Towards the end of October 2021 Razer officially announced the launch date for the Zephyr, the company’s smart mask that comes with N95-grade filters. Following the onset of the pandemic, Razer set out to help in any way it could, and in doing so shifted a portion of manufacturing lines to make surgical masks for both consumer and commercial use.
Along the way, it provided a ton of masks to hospitals across the globe where shortages made it difficult to get what mask supplies they needed. But Razer wanted a more sustainable option. Enter the Razer Zephyr smart mask. A sustainable, yet also more capable mask option for consumers.
In this handy guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the Razer Zephyr. So if you’re interested in buying one, you’ll have all the necessary information prior to purchasing.
What is the Razer Zephyr smart mask?
Just as the name implies, the Razer Zephyr is a smart sustainable mask alternative to the surgical, single use masks and cloth masks. Since this is a smart mask, it has more features than something like the single-use masks or cloth masks that Razer sells. And in the end you’re getting something with a better preventative measure.
It looks pretty cool too. Since we’re still in the middle of a pandemic for the foreseeable future, the Zephyr is a way to stay protected without having buy boxes of masks and replace them every day or every single time you go out.
When is the Razer Zephyr available to buy?
Technically the Razer Zephyr is available to buy now. But that’s not the whole truth of it. Razer has launched the mask. But at the moment it’s only doing sales of the mask through limited drops. Which means you can only buy it when these drops happen.
What’s more is that these are limited drops, and stock depletes rather quickly. So you have to be quick about trying to make the purchase before you lose out on that drop. Razer will usually post about upcoming drops via its social media.
So it’s a good idea to follow the company so you don’t miss the times. So far, drops have been happening about once a week. But Razer may not always continue to do a drop weekly. Following the Razer Twitter and Facebook are your best ways to stay up to date.
Eventually though, Razer should have these for general sale without the drop system. Unfortunately, Razer doesn’t appear to have set a timeline for when that will happen.
Drop times
The most recent drop was on December 6, 2021. And like the others, it sold out in mere minutes. The last drop before Drop #6 which was on December 6 (we see what you did there, Razer), was on November 10. So if Razer sticks to a similar timeline, we may not see another drop until the beginning of January. However, there is one thing to keep in mind.
We’re approaching the holidays in just a couple short weeks. And Razer may want to give people another chance to buy the Zephyr before it’s time to give gifts at the end of this month. So, keep your eyes peeled on Razer’s socials to see when the next drop will be. We’ll also post it here when we catch it.
Where can I buy the mask?
Right now you can only buy the mask directly through Razer.com. You can head straight to the buy page via that link. Though at the moment you can’t actually purchase the mask. You can however sign up to be notified of when the next drop will happen. Which is highly recommended if you’re interested in getting one of the masks for yourself.
In time, Razer may sell the mask through it’s retail partners. Though, depending on availability of stock, it may be just as challenging to get. And that’s assuming Razer ever sells the mask in the future outside of its own website and the few locations of physical Razer stores where the mask could be picked up.
How much does the mask cost?
The mask costs $99.99, but there are options to buy a bundle as well as the additional N95 filter pods that go in the mask.
Does the mask come with anything extra?
In the package when your order the mask at its $99 price point, you will get the mask itself, as well as 9 days worth of replaceable filter pods. You also get a USB-C charging cable to charge the mask back up when the battery is dead.
As a note, the battery on the mask will come close to dead out of the box. Razer recommends charging it fully before your first use. Lastly the mask will also come with a bottle of anti-fog spray and a cloth storage bag for travel which has a drawstring closure.
Of course you also get a few Razer stickers inside as you do with every Razer product.
What features does the Razer Zephyr have?
There’s a fair amount of features, but it doesn’t come with everything that Razer initially planned when it was still in development and known as Project Hazel.
In its launch form, the Zephyr has Air Exchange Chambers with dual-intake fans to facilitate more air flow. The fans are adjustable using the companion app and the multifunction button, and they have two speeds. Low speed for general use, like walking around the store or anywhere else, and high speed if you’re being active like when running, jogging, or working out.
In addition to the air flow features, the mask has replaceable N95 filter pods. One on the right, one on the left, and one in the middle below the anti-fog screen. All the pod covers also attach magnetically so they come off and attach really easily.
Another feature is the Chroma lighting. You’ll find Chroma RGB rings around the left and right intakes, and some internal lights that are meant to illuminate your mouth so people can see that you’re speaking if wearing the mask at night.
Lastly, the mask also has an adjustable fitting system so you can loosen or tighten it based on your own personal needs. And the silicone face guard is removable for easy cleaning.
How does charging work?
Charging works just like you’d expect. You plug the mask into the USB-C charging cable that comes with it and then plug that into a USB-port either on a desktop, laptop, power bank, or AC adapter. You can also just use any other USB-C charging cable or power adapter that you have. Like the one that may come with your phone.
Charging from completely dead to full battery power will take about 3 hours. And again, Razer recommends charging it fully before your first use. Razer also says not to use the mask while it’s charging. Which means if you were planning on wearing it and turning it on while it’s plugged into a power bank so you can be portable, it’s probably not a good idea to do so.
How will I know when the mask is fully charged?
On the interior of the mask along where the silicone face guard is, there will be two lights, one on each side, that will be red when the battery is charging. When the mask is at full battery these lights will change to green. You are then safe to unplug it and can set it aside until you’re ready to power it on and use it.
How long does the battery last?
According to Razer the battery life on the Zephyr smart mask will be up to 8 hours. It might be less if you’re running the fans at high speed and using the chroma lighting. So keep that in mind. You can also wear the mask without turning it on. Though if you do that you will not get the use of the chroma lighting or the fans that can be enabled to activate additional air flow.
What can you do with the companion app?
Like many of Razer’s products that can be connected to a mobile device, the mask has its own companion app to control some of the features. With the app you can toggle the fan speed adjustment on and off. Though it is worth noting that the fans should stay on whenever the mask is powered on. You can also adjust the speed between low and high based on your needs.
The app also lets you control the Chroma RGB lighting for the external and internal lights. With options to change the lights between a few different effects. Although Razer says the mask will last for up to 8 hours before it needs a recharge, you may want to be more on top of the remaining battery life.
With the app you can have it alert you to battery life when it gets low. Or just check it manually throughout the day whenever you feel the need to do so.
Does the mask come in any other colors?
Unlike many of Razer’s other products, the Zephyr smart mask does not come in other colors. It comes in the traditional Razer Black. Though, Razer does tend to release new colors of its products down the line if it sees demand for them.
That’s not to say Razer is planning to do this here. But it shouldn’t be ruled out. At the very least, it’s entirely possible that Razer has considered making the mask in other colors. During the Project Hazel phase, the mask was shown in both a Black and Mercury color.
And although the lighter color option didn’t make it to production, there’s a chance it could be available in the future. But as noted above, for now it’s only available in Black, and Razer has not announced plans for additional color options.
What are the other bundle options?
In addition to the $99 mask, there is a $149 bundle that comes with the mask and 99 days worth of filters called the Starter Pack. You can also just buy a pack of the filters by themselves for $30. And this pack will last for 30 days.
Razer recommends swapping out the filters every 72 hours.
Is the Razer Zephyr waterproof?
It’s not waterproof, but it is water resistant. It’s not recommended to wear the mask in really wet weather conditions. So you may want to avoid using it in heavy rain, or really just any rain in general. But it should be fine against small splashes. If you choose to wear it in the rain, you do so at your own risk. Though if you’re wearing a hood the mask may be ok. So long as it’s not being continuously hit with water for extended periods of time.
We would imagine walking to and from your car in short distances would not be a problem. But again, Razer still recommends not to wear it in wet weather.
How do I clean the mask?
For cleaning the mask as a whole, you can simply wipe it down with a microfiber cloth or some sort of other cloth that won’t leave fibers behind. You can also use a damp cloth on the outer part of the face shield. But it’s not recommended to wipe the inner part of the face shield as it may damage the anti-fog coating.
For the removable silicone face guard, this is technically washable, but you should only clean it by wiping it down with a damp cloth or cotton swap using warm soapy water to remove any leftover residue. Make sure it’s completely dry before putting it back on the mask.
How do I pair and connect the Razer Zephyr to my phone?
You’ll need to download and install the Razer Zephyr app on your Android or iOS smartphone before doing anything else. Once that’s installed, make sure you have Bluetooth on your phone enabled, then put the mask into pairing mode by holding down the multifunction button for 4 seconds. You should see the internal lights by the removable face guard (the same lights that indicate charging) blink blue.
At this point, launch the app and search for a new device. The app should find it relatively quickly, and then just follow the on-screen prompts to pair the mask. Once paired you can control the lights and fan speed.
Adjust fan speed outside of the app
In addition to adjusting the fan speed and the lights within the Zephyr app, you can also adjust the fan speed outside of the app. You do this by tapping the multifunction button. Which also serves as the mask’s power button and Bluetooth pairing button.
Tapping it once will cycle the fan speed between low and high. Based on general or active use. Toggle this as needed.
Does the Razer Zephyr comply with mask mandates?
In the US and the UK, the Zephyr does comply with mask mandates. But you should still check with your local regulations to be sure if you live outside of these regions. In most cases you should be fine to use this in place of cloth or surgical masks.
Does the Razer Zephyr protect against COVID-19?
Razer’s mask is not a medical or surgical device, and is not considered personal protective equipment. However, per Razer, “it is not tested specifically against the COVID-19 virus, but offers the same functionality and adequate protection due to its 99% BFE rating.“
2021-12-11 15:06:31