Anton D. Nagy contributed to this Razer Anzu evaluate.
It appears I’ve develop into the resident sensible glasses reviewer right here on Pocketnow, however I’m advantageous with that — as a result of the class simply retains rising. The newest is from an organization that may be uniquely geared up to supply their very own spin on this type of tech way of life product. So let’s put it on! These glasses on my face are from Razer and are the Anzu Good Audio Glasses. That is our Razer Anzu evaluate.
Maintain them on, depart them on
Whereas probably the most recognizable of the sensible glasses class may often be sun shades, Razer determined to focus on the on a regular basis WFH consumer who may do some gaming on the facet. The Razer Anzu, within the two totally different shapes that each are available a few sizes, can have its lenses changed with shaded glass however initially include blue gentle blockers for extra snug display screen time. After all, in my case, I had my pair of rectangular Anzu glasses despatched right into a service known as Lensabl to get prescription lenses put in, full with related coatings that cut back glare and add blue gentle filtering. It took some time for my glasses to get accomplished, however I’m glad that I acquired it accomplished as a result of these have develop into my go-to on a regular basis glasses.
That’s as a result of Razer has made the suitable decisions in making this an accessible and simple to put on pair of frames. In comparison with different sensible glasses which have thick frames to match the thick temples, the Anzu retains its frames a little bit thinner, making them mix in a lot better with basic appears. A straight-on have a look at me wouldn’t give away the tech hiding within the arms, till I look extra to the facet, after all. Razer stored issues minimal and thus their glasses mix in simply sufficient.
There are a couple of different decisions Razer made to make these glasses straightforward to maintain on — the load of the glasses is lower than mainly each different pair I’ve used and on the very ends of the arms there are rubber items that give the glasses grip to remain on. I did add in a few pads on the nostril piece for additional safety, however even with out these, the glasses don’t slip down as simply as others.
And the final motive why these glasses are straightforward to only put on constantly is that we discovered the battery life to be truly sort of spectacular throughout our Razer Anzu evaluate. 5 hours is what Razer claims in these, which sounds respectable so far as wi-fi audio is anxious, however by way of glasses, that’s truly fairly good. The battery does cut up responsibility between the 2 arms, as they work so much like actually wi-fi earbuds, and that signifies that they should be charged individually. It’d already be bizarre so that you can cost your glasses each night time, however plugging them in earlier than mattress is simple sufficient to get used to — it’s simply that the Y cable is a brand new little layer on high of that.
Straightforward, however too easy?
So so far as ensuring the tech doesn’t reduce the consolation stage, Razer has put lots of the proper issues in place. The identical goes for the management expertise, which is finished by way of touch-sensitive areas on the temples. A small bump will be felt and that’s the place deliberate presses and holds are carried out — you’ll be able to play/pause, skip tracks, and activate your voice assistant. That’s about as a lot management and further options as you get in typical actually wi-fi earbuds, and that’s okay — as a result of it retains issues from getting too sophisticated.
However there’s a degree the place easy turns into ‘considerably restricted’ — you’ll be able to see this already taking place within the Anzu app, the place you’ll be able to customise the buttons and then you definately get a couple of choices for sound EQ — all of which actually don’t change the sound a lot in any respect. That’s it.
And after the entire reward that you just heard me give Razer for his or her design decisions, I do should admit that the design won’t entice lots of you who need their distinctive glasses to look distinctive too. It’s all black all the pieces it doesn’t matter what model of the glasses you get, and even then it’s all shiny plastic. That mentioned, I’ve no doubts in regards to the construct high quality of the Razer Anzu; the truth is, these glasses have an IPX4 ranking in order that they even work simply advantageous below sweaty circumstances within the fitness center. However like different sensible glasses, when you don’t just like the look, it doesn’t matter what they’ll do as a result of they gained’t make it onto your face within the first place.
A smartphone speaker in your face
This might be a disgrace as a result of audio glasses are truthfully fairly enjoyable and handy. It’s essential to keep in mind that the sound high quality won’t ever be pretty much as good as one thing you place over or in your ears — however then once more, it’s not attempting to be. The drivers blare out of the audio system that are pointed downward to your ears, making private audio discover a center floor between the loudspeaker in your telephone and the earbud digging into your ear. The sound is loud sufficient and respectable sufficient to work for particular genres of content material — I’ve discovered them work greatest with spoken phrase content material like podcasts and audiobooks, so every time I’m out and about and need to have some audio within the background, it’s at all times on the prepared. To that finish, video and voice calls had been nice throughout our Razer Anzu evaluate interval, as a result of if somebody calls, it’s only a matter of choosing up and speaking naturally — the audio coming to me is sweet for conversations and the microphones within the temples do a superb job of capturing my voice for whoever is on the opposite line. And in all eventualities, you retain your environmental consciousness as a result of that is about as open as a pair of open headphones can get.
Certainly, the easiest way of — or moderately, listening to — the Razer Anzu is to check it to your smartphone speaker. You gained’t get booming bass as a result of the drivers aren’t in your ears, however will probably be loud sufficient to benefit from the standard content material you might need popping out of your audio system anyway. That’s why the give attention to gaming is smart, as a result of when you’re like me and play Wild Rift or different cell video games typically with out headphones, now that audio doesn’t should trouble anybody else and it’s only for me. Consider all of the content material you may devour on this identical methodology, and the Razer Anzu simply makes it extra private and simpler to entry as a result of the glasses are already in your head, able to play. If the battery is charged, after all.
Admittedly, the smartphone speaker analogy has its drawbacks too — Razer isn’t wherever close to the Bose choices in creating the bubble of sound that makes the Bose Frames a compelling instance of audio glasses. And thus, the Razer Anzu has a sound leakage drawback that may make it apparent to anybody even considerably close to you that you just’re listening to one thing. You noticed me utilizing the glasses within the fitness center earlier on, however in that setting, the already loud sound setting drowns out the leakage simply sufficient that nobody has observed I’m listening to the Invoice Burr podcast whereas lifting. However it’s nonetheless one thing to think about if it issues to you that your sound intrudes on different individuals’s listening to house. It’s higher than a smartphone however doesn’t get rid of it utterly.
Carving the brand new class
As I, with slight sight impairment, have needed to undergo the thought means of choosing a brand new pair of eyeglasses, I’ve come to the conclusion that the tech and the style won’t often combine collectively, however they need to be thought of alongside each other. The Razer Anzu costs $199 on its own, which already appears a bit steep for anybody that doesn’t even want blue gentle filtering and already has a pair of actually wi-fi earbuds. However then getting prescription lenses in them can price one other $100. Put collectively, that’s the worth of a high-end, premium pair of trend glasses. We might attain a degree the place placing audio tech within the temples of, say, RayBans doesn’t shoot the worth up an excessive amount of, however for now, the give and take of tech and supplies is apparent. It’s one thing we see in devices typically — you choose the tech, otherwise you choose the appears.
To wrap up our Razer Anzu evaluate, until you assume the Razer Anzu does suit your fashion, I can perceive why lots of you continue to marvel why the tech on this new class of wearable even exists. It’s enjoyable, it’s handy, and for the primary time it’s fairly rattling straightforward — however it’s nonetheless so area of interest that I may be the one particular person you understand that makes use of them daily.