Razer reneges on its claim the Zephyr mask uses 'N95-grade' filters

Razer has removed immoderate notation of its Zephyr and precocious announced Zephyr Pro astute look masks including “N95-grade” filters from its website and different selling materials. “The wearable by itself is not a aesculapian instrumentality nor certified arsenic an N95 mask,” a Razer spokesperson told Engadget. “To debar immoderate confusion, we are successful the process of removing each references to ‘N95 Grade Filter’ from our selling material.”

The company’s website present says “Razer Zephyr is not a certified N95 mask, aesculapian device, respirator, surgical disguise oregon idiosyncratic protective instrumentality (PPE) and is not meant to beryllium utilized connected aesculapian oregon objective settings." Following the change, Razer claims the Zephyr’s filters are 95 percent effectual astatine filtering retired particles and 99 percent effectual against bacteria. The institution told Engadget it volition besides notify Zephyr owners of the tweak.

The alteration comes aft YouTuber Naomi Wu wrote a Twitter thread astir the wearable implicit the play and publications similar PCMag drew attraction to Razer’s labeling. In November, Wu posted an extended review and teardown of the Razer Zephyr successful which she said the company’s selling of the astute disguise was “deceptive.” Wu reiterated those claims aft the institution announced its caller "Pro" variant of the Zephyr astatine CES 2022. 

As Wu points retired successful the video, “N95” is an authoritative certification granted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for respirators that filter retired astatine slightest 95 percent of airborne particles. It’s a designation that involves an full mask, not conscionable portion of it, and accounts for some acceptable and filtration. Neither the Zephyr nor the Zephyr Pro is listed connected the agency’s website arsenic a NIOSH-approved respirator.

According to Wu, Razer made the alteration pursuing unit from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and NIOSH, a assertion the institution disputes. "The clarification has travel from Razer ourselves alternatively than an extracurricular entity," the institution told Engadget.

The timing of the reversal comes arsenic nationalist wellness officials successful the US and different countries person called connected the nationalist to deterioration surgical, N95 and KN95 masks, arsenic opposed to a elemental cloth mask, to amended support itself from the highly contagious omicron variant. The caller coronavirus strain has sent COVID-19 cases soaring passim overmuch of the world, putting further strain connected infirmary systems that are already connected the borderline of burnout.