It debuted under the name ‘Project Hazel’ at the CES trade show earlier this year, but now Razer’s RGB wearable face mask, which acts as an air purifier, is a ready-to-market product and launches with the Zephyr name from € 109. The idea behind the product is to provide a continuous flow of both outgoing and incoming air, filtering it with a purifier certified with the N95 standard to block viruses, and at the same time offer an attractive appearance thanks to the RGB lighting. Razer sent us one of the first units before the reveal at RazerCon 2021, so we had the opportunity to test the device in the days following the presentation, in order to determine if it meets the high expectations.
If we look at the aesthetics of the Zephyr, the design is similar to the dual filter masks used for painting or working in unsanitary environments, with fans in each filter housing to establish air recirculation. The air enters, is filtered, breathed and then forced out by the other fan which works in expulsion, but first it is filtered again and then comes out clean. Certified medical-grade silicone creates a seal around the nose and mouth, while two bands (one of which is adjustable) wrap around the head to keep the Zephyr secure.
Other design elements include a clear, illuminated mouth cover to reveal facial expressions and expressions, a small bottle of anti-fog spray incorporated into the case if airflow is insufficient, and an RGB LED surrounding the case. part dedicated to the air circulation. Turning on and off, Bluetooth pairing and fan speed can be controlled with a single button located on the side of the slot for the air inlet. The Zephyr app for smartphones allows you to choose the colors and lighting effects for both illuminated areas, LEDs which obviously can also be switched off.
Wearing the Zephyr is surprisingly comfortable. The goggle weighs as much as a lightweight gaming headset (around 273g) and the straps ensure that the device sits securely on the face. We don’t think it is very safe to run while wearing the Zephyr, but for walking and doing less hectic activities there is no problem whatsoever.
Wearing this mask at home is one thing, but things are changing in public. We will certainly have a lot of eyes on us walking around with the Zephyr, and they certainly won’t always be reassuring looks as we live in an age where wearing masks and personal protective equipment is still a dividing factor between people. Personally, it was a positive experience – we like to talk about these little technological jewels – but we certainly assume a likely situation in which you prefer to wear a simple mask in order not to feed tension.
One thing that surprised us is the noise produced by the small fans. At the low profile (4200 rpm) they emit a slight hiss that is very often attenuated by the sounds of a noisy environment, but at the high profile (6200 rpm) they become audible even by the people around them, so the combo social distancing and a good pair of noise canceling headphones is probably the best solution to this problem.
From a purely practical standpoint, the Zephyr has a couple of drawbacks. The app informs us not to use the included N95 filters for more than twenty-four hours, then they should be replaced (just like in Metro). In the package we find three sets of filters, therefore valid for nine days of use, obviously assuming that we wear the mask for eight hours a day. If, on the other hand, you need to wear it for an hour out and an hour back, for example on the way from home to work and vice versa, then these filters will last 36 days. There is the option to use third-party filters, but they must be a specific size (especially the smiley mouth filter), which implies that they must be tailor-made for the Zephyr.
You can of course buy other filters at the official store, with a 10-set pack costing $ 29. Certainly not cheap, but not even unsustainable considering the cost of normal masks in the same period. There is also the option to purchase the Zephyr ‘starter kit’, which for $ 150 offers the Zephyr mask and 33 sets of filters.
To spin the fans obviously need a constant power source, especially if you use the profile at high rpm together with all the RGB zones turned on. The device has an integrated battery and Razer indicates its duration equal to 3.5 hours with the maximum consumption. Deactivating the RGB lighting (which to tell the truth is not that you see much in the sunlight) increases the autonomy of about two hours, while using the low profile of the fans you can even get to 8 hours (values provided by Razer which we reserve the right to verify). Fortunately, charging takes place via USB-C, so if you have a smartphone or other device with this connection, you will surely have a compatible charger or powerbank.
The Zephyr does not include a vocal amplifier, which was originally planned in the original prototype called Project Hazel. Razer says it was a choice made to lighten the device, to improve airflow and not to compromise battery life. All more than valid reasons for removal. Another interesting feature was cut from the original project, namely the charging case with self-cleaning UV technology. Instead, with the final product you will receive a soft fabric case, which doesn’t offer as good protection but presumably helped bring the price down. All these sacrifices obviously leave a bad taste in the mouth, but it is certainly not the first time that the features have changed radically from the design phase to the production phase, and personally we prefer that a wearable device is comfortable, and if to be so it has had to give up some tempting features, that’s okay.
After spending a few days wearing Zephyr, we can say that we are satisfied with it. The mask is comfortable to wear, and can act as a tool to increase sociability among nerds during the physiological social distancing dictated by the anti-COVID rules, but also during the most banal influences (we do not have the technical tools to test the actual effectiveness of Razer’s product in virus protection, so we’ll leave the task to specialist labs and bio-health professionals!). RGB lighting is a notable feature that is very fashionable and will appeal to younger users, and the visibility of the mouth is well thought-out, although it is not a feature that this mask was focused on.
The fact that it must be recharged to be used, and the filters to be changed, are a deterrent from continuous use day by day, and in fact it is always advisable to carry a traditional mask with you, also considering that the Zephyr is not water resistant and therefore it should not be worn in the rain. If in your daily life in this pandemic period you spend a lot of money on masks and personal protective equipment, then the Zephyr could be a good long-term investment, and certainly there is also the ecological factor on its side: for the planet it is more sustainable. only change a couple of filters every 10 days rather than throwing out a surgical mask or FFP2 every day or two. Obviously no one knows how long the anti-COVID regulations will last, so you can’t evaluate the investment in the very long term, but we all agree that we hope we don’t have to go around in disguise for many years to come.
While the Zephyr arrives on the market with exceptional timing, virus protection isn’t its real purpose. Certainly, being a technological, stylish and flashy product, with RGB lighting that illuminates the logo of one of the most influential gaming brands in the world, it will catalyze the public’s attention on the brand even more, making you practically more or less promoters. less aware. From this point of view, it is certainly a product that works. The fact that it was one of the few Razer projects to debut at CES as a prototype and that it has already managed to hit the market gives us an idea of the product’s palatability and timing. After all, Razer’s design team has focused on this project rather than the typical ones it is famous for, such as laptops, mice, keyboards and headphones. Will it be a move that will pay off? It will be the sales that will sanction the verdict.
The theme of exploring new product categories is one of those embraced by Razer this year, and at RazerCon 2021 a few days ago it also announced its first PC components: AIOs, case fans, fan controllers and power supplies. . We are not surprised that all of them are equipped with RGB lighting and offer level performance. We will certainly not fail to test them, as soon as samples are available for printing in the weeks and months to come.
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