Razer is increasingly transforming from a specialist gaming accessories maker to a more lifestyle brand. In addition to keyboards, mice, headphones, and controllers, you can buy chairs, backpacks, and even wearable air purifiers. But with the recent expansion into every aspect of the “gamer lifestyle”, there’s always been one glaring omission: home theater. Namely, the speakers — an absence that’s especially annoying given that Razer released a soundbar back in 2014. Now, the company is back in the field with its new $250 Leviathan V2.
The original Leviathan was a small 5.1 Dolby Digital soundbar with 5.1 channels: two full-range drivers, two tweeters, and a subwoofer. The slightly smaller V2 ups the ante with THX spatial audio and 7.1 channels. That’s two full-range drivers, two passive radiators, two tweeters, and a downward-facing subwoofer. Bluetooth has been properly upgraded from v4.0 to 5.2, and it is more convenient to switch between multiple devices. In fact, in my hands-on with the speaker, it was largely seamless, requiring only the push of a button.
Razer
The Leviathan’s most notable change is the addition of Chroma RGB lighting, so the same software as its keyboard, headset, and mouse can be used to match the soundbar’s appearance to the rest of a user’s Razer setup. The nice thing about it is that the device itself isn’t decorated with illuminated logos or edges. The colors are limited to just below the speakers, so it’s more of a mood lighting.
Most importantly, the Leviathan V2 is spatial audio, which allows gamers to track movement by listening, something that headphones do well and soundbars often don’t. But many gamers don’t like to wear headphones for a number of reasons – maybe they find them uncomfortable no matter how much padding the manufacturer adds, or they prefer to keep their ears free so they can listen to real-world sounds like doorbells or baby cry.
Chris Nordus/Engadget
Razer also admits that people typically spend more time in front of their computers, or even watch their favorite TV shows and movies on monitors, but without sound system support. This is the biggest difference I noticed with the Leviathan V2. I used it to watch some gameplay footage and some movie trailers, and they sounded great, and the bass was loud. It does make the idea of my computer a home entertainment center more appealing and I can’t wait to get my hands on it at home so I can get a more complete picture of my favorite PC games and find out if it’s really a better game Way.
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