by Michael Fertitta
From their distinct green headphones to their well-regarded peripherals, Razer is one of the most recognizable brands out there. At Summer Game Fest, I was invited to check out their latest hardware. Among the products shown were their flagship Razer Blade 16 and 18 laptops, complete with high-end components and enhancements that are quite literally changing the game.
Aiming for Greatness
First on deck for Razer’s lineup was their keyboard and mouse. I got to mess around in AimLabs with the new Huntsman V3 Pro keyboard and Viper V4 Pro mouse.
As you would expect, the latest iteration of these popular peripherals felt very nice to use. What’s new is the Huntsman V3 Pro’s strafing feature enabled by the Razer Synapse software. When strafing in competitive games, most players alternate between pressing the left and right movement keys to peek around corners. However, this new feature allows players to simultaneously hold both left and right to make quick peeks even easier. After trying it out in person, I can vouch that this feature is incredibly useful in esports titles where you want to get a quick read on your surroundings without sacrificing your health.
Haptics and Headphones
Next up was an immersive experience designed for more cinematic and action-packed games. I played the opening of 007: First Light on the Wolverine V3 Pro controller and experienced the surround-sound audio through the BlackShark V3 Pro headphones. A spokesperson for Razer told me that the controller’s haptics were specifically designed in collaboration with developers to create a more immersive gaming experience. When I got into an action sequence, the haptics felt incredibly natural. Since the haptics were programmed with the game in mind, it felt specially catered to the experience, which I enjoyed. I’m someone who generally keeps haptics off for any game I play, but for this experience, I was really into feeling every significant shot or movement through my controller.
On top of that, the controller felt satisfying to use in general. The build quality felt premium and it was great to use, and there are additional options for making it your ideal controller with swappable thumbsticks that vary in height and 6 remappable buttons. That said, the premium comes at a price: $199.99, so be prepared to shell out a hefty chunk of change for this controller upgrade.
This experience was further complimented by the noise-cancelling capabilities of the BlackShark V3 Pro headphones, which made it so I could completely zone in to the cinematic gameplay of 007: First Light. After spending some time with both the headphones and the controller, I can say with certainty that these are a dangerously immersive combination, provided that the game developers take the time to develop custom controller haptics tailored to their games.
Choices for Content Creators!
The new kid on the block for Razer’s lineup was the Seiren V3 Pro microphone. Designed for content creators, the Seiren V3 Pro takes on a form factor similar to professional-grade mics like the Shure SM7B, however the one thing it doesn’t share is the price point. A spokesperson for Razer informed me that this mic was designed to bridge the gap between budget options and professional studio-quality equipment, as prices jump significantly between the two product categories.
Priced at $249.99, the Seiren V3 Pro is certainly a leap from budget options like the Blue Yeti line or even Razer’s own Seiren V3 Chroma model at $129.99, but creators can expect a significant boost in audio quality and capabilities thanks to options for both USB-C and XLR inputs and advanced Digital Signal Processing, among other features.
In addition to the new mic, Razer also brought its Kiyo V2 webcam. While there wasn’t much to report from the show floor, as I was unable to test out either the Kiyo or Seiren peripherals, the new version of the Kiyo webcam is supposed to be a significant upgrade to its predecessor. The Kiyo V2 webcam is capable of 4K video at 30 FPS and has several useful features, such as AI-powered auto-framing (no, not the LLM type of AI) and one-click image enhancement. The Kiyo V2 also comes equipped with an ultrawide-angle lens, HDR support, and has a wealth of customization options built into the software. While it would have been nice to try these out first-hand, the features promised sound like a massive upgrade for any content creators looking to boost their visual or audio quality.
Good in Green
Between equipment for content creators and game-changing peripherals, Razer wasted no time in showing what their gear is capable of for people seeking to gain an edge in competitive titles or become further immersed into games pushing the boundaries of realism. After getting some time to experience this new hardware for myself, I think Razer has some excellent upgrades available for people wanting to up their game. For those looking to take a step further into enhancing their gaming experience, all of the products here are available for purchase on Razer’s site and at select retailers.