We tested the Razer Kiyo, the Razer Seiren X, and the Razer Ripsaw HD for streaming and for capturing video games. Worth it?
Not a few have been encouraged to start streaming during this quarantine. Video game consumption has skyrocketed and so have the hours of both broadcast and views. At Meristation we have been part of this confinement working and testing some of the Razer products on loan for Reviews. These are the Razer Kiyo camera, Seiren X microphone and Ripsaw HD grabber. Three products that naturally are worth on their own, but which together allow us to enter the world of streams and video game content capture. Our idea is to explain what they offer and how they work, with their strengths and weaknesses throughout this article.
Razer Kiyo, the camera with built-in light
Razer Kiyo is the camera that allows us to try to look our best. His proposal goes a step further than other webcams on the market, because it incorporates a ring of light around it that we can activate at more or less power manually when we are interested. It comes with a support that allows you to adjust the position without problems and the best thing about the camera is, without a doubt, its performance for more mundane uses, such as Skype or Hangouts, such as for streaming. Its main plus point is the LED lighting ring, but not the only one. It should be noted that it is not an omnipresent light and works better the closer we are, but it provides more clarity in almost all positions.
Along with this we have the possibility, via Razer Synapse, to adjust all kinds of contrast elements, color and focus, as well as save the presets that we consider for each type of streaming. Also white balance and brightness can be fiddled with. The main setback we have found with the adjustments in Synapse, since sometimes they gave us errors when managing them if it detected that the camera configuration was different from what we had in the app, but it is not something properly problematic of the camera. It is currently at 99 euros, with resolution up to 1080p / 30fps or 720p at 60fps, a refreshment that is common in this type of camera, and automatic light correction when there is little, it is a very interesting option especially for the extra cost of light, even if the result is not the same as a professional spotlight, of course.
Finally, although if the idea is to stream, the normal thing is to acquire a microphone for that purpose, it is important to emphasize that the integrated microphone of Kiyo is not too prominent in case you plan to use it for some talks with friends or meetings.
Razer Seiren X, the Razer microphone
We turn to the microphone, one of the most interesting to play in performance and competent despite not reaching the level of Seiren Elite performance – somewhat logical, since it costs half. Seiren X has an elegant and compact design, with a smaller size than other recurring proposals such as Blue Yeti or Snowball. The result when it comes to reproducing the captured voice is very good, and in our comparison with the Yeti we found no major differences. In addition, it works totally as a plug and play so once we connect it, we don't need anything else because it is automatically detected. The microphone is also compatible with Playstation 4, so it is adapted to integrate with the console as a licensed product.
As the product sheet indicates, it features an ultra-precise pickup pattern that attempts to record at a narrow angle, to reduce ambient noise and make your voice sound better. This works in a more than remarkable way, although it is true that we do not get rid of the sound like the keystroke on the keyboard if we have it excessively close.
It sounds good, it is elegant and portable thanks to its size. Do you have any setbacks? Yes, mid-range voices don't capture them as well as other microphones, something that can be seen if we are streaming with more than one person, so here we would like to have options to capture audio from groups or other patterns. We also miss a gain button on the device itself so that we can adjust it manually. The rest, both the volume (you can connect headphones) and the mute button, work without problems. In general, and thinking about streaming, it seems to us a powerful option and it is the one we are using in our recent streams of Inside Xbox or the Taberna de Meristation.
Razer Ripsaw HD, the jewel in the crown
And we finish our Razer setup with the Ripsaw HD grabber. The Razer capturer, which costs 170 euros although it is currently out of stock, allows to emit at 180p and 60 frames per second, with the characteristic of having a 4K and 60fps transfer port while maintaining the fluidity of the game. Among its main features is the USB-C 3.0 cable that allows a zero latency output while maintaining the quality of the broadcast, something that we are grateful for not only to broadcast in streaming but also when we are capturing to edit our own videos, because it allows us to play and see how it is staying in the program itself without the classic delay of other devices. It comes with compatibility for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and, of course, PC, and in its design it has an audio input and a microphone input, both 3.5mm.
The Ripsaw HD capture card is synced to Synapse and is also plug and play. From the Razer application we can calibrate the main audio, PC, HDMI and microphone control and it is as simple as when we connect a console and turn it on, the capture machine automatically detects it and warns us that it is ready, adapting the resolution to enter from the console or PC.
Its ease of use, the design also marks the house and the quality of the components it transmits are a guarantee. The only 'but' that we find to Ripsaw HD is that it comes without its own software, which surely is not something so necessary for streaming, where it has full and absolute compatibility with Xsplit and OBS, but that in the case of capture Gaming may be a plus, since it would make it easier for us to calibrate, trim and export in different formats, things that end up depending on third-party non-native Razer applications. For the rest, we have been surprised by the ease of use and the immediate performance with the 0 delay as a great point in favor.
conclusion
There are three bets that define the three Razer products to stream, and they are the simplicity of use, the immediacy and the general quality of what they propose at the performance level. The Kiyo camera with its 60fps refresh in 720p mode, the Seiren X microphone for its portability and general quality to stream and the Ripsaw HD capturer for its zero latency and its plug and play concept are some examples of what they are capable of offering . Yes, some elements are missing, such as capturing 4K with Ripsaw HD or better capturing group voices in the case of the microphone, but it is also true that for that there are products of higher price ranges. What we are clear about is that within its range, Kiyo, Seiren X and Ripsaw HD compete at the top in relation to benefits and performance, without a doubt. And they are a very good gateway to the world of streaming.
