RGB lighting has dominated the video game industry for years, but not every RGB ecosystem is created equal. Razer Chroma dominates the market with its stability, quality and wide coverage, and the next generation of the Razer RGB ecosystem is almost upon us. Reiser calls it an “Immersive Ecosystem” and it reflects the 3D nature of your setup.
To introduce the next generation of Chroma, Razer also announced the latest addition to its growing Aether family of smart lights. CES 2025. The permanent light bars are independent and designed to respond to everything you do, and they’re available for pre-order now. There’s also the new Razer Chroma Monitor Stand, a durable aluminum stand for expanding ports, increasing storage, and adding RGB to your setup.
I’ve done all of this hands-on, so here are my thoughts and all the necessary details.
New Aether lighting and even more immersion
First, let’s understand the new Aether product. I reviewed the Razer Gamer Room family. and concluded that Razer had somehow created some of the best smart home lights on its first try. The line is now expanding to include Aether standing luminaires. Sold as a pair, Standing Light Bars feature 30 individual RGB LEDs arranged vertically.
These lights can face you or the wall, depending on how intense the lighting you want, and can work independently or together. Either way, you can expect seamless integration with the Razer Gamer Room mobile app, Razer Synapse PC app, and supported smart home ecosystems like Matter. You will find a variety of customization options along with a simple setup process with a single cable.
I’ve seen the lights in person and they look amazing (and bright; I’ll probably face them towards the wall to create a more atmospheric feel). This is also the next piece of the Razer Immersive Ecosystem puzzle. Razer Aether permanent lights are now available for pre-order for $99.99 at Razer for a couple.
So how does this relate to the bigger picture? Well, Razer has rebuilt the Chroma engine to support 3D setups, which means contextual awareness of the placement and orientation of all Chroma-connected devices in your setup. This allows for even deeper integration with games and apps, as well as smoother synchronization between all your RGB lighting.
Much like Nanoleaf and Govee lamps for TVs and monitors, which use a camera to sync lighting with what’s shown on your display, the new Razer Chroma engine will be able to use the Razer Cortex app to do the same thing, but with your all RGB setting. It will support any content, but Razer is working with developers to optimize specific games to take full advantage of these new features, creating dynamic lighting.
The next-generation Razer Chroma is the third component of the Immersive Ecosystem, with the other two already available. Sensa HD haptics stimulate the sense of touch in products such as Razer Freyja Seat Cushion And Razer Kraken V4 Pro Gaming Headsetand Razer THX Spatial Audio technology in headsets and speakers delivers immersive audio experiences.
Razer provided me with a limited demo of all three elements in action, and it was unique to say the least. I can see how some people can feel overwhelmed by all this information, but if done correctly, this synergy really helps. dive you’re in your games (and I don’t want to use that word when talking about video games).
Razer’s immersive ecosystem isn’t complete yet, but it’s exciting to see the direction Razer is clearly heading in with future gaming accessories and premium products. For more information about the Razer Immersive ecosystem, visit Razer.com.
A new home for your monitor (with RGB)
Continuing the Chroma trend, Razer has also announced a new accessory for your desk: the Razer Monitor Stand Chroma. The name is self-explanatory and will probably tell you everything you need to know, but this product surprised me a little. Firstly, this monitor stand strong. It’s machined from a single piece of aluminum and is much heavier than I expected.
Thanks to this weight, the Chroma Monitor Stand can support monitors weighing up to 44 pounds, which is more than the average modern 32-inch display. Below you’ll get extra space to store whatever you want, like your laptop or keyboard (when not in use). This is a monitor stand, you understand.
This is not only monitor stand, however. This accessory is also a USB hub. By connecting to the device via USB Type-C, you get two USB Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port, and an HDMI 2.0 port. No, it’s not HDMI 2.1, so you’ll be limited to 4K@60Hz or 1080p@240Hz for the connected monitor. Of course, there’s also customizable RGB lighting with built-in profiles you can switch between if you don’t want to dive into Razer Synapse.
However, the Razer Monitor Stand Chroma is smaller than I expected. It is clearly designed using square monitors such as Razer Raptor 27 or HP OMEN monitors, so monitors with larger bases may experience some lag. It’s also not a cheap purchase; That The Razer Monitor Stand Chroma is available for pre-order now. $199.99 at Razerso, a pretty penny for a monitor stand.