After showcasing its new Blade gaming laptops earlier in the week at CES 2022, Razer today is taking to the virtual stage in order to announce a collection of new gear. And not just for your battlestation either! On top of announcing an immersive gaming chair and next-generation smart mask, Razer is also detailing a new smart home lighting program and its latest concept projects, as well.
Razer details conceptual projects and more at CES 2022
First up for the Razer CES 2022 showcase, we have the new Enki Pro Hypersense, a next-generation chair for your gaming setup that brings in a whole new world of technology. Diving into a new territory, the upcoming release is geared towards adding some immersion to more traditional, seated gameplay sessions. This model, while still a concept, seems to be quite far along in development and delivers an integrated haptic engine in the base to deliver haptic feedback based on what’s happening in-game.
Similar to those fancy D-Box movie theater seats that have been popping up over the past few years, Razer’s Enki Pro HyperSense can do everything from wobble and vibrate to actually tilt backwards or lift you up 1.5 inches off the ground. It manages to do so within 5ms of an in-game event, and can send 1G of force through the chair. At least according to Razer, that is.
Pricing has yet to be announced, and there’s still no telling on when you’ll actually be able to bring one to your battlestation. But as VR and the Metaverse look to offer even more immersive experiences, it’s fun to see Razer try and match that for those of us who prefer more traditional gaming.
A new Zephyr Pro smart mask is shipping later this year
After seeing its first smart mask launch last fall, Razer is coming back to CES 2022 with an all-new version. The new Zephyr Pro looks to improve upon its predecessor while still delivering the same lightweight design as before, a seemingly tough feat considering all of the tech packed inside. In true Razer fashion, you’re still looking at Chroma RGB lighting that surrounds the intake vents on the front and is flanked by a pair of speaker grills near the replaceable filter on the bottom. Those speakers help tackle one of the bigger issues of wearing a mask, as the Zephyr Pro can give your voice a boost with a 60-decibel output.
Shipping is slated for sometime later this year, and pricing will be set at $149.99. Razer also notes that it will be selling a starter package that includes the Zephyr Pro alongside 99 days worth of N95-grade filters. So it looks like smart masks as a concept are here to stay, for better or worse.
Project Sophia takes Razer’s concepts to a whole new level
As far as other concept products go, Razer is debuting a spiritual successor to last year’s gaming chair and workstation idea. Seemingly the perfect companion to the Enki Pro HyperSense, Razer’s new Project Sophia delivers an all-in-one battlestation with about as futurstic of vibes as you can imagine. Taking all of the wild concepts in the past to a whole new level, this project packs everything you’d need in a full-fledged gaming system into a desk. Featuring 13 modular slots, users will be able to customize the experience to their liking whether they’re a streamer who needs microphones, cameras, and other gear to power users looking to set up additional monitors and more.
Of course, all-in-one also means that the PC itself will be packed into the desk, which Project Sophia hopes to accommodate for with a magnetically-attached chassis. There’s also a massive 65-or 77-inch OLED display at the center of the conceptual experience and because we’re talking about Razer, RGB Chroma lighting. Whether or not this ends up seeing the light of day is yet to be determined, though judging from past announcements of its kind from Razer, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.
Razer Chroma Smart Home Program launches with big name partners
As for projects that actually are going to be shipping, Razer is taking CES 2022 as an opportunity to expand into another sector entirely. As is accustomed for the Las Vegas showcase, Razer is hoping to get a foothold in the smart home space by launching its new Razer Chroma Smart Home Program. Reaching out to all of the big players, you can expect brands like Nanoleaf, LIFX, and more right at launch with the status of Philips Hue still unknown.
The app will streamline all of the different ecosystems under a single roof, and is the next logical progression from its existing Synapse PC software, which can sync and control smart lights to react to your game. Details are a bit scarce as of now for what gamers and smart home enthusiasts can expect. Though if there’s one takeaway from all of Razer’s CES 2022 news, its that the company wants to be known for more than just flashy RGB gaming gear, even if that’s still very apparent in its upcoming lineup.
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