Razer Zephyr smart mask is the new name for Project Hazel, and it's coming soon

By Daniel Rubino
published

Razer is readying its N95 mask with Chroma RGB for release by transitioning from project to an actual product name.

Razer Hazel
Razer Hazel (Image credit: Razer)

What you need to know

  • Razer's Project Hazel is now Razer Zephyr – an innovative mask with modern features.
  • It features N95-grade filters, transparent design, voice amp, and LEDs that set it apart from the rest.
  • Hazel represents Razer's ongoing support and commitment to public health and safety within the community.

It was six months ago Razer announced 'Project Hazel' – a smart mask with LEDs, removable N95 filters, voice amp technology, and a transparent design. The mask is a significant evolution over disposable cloth masks with many usability features and flare.

Today, the company revealed that the project has progressed to official commercial hardware with a brand-new name: Razer Zephyr (meaning: a gentle breeze). This news follows the announcement in June that Razer planned to ship Zephyr in "early Q4" with signups for those interested in getting in line for one.

Zephyr achieves a 99% lab-tested Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) rating for bacteria larger than 3 microns in size. There is also a storage case that auto-sterilizes the mask using UV light, which "kills bacteria and viruses as the mask charges." There are even more crazy features like "low light mode," whereby the "mask's interior lights up automatically when it's dark, allowing you to express yourself clearly regardless of the lighting conditions."

Source: Razer (Image credit: Source: Razer)

While the driving focus for Zephyr is the 2020 COVID pandemic, recent outbreaks of the Delta variant (and Lambda) have brought the issue of mask-wearing back to the forefront of public health.

Moreover, in many Asian countries, wearing masks has become relatively routine following earlier outbreaks like SARS, the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, and the prevalence of Asian Dust. Additionally, masks have become popular to combat the respiratory effects of airborne pollution and even allergies for many. That makes Zephyr potentially more lucrative for those markets vs. Western ones with greater resistance to wearing masks (even one as cool looking as Zephyr).

As to pricing for Razer Zephyr, that has yet to be announced, but we're likely to hear more in the coming weeks. Razer does expect high demand for the mask despite what is likely a high price tag for the privilege.

Razer Hazel Hero

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Razer Zephyr Smart Mask


Razer's first smart mask has evolved from Project Hazel to Razer Zephyr. A release date is expected in the coming weeks, along with pricing, but you can sign up now for the community beta test.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

10 Comments
  • I really need this. Florida's Governor barred state institutions and counties from implementing mask mandates. Since my kid is too young to be vaccinated, wearing a mask is my only way to reduce the likelihood of carrying the virus back to them. I'm almost always the only person wearing a mask at work and my company stopped allowing people to work remotely back in May. Even though Florida is leading the country in infections and I've had multiple coworkers hospitalized, nobody seems to care.
  • That's crazy what yall are dealing with over there. We in Louisiana are leading the world in per capita cases, but at least our governor isn't actively trying to keep the case numbers high.
  • Florida's governor is and continues to be a thoroughly horrible human being. I am not kidding when I say he will make the history books for his ideologically-driven incompetence. He's probably killed more people than any of the other anti-science governors. I know this doesn't help you much but I am just so disgusted by the behavior of the anti-science Republicans. They are literally killing thousands of people a week.
  • ummm... New York?
  • Yeah, don't let bias get in the way of objectivity.
    What a dumb partisan-fuelled apple vs oranges comparison.
    Man tribalism sure does make people stupid.
  • Get over here!
  • 1. This is yet another article that triggers the undismissable "Windows Central is running" notification on my Pixel 5. 2. I've tried signing up to be considered for the beta test using Chrome, Firefox and Edge on my Pixel 5 (and also using both mobile data and wi-fi) only to get an infinite loading spinner when I hit Submit.
  • Will this improve my augment slots though? Or at the very least give me better charisma for negotiation checks?
  • +2 to coolness and -4 to intimidate. Bigger bonus if you equip a trench coat and boots.
  • Bottom line: This is either not at all the cyberpunk future you imagined, or exactly the cyberpunk future your imagined.