Razer Edge

There are a number of devices nowadays that offer mobile gaming in a console format. My personal gripe with them is probably characterised by a PC-centric outlook where the frame rates that have been stated are simply unacceptable to me. Razer apparently agrees, because they have chosen a very portable and much cheaper way of doing things. However, it's not a solution without problems.

Their offer is not a fused device like so many others, but rather a {Kishi V2 Pro} controller that mounts a small tablet reminiscent of the good old {Razer Phone}. It is based on the Snapdragon G3X platform and was the first to do so when it was released. This means Kyro architecture, 10-bit colours, HDR, technically 4K support, and not least, it can use not only Sub6 5G, but also the real deal mmWave 5G. But, performance-wise, it's really a Snapdragon 888+ on steroids. Nothing wrong with that, you get four cores, one of which hits 3 Ghz, and GPU-wise, it's an Adreno 660, but tuned up to 900 Mhz. If, like me, you're wondering what a "pro" version of the Kishi V2 controller covers, that's haptic feedback and an audio jack. This also means that the layout is completely standard, although connoisseurs will probably point out that the feel of the Kishi controller is not as good and does not have the same premium feel as other consoles.

It's a smaller device than many of the others, 30% less weight than the competition, and a 144 Hz screen that runs AMOLED and not IPS, giving you 6.8" to play with. There's 2880x1080 pixels, 128 GB of space and 2 TB MicroSD support - but with so many {Android} games, it's hardly relevant when you can cloud game. On the other hand, you only get 6 GB of RAM for this Wi-Fi version, but I have to be honest and say that I didn't run out at any point. Oh, and the speakers are quite nice, by the way.

It comes in a Wi-Fi or 5G version, ours was the former. Unfortunately, it seems that the only way to buy one is through Razer's website. This means that you have to take into account import duties and taxes when we talk about the price of £450 for the Wi-Fi version that we have tested here. Why the heck some regions shouldn't be allowed to buy the 5G version is beyond me, especially when the G3X platform that the machine is built on is specifically made for this, but the answer is probably that the price is double that of the Wi-Fi version.

And it's quite important to take a stand here. If you want a pure cloud gaming solution combined with {Android}, or if you want a machine that can run PC games on its own - then it's not an optimal solution in my eyes. If you look at {Steam Deck} and other solutions that cost more than twice as much, it doesn't matter in my opinion when you're still struggling to get more than just 45 FPS on low graphics settings and with a screen that doesn't necessarily run 1080p. So in reality, the {Razer Edge} should probably be compared to other cloud machines like Logitech's {G Cloud}. If you're still in doubt, there are mobile phones with more powerful hardware if you only look at the benchmark software, so I had actually given up on using it for anything other than {Android} and {Cloud}, and it just confirms my bias that handhelds are too powerful.

There are a few design flaws, e.g. there's a nice front-facing camera, but I couldn't find a way to do face unlock, and there's no fingerprint reader, so you have to constantly enter your PIN. On the other hand, I got about 11 hours out of the machine with mixed mobile usage, but I would expect that from a 5000 mAh battery. I did struggle to get more than six hours out of it when I used it for gaming, which makes sense, but I think these mobile consoles need more powerful batteries if they are to fulfil their potential.

In addition, the {Edge} has a very basic competitor in the regular mobile phone. If you take a large mobile phone, e.g. Samsung's {S23 Ultra}, and combine it with a controller, you get a screen that is almost as good and large, and then just install the apps required to use your favourite cloud streaming service, and you don't have to worry about Wi-Fi or 5G, because the phone has it all. I tried running some benchmarks, and they actually ended up with 99.9% the same score as the aforementioned Samsung phone.

That said, it's just a different dedicated experience, especially if you have {GeForce Now}, which is my personal favourite. I solved the lack of 5G connectivity by internet sharing from my phone, so it's not a major issue, but it's a problem that those who want to can make an almost equally good solution themselves just by buying a controller for a mobile phone. At 264g for the tablet, and just around 400g for the whole thing, it's also light enough to be comfortable to use a lot, and without elbow support.

So, should you buy one? It depends on whether you want cloud gaming or need offline PC gaming in mobile form. I'd be harsh and say that the hardware still lags behind enough that I personally wouldn't choose the latter other than a laptop. I understand small handheld consoles, but at the same time I find it hard to see a scenario where I can justify spending more than twice as much as an {Edge} costs to be able to play sub-1080p at 35-40 fps. On the other hand, I think it's a solid gaming experience when running pure cloud, but with a stable 5G connection, the 5G version would just have so much more sales potential than a pure Wi-Fi version. So, good thing you can internet share.