It’s been almost a year since gaming hardware companyRazerfirst announced it was working on the Zephyr, an RBG face mask designed to act as an air purifier, and now the device is finally available to the public. AlthoughRazeris primarily known for gaming peripherals, the company appears to have taken a step toward the goal of keeping its customers healthy.
TheRazer Zyphyr face maskfeatures external RGB lighting, internal-facing LEDs to light up the user’s face, an anti-fog treatment applied to the inner plastic, and two-speed dual intake fans. Reportedly, it’s light enough to wear on a jog, although Razer does appear to have dropped one feature fans may have been looking forward to–the amplifiers and speakers it originally promised would be packaged in the mask, which were dropped to reduce the mask’s overall weight. This is a new kind of product for Razer, and it remains to be seen how effective the Zephyr will be when it releases onto the market tonight.
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Fans will be able to purchase the Zephyr from Razer’s website beginning at 11 PM ET / 8 PM PT, where it will be offered in two configurations: a basic kit for $99.99 that includes mask, carrying tote, USB-C charging cable, anti-fog spray, and three sets of replaceable N95 filters, and a larger kit for $149.99 featuring all of that plus 33 more sets of filters. Whether they followed the Zephyr from its originalannouncement as Project Hazelor discovered it recently, concerned customers will be able to purchase additional filters in sets of 10 if they missed out on the chance to buy the larger kit.
Although the Zephyr was announced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has yet to be specifically tested against COVID-19 particles, which has led some to believe the face mask is a play to capitalize on a global crisis. This wouldn’t be the first timeRazer has announced a product linked to global issues, but it should be noted that Razer has not marketed the Zephyr as a medical device. Instead, the face mask is being marketed as an air purifier with RGB lighting.
Razer claims that the Zephyr’s filters are N95-grade and offer 99 percent BFE, which stands for bacteria filtration efficiency. The company also states that the mask can filter 99 percent of air particles that are 0.3 microns in size, which could indicate that the mask cannot filter out COVID-19 virus particles, which are smaller. However, it has been reported that these virus particles often bind themselves to water molecules in the air, which appear to be large enough to be caught by the Zephyr’s filters. Undecided customers may prefer to examineRazer’s many gaming productsinstead and buy their medical-grade face masks elsewhere.
