Razer Freyja review: This haptic seat pad (literally) shakes up your gaming

The Razer Freyja is no ordinary gaming accessory, it’s a haptic gaming cushion specifically designed to intensify the gaming experience to a whole new level. Instead of just using the screen or speakers to experience the gameplay, the Freyja provides physical feedback through vibrations that spread across almost the entire upper and lower body. But what exactly does a gaming cushion like the Razer Freyja do and how does it feel in practice? We tried it out to find out whether the promised effects are really that convincing.

Razer Freyja: How does it work?

A gaming cushion is an accessory that is mounted on your chair and generates vibrations that are synchronized with the events in the game. The Razer Freyja utilizes six haptic actuators that generate vibrations across the body. The aim is to transfer the feeling of explosions, shots, or movements directly to the body.

The cushion can be easily attached to the seat and backrest of the chair and is compatible with most gaming or office chairs. Thanks to the wireless connection via Bluetooth (more flexible) or a 2.4 GHz wireless dongle (faster), the cushion can be quickly and easily connected to a PC or smartphone.

There’s a small disadvantage, though. Razer Freyja requires a power connection via the supplied power adapter. This can limit the mobility of the gaming chair somewhat. The chair itself is controlled via the fourth version of the Razer Synapse software, which can be used to adjust the intensity of the vibrations and the individual vibration zones.

Razer Freyja: Comfort and handling

The Razer Freyja is surprisingly comfortable. With a product that generates vibrations, you’d expect it to press uncomfortably against the body, but it’s actually pretty comfortable. The upholstery is well made and molds well to the back. The cushion also remains comfortable even after long sessions. When installed on the Razer Fujin Pro gaming chair, the Freyja sat firmly and securely. It even stays firmly in place on other chairs.

The cushion is visually appealing, too. With the striking Razer logo and green stitching, it blends seamlessly into the gaming equipment and fits in with Razer’s design philosophy without being too obtrusive.

Razer Freyja: Haptics in practice

The feel of the Razer Freyja is what really sets this cushion apart. When playing an action-packed game like Call of Duty or Cyberpunk 2077, we can feel almost every movement directly on our body. When a shot is fired, it vibrates intensely at the chest region. During explosions, we feel the vibrations spread across the entire body, from the upper body down to the waist. This feedback makes the action tangible and reinforces the feeling of being right in the middle of the action.

The intensity of the vibrations can be adjusted for each area of the body as well. During quiet game scenes, you can reduce the vibration in the upper body area, while you can increase the intensity during fights or explosions.

The Audio-to-Haptics technology is another remarkable feature. Here, music or sound is converted into vibrations. When listening to music or watching action films, we can physically feel the bass, an experience that makes the soundtrack even more vivid. With music that relies heavily on bass, the sound feels almost physical. The vibrations bring the music from the speakers directly into the body.

Razer Freyja: Sensa HD Games vs. Audio-to-Haptics

The Sensa HD Games mode, on the other hand, makes it possible to tune the vibrations to specific game situations such as spells in Hogwarts Legacy or gunshots in Call of Duty. Here we can feel the different effects in the game, but the haptics are not always consistent. In quieter sections or during cutscenes, there’s no feedback, which can dampen the immersion somewhat. Nevertheless, it remains exciting to distinguish spells or shots just by the vibrations on your body.

In comparison, the Audio-to-Haptics mode offers more continuous and consistent feedback, especially with music. However, the Sensa HD Games mode is relatively new and is still under development, which is reflected in the limited number of supported games.

Razer Freyja: Handling of the product

The handling of the Razer Freyja is simple overall. All settings for intensity and vibration zones can be made via the Razer Synapse 4 software, which offers a high degree of customizability. The controls on the cushion itself are also simple, even if the buttons for intensity and source sometimes seem a little stiff. However, it’s sufficient to use the software to adjust the settings, so you rarely need the physical buttons.