Razer, popular manufacturer of laptops, headsets, mice, and more, unveiled their futuristic looking Zephyr face mask orProject Hazel at CES 2021, alongside other announcements such as a gaming chair with a retractable screen. The mask looked like something straight out ofCyberpunk 2077, with RGB lighting, clear face visibility, and fans built into the mask, Razer’s Zephyr face mask seemed like the face mask of the next generation. Yet, now Razer has revealed that the mask does not totally live up to its promises.
Capitalizing on the fact that many people now wear face masks to protect themselves and others against the COVID pandemic, Razer’s Zephyr face mask gave users a premium way to help defend themselves against disease. TheZephyr masks officially were released to the public in October of 2021, and now, a serious problem has unveiled itself for Razer as the Zephyr face mask has been revealed to not have an N95 rating.
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Previously,Razerhad claimed that the Zephyr face mask had N95 grade filters, meaning that the mask would filter at least 95% of airborne particles. N95 is a certification issued by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and for a product to receive an N95 rating, the entire mask must filter 95% of airborne particles, not just the filter, which has caused some to claim the tech manufacturer lied about their product.
Razer has updated their marketing material for the Zephyr mask, and the website product page now states that the $100 mask is “not an N95 mask/respirator” and “is not meant to be used on medical or clinical settings.” Considering theZephyr mask was suffering from scalpersbuying the masks in bulk and selling them at ridiculously high prices online, the false advertising of the Zephyr product will now likely hinder its sales figures too. Even with the changes to the product’s webpage, some will wonder whether it is too little, too late for Razer to save the marketing of the Zephyr mask, though it is doubtful many would have been buying the RGB mask for clinical and medical use anyway.
The loss of the N95 rating is still a shame though, especially for people who may have wanted to purchase the luxury mask and have a total guarantee of safety. However, a loss of an N95 rating does not mean the mask is entirely unsafe, as the Zephyr mask still has 99% BFE, and a silicon face seal. With Razer looking to release anew series of laptops in 2022, fans are hoping that the product descriptions remain truthful in their case.
