Why the Razer Edge is the perfect Steam Link option

If you're the proud owner of a powerful gaming rig, there are probably times you wanted to take its performance out of your office or bedroom to somewhere that reminds you less of working. Sitting in the same setting for hours on end can get tedious.

Thanks to Steam Link, you can do that. And just in case you're unfamiliar, Steam Link is an app that allows you to enjoy your gaming library remotely on another device, like your phone or a tablet. By connecting to your PC through Wi-Fi, you can benefit from the performance of your computer but enjoy a handheld console experience.

With the Razer Edge, it takes the process to another level. You see, Valve has enabled a 144Hz refresh rate on the Edge, meaning if you have a powerful system, you can benefit from this on the go. At the time of writing, the Edge is the only device that boasts this option, making it the best handheld for PC remote play.

How does a higher refresh rate affect gaming?

It's a fair question. If you've used Steam Link on another of your devices and had a good experience, you might not see why it's a big deal. A 144Hz refresh rate means that your display will update the images you're seeing that many times per second. By providing a lot more updates within that timeframe, gameplay will feel much smoother with reduced blur.

So, in short, everything looks and feels a lot nicer than it would at a lower refresh rate. In some cases, this might even improve your performance. If you're playing a reaction-based game, then you will be able to respond quickly because the information is being fed to you at a higher rate.

To make sure you benefit from the uniquely enabled 144Hz steaming, you'll need to enable the setting. First, connect your Razer Edge to your Steam library using the Steam Link app. If you're unfamiliar with that process, we have a handy guide to get you started. Once connected, follow the steps below to enable 144Hz streaming:

• Open Steam Link.
• From the main menu, tap the cog icon in the top right of the screen to open the settings menu.
• Here. Tap on the Streaming icon.
• This will open the Steaming Settings page. Here you can adjust various settings to suit your preferences.
• For 144Hz, you'll need to tap the more button, find the setting labelled Framerate Limit and tap the arrow on the left-hand side. Doing so will set the Framerate Limit to 144 FPS.

And that's everything. You're good to go. However, you might want to tinker with other settings to improve your performance or to suit your gaming preferences. There are options for uncompressed audio, HEVC video, controller overlay, and more.

Things to remember

It's worth remembering at this point that there are a few external factors that might affect your experience using remote play on your Razer Edge. Firstly, the quality of your Wi-Fi connection. If your internet speed isn't particularly fast, your streaming experience will become hindered as a result.

Secondly, not every game supports a higher refresh rate. Since the Razer Edge has a variable refresh rate or VRR, this isn't a problem if you want to play these games. Just be aware that it won't look as smooth as some other PC titles out there can.

Recommendations

If you're excited to try out some of your existing Steam library at a high refresh rate on the go, here is a list of games to try out that play wonderfully at 144Hz:

• Doom (2016)
• Rocket League
• Vanquish
• Destiny 2