Amazon has begun taking pre-orders for Razer’s promising new Forge TV ahead of a launch on May 1. The set-top box that doubles as a console is priced at $149, and its official gamepad is included at no extra cost.

I got incredibly excited about Forge TV when Razer announced it back January — more excited than I’ve ever gotten over a set-top box. Why? Because Forge TV is more than just another Roku or Apple TV; it’s a set-top box designed specifically for gamers.

Powered by Android TV, the device has the ability to run Android games, and a whole host of entertainment apps, such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Google Play Movies and TV. It also boasts a feature called Razer Cortex: Stream, which lets you stream games from your PC to your TV.

When you want to kick back on the couch and play a title that works better with a gamepad, then, you can — and you still get all the benefits that come with PC gaming. That’s mostly thanks to the Forge TV’s powerful internals.

For just $149, you can a Snapdragon 805 processor clocked at 2.5GHz, Adreno 420 graphics, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. There’s also Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, HDMI, Ethernet, and a USB 3.0 port built-in.

But there’s a catch. Razer said during its Forge TV unveiling earlier this year that Cortex: Stream won’t be available until the second quarter of this year, and even then it will launch in beta. You won’t have access to your PC games when the device turns up on your doorstep on May 1, then.

Nevertheless, Forge TV looks like it’s going to be a great set-top box for gamers, and I know I’ll be ordering one as soon as it arrives in the U.K. You can already order yours if you live in the U.S., thanks to Amazon.

• SourceAmazon
• ViaTalkAndroid