Razer today unveiled its fall lineup of gaming products for its base of hardcore gamers, including new laptops and an ergonomic gaming chair. The company unveiled the gear at its first annual RazerCon weekend-long event, a virtual festival filmed at the company’s Las Vegas store. The event includes concerts with artists such as Deadmau5, DragonForce and Friends, Sabaton, and Speaker Honey.
More than a million people were watching at the outset of RazerCon as Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan took the stage. He noted that Razer donated more than a million masks during the pandemic and that fans donated 75,000. He said Razer also created a $15 million COVID-19 relief fund and the company is supporting green product design with its products and packaging. Tan also announced a partnership with Conservation International to fund the protection of trees worldwide.
Razer Blade Stealth 13
Razer announced the latest version of its Razer Blade Stealth 13 laptop with an “ultrabook” design. It has an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor running at up to 4.7GHz (base performance of 2.8GHz), a full HD OLED touch display option, and THX Spatial Audio. It also has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics chip (the same as the prior model with 4GB GDDR6 memory, which gives it 10% faster graphics performance) and is 2.7 times better at content creation than the previous version. The display has an option for operating at a 120-hertz refresh rate.
Razer marketing manager Eugene Kuo said in a press briefing that the laptop is the company’s first to combine the OLED screen with the faster refresh rate. The laptop runs at 28 watts and can produce darker images and contrast ratios. Razer acquired THX, which was founded by filmmaker George Lucas, and is now adding the THX Spatial Audio technology to its peripherals and computers. For gaming, Razer claims the spatial audio offers a competitive edge, as you can hear which direction enemies are coming from.
The device weighs 3.1 pounds and has two Type-A USB 3.1 ports, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, and a 3.5-millimeter headphone/microphone combo jack. It also has wireless AX Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking, a webcam, and Windows Hello to unlock the machine via face recognition. The Razer Blade Stealth 13 will be available this month at $1,800 on Razer.com, as well as through select retailers this fall.
Razer Chroma RGB
Alongside the new hardware announcements, Razer introduced four new partners to the Razer Chroma Connect program: WD Black, Seagate Gaming, Yeelight, and Twinkly. The Razer Chroma Connect program now consists of over 50 third-party hardware partners, making it the world’s largest RGB lighting ecosystem for gaming devices, with support for over 500 devices and over 150 games and applications.
To help natively control the growing list of connectable devices, Razer also announced Razer Edition motherboards in collaboration with ASRock. The boards are the first to offer native Razer Chroma RGB support and universal compatibility with thousands of addressable RGB (ARGB) components. DIY PC builders with multiple ARGB components can now sync every component with their Razer peripherals with just the Razer Synapse 3 app.
Twinkly is also making Christmas lights that you can light up with Chroma lighting.
Razer Iskur gaming chair
Gaming chairs have been popular during the pandemic, and Razer has entered the ring with its first gaming chair. The Iskur’s external lumbar support system offers 26 degrees of customization to help improve gamer posture during long gaming sessions. Razer said the lumbar support system works to reduce aches and strains by supporting the full curvature of the spine, specifically the mid and lower regions where tension builds up the most.
The Iskur also features high-density foam cushions, a 4D armrest system that can be customized for optimal reach, a memory foam neck pillow for additional support at the top of the spine, and seat tilt. It is suitable for users up to 300 pounds and up to six feet two inches tall. The chair features stylish multilayered synthetic leather and is available today for $500 on Razer’s site.
Tan said he decided to build the chair after having his own back problems earlier this year, and Razer hired ergonomics experts to create a chair that balances health, style, and comfort.
“We built so much science and technology into this chair,” Tan said.
Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition
The latest Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is a headset with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and 40-millimeter drivers. That means you can use the kitty ears headset with your smartphone wherever you go. It has Razer Chroma RGB, up to 50 hours of battery life, and a built-in microphone with beamforming technology to block out ambient noise and capture the user’s voice more clearly.
The earcups and kitty ears are complete with Razer Chroma RGB, which responds to apps and notifications and can also be customized through the Razer Audio App to complement any style. Tan said you can set it to any color you like, syncing the lights of the kitty ears and the earcups. It will sell for $100 on Razer’s site. Razer is sponsoring a #LearntoMeow dance challenge to promote the headset.
“This was designed for you to take outside,” Tan said.
Razer Tomahawk Gaming Chassis
The Razer Tomahawk Gaming Chassis is targeted at desktop PC gamers. It is available in two sizes: the Tomahawk ATX, a standard mid-tower case; and the Tomahawk Mini-ITX, a small form factor case. It has full tempered glass side panels to showcase the desktop components on one side and the cable management solution on the other.
The two panels open from a detachable rear hinge. It has optimized airflow with an open-mesh design, along with USB-C and legacy USB-A support.
The chassis features a matte black metal frame and a black front panel. The bottom is lined with Razer Chroma RGB lighting that can be controlled and customized via the Razer Synapse 3 software. It can support an up to 360-millimeter radiator to reduce heat and up to two 140-millimeter fans. The Razer Tomahawk M1 Gaming Chassis ITX is available now on the Razer site for $180, and the ATX version will be available this fall for $200.
Razer Seiren Mini
Razer is making a compact desktop microphone dubbed the Razer Seiren Mini. The USB-powered microphone features a supercardioid pickup pattern that helps reduce unwanted ambient noise, paired with a 14-millimeter condenser capsule to broadcast crisp and accurate sound. It comes with a built-in shock mount to reduce vibrations from outside sources and a heavy tilting sound to maintain stability and positional accuracy. It weighs less than a pound and is six inches tall. The Razer Seiren Mini comes in three colors, costs $50, and is available on the Razer site today.
“It’s small, but it’s got a mighty set of technical specifications,” Tan said.