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Razer Ferox Mobile Gaming Speakers review: Razer Ferox Mobile Gaming Speakers

Razer Ferox Mobile Gaming Speakers

Justin Yu Associate Editor / Reviews - Printers and peripherals
Justin Yu covered headphones and peripherals for CNET.
Justin Yu
3 min read

Although the $60 Razer Ferox Mobile Gaming Speakers can connect to any audio device with a 3.5-millimeter audio jack, the sonic quality is more on par with the LaCie USB Speakers. Both speaker sets feature an attractive physical design, but unfortunately they're also both better seen than heard. Razer gets extra points for its rechargeable battery, but overall we prefer the features and amplification you get with the Creative D100 wireless boom box. The D100 costs $20 more than the Razer Ferox, but you'll be much more satisfied with the sound quality and cable-free Bluetooth connectivity.

4.7

Razer Ferox Mobile Gaming Speakers

The Good

Batteries recharge over USB; attractive design; small form factor includes travel case.

The Bad

Expensive; tinny sound carries little bass power and struggles at loud volumes.

The Bottom Line

The Razer Ferox gaming speakers are supposed to amplify the sounds of your portable gaming, but despite their progressive design, we're dissatisfied with the audio quality even at midrange volumes. We recommend spending a little more on Creative's D100 cordless Bluetooth speaker to get your money's worth.

Design and features
The Ferox features two satellite speakers joined by a cable wrapped in nylon for extra protection on the go, and you also get the necessary connectors to recharge the battery (USB) and play music from an audio source (3.5mm jack).

We don't doubt that plenty of time went into designing the look of the Razer Ferox speakers. The pyramidal domes purposely omit a physical power button in favor of an expanding top section that, when expanded, reveals a mesh "resonance" chamber that protects the dual vertical-facing 30mm drivers inside. The marketing jargon on the box claims that the thin slice of metal above the speakers serves to reflect acoustic waves without losing energy and leads to more intense, "omnidirectional" sound. Razer is a gaming company and markets these as gaming speakers, although there's nothing about them that specifically benefits game audio; we'll address the efficacy of its design shortly.

Once you plug the Ferox's USB port into a computer and allow the speakers to fully charge, Razer tells us you'll get approximately 12 hours of play time before you run out of juice. The bottoms of the satellite speakers pulse with a faint blue light to indicate the charging status, and we should note that each speaker is capable of stereo sound on its own without its sibling.

After the speakers are fully charged, you can release them from the computer and listen to your music on the go by plugging the cable into an iPhone, iPad, iPod, or other audio device with a 3.5mm input jack. We don't doubt the durability of the braided cord and we appreciate the ballistic nylon carrying case Razer includes with the hardware, but the act of plugging in a music player feels inelegant compared with a Bluetooth wireless option like the Creative D100.

On the other hand, the D100 speaker doesn't come with a built-in rechargeable battery as the Ferox does. Instead, you have to load up the speaker with four AA alkaline batteries before you head out, but the D100 also comes with a hardwired 3.5mm cable if you want to play music from a non-Bluetooth device.

Performance
Razer claims that the rising driver chamber should strengthen the bass and overall resonance of your music, but our test results place the speakers only a notch above the disappointing LaCie USB Speakers. We pumped multiple songs and various genres including pop, hip-hop, indie rock, and jazz through the Ferox speakers and were disappointed with the results.

The speakers are capable of higher volumes than your standard laptop or smartphone speaker, but not by much. Bass response is almost nonexistent, more like a weak jab than a punch, and the shrill treble dominates the midrange and low tones. The speakers certainly fail in their attempt to provide anything close to an "omnidirectional" surround-sound experience, whereas the Creative D100 is much better suited for a gaming party, an office gathering, or solo dorm-room listening.

4.7

Razer Ferox Mobile Gaming Speakers

Score Breakdown

Design 6Features 4Performance 4