We've currently tested 26 Razer headphones. Razer mostly makes over-ear gaming headsets with good microphones suitable for live chat. However, they aren't the most comfortable for long gaming sessions, and because of their inconsistent fit, they won't produce the same sound for everyone.
Updates
- 09/09/2022 Razer Barracuda Wireless reviewed
- 06/29/2022 Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless reviewed
- 04/20/2022 Razer Opus Wireless 2021 reviewed
- 02/14/2022 Razer Kraken V3 Pro Wireless reviewed
- 01/14/2022 Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense reviewed
Best Razer Headphones
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Best Razer Headset For Gaming
Neutral Sound7.2Commute/Travel5.4Sports/Fitness5.2Office6.4Wireless Gaming7.4Wired Gaming7.7Phone Calls6.8Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe Razer Nari Ultimate Wireless is the best Razer headset for gaming. You can use these well-built gaming headphones wired via their 1/8" TRRS cable or wireless via their USB dongle with low latency. Unlike most other gaming headphones on the market, they have a unique haptic bass feature that adds vibrations to your audio, which can help emphasize sound effects while you game. You can customize their otherwise boomy sound by using their companion software's graphic EQ and presets. They're prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, so it's important to take the time to adjust their fit to your head.
If you like to game with others, their boom mic offers decent overall performance, making your voice understandable even in noisy environments. These headphones also have a comfortable fit, and the ear cups have customizable RGB lighting, which will please some users. Unfortunately, the manufacturer advertises them to have roughly eight hours of continuous battery life. We measured just over five hours with their haptic bass features set to 50%, much less than other wireless gaming headphones like the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless. You can't use them wirelessly with Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S consoles, either.
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Best Mid-Range Razer Headset For Gaming
Neutral Sound6.6Commute/Travel6.6Sports/Fitness6.8Office6.8Wireless Gaming7.3Wired Gaming5.7Phone Calls7.3Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesIf you're looking to save some money but don't want to skimp out too much on performance, then the Razer Kaira Pro Wireless for Xbox are the best mid-range Razer headphones for gaming we've tested. In many ways, these over-ears outperform the Razer Nari Ultimate Wireless for a lower price as they support Bluetooth, meaning you can stay connected to your smartphone and console simultaneously, and they're better built. They're also designed with Xbox gaming in mind and have fairly low latency when using built-in Xbox Wireless technology. They have a comfortable fit suitable for long gaming marathons too.
They have a warm but pretty uneven sound profile out of the box, adding boom but also muddiness to your mixes. Unfortunately, they're also very prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, so it's important to take the time to adjust their fit on your head to ensure a more consistent sound. Luckily, you can access their companion software's graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. They have over 19 hours of continuous playback time and are equipped with an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life when not in use. Their boom mic does an excellent job recording your voice so that you're heard clearly, even in moderately noisy environments.
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Best Budget Razer Headset For Gaming
Neutral Sound7.6Commute/Travel7.0Sports/Fitness7.1Office7.2Wireless Gaming7.6Wired Gaming7.7Phone Calls6.5Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe Razer Barracuda Wireless are the best Razer headphones for gaming at the budget level we've tested. Unlike the previous picks, these over-ears are intended to be hybrid headphones that you can use for gaming and more casual uses, like listening to music or meetings for work. The main downside to this design is that they have an integrated mic instead of a boom mic. It doesn't offer the same performance as the Razer Kaira Pro Wireless for Xbox, and your voice can be hard to hear if there's noise in the background. They come with a wireless dongle with a low-latency connection with PCs and PlayStations.
Out of the box, they have a warm sound profile that helps emphasize sound effects like explosions in games. Instruments and dialogue can sound harsh, but they work with companion software with a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. You can also adjust the virtual surround sound feature, which can help make gameplay more immersive. They're well-built and have a comfortable fit for most people. You might prefer the Razer Kaira X for PlayStation if you're looking for budget gaming headphones with a better boom mic performance. They're cheaper and much simpler since they don't have any companion software, but they offer a better overall mic performance. They're wired, so they work with most consoles, and you don't need to worry about latency.
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Best Casual Use Razer Headphones
Neutral Sound7.6Commute/Travel7.7Sports/Fitness7.1Office7.7Wireless Gaming7.5Wired Gaming5.9Phone Calls7.5Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless are the best Razer headphones for casual use we've tested. Unlike the Razer Nari Ultimate Wireless, they're hybrid casual and gaming headphones, giving you the best of both worlds without sacrificing features. They support Bluetooth and come with a wireless dongle to ensure low latency. This setup also lets you stay connected to your console and smartphone simultaneously. In addition, they have a comfortable fit suitable for the occasional gaming marathon or a long day on the road and a powerful ANC system to block out a great amount of ambient noise around you. With their ANC on, they last over 34 hours continuously, but unfortunately, you can't use them wired.
Part of their casual design means swapping the gamer-centric boom mic for an integrated mic. While this kind of mic tends to offer a worse overall performance, their mic still delivers a decent overall performance, ensuring that your voice sounds clear to teammates or coworkers. Their versatile sound profile is well-suited for most kinds of audio content, but you can fine-tune it to your liking using either their companion app or the software's graphic EQ and presets. If you want to use them for mobile gaming, they have a 'Gaming Mode' in their companion app that helps lower latency on mobile devices.
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Best Budget Casual Use Razer Headphones
Neutral Sound7.7Commute/Travel7.3Sports/Fitness7.1Office7.1Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming5.6Phone Calls6.4Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe Razer Opus X Wireless are the best budget casual-use Razer headphones we've tested. These headphones look similar to the Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless and are similarly comfortable and well-built. However, their features don't offer quite the same level of performance. They have a somewhat neutral sound profile with a bump in the high-bass to add extra warmth to your audio, but if you prefer a different sound, their companion app only has EQ presets to help you customize them. They're also a good choice if you like to play games on your mobile device and want wireless headphones that don't create audio syncing issues. With their 'Gaming Mode,' they provide a low-latency connection with iOS and Android devices.
The manufacturer advertises them to last for roughly 30 hours off a single charge, but we measured 68 hours of continuous battery life, so they'll easily last through long trips. Unfortunately, they don't have an AUX port, so you don't have the option to use them passively if the battery dies. Their ANC feature also struggles to block out bass-range noise like rumbling bus and plane engines, which is disappointing if you're looking for headphones to use during a trip or for your daily commute. On the plus side, they do a great job isolating you from sounds like ambient chatter or a humming computer fan.
Compared to other brands
- Good microphone performance. Even in a loud environment, whoever's listening on the other end won't have too many problems understanding you.
- Software support. Although it isn't available for all their headphones, the Razer Synapse software offers a graphic equalizer with presets and control over your microphone's sensitivity levels.
- Haptic feedback feature. Unique to the Razer Nari Ultimate Wireless, these headphones give you physical, haptic feedback when playing games, which can deepen your immersion.
- Low in long-term comfort. Most of these headphones generally have a fit that's comfortable for a little while but can become fatiguing when worn for long gaming sessions.
- Inconsistent frequency response. You may not get the same sound reproduction each time you use Razer's over-ear headphones. Depending on fit, seal, and positioning, they can sound different depending on who's wearing them.
Razer vs Logitech
Logitech makes a line of gaming headsets in a similar price range. Even Logitech's cheaper options tend to be customizable, with in-app sound and mic customization options, so you may want to check out the brand's offerings if you're on a budget. However, they don't make headphones that support Xbox wireless. They have a more gamer-centric look than Razer headphones and don't usually support Bluetooth, so Razer is the better brand for mixed-use gaming and casual headsets.
Razer vs SteelSeries
SteelSeries' higher-end models come with digital-to-audio converters for improved sound quality or base stations that put controls for line chat mixing within easy reach. However, Razer offers more budget-friendly options. They have more headphones that support Bluetooth and more headphones intended for hybrid gaming and casual use. However, if you're looking for a high-end headset with many features, check out SteelSeries' best headphones.
Razer vs Astro
Astro's line of gaming headsets includes fewer budget options. More of Razer's headsets support Bluetooth as well as non-Bluetooth wireless. Astro's headsets usually have a bulkier, less versatile design. Then again, higher-end Astro models offer a more comfortable fit and often have an open-back design, which helps create a wider, more natural soundstage. If you're interested in a more immersive listening experience and don't care about noise isolation or leakage, it's worth checking out Astro's best headsets.
Razer vs HyperX
This brand doesn't make hybrid gaming and casual-use headphones like Razer does. Still, if you're looking for dedicated gaming headphones, HyperX's best headphones tend to be more comfortable and sturdier. However, unlike Razer headphones, many don't include sound customization features and are less likely to have features like customizable RGB lighting.
Razer is well-known for making gaming headphones that have good-performing microphones. While pro gamers will like the extensive customization the companion software offers, not all headphones are compatible, especially those in the lower price range. These headphones also aren't the most comfortable if you tend to game for long periods. Due to their fit, you might not get a consistent sound.
Lineup
Razer has a few different lines of gaming headphones that offer different features.
Barracuda: Hybrid gaming and casual use headphones that have an integrated or detachable boom mic. They support Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth wireless connections for gaming.
Kraken: Dedicated gaming headsets with virtual surround sound and RGB lighting. More recent models have a haptic feedback feature called 'HyperSense.'
Blackshark: Marketed as esports headsets focusing on comfort and microphone noise handling.
Kaira: Gaming headsets that come in separate PlayStation and Xbox variants.
Nari: Wireless headset with HyperSense for haptic feedback.
Opus: Wireless casual-use headphones with active noise cancelling (ANC) and Bluetooth. They don't support a wireless connection with consoles but have a 'Gaming Mode' for low latency via Bluetooth.
Recent Updates
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Feb 03, 2023: Replaced the Razer Kaira X for PlayStation with the Razer Barracuda Wireless. Added information about Razer's product lineup.
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Oct 14, 2022: We've added the following headphones: the Razer Kaira Pro Wireless for Xbox, Razer Kaira X for PlayStation, and the Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless. We've also removed the Razer BlackShark V2 and Razer Opus Wireless 2020.
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Apr 26, 2022: Checked that picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are available.
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Jan 26, 2022: Replaced the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless with the Razer Nari Ultimate Wireless as the Nari have lower non-Bluetooth wireless latency and a haptic feedback feature.
Conclusion
Razer is a well-known gaming brand. While they produce a variety of great gaming accessories, their headphones aren't particularly outstanding. While their haptic feedback feature is interesting, these headphones aren't suited for marathon gamers. Their fit isn't the most comfortable for long listening sessions, and you won't always get a consistent fit, either.