Razer's Zephyr mask is cool, but using them might be a risk [Update]

Razer Zephyr Source: Razer

Update Jan. 8: Since this article's publication, new information has come to low-cal near the Razer Zephyr masks. Thanks to a Twitter thread from tech influencer Naomi Wu, it'southward come to our attention that Razer's claims about how it uses "N95 grade filters" might not be totally accurate. The CDC's National Institute for Occupational Rubber and Health (NIOSH) does not list Razer's products on its approved N95 list. Wu also claims the filters are undersized, which would cause air to leak in, going against Razer's promises that the mask has a tight seal. In fine print spotted by PC Mag, Razer says that the Zephyr and Zephyr Pro masks "are not medical devices, respirators, surgical masks, or personal protective equipment (PPE) and are not meant to exist used in medical or clinical settings." We also tin't confirm if the masks have been certified by the FDA. Razer has filed the Zephyr with the FDA but it appears to be however seeking approval. Until more data becomes apparent, we can't recommend the Razer Zephyr masks every bit nosotros did in our previous article. Our original story is below for the sake of transparency.

When Razer's Zephyr facemask — known at the time every bit the "Project Hazel" concept — was unveiled during CES 2022, many rolled their eyes at the idea. "RGB lighting on a mask? Actually? Who cares?" This was a common sentiment many people held following the mask'south announcement, but once the mask finally became available to buy in Q4 2022, the Razer Zephyr became an instant hit. And the reason why isn't because of its colored lighting; it's because the mask offers several genuinely useful features that solve many of the bug people are experiencing with normal facemasks during the pandemic.

The biggest of these bug is arguably the opaque nature of the vast majority of available facemasks, which brand it impossible for other people to meet the wearer's mouth. This makes information technology impossible for people to communicate intuitively with their facial expressions, and information technology also prevents individuals who are hard of hearing from existence able to read lips, which is detrimental to accessibility — especially since masks also muffle the wearer's voice considerably.

The Razer Zephyr solves both of these problems completely with its transparent front, a feature that allows the wearer'due south mouth to be seen conspicuously. The mask'south built-in internal LEDs even lite up the wearer'southward oral fissure in situations where their surroundings are dark, also. The upcoming Razer Zephyr Pro, an upgraded version of the Zephyr shown at CES 2022, will also feature a voice amplifier that boosts and projects the wearer's voice, counteracting muffling issues with standard masks that have inconvenienced the difficult of hearing.

Razer Zephyr Source: Razer

Another upshot with facemasks is that they're often uncomfortable to wearable, either because of their fit or because they tend to brand breathing feel more hard. To address this, Razer designed the Zephyr with comfort in mind. It comes with an adjustable dual strap design and a soft silicone face seal that'due south both secure and pleasant, and it too features air exchange filters and dual miniature fans that offering constant circulation of fresh air. The secure blueprint of the mask ensures eyeglass wearers don't have to worry about fog buildup, either.

You may think that these benefits come at the toll of safety, but the opposite is true. The Razer Zephyr's ii-way N95 grade filters have been registered by the FDA and have a Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) result of 99%, which is amend than standard dispensable masks.

Finally, the Razer Zephyr is significantly more than eco-friendly than disposable masks, which are only effective for ane day of utilise and will release significant amounts of microplastics and microfibers into the environment equally they break downwardly. Billions of dispensable masks are discarded globally each twenty-four hour period, which is why reusable masks similar the Razer Zephyr take become incredibly valuable. On superlative of that, the Razer Zephyr's filters also last 3 times as long every bit the ones institute in standard masks, meaning that you won't need to buy Razer's replacement filters as often equally you'd need to purchase new masks.

Razer Zephyr Source: Razer

Ultimately, regardless of how you feel nearly Razer'south tendency to slather everything with unicorn vomit RGB, it's impossible to deny that the Razer Zephyr and the upcoming Razer Zephyr Pro are offering people genuinely viable solutions to real-world problems that take been brought on by the pandemic. Razer is often remembered for their best laptops and other gaming-focused hardware, but to me, this is one of their all-time creations ever.

Whether information technology's by making information technology easier for people to communicate with ane another while masked up, by making the mask-wearing feel more than comfy, or past offering a more eco-friendly solution that helps counter the environmental impairment being done by the mass daily disposal of standard masks, the Razer Zephyr has proven itself to be an exciting and valuable slice of tech. And since the pandemic is showing no signs of stopping, innovations like the Zephyr are more than important than ever.

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