Razer's Project Hazel face mask has a new name and beta test you can sign up for

Razer’s Project Hazel is one step closer to becoming a product you can buy. On Friday, the company announced a final name for the face mask. It’s now known as Razer Zephyr, and you can sign up to test the device ahead of its planned release date later this year.

Even among Razer products, Zephyr has had a highly visible development cycle. The company first announced Project Hazel at CES 2021, promising a high-tech face mask with built-in RGB lighting and an active air filtration system Razer claimed was as effective as an N95 mask. In March, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan revealed the accessory-maker was moving forward with plans to manufacture the mask, noting that he believed there would still be a market for Project Hazel even as countries started to vaccinate their people against COVID-19.

Since we first saw the mask at CES 2021, Razer has added internal lighting and a silicon face seal. The company also says the latest iteration of Zephyr is 99 percent effective at filtering out bacteria. The only detail Razer has yet to reveal is how much the mask will cost.

Update 01/11/22 7AM ET: Razer has removed the claim that its air filters are "N95-grade" from its website. The company lists the Zephyr and Zephyr Pro as "wearables" rather than "masks," and notes in the small print that neither is a medical device or PPE. However, the term N95 refers to a mask in its entirety, which critics have said makes the "N95 grade" claim misleading, as neither the Zephyr nor Zephyr Pro have been certified as N95. Razer told Engadget it removed the terminology "to avoid any confusion" adding that it will "directly reach out shortly to existing customers to clarify."