Razer adds haptic feedback to new wireless headset to shake your skull

Razer is aiming for next-level immersion with its new Nari Ultimate, a wireless gaming headset with little motors inside to jar your brain matter. I assume Razer isn't looking to shake us silly, and rather wants gamers to feel in-game events.

What's at play here is an "advanced haptic technology" that Razer calls HyperSense. It was developed by Lofelt, a German engineering startup that last year raised millions of dollars in funding to develop next-gen haptic technology in various products.

This is the primary selling point for Razer's flagship Nari headset (there are two other models that lack haptic feedback). HyperSense is apparently different from traditional haptic technology, in that it doesn't rely on pre-programmed haptic signals. Instead, it uses special drivers to generate multidimensional haptic feedback from stereo audio signals, thereby "enhancing positional awareness with stereo capabilities."

"The technology works across all formats of gaming, music and movies without specific integration by converting audio signals into tactile feedback in real time," Razer says.

I can't say how well it works because I haven't tried it out. However, I did play around with a headset that had rumble feedback a few years ago, and I surprisingly like it. Razer's implementation sounds a lot more sophisticated, so I'm cautiously optimistic for the time being.

Beyond the haptic feedback, the Nari Ultimate features THX Spatial Audio as found in Razer's Kraken Tournament Edition headset. This is supposed to simulate 360-degree sound. It also features an auto-adjusting headband, swiveling ear cups, and ear cushion with cooling gel inside.

The Nari Ultimate is priced at $199.99 and will be available sometime in the fourth quarter. Razer will also release two lower end models—a regular Nari ($149.99, September 27), which is the same headset minus HyperSense, and the Nari Essential ($99.99, fourth quarter), which "focuses on core wireless gaming headset features."

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).