Razer is making a streaming-focused handheld console for some reason

Enlarge / Fun fact: The divot in the middle of the D-pad can also hold a very small amount of salsa or dip. (credit: Verizon)

Just one week after Logitech confirmed its Android-based, streaming-focused G CLOUD Gaming Handheld, fellow peripheral maker Razer is getting in on the act. The Razer Edge 5G, announced in conjunction with Verizon at Mobile World Congress today, will play games "downloaded to play locally, streamed from your console or accessed directly from the cloud."

BREAKING: @Verizon, @Razer and @Qualcomm are teaming up on the world's first 5G mobile gaming handheld—Razer Edge 5G! It will allow you to play your favorite games regardless of whether you are gaming in the cloud, on an app or streaming from your console. https://t.co/TYPw5xFyeF pic.twitter.com/F9Vg3CfABl

— George Koroneos (@GLKCreative) September 28, 2022

As the name implies, Verizon and Razer are leaning heavily into their console as "the world's first 5G mobile gaming handheld," complete with the ability to stream or download games "over 5G Ultra Wideband." That should be an upgrade from 10 years ago, when Sony integrated a 3G mobile antenna in some versions of the PlayStation Vita, letting the device serve as a highly questionable cell phone replacement. That version of the system saw a severe price drop just months after launch before it was discontinued later that year, suggesting a lack of excitement for mobile data options in a game console at the time.

Not just a dev kit anymore

The Edge 5G will be based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform, which the chipmaker revealed as a reference design last November. That announcement came alongside a Razer-designed dev kit for the platform, which featured a 6.65-inch OLED, 120 Hz screen, built-in 1080p webcam, and "Snapdragon Sound" four-way speakers (as well as theoretical support for 4K, 144 fps, 10-bit HDR color output via a DisplayPort USB-C connection to an external monitor).

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