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Razer’s new soundbar makes your desk a house theater

Written by Jeff Lampkin

Razer has more and more gone from a specialised gaming accent maker to extra of a life-style model. Along with keyboards, mice, headsets and controllers, you should purchase chairs, backpacks and even a wearable air air purifier. However with this latest enlargement into numerous features of the “gamer way of life,” there’s at all times been one apparent omission: dwelling theater. Particularly, audio system — an absence that’s particularly annoying provided that Razer launched a soundbar approach again in 2014. Now, the corporate’s again in that house with its new souped-up $250 Leviathan V2.

The unique Leviathan was a small 5.1 Dolby Digital soundbar with 5.1 channels: two full-range drivers, two tweeters and a subwoofer. The considerably diminutive V2 ups the ante with THX spatial audio and seven.1 channels. That’s two full-range drivers, two passive radiators, two tweeters and a downward subwoofer. The Bluetooth has been appropriately upgraded from v4.0 to five.2, and it’s even simpler to change between a number of gadgets. In actual fact, in my hands-on time with the speaker it was principally seamless, solely requiring the contact of a button.

Razer Leviathan V2 on a desk, in a dark room with lighting underneath the soundbar

Razer

Essentially the most noticeable change to the Leviathan is the addition of Chroma RGB lighting, so the soundbar’s look could be made to match the remainder of a consumer’s Razer setup utilizing the identical software program as its keyboards, headsets and mice. The good factor about it’s that the system itself isn’t adorned with a glowing brand or edges; the colours are restricted to beneath the speaker so it’s extra like temper lighting.

The large factor concerning the Leviathan V2 is the spatial audio, which makes it doable for players to trace motion by listening for it, one thing that headsets do properly and soundbars often can’t. However many gamers don’t like carrying headsets, and for numerous causes — perhaps they discover headsets uncomfortable irrespective of how a lot padding the producer provides, or perhaps they like preserving their ears free to allow them to hear for real-world sounds just like the doorbell or a child crying.

Razer Leviathan V2 soundbar on a white table, no lighting on

Kris Naudus / Engadget

Razer additionally acknowledges that individuals are usually spending much more time in entrance of their computer systems, even watching their favourite TV reveals and flicks on a monitor however not having the sound system to again it up. And that’s the place I observed probably the most distinction with the Leviathan V2. I obtained to look at some recreation footage and some film trailers with it, which was good and loud with booming bass. It actually made the thought of creating my laptop a house leisure hub much more interesting, and I can’t wait to get my arms on it at dwelling so I can provide it a extra complete run-through with my most well-liked PC titles and discover out if it truly is a greater method to recreation.

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About the author

Jeff Lampkin

Jeff Lampkin was the first writer to have joined gamepolar.com. He has since then inculcated very effective writing and reviewing culture at GamePolar which rivals have found impossible to imitate. His approach has been to work on the basics while the whole world was focusing on the superstructures.