The Razer Kraken Ultimate are decent wired gaming headphones with customizable RGB lighting. Their retractable boom microphone gives a good overall performance well-suited for gaming at home and their cooling gel ear cups help to keep you comfortable, even for multi-hour gaming sessions. Thanks to their companion software, they have a graphic EQ plus presets, as well as an adjustable surround sound feature, although we don't currently test this. However, they have a non-detachable USB cable instead of a TRRS cable, which limits their versatility as you can only use these headphones with devices that also have a USB-A port. They're also not compatible with the Xbox One.
Our Verdict
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are alright for neutral sound. While they lack thump and rumble, the rest of their bass range is overly warm and boomy while their treble sounds dark. Depending on their fit, seal, and positioning, their bass and treble delivery also varies across users. Luckily, you can tweak the way they sound using Razer Synapse's graphic EQ.
- Companion software has graphic EQ and presets.
- Closed-back design.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are poor for commuting. They block out almost no noise like bus or train engines, and unlike many other wired headphones, they use a USB cable rather than an analog cable, so they can only be used with a device that has a USB-A port. They're also quite bulky and even though they're fairly comfortable, their large size can be fatiguing after a while.
- Cooling gel ear cups.
- Non-detachable USB-A audio cable instead of a TRRS cable.
- Bulky, gamer-centric design.
- Poor noise isolation.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are poor for sports and fitness. They're bulky wired headphones that use a USB-A cable, limiting what devices you can use them with. Even if you've got them hooked up to your computer while you run on a treadmill, their cable isn't detachable and can easily snag on things, pulling the headphones off your head. They're also not stable enough to be worn during more strenuous exercise.
- Cooling gel ear cups.
- Non-detachable USB-A audio cable instead of a TRRS cable.
- Bulky, gamer-centric design.
- Not very stable design.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are disappointing for office use. Although they have cooling gel in their ear cups to keep you fairly comfortable throughout the day, they isolate little background noise. If you're working in a somewhat noisy office, you can turn up the volume to tune out what's around you, but your coworkers may be able to hear some of your music.
- Great performing retractable boom microphone.
- Non-detachable USB-A audio cable instead of a TRRS cable.
- Poor noise isolation.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are wired-only headphones and can't be used wirelessly.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are decent for wired gaming. Since they use a non-detachable USB cable, you won't be able to use them with the Xbox One. However, they're fairly comfortable headphones with cooling gel so your ears won't get too warm, even during long gaming sessions. They also have a good overall performing retractable boom microphone and you can tweak their sound using their companion software's graphic EQ.
- Great performing retractable boom microphone.
- Customizable RGB lighting.
- Cooling gel ear cups.
- Companion software has graphic EQ and presets.
- No Xbox One compatibility.
- Poor noise isolation.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are alright for phone calls; however, because they use a non-detachable USB-A cable, you won't be able to take calls directly from your mobile phone. Still, you'll be able to take calls through programs like Skype if you're working on a PC. They have a good, retractable boom microphone that captures voice clearly, even in moderately noisy environments. While the mic still struggles in louder places like gaming tournaments, you should still be understood. However, the headphones themselves isolate little noise and you may have a problem hearing whoever is on the other line if you're talking somewhere with a lot of background sound.
- Great performing retractable boom microphone.
- Non-detachable USB-A audio cable instead of a TRRS cable.
- Poor noise isolation.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 18, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Jun 08, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jun 04, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 01, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are decent wired gaming headphones. They have customizable RGB lighting so you can color-coordinate your headphones with the rest of your Razer RGB gaming setup. However, unlike many other gaming headphones on the market, they have a cooling gel in their ear cups, and they use a non-detachable USB cable to deliver their audio. They're also not Xbox One compatible. If you game primarily on the Xbox One, check out our recommendations for the best Xbox One headsets. If you tend to game on other systems, see our recommendations for the best gaming headsets and the best gaming headsets under $100.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are slightly better wired gaming headphones than the Razer Kraken V3. While they're both decently comfortable and well-built, the Ultimate have a dedicated button for surround sound, a more natural and out-of-head passive soundstage, and their boom mic offers better overall performance. However, the V3 leak less audio at high volumes.
The Razer BlackShark V2 are better headphones for gaming than the Razer Kraken Ultimate. The BlackShark have a much more comfortable, stable fit. They have a more neutral default sound profile, which some may prefer, and their companion app is much better. You can also use them wired or wirelessly with their USB dongle. On the other hand, while the Kraken can only be used wired, they have a much better overall mic performance and a significantly better build quality.
The Razer Kraken Ultimate are slightly better-performing gaming headphones than the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition. While they look almost identical, the Kraken Ultimate have RGB lighting as well as cooling gel ear cups, which help to keep you comfortable during long gaming sessions. They also have a better-balanced sound profile with a touch more bass. However, they use a non-detachable USB-A cable instead of a standard TRRS cable, which limits their versatility and connectivity to other gaming systems. On the other hand, the Kraken Tournament Edition have better controls, and their boom microphone has better noise handling. They also have both a USB cable as well as a TRRS cable.
The Razer Nari Ultimate Wireless are better performing gaming headphones than the Razer Kraken Ultimate. The Nari Ultimate can be used wired as well as wirelessly, they're slightly more comfortable, and they have a more bass-heavy sound that some gamers may prefer. They're also compatible with the Xbox One via their analog cable. However, they don't have the longest-lasting battery, especially when compared to other gaming headphones. The Kraken Ultimate, on the other hand, have an adjustable surround sound feature, and their boom microphone performs better overall. Since they're wired, you don't have to worry about battery life, either.
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