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Razer Edge Game Handheld Is Here: Should You Buy One?

Razer’s Android gaming handheld is part mobile, part console. Here’s what to know.

Nearly a decade ago, Razer’s convertible gaming tablet, the Razer Edge, was my favorite product from CES. The Razer Edge has been reborn, this time as a 6.8-inch tablet handheld console for $400 that also comes in an optional, Verizon-exclusive 5G-equipped version. And it’s now available for purchase.

We don’t have a full review yet. We’re waiting on our Edge to arrive. But we can help you decide whether it’s worth buying right now.

The new Edge, long teased by Razer in various forms since Qualcomm and Razer first showed off a handheld concept a year ago using a new gaming-centric G3X Gen 1 mobile processor, isn’t a wild new idea like the first Edge was to me. It’s the latest in a trend of game handhelds adopting ideas in the spirit of the Nintendo Switch, bringing handheld gaming back in new forms. It’s also, in a sense, like the Logitech G Cloud released last year: an Android handheld game device focused on local and cloud game streaming.

See at Razer

The Edge isn’t a Steam Deck-alike, even if it costs the same as one: This is an Android tablet, more like a large 6.8-inch phone that’s not a phone. It has a similar feel to smaller tablets of the past, like the Nvidia Shield Tablet, but far slimmer.

Hands-on thoughts: Yes, it’s like a phone with a controller

At first, it’s… underwhelming. I’ve seen Razer’s Kishi snap-on game controllers for phones, and the Edge has the same concept. It uses an improved version of the Kishi design with support for vibrating haptics, which I didn’t get to experience. The tablet part, well, it’s a tablet, like many Android things.

The combination of parts could add up to more, though. The large, vivid, 6.8-inch AMOLED display does look lovely, and the new G3X chipset on this tablet could be better at handling streaming games. Razer boasts that it’ll be the ultimate way to try Xbox cloud gaming or playing games via Steam Link, although I also didn’t try that yet either.

But the specs are nice: It has a 2,400×1,080-pixel resolution display that runs at up to 144Hz, and the G3X processor promises active cooling to prolong game sessions. The 128GB of storage can be bumped to 2TB with a microSD card slot. The Kishi V2 Pro controller it comes with, which is removable, adds vibrating haptics the other models didn’t have before. It uses Google Play plus existing streaming game services and Razer’s already-working Nexus app for captures and gameplay streaming. Its advantage, to me, is that it’s not starting over — it’s leaning on what already works, aiming to do it better.

The few games I did play were locally stored games such as Dead Cells, an older 2D platformer. The Edge is wide and a bit long, but compared to a Nintendo Switch or a Steam Deck, it wouldn’t seem out of place.

Why not just buy a Kishi controller for your phone?

That’s the big question here. There are already several great snap-on controllers made for phones, and you could do the same and potentially get the same experience as the Edge. The Edge does have some added extras, including vibrating haptics in the controller and (maybe) boosted chip performance, but if you have a recent iPhone or Android phone, you might want to just convert what you have.

The Edge looks to propose a not-too-expensive solution, potentially, for those who don’t already have a phone… or who might want a dedicated device. That’s the idea, at least. How that ends up playing out versus a Steam Deck or a Nintendo Switch depends on whether you’d prefer to be in an Android ecosystem or not.

What about the 5G version?

We haven’t tested the Verizon-exclusive 5G model at all, but buying one with 5G obviously involves the cost of 5G service, and any other added costs via Verizon. Sure, that would mean the Edge would work anywhere with a decent Verizon cellular signal, but we don’t know how battery life on 5G will perform. If you really want an Edge, go with the regular Wi-Fi model and connect to a mobile hotspot.

Specs

The Razer Edge specs, in case you’re curious to compare against your phone, are:

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon G3X Gen1 processor
  • 2,400×1,080-pixel, 6.8-inch AMOLED display (144Hz)
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB internal storage (microSD card slot supports up to 2TB)
  • Two microphones, two speakers
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • USB-C port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • eSIM for 5G model
  • 260 x 85 x 11mm (10.2 x 3.3 x 0.4 inches)
  • 264g (9.3 ounces) for tablet, 401g (14.1 ounces) for handheld and tablet together

You can wait it out

With something like the Edge, it all depends on how good it is at what it does. I can’t quite tell that yet. $400 is at least totally competitive with the cost of a Switch or Steam Deck. But would you want this over one of those? Or, would you just be happier using your phone and a similar controller? The Edge’s advantages seem intriguing, and I’m curious to play it more. But, with 2023 already looking to be a busy year for tech hardware releases, you also might want to wait to see what else is coming next.

Read more: The Must-See Tech of CES 2023: Sliding Foldables, Beastly OLED TVs and a Laptop-Charging Bike

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 16, #950

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 16 #950.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has a very intriguing blue group. You’ll notice some band names, but can you locate what they have in common? Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Worn on heads.

Green group hint: Nighty-night.

Blue group hint: Bands with something alphabet-related in common.

Purple group hint: Like great.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Kinds of hats.

Green group: Components of a kid’s bedtime routine.

Blue group: Musical acts with «A» as the only vowel.

Purple group: Grand ____.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is kinds of hats. The four answers are derby, fedora, Panama and porkpie.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is components of a kid’s bedtime routine.  The four answers are bath, brushing, pajamas and story.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is musical acts with «A» as the only vowel. The four answers are Alabama, Bananarama, Kansas and Santana.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is grand ____.  The four answers are Bahama, Canyon, piano and slam.

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Quick tips for Connections

#1: Say the clue words out loud, pausing before and after each. That helps you hear the words in the context of a phrase. The Connections editors love to group words together that are used in similar phrasing, like ____ Up.

#2: Don’t go for the obvious grouping. These editors are smart. Once, they offered SPONGE, BOB, SQUARE and PANTS in the same puzzle. None of those words were in the same category. If you like, hit the «shuffle» button to give yourself a different perspective on the words.

#3: Break down any compound words and look for similarities. «Rushmore» was once in a puzzle where the connection was that each word started with the name of a rock band.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Jan. 16, #480

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Jan. 16, No. 480.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one, with some odd words and bizarre categories. If you’re struggling with it but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Don’t get hurt!

Green group hint: Exaggerated language.

Blue group hint: Ouch!

Purple group hint: Not northern.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Protective gear.

Green group: Hype.

Blue group: Sharp things.

Purple group: «Southern ____» schools.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is protective gear. The four answers are gloves, helmet, mouth guard and shoulder pads.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is hype. The four answers are anticipation, ballyhoo, buildup and buzz.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is sharp things. The four answers are dart, hairpin turn, ice skate and javelin.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is «Southern ____» schools. The four answers are California, Illinois, Methodist and Miss.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Quick tips for Connections: Sports Edition

#1: Don’t grab for the easiest group. For each word, think about other sports categories it might fit in – is this a word that can be used in football, or to describe scoring options?

#2: Second meanings are important. The puzzle loves to use last names and even college names that mean other things, to fool you into thinking they are words, not names.

#3: And the opposite is also true. Words like HURTS might seem like a regular word, but it’s also the last name of at least one pro athlete.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Jan. 16

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 16.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought it was exceptionally tough today, and was convinced 1-Across was «MAD» Max. (Spoiler, it’s not.) I also figured 1-Down was BOOZE, which did not work with 1-Across, and was wrong either way. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___ Max
Answer: HBO

4A clue: Where Marco Polo is played
Answer: POOL

5A clue: Overwhelming amount, metaphorically
Answer: FLOOD

6A clue: Reason for success in games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders
Answer: LUCK

7A clue: «That’s just the worst»
Answer: UGH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Liquor, informally
Answer: HOOCH

2D clue: Winner of a Booker prize, fittingly
Answer: BOOK

3D clue: Antiquated
Answer: OLD

4D clue: Give a short promotion for
Answer: PLUG

5D clue: Winter malady
Answer: FLU

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

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