The only booth that we visited on the show floor at CES 2024 was Razer. Not because we didn’t want to chat with anyone else there, but because they continue to be pretty much the only large company we work with that still has a large booth in the LVCC. Aside from the location info, we did get to experience some of their new products in-person at the show, and have provided at bit of info for each one in the following roundup.
Project Esther
Razer’s Project Esther is an HD haptics gaming cushion meant to attach to your existing chair to give you some haptic feedback in your games, video, and audio content. By utilizing Razer Sensa HD Haptics, Project Esther can adapt to the content being displayed and provide a tactile feedback sensation based on the same intensity, speed, and duration as that being shown. A combined total of 16 haptic actuators are spread out across the cushion’s landscape, in positions that Razer has determined will have maximum contact with your body in order to provide the best experience, and to allow for the haptic feelings to travel from one location to another nearly seamlessly. Adjustable straps on Project Esther mean it can conform to nearly any gaming or office chair, and connectivity is handled via a 2.4GHz wireless connection to your system. Power is provided via a power supply connected to the wall, as batteries would not be ideal for this type of product, according to Razer. We sat down in a Razer gaming chair that had been outfitted with Project Esther, and experienced a few demos to see just how it felt. To be fair, I am personally not a fan of haptic feedback in 99% of cases, so my experience may not be as positive compared to someone who prefers this type of immersion technology. That said, when running through a Mech Warrior demo, the different weapons types I was able to utilize each had their own distinct “feel” to them when fired – the larger cannon was more of a deep, singular rumble, while the laser-type projectile had more of a prolonged buzzing feeling that seemed to match what I would expect that weapon to feel like. As this is still a prototype, we don’t have any release info or pricing, but stay tuned, as I am sure we will cover it once more information becomes available.
Razer Iskur V2
The Razer Iskur V2, is as you would expect, the second iteration of the Iskur chair, Razer’s flagship gaming chair. This time around Razer has continued their work with top esports players and ergonomics experts to create the best gaming chair possible, with both comfort and ergonomics in mind. Your standard adjustment options are all found on the Iskur V2, but a few additional changes have been implemented to improve the second version. For example, there is a highly adjustable lumbar support pad that swivels left and right depending on your body’s natural movements, providing support even when you aren’t sitting in the most ideal position. Additionally, the lumbar support system can be adjusted up and down to match the curvature of your spine, and can push in and out to match your back as well. A precision control knob on each side of the chair is available for making subtle changes to this lumbar support option, allowing for the perfect fit. Both synthetic leather or cloth materials are available for seating surfaces, and the leather version comes with either black or green stitching highlights. Available now, the Razer Iskur V2 is priced at $649.
Razer Aether Monitor Light Bar
Able to highlight your desktop surface without lighting up your whole room, or rotating to act as a key light for virtual meetings or video content creation, the Razer Aether is a great option for adding both productive or aesthetic light to your environment. Compatible with Razer Chroma RGB, the Aether Monitor Light Bar can illuminate your gaming or work area with RGB-infused light, while providing practical light for your workspace, thanks to its dual lighting configuration. With a 95 Color Rating Index that is configurable from 2700k up to 6500k, you have a wide range of color temperatures available to match your preference across a 60cm x 30cm space. The Razer Aether is designed to work with both flat and curved monitors, so rest assured that it is ready to go for your setup, and installs easily in a manner similar to existing webcams. A touch control bar is available at the center of the light body, and offers a range of controls at your finger tips, including brightness, color temperature, Chroma effects, power, and a control slider in the middle for adjustment needs. Expect to see the USB Type-C connected Razer Aether Monitor Light Bar sometime in March for $129.
Razer Blade 16 OLED
Moving on to the real power of Razer’s new products, we have the Razer Blade 16. This 16″ powerhouse of a laptop sports the world’s first OLED 240Hz 16″ display. Packing an Intel Core i9-14900HX Series CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series laptop GPU (up to RTX 4090), Razer has produced a laptop with more power per cubic inch than ever before. The 16″ screen utilizes a 240Hz Samsung OLED panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and 2560 x 1600 resolution. This panel offers a 0.2ms response time, 1 Million to 1 contrast ratio, as well as a 100% DCI-P3 Color Gamut. Razer has also provide a ton of connectivity options on the Blade 16, including multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports in both USB Type-A and Type-C flavors, HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm audio, and an UHS-II SD Card reader. The Razer Blad 16 OLED is available now, with low-end configurations starting at $3,000.
Razer Blade 18
If you need more screen real estate than what the Razer Blade 16 is offering, then look no further than the Razer Blade 18. As you surely guessed, the Razer Blade 18 offers the world’s first 18″ display with a 4K 165Hz refresh rate, and Thunderbolt 5. Yes, you read that right, Thunderbolt 5 – 120 Gbps at your service. This laptop was a sight to behold, especially since Razer had is connected via that Thunderbolt 5 port to three 4K monitors and it was running them with no problem, and looked amazing. We don’t really know much more about this laptop, but it should be available towards the end of Q1 2024 for a yet undisclosed amount.
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