Razer Expands Beyond Gaming With the Company's First Lifestyle Laptop
Combining productivity and portability with performance.
Earlier this year, Razer released its first non-gaming laptop. In doing so, the brand applied its knowledge and expertise in creating high-performance gaming rigs to creating a streamlined laptop for everyday use. The result is a productivity-centric device with portability and a sleek design to match its impressive performance, thus catering to users outside the brand’s typical niche. “With the new Razer Book brand, we are opening ourselves up to serve a much wider audience that wants the premium build quality and performance of a Razer Blade, but the battery life and mobility of an Ultrabook,” says Razer’s product manager, Michael Ly.
The brand’s decision to make the pivot came after recognizing a need for a high performing device for more traditional uses — a hole that Razer could easily fill with its expertise in technology and design. “We noticed that there was an increasing demand for a well-built productivity laptop that didn’t cut corners and that offered a no-compromises solution,” says Ly. This comes through in both aesthetic and technical properties. For example, the range of laptops see a white anodized finish to stand out amongst a sea of silver and grey computers and includes USB-C, USB-A and HDMI ports to avoid the use of dongles. Each is made from a single block of aluminum and weighs less than 3 lbs. It also touts all-day battery life without sacrificing power — a premium combo that many companies forgo — thanks to the 11th-Generation Intel processors and Intel Evo certification.
Having been well-respected in the gaming realm since its inception in 2005, it’s no surprise that the brand applied its knowledge in the space to enhance the Razer Book 13. “We’re no strangers to high performance laptops,” says Ly. “We’ve essentially channeled everything at our disposable to make the best productivity laptop out there.” This comes through in elements like the vapor chamber cooling system, found on the brand’s gaming laptops, but used here to ensure ultimate performance and productivity while maintaining a thin profile. The laptop also utilizes the same premium materials and manufacturing processes from the gaming line.
Designed with portability in mind, the Razer Book 13 still serves the work from home lifestyle that’s been widely adopted this year, as well as a more on-the-go schedule. “People still get stir crazy,” says Ly. “The portable form factor allows freedom to work upstairs, downstairs, bedroom or any room for that matter. And, with 4 microphones in the Razer Book, voice pickup for video conferencing is greatly improved and the webcam allows great video quality anywhere.” Moreover, the near bezel-less 13.4-inch screen comes in either a full HD+ option or a UHD+ touchscreen, rounding out the impressive laptop.
Razer’s growth is also expanding beyond new lifestyle tech with partnerships that infiltrate other areas of culture, like its recent collection of apparel and accessories in collaboration with BAPE. The range, called “A Gaming Ape,” includes hoodies, T-shirts, headphones, a mouse and more, providing gear that merges style with technology.
The Razer Book 13 is available now with prices starting at $1,200 USD. Head to the company’s website to shop both the laptop and the Razer x BAPE series.