Razer has traditionally revealed massive innovative tech concepts at CES in the past. This year, Razer has revealed a slew of new gaming elements and this starts with the Project Carol Concept. This concept is the world’s first head cushion with what Razer is calling envelope near-field surround sound and haptics. This will allow for a deep immersive audio experience for gamers. This is the latest design from Razer’s R&D division as this experience will promise clear, pure audio with 7.1 surround sound. The audio will be more direct and is powered by Razer’s HyperSense technology to drive the haptic feedback that was seen in the Kraken V3 Pro. It’s designed to fit all gaming chairs via an elastic, adjustable strap. Once connected via a 2.4 Ghz wireless connection, Project Carol will deliver 8 hours of gaming before charging.
While the newest gaming laptops will include the latest CPU/GPU tech to drive the system, Razer is thinking outside-of-the-box with its latest Blade 16/18 laptops. The Blade 16 is the world’s first 16-inch HDR-capable dual mode mini-LED laptop that offers 1000 nits peak brightness and less than 3ms response time. The dual mode means its users have choices with a Creator mode offering UHD+ native resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate or a Gamer mode that offers 240Hz at FHD. This will come with the latest 13th gen Intel Core i9 HX chipset and the NVIDIA RTX 40 series delivering up to 175 watts TGP and upgradeable DDR5 5600MHz memory. These advancements are due to the further advancements of its thermal regulation by including an expansion of Razer’s patented vapor chamber cooling tech. The Blade 16 is going with a new statistic known as Graphics Power Density (gPD). With having a 1.50 gPD, the Blade 16 will deliver 35% more graphics power per cubic inch than any other 16-inch gaming laptop on the market.
The Blade 18 is aiming to be the ultimate desktop replacement as it will be Razer’s most powerful laptop to date. It will include a large 18-inch QHD+ 240Hz display with superb color accuracy, sharp resolution and a rapid response time. It will include a 5MP camera, THX spatial audio 6-speaker array, upgradeable components, a ton of ports and a hyper-efficient vapor cooling chamber. You can expect the same type of specs seen with the Blade 16 offering. Both laptop models will launch in Q1 2023 with the Blade 16 starting at $2,699.99 and the 18 at $2,899.99. They will be available at Razer’s website, RazerStores and select retailers.
Razer is also upgrading two of its peripherals with the Leviathan V2 Pro and the Kiyo Pro Ultra. The Leviathan V2 Pro is an improved version of its sound bar that combines beamforming technology and head-tracking AI to deliver immersive 3D audio. The sound bar has an integrated IR camera to detect the user’s position and allows the Leviathan V2 Pro to adapt the audio beams to the listener’s position in real-time. It is powered by THX Spatial Audio combined with Audioscenic user adaptive beamforming. It includes a subwoofer and support for Razer Chroma RGB with 30 lighting zones, 16.8 million colors and over 200 games integrated into the ecosystem. It will be available in February 2023 for $399.99 from the Razer website and RazerStores.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra is Razer’s latest professional webcam that will offer an ultra-large Sony 1/1.2" STARVIS 2 sensor. A 2.9 um pixel size will allow the camera to capture more light and image data and is fitted with a custom, ultra-large F/1.7 aperture lens that allows four times the light to be captured compared to other webcams. It can convert raw 4K 30 FPS (or 1080p 60 FPS) footage into uncompressed 4K 24 FPS, 1440p 30 FPS or 1080p 60 FPS and offers AI-powered Face Tracking Auto-Focus for facial tracking. HDR is offered with support for 30 FPS and image quality can be edited within Razer Synapse. The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is available on January 5 for $299.99 exclusively at Razer’s website and RazerStores.
Razer is jumping into VR accessories for the Meta Quest 2. Razer will be offering an Adjustable Head Strap and a new Facial Interface. The idea is to extend comfort in collaboration with ResMed, which is a leading expert in human factors. The Adjustable Head Strap was created with all head shapes in mind and offers high-performance nylon material. The straps themselves are soft allowing for quick slip-on. The Facial Interface has the same goals in mind as it was created with ultra-thin textured and profiled membranes. It eliminates facial pressure with the use of medical grade, hypoallergenic materials. It also blocks light while still providing ventilation. The results will be better hygiene and easier cleaning maintenance while it contours to the face. These will be available in Q1 2023.
For those into mobile gaming, Razer is offering its Razer Edge and Razer Edge 5G for those players on the go. It offers a 6.8" AMOLED display and 2400x1080 FHD+ resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the latest Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform and is built with active cooling for long sessions. The Wi-Fi version will be available exclusively at Razer’s website and RazerStores while the 5G version is exclusive to Verizon. The Wi-Fi version is $399.99 while the 5G version will be priced via Verizon.
