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Razer always has a lot of products in the oven and each year at CES the company typically has an impressive showing, with new consumer-ready hardware and devices, alongside a prototype concept project or two. This year, Razer is announcing an all new lineup of Blade laptops, in addition to the release date for the upcoming Edge handheld games console. As far as exciting prototypes go, this year we get a sneak peek at Project Carol.
We'll start things off with the new Razer Edge, which was announced late last year. This is a gaming handheld with a 7-inch AMOLED display, 144Hz refresh rate and powered by a Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 Gaming SoC. Not only will you be able to play popular Android titles, but you'll also be able to access cloud gaming services like GeForce Now, granting access to thousands of games. The Razer Edge will be available for $399 in the US starting on the 26th of January.
Next up we have the new generation of Razer Blade laptops, sporting cutting-edge 16:10 displays, new Intel 13th Gen Core processors and Nvidia's new generation RTX 40 series GPUs. The Blade 16 and Blade 18 models will ship with up to a Core i9-13980HX, the top CPU in Intel's mobile lineup. As far as the GPU goes, Nvidia has confirmed it'll be using the top-spec 175W TGP GPUs for these laptops, meaning you'll get the most performance possible out of them. Naturally though, both of these laptops fall into a hefty price range, with price tags north of $2500.
This year for Razer's big prototype reveal we get a look at Project Carol, the world's first gaming chair head cushion with enveloping near-field surround sound and haptics. This is a project coming straight out of Razer's R&D division, combining 7.1 surround sound with Razer's HyperSense technology. The cushion converts game sounds into haptic feedback in real-time, adding another level of feedback to the gaming experience. The cushion is designed to fit natively with Razer's existing gaming chairs, like the Iskur and the Enki, but there is no word on when we might see this product release, if ever.
Razer has just a few other products launching today at CES. For audio, the new Leviathan V2 Pro has arrived, promising to be the world's first beamforming soundbar with head-tracking features. In partnership with THX and Audioscenic, this new soundbar delivers surround sound with spatial audio, while the head-tracking IR camera detects the user's position and adapts audio beams to ensure you are always getting optimal sound. Whether or not you want a camera in your PC speaker is another question. The Leviathan V2 Pro will be available starting this month, priced at $399.
Next up we have the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, the latest piece of streaming gear in Razer's line-up. This new webcam has the largest sensor ever featured in a webcam, paving the way for DSLR-like quality and clarity, combined with the plug-and-play simplicity of a standard webcam. The sensor itself is Sony's 1/1.2 Starvis 2 sensor with a 2.9 μm pixel size to capture more light and image data. In order to maximize the sensor’s full potential, the Kiyo Pro Ultra is fitted with a custom, ultra-large F/1.7 aperture lens that can capture almost four times more light compared to other webcams, providing crisp, clear images even in low-light conditions. As far as resolution and frame rates go, it can capture 4K/30FPS, 1440p/30FPS or 1080p at 60FPS. This webcam will also be available starting this month, priced at $299.
Finally, Razer is also getting more involved in the virtual reality market, not with a headset of its own, but with accessories for existing ones. There are two new accessories on the way for the Meta Quest 2 headset – an Adjustable Head Strap System and the Razer Facial Interface. The head strap improves comfortability and evens out weight distribution for a better fit compared to the standard Quest 2 head strap. The new facial interface uses medical-grade, hypoallergenic materials to reduce potential skin irritation and helps to block out outside light so you can fully immerse yourself in VR. Both of these products will be available in the US in Q1 but pricing has yet to be announced.
KitGuru Says: What did you all think of Razer's showing at CES this year? Leo and Luke will be swinging by their booth later this week so stay tuned for a closer look at everything that was announced.
