2 hours ago
1 ARTICLE AD
Razer introduced me to its new haptics-integrated gaming line at a private briefing for RazerCon last month, which sent my body rattling for a week. The two new releases included the Freyja gaming cushion and the Kraken V4 Pro headset. These peripherals feature Razer’s proprietary Sensa HD—essentially Chroma but for haptics.
The $300 gaming cushion was called Project Esther and was revealed earlier this year during CES. Fast-forward nine months, and the concept came to life with Freyja, named after the Norse goddess of war.
The cushion features six haptic actuators that send tactile sensations to various optimally positioned areas on your back and upper legs. Razer collaborated with select game developers—20 as of yet—to precisely sync the haptics to their games and is working on continuously extending that list. Of course, the functionality will work with all your titles, but you’ll enjoy that perfect sync with the ones on Razer’s growing list of collaborations.
In the brief hands-on demo I got, I was blown away by the haptics’ directionality, force, and accuracy in Mortal Kombat. Not a single vibration was random or unnecessary. Every single one was perfectly synced to the events in the game, matching even their most subtle attributes. They were also multi-directional in some cases, sending sensations traveling across multiple areas of my body. They breathed life into every explosion, gunshot, and footstep.
Freyja doesn’t necessitate investing in a Razer gaming chair for the “optimal experience.” It’s fully adjustable, so you can quickly adjust the length of its backrest and seat straps to make it work with any high-back chair. It offers a dual 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection, so you could choose one and have another as a backup.
Like all other Razer products, the cushion connects to its companion app, Razer Synapse, for EQ settings. You can pick an intensity level on a scale from 0 to 6 and have the cushion vibrate in real time to demonstrate the set level.
The Freyja offers a pretty no-hassle setup. It consists of just a cord snaking out of your chair into a nearby socket. Plus, the cord is equipped with a quick disconnect cable so that someone accidentally stepping on it doesn’t lead to the cable undergoing damage. Instead, it quietly splits the cord into two separate cables, safely disconnecting the cushion.
Razer also refreshed its Kraken headset line with the Kraken V4 Pro to showcase its multi-device harmonized haptics. The famous kitty ear headset has gone through a number of iterations since its launch in 2012. The 2024 version integrates Sensa haptics to sync with the Freyja, offering a full-body experience.
Image: Razer The Kraken V4 Pro’s haptics actuators work like the ones on the Freyja, converting audio signals into precise, controlled sensations. A dedicated music and movie mode optimizes the headset for entertainment, extending the scope of its gaming capabilities. I tested the music mode with one of my favorite songs, Lost Horizon by Somelee, and felt every beat creating waves across my noggin.
The new headset is slightly pricier at $400 as it comes with an OLED control hub, which the past two generations, the Kraken V4 and the V4 X, did not ship with. Think of the control hub as a physical version of the Synapse app offering on-the-fly audio, haptics, and home screen customization options. A mode button lets you pick the setting you wish to tweak, and a huge dial allows you to cycle between them. When the OLED display is idle, you can have an image, GIF, emote, or text banner of your choice show up on it.
The control hub also simplifies connectivity and device switching. Sporting three input ports (two Type C and one 3.5mm), it can accommodate up to three devices simultaneously while allowing easy cycling between them.
The Kraken V4 Pro boasts the 9-zone Chroma RGB that lights up its predecessor, too. Each zone offers individual customizability on the Synapse app. Complete with THX Spatial Audio, the headset ensures a fully immersive experience with 7.1 Surround Sound technology. I remember pointing out how light this 0.8-lbs headset felt atop my head, with the generous memory foam and leather padding adding to the comfort.
Razer’s latest Kraken headset offers four connectivity options: 2.4GHz HyperSpeed Wireless, Bluetooth, USB wired, and 3.5mm. This is also the company’s first headset to offer simultaneous audio streams. Connecting the wireless dongle and Bluetooth on the same device means you can tune into two different audio outputs at the same time.
Razer’s new Sensa haptics-integrated lineup is now available to order. The total cost is $700, but you can always opt for one of the two devices based on budget and priorities.
