At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Razer took the opportunity to reveal that it has struck a partnership with streaming giant Netflix, which will soon deliver HDR10 video to the Razer Phone. On top of that, the smartphone will become the first ever handset to have Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. In other words, the Razer Phone will be delivering probably the best Netflix experience on mobile.
Strictly speaking, the Razer Phone is far from being the first mobile device to support Netflix HDR. As recently as September of last year, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 phablet and Sony’s Xperia XZ1 became the newest handsets to offer support for the HDR streaming feature, effectively joining three other already compatible phones, namely LG’s G6 and V30, and the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. Apple’s latest iPhone models -- the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 devices -- have since entered this exclusive club.
But with the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound inclusion, the Razer Phone gets an extra item in its bag of tricks. But wait -- is support for 5.1 surround sound really necessary in a smartphone? Perhaps not to all mobile users, but for those who take their audio seriously (particularly those fond of connecting their smartphone to a 5.1 home entertainment system), it may be well worth it.
In other related news, it appears that Razer is also giving the world of wireless charging a shot. The company is unveiling HyperFlux, a new wireless power technology that will make its commercial debut through a new mouse (called the Razer Mamba HyperFlux) and an accompanying power mat. The two items will come at a price of $249.99) and will be released within the first three months of this year.
Razer’s Mamba HyperFlux mouse works by taking full advantage of a magnetic field in shifting power to the mouse in real time (as opposed to charging a built in battery). Basically, because the device has no battery, it is much lighter, hence much easier to move with the gamer’s hand. Razer is quick to claim that its HyperFlux tech is the first to pull off wireless charging without using a battery, which could prove to be a game changer in the near future.
While it is true that Razer is now well into the business of making smartphones (that are specifically designed for gamer mobile users), it might be easy to forget that it is first and foremost a gaming hardware company, and as a matter of fact, it broke into the scene by producing a mouse for gamers. So launching the Razer Mamba HyperFlux should not be a big surprise. Looking at the bigger picture, its new mouse may be the first of many wireless power products under the HyperFlux brand name, and presumably, they will all be geared for gaming enthusiasts.
