During CES 2024, Razer revealed its new Blade 16 gaming laptop alongside several other gaming accessories and peripherals. This includes the new Aether Monitor Light Bar, the Razer USB-C Dock, and a tease for ‘Project Ester’.
The Blade 16 is described as the most “powerful yet portable” option under Razer. For 2024, the company aims to develop its fastest, sharpest, and most flawless iteration. This includes partnering with Samsung on its world’s first 16-inch 240Hz OLED display. The display panel offers 0.2ms response time, the fastest display ever tested. The Blade 16 display is Calman Verified, which ensures colour accuracy at all brightness levels.
The gaming laptop is powered by Intel’s i9 4,800HX processor, featuring up to 5.8GHz. As for GPU, the Blade 16 supports up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics and the company’s AI-powered DLSS 3 for enhanced framerates and real-time ray tracing. This year, Blade 16 offers 1.50 graphics power density (gPD), which offers more graphics power per cubic inch than any other 16 gaming laptop on the market, claims Razer. The company is integrating WiFi-7 connectivity and Thunderbolt 5 with HDMI 2.1, USB-A ports and an SD Card reader.
Razer Blade 16 is available to preorder now for $2999.99 USD (roughly $4,006 CAD) in ‘Black’ and ‘Mercury’. Shipments start on January 18th.
Alongside the Blade 16, Razer has provided details for the new Blade 14 and Blade 18. The Blade 14 supports the new AI-powered AMD Ryzen 8 8945HS process and up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. Users will also find the Blade 14 offers a 16:10 QHD+ 240Hz display. Plus, the laptop offers a 10-hour battery life. The high-end Blade 18 offers the world’s first 4K 18-inch 165Hz display, with Thunderbolt 5 support. The new standard enables users to connect multiple high-resolution displays, supports high-speed storage, and Bandwidth Boost of up to 120Gbps.
Preorders for Blade 14 open on January 23rd, 2024. More details and availability info on Blade 18 are set for “later in the year.”
Razer also revealed its 11-port USB-C Dock. Compatible with both PC and Mac devices, the Razer USB-C dock includes four USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a UHS-I SD/Micro SD slot. The included HDMI port also supports 4K @ 60fps for high frame-rate gaming. Plus, the dock supports 85W laptop charging.
The Razer USB-C Dock is available now for $169.99.
Razer teased Sensa HD Haptics and ‘Project Esther’. Razer Sensa HD Haptics is a software device, that integrates haptics made for developer customization. From explosions to a subtle heartbeat, Razer’s Sensa HD Haptics is said to add feedback to the player, creating a more atmospheric environment in the real world. This is accomplished via automatic audio-to-HD-haptics conversion.
Project Esther is the world’s first HD Haptics gaming cushion. The gaming mat utilizes wideband HD haptics, multi-directional haptics, and multi-device harmonized haptics. It’s said to be compatible with “most” gaming and office chairs and is designed with universal straps. Project Esther is built on the Razer HyperSpeed wireless protocol, ensuring low latency and a seamless media experience.
Razer Sensa HD Haptics and Project Esther are still in development. There is no word on when a market-ready product will be available or its pricing.
The Razer Iskur V2 is claimed to be the world’s first gaming chair with full-length lumbar. The company has gone over 20 design iterations, establishing a new benchmark for comfort and ergonomics. Razer confirms the Iskur V2 has a similar footprint and design to its predecessor. However, it worked with medical experts to tweak the Iskur’s design and widen its shoulder arches.
The gaming chair also features a floating lumbar support system with a six-point axis. Users will find a reactive tilt mechanism of up to 152 degrees. This is up from the 130-degree tilt of the previous iteration. The Iskur V2 offers a wider seat base up to 515mm, supporting cross-legged and other sitting styles. There is also an included memory foam head cushion.
The Razer Iskur V2 is available now for $899.99 in ‘Black’, ‘Green’, and ‘Dark Grey’.
Rounding out the list is the Aether Monitor Light Bar. Designed to be mounted to a monitor, this lighting innovation is an extension of the Razer Gaming Room setup. It features front and back dual LED lighting, meant to be placed in front of a wall for fully immersive lighting. The Razer Aether Monitor Light Bar includes an ultra-high Colour Rendering Index (CRI) of 95. It’s able to render light across an area of 60cm x 30cm at upwards of 500 Lux. Using Synapse, Aether can be customized to illuminate over 16.8 million colours and lighting effects. This includes dynamic and reactive modes, including a ‘Wave’ Mode.
The Razer Aether Monitor Light Bar supports onboard controls but is also compatible with Matter, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Settings, routines, and other automation can also be set via the Razer Gamer Room app. It now joins Razer’s smart lighting catalogue alongside Aether Lamp Pro, Aether Lamp, Aether Light Bulb, Aether Light Strip, and Aether Light Strip Extender.
Razer Aether Monitor Light Bar launches at $179.99 in March 2024.
