone , iPad , and even on my Samsung TV and Amazon Fire Stick via cloud cyclosis . If it can run games , there ’s a good probability I have entree to it .
Though I have so many gaming platforms at my fingertips , recently I ’ve found myself using the most unlikely gadget in my water closet : the Razer Edge .
Cutting Edge
release in February 2023 , the Razer Edge was a morsel of a peculiar product launching . It was the second endeavor in what seemed like a produce line of “ cloud gaming handhelds , ” which kick off months prior with theLogitech Cloud G. The estimate was to give players a dedicated gadget where they could pullulate in peace , free of perpetual notification interruptions . The impressive , but pricey gimmick felt like it fell under the radar before it even fall out , getting outclassed by portable personal computer like the Steam Deck and Legion Go . After all , why expend one C of dollars on something your telephone can already do ?
I had my criticism of the Razer Edge in 2023 , but watch potential difference in the deceptively powerful Android equipment . Despite that , I quickly carry my Razer Edge into a closet shortly after I polish off refresh it , where it pull together dust . I just did n’t palpate like I had a use case that other gadget I owned did n’t meet already . That ’s change in the last calendar month ; now I ’m using it all the time .
My discovery come whenZenless Zone Zerolaunched earlier this calendar month . I was curious about Hoyoverse ’s natural process - RPG and wanted to play on a portable equipment rather than a console table . I initially planned to act on my iPhone , but I started remembering how turbulent that experience can be . I ’m always have schoolbook , work messages , and other notification that get in the means of my play session . That ’s fine for more casual experiences , butZenless Zone Zerois a little close to a console table game . I desire to last out immerse in its stylish action and sci - fi worldbuilding rather than being root for out every few minutes . That ’s when I remembered my Razer Edge .
Within minute of booting the RPG up , I remembered why I had reviewed the gadget so favorably in the first place . It mini - tablet screen door is just big enough without sacrificing portability , it delivers in high spirits performance on a brilliant presentation , and its bundled Kishi controller is a well-situated fit in my deal . It was the sodding way to dive intoZenless Zone Zero , giving me a smooth and uninterrupted experience without giving up the portable play it was contrive around .
That positive experience put the bug in me . Rather than packing it back in a press when I was done , I left it out in my keep room so I ’d remember it was there and be obligate to use it more . That genial conditioning worked . WhenPolygon ’s Nicole Carpenterwrote a good word forLego Hill Climb Adventures , I went straight to my Razer Edge to download it . I was once again sold as I played in peace with no pesky pop - ups get in my way .
One thing I ’ve always appreciated about the Razer Edge is its flexible design . If I ’m playing a secret plan that does n’t have controller supporting , I can snap the Kishi off and employ it like a tablet . As I was enjoying my renaissance with the twist , I started download more game that take on advantage of that . I downloaded 2016’sSuper Mario Run , a game I ’d always meant to prove , to get the most out of its touch screen and ability to flip to a vertical orientation like a phone . The more game I played , the more I enquire why I had n’t been doing this for the retiring year .
After a few weeks of performing , I scrolled back through my previously download apps and think back something else about the Razer Edge : It ’s an emulation dream machine . Since it ’s basically just an Android lozenge with internet admittance , it ’s loose to getemulators and ROMsworking on it . I loaded up a Game Boy emulator and pass an evening fiddle the 1994 version ofDonkey Kong , another secret plan that ’s been on my bucket tilt for years . The controls straightaway mapped to my Kishi with no fiddling needed . That cemented it as one of my new go - to devices .
Pros and cons
As I rediscovered the equipment ’s powerfulness , I could n’t help but ruminate on the Razer Edge ’s mistaken launching . Rather than punctuate the all - in - one nature of the Edge , Razer ’s advertising was more focused on its cloud stream prospect . The company touted its easy admittance to apps likeXbox Game Passand its 5 G capableness . It was less focussed on the twist ’s intragroup guts and how much that widen what the machine could be used for . I get why it did n’t go that route ; a troupe like Razer is n’t go to point thespian to ape . cast in an exorbitant damage tag and the console was doom from the start .
I ’m not saying that you should go dangle $ 400 to $ 600 ( depend on the modelling ) to grab a Razer Edge . That cost tag is still hard to support when place next to a gimmick like the Steam Deck . There is a strong use pillowcase for it , though , and I ’m finding more ways to fit that into my gaming lifestyle as I rethink what devices I use every daytime , from myPlayStation Portalto mysmart TV .
