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Razer Announces "World's Most Advanced Webcam"

The $200 webcam launches in Q2.

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Today at CES 2016, gaming company Razer announced the Razer Stargazer, which it's calling the "world's most advanced webcam." It "sets a new benchmark" for video capture at 60FPS at 720p, which the company points out is significantntly better than the 30FPS limit of many common webcams.

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"The Razer Stargazer revolutionizes webcam use as the first device of its kind suitable for quality streaming content production," Razer said in its announcement. "And it can provide high-definition 1080p video at 30 frames per second. The Razer Stargazer also includes an automatic noise-cancelling, dual-array mic."

The Stargazer, which requires Windows 10, is powered by Intel's RealSense SR300 camera. As you might have guessed, it's being positioned as a useful tool for streamers.

"Razer Stargazer's Dynamic Background Removal capability eliminates the need for full-scale green screen setups traditionally used by streamers," Razer said. "The webcam's Intel RealSense Technology enables the camera to intelligently sense depth to separate foreground from background. This feature works with popular broadcasting software like OBS, XSplit, and Razer Cortex: Gamecaster."

Razer also says the Stargazer has applications beyond gaming, as the background removal technology can be used with Skype, FaceRig, QQ Video, and ooVoo.

"Face and object 3D scanning will work out-of-the-box, and users can accurately port real-life objects into the digital world in full-HD," Razer said. "This holds promise for game development, as captured 3D scans can quickly be ported directly into development engines like Unity."

Razer went on to boast that the Stargazer has the "most advanced facial and gesture recognition" technology in any consumer camera. It can track up to 78 points on the face and 22 points on each hand.

"Webcams have not had any real innovation in several years, beyond resolution quality," Razer CEO and co-founder Min-Liang Tan said in a statement. "There are exponentially more people streaming and video conferencing than ever before and their needs are constantly evolving. The Razer Stargazer can revolutionize work done by game streamers, YouTube personalities, 3D designers, and game developers with additional benefits to the average computer user. Simply stated, this is the webcam of the future."

The Stargazer will launch in Q2 2016 (April-June) and will cost $200/ €239.99. A "limited number" of Stargazer units will be given away free to members of Razer's sponsored streamer program.

For more on the Stargazer, you can check out some key points in the bulletpoint list below or visit the device's website.

Product features:

  • Ultra-high 60 frames per second capture optimized for streaming (720p max)
  • Max 1080p HD video capture
  • Automatic noise cancelling dual array mic
  • Dynamic Background Removal
  • 3D scanning
  • Facial/gesture recognition
  • Flexible clip for laptops and desktop monitors

Technical specifications:

  • Intel 6th Generation Core processor
  • USB 3.0 connectivity
  • Windows 10 only

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