RazerPocket

"World's First Handheld Steam Machine
RazerPocket aka Razer Project Nova or AstralPocket is an handheld hexa-core Steam Machine console developed by Morandal Games, Astralitz Design and Razer Inc , the company best known for their gaming devices, especially Project Valerie, which is a gaming laptop that folds into three 4K screens. When it first came, it was packaged with a card to download Crusaders Quest: ReLink (during it's launch event) on the console digitally. Popular games include Bayonetta Ultimate and III, Overwatch 2, Universe Coaster, and Ambient.Rainbow. Later there was an enhanced version known as the RazerPocket Slim which added support for 1440p and is thinner.
It has been noted to revolutionize mobile gaming and acted as an more modern version of the GPD Win, an mobile Windows PC with an Atom quad-core with 2.3 GHz and 4GB of RAM, with a controller input on it's keyboard.
Unlike the mainstream consoles known as the Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 line, this is more of an maximum-power game console alongside with the AstralOracle for those who are obsessed with ultra gaming due to their extremely steep specs comparing to the mainstream competitors. For example, the Nintendo Switch at the time had 4 gigs of DDR4 ram and a octa-core ARM cpu and Maxwell Nvidia GPU, the RazerPocket has an unsoldered SDD which can be replaced, 16 gigs of HBM2 ram, an hexa-core x64 3 GHz CPU with hyperthreading and a Volta GPU with much higher clock speeds.
This handheld console is noted to make use of the Astralitz Mobile SoC, which the invention in 2018 by Astralitz Design has been noted to shrink the die size and invent the pico transistor which was 2.5x times smaller than the normal transistor; which allowed developers to further increase the GHz of CPUs and start adding more cores and GPUs to laptops and tablets to avoid having to give haggles about it anymore with EXTREMELY slow clock speed increasing, which Astralitz would later build the first laptop with a 16 core 3 Ghz AMD Threadripper and Core i9 inside. This makes use of a "chill" type chip to reduce heating. (The Mobile SoC was also used for the Astralphone, which aims to be a third competitior aside from the overrated Android and the stable and fast iOS while targetting artists and 3D animators as their audience) (Astralitz Mobile SoC was at 4mn compared to Intel's 7mn at the time)
==Design==
The RazerPocket features these:
*Four buttons with 1, 2, 3, 4 to the right, as well as a C-Stick on the right
*A D-Pad and D-Stick on the left
*Select, Home, Start on the right grip similar in fashion to the Wii U.
*Screen on the center as well as touchscreen (some games can also be played with only the touchscreen)
*Shoulder buttons called L1, L2, R1, R2.
*Two Thunderbolt type C connectors as well as headphones jack (there is an accessory that is a stand that charges while you play your games on the detachable controller that takes either Thunderbolt type C cable or an Razer battery, and you can even turbocharge your games with a Razer Core, though it's only practical for more demanding games like Universe Coaster.)
*AirPlay/wireless screen support.
*1 SD card slot (if you want more room to store your games and stuff)
*1 Recorder Port (if you're planning to livestream your games off the tablet
*1080p graphics (beating the Switch's handheld mode)
*Wireless keyboard and mouse accessories (commonly used as RazerPockets were also for businesses)
*Similar to the Switch, controller grips were detachable and retachable. Many businesses use RazerPockets without the controller grips. (extra controllers can be bought seperately) The controller grips are inspired by the joycons, except their much more comfortable and have analog sticks on the top where the shoulder buttons are. They were nicknamed "Razer Avion", the Avions, like their mechanical keyboards and micse, have configurable RGB on the controller grips.
*Two cameras (one front camera, one rear camera and one mic up to 25mps)
*4 nano fans (to cool the gaming microchip and GPU) along with a heatsink equipped with a "chill" chip that reduces heat input.
===Programs===
Program 	Description
RazerOffice 	Used for businesses. View documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.
RazerMaker 	Use to make movies similar in fashion to iMovie. (trailers, videos, etc)
RazerBand 	Use to make music tracks similar in fashion to GarageBand.
RazerBuilder 	Use to make 3D models.
RazerSolitaire	A solitaire game. Comes with a collection of various modes.
Razer3D 	A 3D paint app. Make 3D objects and you can import them in SFM and other programs.
Astralverse 	Astralitz's take on Miiverse, which is a spiritual successor with additional features. Bound on AstralOracles and RazerPockets as their both Astralitz consoles.
==Other Features==
Feature 	Description
Steam 	Login to Steam to play your games on the go! (must be compatible first)
Microsoft Edge	Go on the internet and supports Flash, cookies and HTML5!
Groove Music 	Listen to music on various radios.
SIM  	Insert a SIM card, and play competitive gaming, go on the internet, or chat on the go!
Razer Apps 	Special apps for RazerPocket including Google Apps, and social media.
==Notable Games==
These were the popular games. (pages are yet to be made) An * means that is an exclusive and a + means this is an exclusive alongside the AstralOracle series.
*Universe Coaster+ (runs at 720p and 900p to avoid slog when building massive parks)
*Wonderland Rainbows
*Ambient.Rainbow 
*Drakengard IV
*Final Fantasy Warriors
*Elder Scrolls: Valenwood and Skyrim
==Reception==
===Pre-reception===
RazerPocket, being announced as CES 2020, had gotten positive reception from critics and users, while praising it for being the GPD Win killer (which the GPD Win 3 had Intel G CPUs with Vega M graphics inside). Some American users, pointed out that the RazerPocket's design is heavily inspired by that of the Switch, except it has all of the Switch's problems ironed out, such as mics and cameras, etc.
The idea of being able to insert SIM cards in the console was very well received, with some noting that it can revolutionize online gaming on the go compared to the Nintendo Switch, and that Nintendo in response has to learn from what the RazerPocket did in response to their next console.
Japanese Switch players pointed out that the RazerPocket is heavily based of the Switch's design, and some yet called it a Switch knock-off in Japan, and some predicted that it would play worse than the Switch, however they were wrong, as the RazerPocket is powered by the same chip that powered the Astralphone, but with better CPU and GPU inside. NWPlayer123, a notable Nintendo hacker decided "we should wait for the product to come out and see what it's like."
===Post-reception===
RazerPocket had received positive reception so far. Criticism includes pointing out the "follow the leader" with the Nintendo Switch. Hans Wolken, the CEO of Morandal Games tweeted this;
"Yes, I know it's similar to the Nintendo Switch. The thing is, RazerPocket can't be played as a home console while the Switch can, and that the RazerPocket was more business oriented than gaming oriented than Nintendo as it has office applications and printer support." 
It has positive sales in the US, but negative sales in Japan, most notably due to people calling it an knock-off/Famiclone to the Switch (but the RazerPocket did things better than the Switch). Despite being bashed in Japan, notable Japanese fans of the RazerPocket (and possibly the AstralOracle) include Roxie Kanno (@QueenOfHasla), Rhoa Terre (@TheFlyingMagala), and Takeda Patterson (@Astralfan505).
The handheld mobile high-end gaming PC brought gamers to say "GTX 2080 Go, Bye GPD Win?!" As it was an handheld Steam machine, it allowed games like visual novels (which no game console has today) and most competitve games to be taken on the go. The SIM support has been praised for being actively successful for games like Overwatch, Team Fortress 2 and CS:GO with it's ability to be played on the go.
There were comparisons between the GPD Win and the RazerPocket, as the GPD Win is more of an Surface Pro for gaming and an RazerPocket is more of a Steam Machine/Vita combination.
Because this was an Steam Machine, games like Civilization, FNAF, Undertale, and anime visual novels (including dating sims and games with an emphasis on anime girls) were able to be played the go, which spread a meme called "Can It Be on the RazerPocket?" similar to the Switch meme. 
In the Razer App Store, the most popular apps were 7th generation to 8th generation emulators, as gamers can download abandonware emulators and run them on the go. (PS2, Wii U, etc) The notable policies was that no shovelware, no viruses, and no dupes of existing apps allowed. Another big policy was "no swapping your original app for something completely different".
===Switch killer?===
As the RazerPocket was released for $500 (a premium price and later dropped down to around $350) alongside some high-end ultra power graphics, it was rumored to be the Switch killer, where Switch sales would drop in favor of RazerPockets instead. They noted how the RazerPocket was slimmer, and even had a larger integrated hard drive which can take full-size SD cards, four times RAM and an in-date GPU and CPU at the time. (RazerPocket had Intel's Core i7 Coffee Lake hexa-core CPU with hyperthreading except it was slightly underclocked).
Spec comparisons to the Xbox One X and the PS4 Pro show that the RazerPocket is 2.5x to 4x more powerful than those two consoles, mostly because of it's CPU which favors higher clock speeds and up to 12 threads. (Consoles used low-power AMD and ARM CPUs, RazerPocket preferred Astralitz's so-called Mobile Engine at the time)
As it was released, the console sales were good, Switch sales did not drop seriously as the RazerPocket was more of an enthusiant class game console alongside the AstralOracle, not a competitor unlike the Xbox Two or the PlayStation 5 at the time.
However, in 2021, research started called "Razer Switch" which is meant to ensure that the RazerPocket can emulate a Nintendo Switch, In 2022, production has started and the team had been undergoing various quality assurance and optimizing for Switch games, for example Breath of the Wild. As of 2023 with the Switch discontinuing in favor of the Nintendo Flow, the project was finished, and the program was ready to go for RazerPockets, which the team proved to be the Switch killers themselves with the "extreme" version taking over. It became the number one download in the RazerPocket app store. Fans nicknamed RazerPockets hacked to run SwitchOS an "HACKtendo Switch" (A name based on the term "Hackintosh" and "HackinOS", an HackinOS is an smartphone especially Android phones that can run iOS on NON-Apple hardware)
====Switch vs. RazerPocket====
One fan made a video on YouTube called RazerPocket VS. The Nintendo Switch. 15 Reasons why it's Better, with a description saying "When an underdog in Japan does things better than it's inspiration by some massive overhead company."
*Apps, Apps, Apps, Better Support.
**​Meanwhile on the Switch... Can only play games ("The Price is Right"fail horn plays)
*Overkill specs (thanks to Astralitz's exclusive technologies they possess)
*Better modding support/customization (much easier to homebrew than an iOS 13 phone)
*Astralverse support , 10G wi-fi and cellular support (So you never need to worry about wi-fi hotspots ever again for your multiplayer games, which again is compressed via a reverse proxy which compresses data via 75%, making it ideal for YouTube at 1080p 60hz or 4K Netflix on the go)
**​Meanwhile on the Switch... No Miiverse, and no communication 
*All sorts of games like MMOs (There are genres which are extremely rare on consoles but more common on the RazerPocket and PCs such as dating sims, visual novels, etc)
*Better hard drive and game carts size (It is estimated that the carts can hold UP TO a massive 150GB especially to fit Universe Coaster and Crusaders)
**Meanwhile on the Switch... Has to bandwagon the same nonsense that Xbox One and PS4 is doing
*Various controller support via Bluetooth X
*Better accessory support
*Cameras and mics, including native support for voice chat (up to 25mp)
**​Meanwhile on the Switch... Has to rely on an unreliable gimmick which has you daisy-chaining your phone to a headset and the Switch
*AstralLeague support so players can communicate on multiplayer help, rooms, etc. Also, free online multiplayer with solid servers
**​Meanwhile on the Switch... Has to rely on an dedicated (and yet unreliable) smartphone app
*Much more slimmer and easier to carry around (with a solid charging station for tabletop mode)
*Faster loading times thanks to it's SSD
*All sorts of commercial purposes like timing, fitness, etc.
*Smooth operating system for "all-star" purposes and even in some cases MULTI-tasking
*Is created by THEIR own parts
The "15 reasons" video ended with a conclusion saying "Why pay more for less?"
Another video about why the RazerPocket is better than the Switch was by WatchMojo called "Top 10 Reasons why RazerPocket is better than Switch ft. Gear Up", with this top 10 reasons.
#Better hard drive
#No "amiibo" (Nintendo's infamous cash grab for rare items)
#More apps
#MULTI-tasking (Having two apps open at the same time)
#Customization
#Cameras/mics
#Better specs for ultra 60fps gameplay on EVERY game
#FREE online multiplayer (Astral consoles are the last gaming consoles to have free online multiplayer because they cost more thanks to overkill specs)
#Cellular support for multiplayer games/internet
#It's got all of your favorite apps (Google, social media, etc)
Later, with the Nintendo Flow releasing, WatchMojo would later make a video called "Top 10 Things Flow Managed to Improve from the RazerPocket", including the better storage, and the addition of cameras and mics on the tablet, likely to emphasis on 4-D gameplay.
===Legacy===
The way the RazerPocket carried around an non-integrated micro SSD led to Nintendo giving a new hard drive idea for their 10th generation console, the Nintendo Flow, where it has an integrated storage of 384GB (24GB used for the system, leaving room for Virtual Console and supersampled Switch games) while allowing the user to use SDDs up to 4 terabytes of space.
This and the AstralOracle have been dubbed the Extreme Entities in gaming, as both consoles have "extreme" specs at the time, which target gamers to their extremes with overclocked gaming tablets with insane battery life, overkill specs, workstation GPUs, and gaming consoles that are around 50x to 100x times faster than the competitors which use up some of the extra power to power additional screens that you can hook up, which was something no other gaming console has ever used before.
One of the most infamous sell-outs was Operation: Miner 101 which had the Astralitz consoles being used for cryptocurrency mining at extremely fast speeds thanks to an app developed by an hacking group, which was later patched within a few months.
===Discontinuation===
RazerPocket would be discontinued by early 2025 while the new RazerAir (with 5K Retina handheld graphics and backwards compatibility) would take over. The specs of the RazerAir would be the same slimness as the iPhone 6, 48GB HBM3, an Nvidia GTX 1380ti Da Vinci low power version, 4 terabyte SSD, 4GHZ 10 cores and 20 threads) Comparing to the Nintendo Flow from 3 years ago, Flow has 16GB of HBM3, an ARM Kaiser 12 core 2.4 GHz, the Tegra D650 with 1024 CUDA cores, undocked 1440p resolution and 5K docked. (the HBM3 RAM allows the Flow to easily handle 5K docked)
Because of the recent hacking success of the RazerAir, the RazerAir later was the last handheld console to be produced of Astral's "extreme" console line-up, with the only notable handheld still being continued is the Astralphone. 
==Trivia==
*The RazerPocket is the first console to use HBM. (High Bandwidth Memory)
*The RazerPocket is the first console to support multi-tasking (Multi-tasking in way that you have TWO apps opening at the SAME time without eachother closing) The second game console to do his is the AstralOracle. This was done to demonstrate the powers of their extremely solid RAM-bank and CPU bank.
Category:2020
Category:Fan Consoles
Category:Handheld Consoles