Razer’s updated Raptor 27 is a faster 165Hz monitor, now with optional VESA

Razer has refreshed its minimalist Raptor 27 gaming monitor with FreeSync Premium support with low frame rate compensation for smoother gameplay; a slightly faster 165Hz refresh rate (the previous model topped out at 144Hz); and THX certification claiming to deliver great color, tone, and image accuracy. Like the 2019 version, this one has Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and its matte 27-inch QHD IPS panel covers 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color space.

This monitor will cost $799.99 when it releases in Q3 2021, which is $100 more than the previous version. The improvements make it at least worth considering if you want to game on PC with enhanced variable refresh rate tech. That, and Razer’s Raptor 27 is tough to beat when it comes to design, with its sturdy aluminum base that lets the monitor flip 90 degrees for easy cable management. It’s undoubtedly a high price to pay, though, when some 4K gaming monitors cost just a little more. For $899, Acer’s Nitro XV28 has a 28-inch 4K IPS screen with HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to fast 120Hz refresh rate gaming on PC or the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Razer now offers a VESA adapter for this Raptor 27 and the previous model. If you want to abandon the base that comes with the monitor, this adapter (also releasing in Q3 2021) costs $100 and will let you mount the Raptor 27 to a monitor arm or some other VESA base that you might prefer. This would have been a pretty appealing accessory to include with the refreshed monitor, particularly given that the new monitor also costs $100 more, but alas. There’s a good chance you might want to use the standard Chroma LED-lined base anyway.

Outside of the tweaks I mentioned earlier, not much else is different here. The ports haven’t changed with this update. It still comes with an HDMI 2.0b port, a DisplayPort v1.4 port, a USB-C port with DisplayPort support, two USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 passthrough ports, and a headphone jack.

Razer has another E3 announcement, but it has little to do with gaming: it’s a $179.99 GaN charger that can supply up to 130W of total power. It’s worth noting that its two USB-C ports support up to 100W (not 130W as the name might seem to suggest), and the two USB Type-A ports can pull 18W each. If you have multiple devices plugged in at once, it’ll share the wattage between them, totaling up to 130W. The charger comes with some global adapters included, so it might be a good option for traveling, depending on where you’re going.

Razer’s GaN charger isn’t the only 100W option on the market. There’s HyperJuice’s similar-looking $100 charger, for one, and that company also made these inventive 65W and 100W GaN chargers that can be stacked for more power and more ports. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a faster USB-C charger than 100W, but that could change in the future, as the new USB-C Release 2.1 spec supports up to 240W charging. Though, in the meantime, it won’t take much effort to find a more affordable GaN charger than Razer’s.