Razer's smart RGB face mask is now available for $100
The Zephyr is already in short supply.
It took the better part of a year, but Razer's smart face mask is finally available. You can buy the Zephyr either by itself for $100 or a $150 Starter Pack with three replacement filter kits. Individual replacements are $30. Just be prepared to hunt around, or at least to be patient — the Starter Pack is already listed as "out of stock," and the mask by itself is still "coming soon."
The Zephyr is, effectively a high-end pandemic protection kit for gamers. The transparent design and RGB lighting give it a bit of flash (this is a Razer product, after all), but the highlight is a dual-fan active air. This theoretically protects you as well as it does others. There's even a mobile app to customize the lights.
In a sense, Razer's mask is a gamble that paid off. While it's arriving relatively late in to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many places that still require masks, some of which might mandate that protection for a while to come. The Zephyr could help people in those areas feel more comfortable in public, particularly if they're already Razer enthusiasts.
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." This article was updated after publishing to reflect that change.
