Razer's Haptic Seat Cushion is a Reality, and We Got to Try It
First seen as a CES prototype, the Razer Freyja will be shaking seats soon, along with the Kraken V4 Pro headset.Reviews
We expect our game controllers, phones, and even some headphones to rumble with haptic feedback, but what about the actual seat under you? Back at CES 2024, we got a chance to demo a new prototype device from Razer. Then called Project Esther, it was a seat cushion that could sit on top of a gaming or other chair, and provided synced vibrations with games and videos.
While most of these prototypes are just proof-of-concept pieces that never turn into real-world products, Razer's haptic seat cushion is now a reality, called Freyja. I got a chance to test the $300 seat cushion before the recent RazerCon event, and it was pretty fun.
Designed to strap on top of most standard gaming chairs, Freyja provides real-time vibrations using a series of strategically placed motors. These vibrations are triggered by in-game events or synced with media content. Some games are already set to deliver Freyja-specific haptic data, for others, Razer's software interprets audio data from the content to create the vibrations.
For example, swiping a sword gave me vibrations that ran from the top left to the lower right. Or watching a video of a car chase, it followed the surround sound data in the soundtrack to track vibrations from left to right as the camera turned. Through Razer's Synapse software, you can customize the intensity. The seat connects to your PC via bluetooth, but still needs to be plugged into a wall outlet for power.
Shake your ears with Kraken V4 Pro
As part of its RazerCon announcements, Razer is also launching the Kraken V4 Pro headset, which are haptic-enabled gaming headphones. The $399 flagship comes with a breakout box, called the Control Hub, which features a small OLED display built in. Like the new Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% keyboard, there's a control knob and selection button for switching between control modes.
Read more: Hands-on: Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% Keyboard
Besides volume, the knob on the Control Hub can be used to control haptic intensity, input source, switch between EQ profiles, and more. Both the BlackWidow and Kraken have monochromatic OLED displays for visual feedback. Other key specs include:
- 40mm drivers
- THX Spatial Audio
- Razer HyperSpeed Wireless, Bluetooth, and USB wired connections
- Three switchable inputs on the Control Hub (2x USB-C, 1x 3.5mm audio)
Check out the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% keyboard here, and stay tuned for more on availability for the Kraken V4 and Freyja.
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Micro Center Editor-in-Chief Dan Ackerman is a veteran tech reporter and has served as Editor-in-Chief of Gizmodo and Editorial Director at CNET. He's been testing and reviewing laptops and other consumer tech for almost 20 years and is the author of The Tetris Effect, a Cold War history of the world's most influential video game. Contact Dan at dackerman@microcenter.com.
