Everybody seems to be making portable Bluetooth speakers these days and Razer, known for its gaming devices and accessories, has joined the crown with the Leviathan Mini ($ 180, €199.99).
The company sent over a couple of early units — yes, you can pair two of them together — and the Leviathan Mini sounds good for its size However, I’m not sure it does anything to outclass the competition, which includes such speakers as the Bose SoundLink Mini II and UE Boom 2.
The speaker is 3.34 inches (185mm) wide, 2.12 inches (54mm) deep, 2.16 inches (55 mm) high and weighs 1.18 pounds (538g). It includes a carrying case — a nice extra — and an integrated microphone for cell-phone calls. Battery life is rated at 10 hours and Bluetooth range is the typical 33 feet/10m. Bluetooth 4.0 is on board.
Leviathan Mini is a well-designed portable Bluetooth speaker but a little pricey.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In all, it seems like a well-designed mini Bluetooth speaker, but like all these compact speakers it can only deliver so much bass and tends to reduce its volume a bit when confronted with too much bass or complicated tracks in order to avoid distorting.
Razer also sells a full-size Leviathan soundbar that delivers 5.1 virtual surround. However, the Mini is just a portable Bluetooth speaker and I think Razer will have to bring its price down to get any traction in thw highly competitive Bluetooth speaker market.
The Leviathan Mini ships in January.
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Where to Buy
Razer Leviathan Mini
Part Number: CNETRazerLeviathanMini
MSRP: $ 179.99
See manufacturer website for availability.
About The Author
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET’s Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable e-reader and e-publishing expert. He’s also the author of the novels Knife Music and The Big Exit. Both titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, and Nook e-books.
