Razer just shook up the gaming market with its HD Haptic headphones and seat cushion

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Razer Con 2024 just shook up the gaming industry, quite literally, by announcing two new HD Haptic products. The all-new flagship Razer Kraken V4 Pro headset and the very clever Razer Freyja seat pad deliver head and body vibrations that not only vary in intensity, but can also simulate direction. These subtleties in haptic rumbles enhance the experience both when listening to music and gaming.

These two new products were unveiled alongside a new version of the Razer Blade 18 laptop, a new laptop cooling pad and a full version of Razer Synapse software that allows you to better personalize your Razer products.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at Razer’s upcoming products ahead of their launch and experience firsthand the combined effect of the Kraken headset and Freyja seat pad.

Razer Kraken V4 Pro

Kraken V4 Pro feels in your hand like a really high-class headphone. The soft ear cushions are now oval to fit better in the ears, and the ear cups appear narrower. For the first time, the cups also rotate, so the headset can be folded flat for storage or worn around the neck. The all-black design is enlivened by LED lights on the outside for a premium gaming vibe, and the microphone (the same as the BlackShark V2 Pro) retracts into the ear cup when not in use.

Additionally, sound is provided by 40 mm Razer TriForce Bio-Cellulose drivers and THX Spatial Audio technology. There is now a honeycomb structure beneath the ear cups that allows sound waves to better enter your ears. Of course, there is Sensa HD Haptic technology, which provides directional vibrations while gaming for better immersion in the game.

It also features a new OLED control hub that connects directly to your computer, console or other source with three selectable inputs and can even switch between multiple sources. The headset then connects to the hub via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi – or can connect directly to the source if desired.

I tried it out in a few games on the Razer Blade and the HD touch rumble effect worked really well, not only providing deep bass without extreme volume, but also simulating in-game motion.

Razer Freyja

Calling Freyja a seat cover doesn’t do it justice. According to Razer, this is the world’s first HD Haptic gaming cushion that truly transforms your gaming experience. The technology in this unit reminds me of the Body and Soul seats in Subpac’s new Range Rover Sport SV, and the concept is essentially the same.

Instead of deterring the driver, the Razer Freyja is designed to intensify the gaming experience. It provides a range of intensities and, like the Kraken V4 Pro headset, can even determine the direction of sound thanks to six motor actuators in the cushion.

It’s an experience a bit like the heavy bass from huge speakers at a concert, but delivered quietly and directly to your body. In games this can replicate the sound of an approaching tank or the casting of a spell, while in music it simply adds to the overall experience.

The delivered effect is controlled via the Chroma RGB app rather than the main Synapse controls, and allows you to tailor the experience to gaming or music, with fine-tuning of all wavelengths.

The great thing about the Freyjia is that it can be attached to almost any high-backed chair – it doesn’t even have to be a gaming chair (though that helps). There’s also touch controls on the back, so you can make adjustments without going into the app, and all you need to do is connect one cable to a power source. It’s a bit of a shame that it’s not rechargeable, as I imagine it’s easy to get the power cord tangled under the chair’s wheels.

The downside is that it won’t be available in the UK – due to our safety regulations, which are some of the strictest in the world. However, it is available in Europe and through the Razer store, so if you want you can probably find a solution.

The Razer Freyja is priced at $299.99 / €299.99, while the Razer Kraken V4 Pro costs £399.99 / $399.99 / €449.99. Both are available now on Razer.com and authorized resellers.