The need for glasses is stereotypically attributed to people with impaired vision. But in fact, specialized lenses are useful for prophylaxis – protecting eyesight and reducing fatigue when working at a computer. With glasses, Razer Anzu installed just such lenses, especially relevant for users who spend a lot of time in front of the monitor. However, the novelty has a place for a secret – a built-in headset.
A stylish accessory for everyday
The shape and style of glasses are a matter of taste. In my opinion, the frame made of glossy plastic looks rustic and does not justify the high price of $260. The material is easily soiled. You have to follow the neat look. Otherwise, there are no questions about the frame, the plastic feels more than strong, and the temples are pleasantly spring-loaded. For girls, there is a round shape made of the same glossy plastic. In both cases, there are two sizes – larger and smaller.
Includes two sets of lenses. The default is transparent, rejecting 35% of blue radiation. This spectrum was chosen for a reason. It is the blue glow that irritates the eyes and tires the eyesight. I think that after a few hours in front of the monitor, many noticed dryness and an unpleasant sensation as if sand had been poured into their eyes. Blue filtering helps to eliminate these unpleasant consequences.
The lenses change the picture slightly: the blue color does not dim, but rather the white balance shifts in favor of warmer hues. In a normal situation, when we are not talking about color correction, such changes are perceived as friendly – a warm picture is more pleasing to the eye. When processing photos, it is better to take off your glasses to have an accurate understanding of what the final result will be.
The second lenses are tinted sun protection lenses. They are polarized and protect the eyes from equally harmful UV radiation.
Replacement is simple. You need to squeeze out the lens and insert a replacement. Both options are made of plastic, although you want to see inexpensive glass glasses.
Dark lenses make the Razer Anzu a stylish accessory for summer outings. There is nothing to add here, just interesting glasses, especially relevant for computers and video games fans. The thickness and width of the temples reveal the hidden electronics. The weight is also noticeably higher compared to conventional glasses with plastic frames – 46 grams. This is not an ergonomic problem: the glasses are clearly felt on the head, but there is no heaviness even after a few hours.
For storage, a cool leather case is provided, molded to the shape of the frame. It can be safely stowed away in a backpack or bag. There is also a secret pocket in the case, but more on that later.
There is a small cloth included in the set for the care of the glasses.
Headset for video calls
In addition to the primary task of protecting your eyes, the Razer Anzu has an integrated headset. Bluetooth 5.2 connection with basic SBC codec – no more is required here. The connection works stably, and out of the box, the sound is well synchronized with the video. Additionally, Razer offers a Gaming Mode that cuts latency down to 60ms.
The speakers are positioned in the frame so that there is no need to plug your ears. This is convenient for several reasons at once: such a headset does not fall out, unlike ordinary headphones, during a conversation you can hear yourself, there is no unpleasant feeling of isolation from the world. A pair of built-in microphones are located on the back of the temples and are hidden from the viewer.
The headset is useful for video conferencing, phone calls, and watching videos. The interlocutors do not complain about the quality of the microphones. The speech sounds clear and natural. You can also listen to music if you wish. But, firstly, everyone around him will hear it, and secondly, the speakers installed at a short distance from the ears do not have enough drive. This is not a musical gadget at all.
Next to the Razer logo on the temples are touchpads, one on each side. For the convenience of the user, they are marked with tactile notches. The control is simple. A convenient scheme is offered right out of the box: single press – pause, double – next track, and so on. During calls, a single tap will accept the call, and a long hold will discard it.
A total of five touch options are available. You can familiarize yourself with them and reassign them at will through the Razer Audio utility. The operation of the headset is accompanied by voice prompts in English.
Among other things, the utility displays the charge level, allows you to change the equalizer preset, and activate the low latency game mode.
Autonomy and charging
The total battery life reaches 5 hours. In my case, after a two-hour conversation at 50-60% volume, the glasses were half discharged.
There are contacts on each shackle, so a clever double cable is used. It is hidden in a pocket inside the case that I mentioned earlier.
Review after a month of use
Glasses with a headset are worthy of attention, at least for the unusual format. Moreover, such a combination is not just a child of marketing but a beneficial symbiosis. Unlike regular glasses paired with TWS headphones, the ears remain open on the Razer Anzu. It looks much more aesthetically pleasing and allows you to hear yourself during a conversation.
The glasses themselves are a purely individual accessory, which means that complaints about gloss and excess weight are my personal quibbles. There is only one objective drawback – the use of plastic lenses instead of noble glass. Whether all this is worth $260, it is up to the buyers to decide!
Benefits:
- original glasses format with built-in headset;
- a noticeable effect of lenses for working in front of a computer;
- the second set of sun lenses included;
- cool case and rag;
- the speakers do not cover the ears;
- good audibility of the microphone;
- comfortable touch panels.
Disadvantages:
- plastic lenses.
May not like:
- noticeably heavier than ordinary glasses with plastic frames;
- soiled gloss;
- speakers and formats are not suitable for listening to music.