CES 2018: Razer uses its phone to power this gaming laptop

When it comes to whacky computer concepts, Razer is the first name that comes to the mind. Be it triple-display laptops or modular desktops, Razer manages to present insane concepts at tech shows around the world. Therefore, we were expecting the company to show with something notable at this year’s CES and they obliged. Meet Razer’s Project Linda — a laptop that takes the idea of mobile computing pretty seriously.

Project Linda previews the seemingly most seamless laptop-smartphone integration. The laptop looks like Razer’s Stealth Blade gaming laptop, but is not powered by a super fast Intel Core i7 processor or an NVIDIA graphics card — you need a Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered Razer Phone. The area where you would find a conventional trackpad on conventional gaming laptops, this one has a big slot for the Razer Phone. The idea is to slot in the phone and start working on the laptop.

Since there’s no dedicated chipset powering the laptop, you are greeted with an Android-based Windows-esque interface that utilises all the apps installed on your phone. If you are worried about scrolling through pages, the Razer Phone converts into a trackpad; it also works as a second screen or an extended display to the laptop's keyboard. Yes, the full-fledged keyboard is lifted off from Razer gaming laptops, complete with RGB backlighting. The 13.3-inch quad HD display also matches the Razer Phone’s 120Hz refresh rate. Pretty smooth, right?

However, you also get a lot more than a display and a keyboard — there’s a 53.6Wh battery to complement the display and the all the power-hungry components of the laptop. In order let users store more data separately, there’s an additional 200GB of storage space in the laptop body. Razer also provides a webcam and a host of important ports such as USB Type-A and USB Type-C. The whole thing is made out of aluminium and weighs around 3 pounds.

If you are impressed and want one on your shelf to compliment your Razer Phone, then don’t have hopes as this is just a concept like all other Razer exhibits. However, it shows an idea that can work well in the real world and be more practical than similar applications from rival companies. Should Razer put this up for sale? Should other OEMs also implement a similar idea for making the smartphone more relevant? Let us know in the comments below.