Every year at CES, Razer announces one or two "concept" products that may or may not make it to market. In addition to laptops, mice, headsets, and whatever else is on the agenda, Razer likes to pitch something imaginative, simply to see if the futuristic idea is feasible and, no doubt, how potential customers will react.

Razer's concept projects this year include Project Hazel and Project Brooklyn: a futuristic face mask to address public health concerns and a gaming chair that doubles as an immersive entertainment center, respectively.

In the past, Razer concepts have included a full-fledged racing simulator, a smartphone-powered laptop, and a laptop with three screens. These concepts have not often turned into saleable products, but the "Project Breadwinner" toaster has (surprisingly) become a reality.

Project Hazel is the more timely of the two concepts Razer presented at CES 2021. This wearable device is a face mask, much like the ones we are encouraged to wear to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic. While the cloth masks reduce the risk of illness, Razer noted that there are some problems. Because one cannot see a person's mouth, it is more difficult to read facial expressions (or, for the hearing impaired, lip expressions).

In contrast, Project Hazel is a reusable mask with a more rigid structure and transparent faceplate. It relies on two rechargeable air filters (with programmable RGB highlights, naturally) and also uses Razer VoiceAmp technology to make clear whatever the wearer is saying. In theory, Project Hazel is more hygienic, durable, and functional than everyday cloth masks.

Still, there are several obstacles to the realization of Project Hazel: first, the use of masks is (hopefully) becoming less necessary with the spread of COVID vaccination projects. Reusable cloth masks, which are relatively effective in preventing the spread of disease, often sell for less than $15.

Another interesting note is that Razer has already definitely eliminated the need for Project Hazel with its stylish cloth face masks. Not only are these masks safe and affordable, but Razer is actually taking concrete steps to fight the pandemic by donating a significant amount to frontline health care workers. while Project Hazel may have cooler features than standard cloth masks, the fact is that it's not a "standard" mask. In fact, Razer is already doing a lot of good with the materials they have on hand.

A more traditional Razer Concept presented at CES 2021 is Project Brooklyn, which combines the design of the Razer Iskur gaming chair with a rollable OLED screen. It is essentially a giant Acer Thronos-like gaming pod, but with a more restrained, minimalist design.

Here's how it works: You sit in a chair that looks and functions basically like an Iscar. In front of you is a bar that supports the keyboard and mouse. A panoramic OLED screen comes down from above. When you play a game, the haptics built into the chair react to what's happening on the screen, like a full-bodied dual-sense controller. There are also RGB LED strips on the sides of the Brooklyn to entertain the audience with colorful patterns.

In theory, it is easy to see how Project Brooklyn could benefit gamers, especially those who do not have enough space for a full entertainment center or dedicated PC desk. On the other hand, it relies on a lot of technology that is not yet available to consumers and probably will not be affordable for years to come. Still, it's not a ridiculous idea, and it's certainly a much friendlier design than the Thronos or - lest we forget - the dreaded scorpion chair.

Since Project Brooklyn is just a concept, there is no way to gauge its price or release date. But it is at least an interesting idea that solves a practical problem for gamers who don't have much extra space.

For gamers interested in something a little more concrete, Razer also recently announced upgrades to its Razer Blade 15 and Razer Blade Pro 17 gaming laptops, which now feature built-in Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs. It's not as futuristic as RGB masks and rollable OLED gaming chairs, but it's the best we can do in 2021.