Conclusion
...though it will add a whole lot of gaming potential to a compatible Razer Blade PC, the usual caveats still apply.There are plenty of stunning Ultrabooks on the market today but gamers still need to a rely on a two-machine setup. A thin-and-light laptop is fine for everyday work and travel, but when you're home and ready to game, a powerful desktop is a requisite for most.
The concept of being able to bring the Ultrabook home and attach it to a dock carrying more I/O and a proper graphics card makes implicit sense. Take, say, a Razer Blade Stealth, hook it up to Core v2 via a single Thunderbolt cable and hey presto, your ultra-portable 13.3in machine can now benefit from multiple monitors, gaming peripherals, wired Internet and a powerful graphics card of your choice.
Razer's implementation is sturdily built and looks tidy on a desk, and second-generation improvements allow for a slightly larger graphics card while alleviating the I/O connectivity issues that plagued the original. Welcome changes, and the plug-and-play nature makes it effortless to use, yet don't be in too much of a hurry to retire your desktop just yet.
External graphics enclosures haven't quite reached the mainstream and it's clear to see why. Core v2 is a pricey prospect at £470 sans graphics card, it isn't guaranteed to work with every Thunderbolt-enabled laptop, and though it will add a whole lot of gaming potential to a compatible Razer Blade PC, the usual caveats still apply. Don't expect performance to be on par with a desktop, be aware of a further hit if you choose not to use an external monitor, and invest in a pair of headphones to mask the maddening fan noise.
Bottom line: Razer's Core external graphics accessory continues to hold plenty of promise, but affordability and performance will need to improve if it is to widen its appeal beyond the die-hard enthusiast.
USB and Ethernet hub works fine
Solid aluminium chassis
Slower than a desktop
Pricey at £470 sans graphics card
HEXUS.where2buy
The Core v2 external graphics enclosure is available to purchase direct from Razer.
HEXUS.right2reply
At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.
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