The Razer Blade 15 is one of the new gaming laptops coming out of CES 2021 that combines a QHD screen with Nvidia's new RTX 30-series mobile GPUs. In short, it's the match we've all been screaming for. Razer's refresh of its flagship Blade gaming laptop now comes with 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and Nvidia's new RTX graphics, plus a bevy of screen options. In fact, there are a total of nine new configurations for the Razer Blade 15 split between the Base and Advanced Models. We’re not going to pore over all the different little specs, but the main thing you need to know about the base model is it features a 6-core Intel Core i7-10750H processor and graphics options that go from an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti to an Nvidia RTX 3060. The Advanced Model starts with an 8-core Intel Core i7-10875H processor and either an Nvidia RTX 3070 or RTX 3080 with up to 16GB of video memory. The version we’re most excited about is the $2,499 model that combines an 8-core processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics with a 2560 x 1440 resolution IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate. This is the first time we’re seeing QHD screens on a mainstream gaming laptop, and with the power of Ampere finally coming to laptops it should deliver some pretty high FPS. The Razer Blade 15 is available for preorder now direct from Razer and will be available for general retail on January 26th [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Razer loves to go big at CES. In years past, the company has shown off everything from a triple-monitor gaming laptop to a fully immersive racing simulator. This year, Razer is showing off two concept projects: an immersive gaming chair and a high-tech face mask outfitted with, in true Razer fashion, RGB lighting. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=razer-ces-2021-project-hazel&captions=true"] Project Hazel is Razer's take on a "smart" mask. It would use a detachable, rechargeable active-ventilation system to regulate airflow, with N95 medical-grade respirator protection to filter at least 95% of airborne particles. The design also features a transparent front panel so that people can see your facial expressions, or, when communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, read your lips. The mask would also use a "VoiceAmp" technology featuring a built-in microphone and amplifier to prevent the mask from muffling your voice. And to top it of, of course, it features Razer Chroma RGB lighting. Of course, to be clear, Project Hazel is only a concept project, and is extremely unlikely to come to market in its current form, if at all. That said, cheesy sci-fi aesthetics aside, it's nice to see companies thinking about ways to take on some of the common complaints about masks, given they have become an essential part of everyday life. Razer's other concept this year is Project Brooklyn, an all-in-one immersive gaming chair. The idea is an ergonomic chair with built-in haptic feedback and a retractable, wraparound curved screen. Visuals would be delivered by a 60-inch rollable OLED display that retracts and folds into the chair when not in use. Similarly, the armrests adjust and retract as needed depending on if you're playing on PC with mouse and keyboard or console with a controller. Again, this is just a concept product that likely will never exist as a real product, at least in its current form. As for real products, at CES Razer also showed off new versions of its Blade 15 and 17 gaming laptops, most notably featuring a new 1440p screen option. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Bo Moore is IGN's Executive Editor of Tech. Follow him on Twitter @usebomswisely.

Razer loves to go big at CES. In years past, the company has shown off everything from a triple-monitor gaming laptop to a fully immersive racing simulator. This year, Razer is showing off two concept projects: an immersive gaming chair and a high-tech face mask outfitted with, in true Razer fashion, RGB lighting. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=razer-ces-2021-project-hazel&captions=true"] Project Hazel is Razer's take on a "smart" mask. It would use a detachable, rechargeable active-ventilation system to regulate airflow, with N95 medical-grade respirator protection to filter at least 95% of airborne particles. The design also features a transparent front panel so that people can see your facial expressions, or, when communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, read your lips. The mask would also use a "VoiceAmp" technology featuring a built-in microphone and amplifier to prevent the mask from muffling your voice. And to top it of, of course, it features Razer Chroma RGB lighting. Of course, to be clear, Project Hazel is only a concept project, and is extremely unlikely to come to market in its current form, if at all. That said, cheesy sci-fi aesthetics aside, it's nice to see companies thinking about ways to take on some of the common complaints about masks, given they have become an essential part of everyday life. Razer's other concept this year is Project Brooklyn, an all-in-one immersive gaming chair. The idea is an ergonomic chair with built-in haptic feedback and a retractable, wraparound curved screen. Visuals would be delivered by a 60-inch rollable OLED display that retracts and folds into the chair when not in use. Similarly, the armrests adjust and retract as needed depending on if you're playing on PC with mouse and keyboard or console with a controller. Again, this is just a concept product that likely will never exist as a real product, at least in its current form. As for real products, at CES Razer also showed off new versions of its Blade 15 and 17 gaming laptops, most notably featuring a new 1440p screen option. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Bo Moore is IGN's Executive Editor of Tech. Follow him on Twitter @usebomswisely.

The Asus ROG Flow X13 is reinventing the dream of having a thin-and-light laptop that connects to an external graphics card for dramatically better gaming performance. The first half of the Asus ROG Flow X13 is an ultra-slim and convertible 13-inch laptop equipped with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS processor and Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics. The other half is the Asus ROG XG Mobile, a power bank-sized external GPU that houses the latest mobile version of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=asus-rog-flow-x13&captions=true"] The laptop by itself measures 15.8mm thick and weighs 2.9 pounds, meanwhile, the eGPU dock measures 155 x 208 x 29mm and weighs only about 2.2 pounds. Asus claims its compact eGPU is only 6% of the size of a traditional external GPU box that utilizes desktop graphics cards. As for power, the laptop’s built-in GPU has enough graphical oomph to get you through most of your tasks with 1,255MHz of power. But for gaming, you’ll really want to utilize the Nvidia RTX 3080 at its full 1,810MHz power and all its 2nd generation RT Cores. Additionally, Asus has developed a gaming laptop that’s not only ultraportable but is also versatile for multiple uses beyond gaming. The Asus ROG Flow X13 is a convertible laptop with a 360-degree hinge that allows users to flip the screen over and use the machine as a Windows tablet. In this mode, users can draw, play touch-based games, and watch streaming media. The screen looks fantastic on paper too with an Ultra HD 4K resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. As for its other specs, the Asus ROG Flow X13 features DDR4X 4,266MHz memory and SSD capacity up to 1TB. You can also expect 10 hours of video playback from this notebook’s battery. And when you want to get to gaming you simply connect the ROG XG Mobile to the laptop with a propriety cable. Rather than using Thunderbolt 3 or 4, Asus opted to develop a custom PCIe 3.0 x 8 interface that it claims is faster. Users can connect this eGPU box to a gaming monitor using its DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0a ports. This compact external GPU also acts as a 280W AC adapter for the laptop and I/O hub thanks to its attached USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector. The Asus ROG Flow X13 should be up for preorder now on Asus’ website, but as of this writing, the company has yet to disclose pricing or availability. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

The Asus ROG Flow X13 is reinventing the dream of having a thin-and-light laptop that connects to an external graphics card for dramatically better gaming performance. The first half of the Asus ROG Flow X13 is an ultra-slim and convertible 13-inch laptop equipped with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS processor and Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics. The other half is the Asus ROG XG Mobile, a power bank-sized external GPU that houses the latest mobile version of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=asus-rog-flow-x13&captions=true"] The laptop by itself measures 15.8mm thick and weighs 2.9 pounds, meanwhile, the eGPU dock measures 155 x 208 x 29mm and weighs only about 2.2 pounds. Asus claims its compact eGPU is only 6% of the size of a traditional external GPU box that utilizes desktop graphics cards. As for power, the laptop’s built-in GPU has enough graphical oomph to get you through most of your tasks with 1,255MHz of power. But for gaming, you’ll really want to utilize the Nvidia RTX 3080 at its full 1,810MHz power and all its 2nd generation RT Cores. Additionally, Asus has developed a gaming laptop that’s not only ultraportable but is also versatile for multiple uses beyond gaming. The Asus ROG Flow X13 is a convertible laptop with a 360-degree hinge that allows users to flip the screen over and use the machine as a Windows tablet. In this mode, users can draw, play touch-based games, and watch streaming media. The screen looks fantastic on paper too with an Ultra HD 4K resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. As for its other specs, the Asus ROG Flow X13 features DDR4X 4,266MHz memory and SSD capacity up to 1TB. You can also expect 10 hours of video playback from this notebook’s battery. And when you want to get to gaming you simply connect the ROG XG Mobile to the laptop with a propriety cable. Rather than using Thunderbolt 3 or 4, Asus opted to develop a custom PCIe 3.0 x 8 interface that it claims is faster. Users can connect this eGPU box to a gaming monitor using its DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0a ports. This compact external GPU also acts as a 280W AC adapter for the laptop and I/O hub thanks to its attached USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector. The Asus ROG Flow X13 should be up for preorder now on Asus’ website, but as of this writing, the company has yet to disclose pricing or availability. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Wizards of the Coast has announced a new Dungeons and Dragons book called Candlekeep Mysteries, which will launch on March 16. The title alludes to the library-fortress of Candlekeep, which will be familiar to fans of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The tome will feature "seventeen mystery-themed adventures each centred around a single book found in the iconic library fortress" and provide background information about Candlekeep itself. The expeditions offered by Candlekeep Mysteries are designed to be played as one-shots - so they wrap up within the course of one tabletop session. The adventures in Candlekeep include 'The Canopic Being', in which "a book brings several puzzling organ transplants to light," 'Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion', in which "a stolen book leads adventurers to a tower in Candlekeep that is more than what it seems", and 'Zikran's Zephyrean Tome', where "a djinni trapped in a book offers a wish spell to adventurers who find a way to release him." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dungeons-dragons-candlekeep-mysteries-covers-and-art&captions=true"] However, Dungeon Masters will be able to drop these stories seamlessly into existing campaigns. WOTC says that the book is handy for DM's who want to "inject new characters, story hooks, magic items, and monsters into their game without tons of prep". Dungeons and Dragons Principal Story Designer Chris Perkins notes that the anthology is meant to "reflect the incredible creativity of the D&D community," as it features adventures written by a variety of authors, listed below:

• Graeme Barber (@POCGamer)
• Kelly Lynne D’Angelo (@kellylynnedang)
• Alison Huang (@Drazillion)
• Mark Hulmes (@sherlock_hulmes)
• Jennifer Kretchmer (@dreamwisp)
• Daniel Kwan (@danielhkwan)
• Adam Lee (@adamofadventure)
• Ari Levitch (@AriLevitch)
• Chris Lindsay (@ravens_watching)
• Sarah Madsen (@UnfetteredMuse),
• Christopher Perkins (@ChrisPerkinsDnD)
• Michael Polkinghorn (@MiketheGoalie)
• Taymoor Rehman (@DarkestCrows)
• Hannah Rose (@wildrosemage)
• Kienna Shaw (@kiennas)
• Brandes Stoddard (@BrandesStoddard)
• Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword)
• Toni Winslow-Brill (@vorgryth)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/dark-alliance-announced-as-new-dungeons-dragons-game-ign-now"] In other Dungeons and Dragons news, check out this premium D&D set which may include the largest battle map ever. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Wizards of the Coast has announced a new Dungeons and Dragons book called Candlekeep Mysteries, which will launch on March 16. The title alludes to the library-fortress of Candlekeep, which will be familiar to fans of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The tome will feature "seventeen mystery-themed adventures each centred around a single book found in the iconic library fortress" and provide background information about Candlekeep itself. The expeditions offered by Candlekeep Mysteries are designed to be played as one-shots - so they wrap up within the course of one tabletop session. The adventures in Candlekeep include 'The Canopic Being', in which "a book brings several puzzling organ transplants to light," 'Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion', in which "a stolen book leads adventurers to a tower in Candlekeep that is more than what it seems", and 'Zikran's Zephyrean Tome', where "a djinni trapped in a book offers a wish spell to adventurers who find a way to release him." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dungeons-dragons-candlekeep-mysteries-covers-and-art&captions=true"] However, Dungeon Masters will be able to drop these stories seamlessly into existing campaigns. WOTC says that the book is handy for DM's who want to "inject new characters, story hooks, magic items, and monsters into their game without tons of prep". Dungeons and Dragons Principal Story Designer Chris Perkins notes that the anthology is meant to "reflect the incredible creativity of the D&D community," as it features adventures written by a variety of authors, listed below:

• Graeme Barber (@POCGamer)
• Kelly Lynne D’Angelo (@kellylynnedang)
• Alison Huang (@Drazillion)
• Mark Hulmes (@sherlock_hulmes)
• Jennifer Kretchmer (@dreamwisp)
• Daniel Kwan (@danielhkwan)
• Adam Lee (@adamofadventure)
• Ari Levitch (@AriLevitch)
• Chris Lindsay (@ravens_watching)
• Sarah Madsen (@UnfetteredMuse),
• Christopher Perkins (@ChrisPerkinsDnD)
• Michael Polkinghorn (@MiketheGoalie)
• Taymoor Rehman (@DarkestCrows)
• Hannah Rose (@wildrosemage)
• Kienna Shaw (@kiennas)
• Brandes Stoddard (@BrandesStoddard)
• Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword)
• Toni Winslow-Brill (@vorgryth)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/dark-alliance-announced-as-new-dungeons-dragons-game-ign-now"] In other Dungeons and Dragons news, check out this premium D&D set which may include the largest battle map ever. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Today, during CES 2021, Nvidia unveiled the GeForce RTX 3060, a new mid-range graphics card. The RTX 3060 has 12GB of GDDR6 memory with 13 Shader TFLOPS, 25 RT TFLOPS, and 101 Tensor TFLOPS. The GeForce RTX 3060 will launch in late February for $329. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nvidia-ces-2021-geforce-rtx-3060&captions=true"] $329 is an attractive price point, bringing next-gen level graphics of Nvidia's Ampere architecture to a wider swath of gamers. Until now Nvidia's cheapest 30-series GPU is the $399 RTX 3060 Ti, which features only 8GB of video memory, but offers the comparatively higher 16.2 Shader TFLOPS, 31.6 RT TFLOPS, and 129.6 Tensor TFLOPS. With the RTX 3060, frugal PC builders will have an opportunity to assemble assemble a rig that rivals or beats the PS5 or Series X for around the same price. During its presentation, Nvidia also unveiled its new mobile variants of the RTX 30-series cards, meaning that the RTX 3080, 3070, and 3060 will soon be coming to gaming laptops. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Bo Moore is IGN's Executive Editor of Tech.

Today, during CES 2021, Nvidia unveiled the GeForce RTX 3060, a new mid-range graphics card. The RTX 3060 has 12GB of G6 memory with 13 Shader TFLOPS, 25 RT TFLOPS, and 101 Tensor TFLOPS. The GeForce RTX 3060 will launch in late February for $329. $329 is an attractive price point, bringing next-gen level graphics to a wider swath of gamers. Until now Nvidia's cheapest new GPU is the $399 RTX 3060 Ti, which features only 8GB of video memory, but offers the comparatively higher 16.2 Shader TFLOPS, 31.6 RT TFLOPS, and 129.6 Tensor TFLOPS. During its presentation, Nvidia also unveiled its new mobile variants of the RTX 30-series cards, meaning that the RTX 3080, 3070, and 3060 will soon be coming to gaming laptops. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Today, during CES 2021, Nvidia's senior VP of GeForce, Jeff Fisher, unveiled its new generation of mobile GeForce RTX  processors, bringing the Ampere RTX 3080, 3070, and 3060 GPUs to gaming laptops. The company provided a quick look at three laptops across the RTX range, starting with the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, powered by the new RTX 3060, which clocks in at 1.3x the power of the PS5. At 1080p, the laptop can reportedly achieve an average of 90 FPS on Ultra settings "across multiple popular graphics-intensive games." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nvidia-ces-2021-geforce-30-series-laptops&captions=true"] The next step up comes in the form of the ASUS G15, which is equipped with a 1440p panel and RTX 3070 mobile GPU. Nvidia states that its average performance at 1440p is 90 FPS. Finally, Nvidia's high-end example is the Alienware m15, which comes packed with the RTX 3080 mobile GPU and 16GB of GDDR6 memory, and is reportedly capable of delivering over 100 FPS on ultra settings across a range of games. Nvidia notes that this is the company's biggest launch ever; those examples are just three of more than 70 'gaming & studio' laptop models that are in production. The hardware will be available from January 26, with a starting price of $999 for the RTX 3060 models. The Alienware m15 will be priced at $1,999, with an Intel i7 CPU. The laptop range will feature the third generation of MAX-Q technology, including Dynamic Boost 2.0 - an AI that automatically routes power around your system - as well as WhisperMode 2.0 for thermal management and resizable BAR. Naturally, these being RTX-powered machines, DLSS will also be supported for applicable games. The presentation also noted that the devices are the lowest latency esports laptops thanks to Nvidia's Reflex technology. Average latency stats were provided for Overwatch (20ms), Rainbow Six Siege (17ms), Valorant (16ms), and Fortnite (17ms), with all games running at well over 250 FPS on a Razer Blade laptop at 1080p. For more from Nvidia's CES 2021 presentation, check out the announcement of the RTX 3060, which makes ray-tracing PC gaming relatively affordable (if the cards will stay in stock anywhere). [poilib element="accentDivider"]