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Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Sep 02, 2021 at 09:36 am
Latest change: Writing modified Aug 23, 2023 at 01:37 pm
Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 Picture
6.2
Neutral Sound
7.6
Commute/Travel
8.2
Sports/Fitness
6.9
Office
5.6
Wireless Gaming
5.4
Wired Gaming
6.9
Phone Calls

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 are the next generation of the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. They improve upon their predecessor since they now have better build quality, offer customizable RGB lighting on the buds, their continuous battery life is longer, and they have a total of four additional charges in their carrying case. They also block out much more noise than their predecessor, thanks to the addition of an active noise cancelling (ANC) system, although its performance is still just satisfactory.

Our Verdict

6.2 Neutral Sound

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are mediocre for neutral sound. Their flattest EQ preset, 'Custom', has a bass-heavy sound profile, which adds intense boom to your mixes while vocals and lead instruments are dark and veiled. While this may sound muddy, their companion app offers a graphic EQ so that you can adjust their sound to better suit your tastes. They also have consistent audio delivery once you achieve a good fit.

Pros
  • Graphic EQ and presets available.
Cons
  • Terrible passive soundstage.
7.6 Commute/Travel

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are good for commute and travel. These headphones are very portable, have a decently comfortable fit, and are well-built. Unfortunately, their continuous playback time of under five hours may not be enough for long trips without pausing to charge them up again. While they have an ANC system, they also struggle to block out the low rumbles of bus and plane engines.

Pros
  • Well-built and rated IPX4 for water resistance.
  • Easy to use control scheme.
Cons
  • 4.7-hour continuous battery life.
8.2 Sports/Fitness

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are great for sports and fitness. They're small, well-built, and rated IPX4 for water resistance, although we don't currently test that. While they lack stability fins, they still have a stable fit, so they shouldn't fall out of your ears during a jog in the park.

Pros
  • Well-built and rated IPX4 for water resistance.
  • Easy to use control scheme.
Cons
  • Terrible passive soundstage.
6.9 Office

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are fair for office use. They have a decently comfortable fit, don't leak a lot of audio at high volumes, and thanks to their ANC, they can block out ambient chatter around you. However, they lack multi-device pairing, and their under five hours of continuous battery life may not last you through long days at the office. Luckily, their carrying case holds roughly four additional charges, which is handy in a pinch.

Pros
  • Well-built and rated IPX4 for water resistance.
  • Easy to use control scheme.
Cons
  • 4.7-hour continuous battery life.
  • No multi-device pairing.
5.6 Wireless Gaming

You can only use the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless with Bluetooth-enabled devices like PCs and smartphones. While they have high latency on PCs by default, they have a 'Gaming Mode', which helps lower their audio lag to reasonable levels, making them a suitable choice for gaming. However, they have a terrible passive soundstage and have less than five hours of continuous playback time.

5.4 Wired Gaming

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are wireless headphones that can't be used wired.

6.9 Phone Calls

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are alright for phone calls. These headphones use an integrated microphone and can capture your voice clearly, although it sounds a bit thin and dark. However, the mic struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise around you, so whoever's on the other end of the line may have a hard time hearing you. On the upside, thanks to their ANC, they do a satisfactory job blocking out background noise around you.

Pros
  • Good recording quality.
Cons
  • No multi-device pairing.
  • 6.2 Neutral Sound
  • 7.6 Commute/Travel
  • 8.2 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.9 Office
  • 5.6 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.4 Wired Gaming
  • 6.9 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Aug 23, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed True Wireless in Noise Isolation.
  2. Updated Apr 25, 2023: Added a comparison to the Skullcandy Sesh ANC True Wireless in the Batterybox.
  3. Updated Sep 02, 2021: Review published.
  4. Updated Aug 31, 2021: Early access published.
  5. Updated Aug 25, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Aug 23, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Aug 17, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless come in one color variant: 'Black'. You can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless are the next generation of the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. With this update, they now have customizable RGB lighting, a companion app with a graphic EQ plus presets, and better overall battery performance. Razer has also added ANC to these headphones, and they can isolate you from more background noise than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro, although it still may not be enough for commutes or trips. While they aren't designed for console gaming, you can use them on mobile devices without too much risk of lip-sync issues, thanks to their low-latency 'Gaming Mode'.

If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ear headphones, and the best earbuds for gaming.

Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed True Wireless

The Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed True Wireless are better in-ears than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021. While both buds are decently comfortable, the Pro HyperSpeed have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC blocks out more background noise. They also come with a USB-C dongle for low-latency gaming.

Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 are slightly better headphones Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro. Both headphones are well-built and have a comfortable fit. They also have similar battery performances. However, the 2021 have a better noise isolation performance and customizable RGB lighting. Conversely, the Pro have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. 

Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 are the next generation of the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 and offer better overall performance. The 2021 are more comfortable, feel better built, and have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system that helps them offer a better noise isolation performance. They also have a better battery performance, their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets, and they have customizable RGB lighting.

Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless and the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 have different strengths, and you may prefer either one. The Apple are more comfortable, feel better built, and have an H1 chip so you can seamlessly pair them with your other Apple devices. The Razer have a significantly better noise isolation performance, thanks to their ANC; their continuous battery life is longer; and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets so you can adjust their sound to suit your tastes.

Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better in-ear headphones than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021. The Apple are more comfortable, feel better built, and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have a significantly better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life, and they even have an H1 chip for seamless pairing with Apple devices. However, the Razer have a 'Gaming Mode' that can help reduce latency.

Razer Moray

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 are better gaming earbuds than the Razer Moray. The Hammerhead have a larger set of features, like a companion app, integrated mic, and adjustable EQ for better customizability. They don't leak as much audio and have an ANC system that isolates you from more ambient background noise. However, they're Bluetooth-only headphones and aren't compatible with Xbox or PlayStation consoles. They also have higher latency than the wired-only Moray.

TOZO T6 Truly Wireless

The TOZO T6 Truly Wireless and the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 are similarly performing headphones. Both in-ears are decently comfortable, well built, and have a stable fit. However, some users may prefer the TOZO's more neutral sound profile. The TOZO are also able to block out more ambient noise passively. However, the Razer's mic has a better recording quality. The Razer also have a better battery performance, and they have a companion app that offers a graphic EQ and presets that you can use to tweak their sound to your liking.

EarFun Air Pro True Wireless

The EarFun Air Pro True Wireless are better in-ears than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021. The EarFun are more comfortable, have a more neutral default sound profile, and their ANC offers a significantly better noise isolation performance. They also have a better battery performance. However, the Razer have customizable RGB lighting, a companion app with a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking and a 'Gaming Mode' to help lower latency.

Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless

The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021. While both headphones are well-built and decently comfortable, the Anker have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and can isolate you from more background noise passively. However, the Razer have a more robust companion app, offer a better battery performance, and have customizable RGB lighting. 

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The Razer Hammerhead have a somewhat similar ear-stem design as their predecessor, the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019, although now they're in-ears instead of earbuds. They also have customizable RGB lighting on the Razer logo found on both earbuds. However, they only come in a glossy black color scheme.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

These headphones have a decently comfortable fit. They don't put too much pressure on the inside of your ears and come with three different sets of ear tips to help you get the best fit possible. However, the hard plastic earbud may start to hurt if you're wearing them for hours at a time.

7.6
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
Additional Controls Gaming Mode

These headphones have good controls. There's a touch-sensitive surface on the buds, and while they aren't the most intuitive to use out of the box, they're still decently easy to use. The surface is responsive, and there are voice prompts or beeps to let you know when the headphones have registered most commands.

  • One tap: Plays and pauses audio on either bud.
  • Double-tap: On the left earbud, skips the track backwards. On the right earbud, skips the track forward.
  • Double-tap and hold: On the left earbud, turns volume down. On the right earbud, raises the volume.
  • Triple-tap and hold for two seconds: Cycles between 'Gaming Mode', which offers lower latency, and 'Standard Mode' on either bud.
  • Hold two seconds: Cycles through active noise cancelling (ANC), talk-through, which allows you to hear your surroundings without turning off your audio, and ANC off on either bud.
  • Hold for a few seconds: You can register this command on either bud, and it puts the headphones into pairing mode.

It can take a few tries to get the command to register, especially if you're using a double or triple-tap. You can also remap the controls using the companion app, and you can even add voice assistant support via the app without losing other controls.

9.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C

The Razer Hammerhead have an outstandingly breathable design, which is to be expected for in-ear headphones. Since they don't cover your outer ear, they don't trap in much heat. If you wear them during a workout, you shouldn't sweat more than usual.

9.5
Design
Portability
L 1.7" (4.3 cm)
W 1.2" (3.0 cm)
H 0.7" (1.8 cm)
Volume 1.40 in³ (23.00 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds are exceptionally portable. They should easily fit into most pockets or bags, even when they're inside their carrying case.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.5" (6.4 cm)
W 2.1" (5.3 cm)
H 1.0" (2.5 cm)
Volume 5.19 in³ (85.00 cm³)

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless have a good carrying case. It's made from plastic, is very light, and has a decent lid. It should fit into most pockets.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless' build quality is good. They're mostly plastic but feel more sturdy than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. They're also rated IPX4 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Unfortunately, the ear tips seem like they may rip over time.

7.5
Design
Stability

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless have a stable fit. Once you achieve a good seal, they should stay in place during moderate physical exercise. However, they lack stability fins, meaning that they could fall out during more intense activities.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds
  • 3x silicone ear tips
  • Charging case
  • USB-A to USB-C charging cable
  • Cable port covers
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
2.2 dB
Treble Amount
-6.62 dB

These headphones have a very bass-heavy sound profile using the 'Custom' EQ preset, delivering intense boom to your mixes, which should please fans of EDM and hip-hop. However, some users may find they sound muddy. Luckily, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking.

Note: These headphones were tested using the 'Custom' EQ preset, without adjusting any of the 10-band settings. We used this preset as it produces the flattest response of all of the presets. You can see a comparison of all of the EQ presets' raw frequency responses here.

9.4
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.12 dB

The Razer Hammerhead have outstanding frequency response consistency. Once you achieve a proper fit using the included ear tips, you should experience consistent audio delivery each time you use them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.0
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.76 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
1.09 dB
Mid-Bass
4.48 dB
High-Bass
7.5 dB

These headphones have decent bass accuracy. The response is overemphasized across the range and is very noticeable in the mid to high-bass. Mixes have extra thump, punch, and boom. However, some users may find they sound muddy.

6.9
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.18 dB
Low-Mid
6.5 dB
Mid-Mid
1.05 dB
High-Mid
-1.68 dB

The Razer Hammerhead's mid accuracy is okay. There's some overemphasis continuing from the bass range into the mid-range. As a result, mixes sound very cluttered and muddy. Vocals and lead instruments are also a bit forward, although a dip in the high-mid can weaken them a bit.

5.7
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
6.09 dB
Low-Treble
-7.11 dB
Mid-Treble
-2.41 dB
High-Treble
-10.76 dB

The Razer Hammerhead have sub-par treble accuracy. The range is underemphasized, so the upper harmonics of vocals and lead instruments are veiled while sibilants like cymbals are dull.

7.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.71 dB
Dips
1.38 dB

These headphones have decent peaks and dips performance. A peak in the high-bass to the low-mid adds boom and muddiness to your mixes, while a small dip in the mid-mid nudges vocals and lead instruments to the back of your mixes. Another dip in the low-treble veils the upper harmonics of these sounds, while a steep peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants like cymbals piercing.

9.3
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.11
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.87
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.17
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.41

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds have an outstanding imaging performance. The group delay falls below the audibility threshold for the entire range, ensuring a tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers of our unit are also very well-matched in phase, amplitude, and frequency response, ensuring the accurate placement of objects like voices and footsteps in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.

1.1
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
3.0
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.5

The Razer Hammerhead have a terrible soundstage, which is to be expected from in-ears. A large and spacious soundstage depends on sound interacting with your outer ear. However, earbuds bypass the outer ear altogether, so their soundstage seems small and as if it's coming from inside your head. It also doesn't sound as open or spacious as that of open-back headphones.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
7.2
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.495
WHD @ 100
0.161

The Razer Hammerhead's weighted harmonic distortion performance is decent. There's a couple of peaks in the treble range at moderate listening volume, but it may not be noticeable with real-life content. The rest of the frequency response falls within good limits, resulting in fairly clear and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
1.1.2
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
Custom (Flat)
ANC
On
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using this configuration.

Isolation
7.0
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-17.42 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-12.17 dB
Mid
-17.86 dB
Treble
-22.8 dB

The Razer Hammerhead have a satisfactory noise isolation performance. They have active noise cancelling (ANC) but still have trouble blocking out the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They do a better job of reducing mid-range noise, like office chatter. Their ANC doesn't improve upon their passive noise isolation capabilities in the treble range, and it offers an underwhelming performance if you want to cut down the hum of an AC unit. If you're looking for Razer earbuds with a better noise isolation performance, consider the Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed True Wireless instead.

8.7
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
28.92 dB

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless have an excellent leakage performance. Most of the leakage is concentrated in the treble range and sounds thin. If you like to listen to your audio at high volumes in a moderately noisy environment, those around you shouldn't be able to hear it.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
7.6
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
232.91 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.95 dB
HFE
5,915.41 Hz
Weighted THD
0.363
Gain
20.24 dB

The mic's recording quality is good. Your voice sounds natural, although a bit thin and dark to whoever's on the other end of the line.

6.8
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
43.33 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
6.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The mic's noise handling performance is alright. If you're taking calls in a moderately noisy environment like a busy street, your voice may get drowned out.

Active Features
7.0
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
4.7 hrs
Additional Charges
4.0
Total Battery Life
23.5 hrs
Charge Time
1.1 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The Razer Hammerhead have an alright battery performance. They're advertised to last roughly 4.5 hours continuously with the ANC on but the RGB lighting off. We measured a similar result, though battery life can vary depending on use, and your real-life experience may vary. Luckily, their carrying case holds roughly four additional charges if you need it. They also have an auto-off timer that you can adjust or turn off in their companion app, and you can use one earbud while the other one charges in the closed carrying case. If you're looking for ANC earbuds with a longer battery life, check out the Skullcandy Sesh ANC True Wireless.

8.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name Razer Audio
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
On/Off
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping Yes
Surround Support
No

The Razer Audio app is great. It offers a 10-band graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound. The 'Smart Link/Quick Connect' feature allows you to switch between known devices while remaining connected to the app. You can also see the battery life for both buds, remap controls, and set the auto-off timer. You can cycle between ANC on, off, and hear-through mode, as well as access 'Gaming Mode', which offers lower latency. However, the app can take a long time to connect to the headphones.

The Razer Hammerhead are also compatible with the Razer Chroma app, which allows you to customize their RGB lighting to your liking. However, this feature isn't available via the Razer Audio app.

Connectivity
7.2
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.2
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
285.43 ft (87.00 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
275 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
53 ms
Android Latency
92 ms

The Razer Hammerhead have decent Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device or NFC pairing. They also have high latency on PC, which could be annoying if you're streaming video. However, their latency on iOS and Android is significantly lower. If you're looking for even lower latency, we measured 83ms of latency on PC, 26ms on Android, and 38ms on iPhone, when using 'Gaming Mode'. However, this feature isn't on by default, and you need to activate it each time you take the buds out of their case. Also, please note that apps and devices compensate for latency differently, and your real-world experience may vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

These headphones are Bluetooth-only, and you can't use them wired. They come with a USB-A to USB-C cable to charge the carrying case.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

The Razer Hammerhead can wirelessly connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs. However, you can't connect them to PCs in any other way.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C

These headphones come with a carrying case that holds roughly four additional charges. It charges via USB-C, and it doesn't have any additional inputs.