The Razer Kraken X are simple gaming headphones. They have a lightweight design that’s fairly comfortable and a bit less bulky than other Razer headsets we’ve tested. Their boom microphone offers excellent recording quality and noise handling capability, and their wired connection ensures an audio latency-free gaming experience. Unfortunately, they feel cheaply made and their simple control scheme is lacking for casual use. They also have a somewhat unbalanced sound profile. That said, if you prefer a more exaggerated, bass-heavy sound, they could be worth considering for console or PC gaming.
Our Verdict
The Razer Kraken X are mediocre for neutral sound. Their mid-range response is very even, but they have overpowering, boomy bass and uneven treble response. Their sound lacks in brightness and clarity while also sounding too sharp and sibilant. Also, they struggle to provide a consistent listening experience, especially if you have long hair or wear glasses.
- Low levels of audio distortion.
- Inconsistent audio delivery.
The Razer Kraken X are bad for commuting and travel. They’re relatively lightweight and decently comfortable, but don’t isolate very much noise, particularly the deep rumble of bus engines. They have a fairly bulky design that doesn’t fold into a more compact format, so they’re not very portable. Their wired audio connection works with most mobile devices and provides an audio latency-free experience, which is nice if you like to watch videos or play games while traveling, but their unbalanced sound profile may not suit all listeners.
- Lightweight, stable design.
- Cheap build quality.
- Bulky construction.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Limited control scheme.
The Razer Kraken X are middling for sports and fitness, though they aren't designed for this purpose. Although their fit is pretty stable, they’re not very breathable, so you're likely to sweat more than usual when wearing them. Their wired connection is prone to catching on things while running, which could yank them off your head. Their mic also isn't detachable or retractable, so it may get in the way.
- Lightweight, stable design.
- Cheap build quality.
- Bulky construction.
- Limited control scheme.
The Razer Kraken X are a poor fit for office use. They’re fairly comfortable and lightweight, but do a sub-par job of filtering out ambient ambient office chatter. Unfortunately, their bass-heavy sound profile won’t be suitable for everyone, and they’re also a bit leaky.
- Lightweight, stable design.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Limited control scheme.
The Razer Kraken X are wired-only headphones and can't be used for wireless gaming.
The Razer Kraken X are okay for wired gaming. They a fairly comfortable design. They have an excellent boom microphone that should ensure your teammates hear you clearly. Unfortunately, their sound profile is very bass-heavy, which could overwhelm in-game dialogue or music, and their control scheme is quite basic.
- Excellent microphone recording quality.
- Amazing microphone noise handling capability.
- Inconsistent audio delivery.
- Limited control scheme.
The Razer Kraken X are satisfactory for making phone calls. Their boom microphone should make your voice sound clear, full-bodied, and detailed. Thanks to the mic's amazing noise handling capability, speech should also be mostly free of background noise, even if you call from a noisy environment. Unfortunately, due to their poor ambient noise isolation capability, background noise may disrupt your call.
- Excellent microphone recording quality.
- Amazing microphone noise handling capability.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Limited control scheme.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 22, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Nov 19, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Mar 24, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Razer Kraken X come in two color variants: 'Classic Black' and 'Classic Black/Blue'. We tested the 'Classic Black' variant, but expect the other model to perform similarly overall.
If someone comes across a differently-equipped model, let us know in the discussions so that we can update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Razer Kraken X are budget-friendly gaming headphones with excellent overall microphone performance and an audio latency-free wired connection, but unfortunately, their sound profile isn't especially well-balanced. They also don't have any companion software and have a somewhat limited control scheme. See our suggestions for the best gaming headsets under $50, the best Xbox One gaming headsets, and the best PS4 gaming headsets.
The Razer BlackShark V2 X are somewhat better gaming headphones than the Razer Kraken X. The BlackShark V2 X are more comfortable, deliver bass and treble more consistently, and leak less sound. They also have a downloadable virtual soundstage feature, and they come with a soft pouch. However, the Kraken X's boom microphone is slightly better at noise handling.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger is a better gaming headset than the Razer Kraken X. The Stinger are more comfortable, feel better-built, and have a more balanced sound quality. Their microphones perform similarly, but the Kraken X’s can make speech sound a bit fuller and deeper, which is great. The Kraken X also have a control scheme that’s easier-to-use and provides better feedback than that of the Cloud Stinger.
The Logitech G335 are better for wired gaming than the Razer Kraken X. The Logitech are more comfortable to wear, feel better-built, deliver audio more consistently, and have a less dark sound profile. However, the Razer are more stable on the head, block out more ambient noise, and have a boom mic that does a better job of transmitting speech clearly and isolating it from background noise.
The Razer BlackShark V2 are better overall headphones than the Razer Kraken X. The BlackShark V2 are more comfortable, and their boom microphone is detachable. They also have a better-balanced sound profile, and you can even adjust the sound and the microphone settings using their companion software and USB Soundcard. The Kraken X aren't compatible with Razer's software and they don't come with a USB Soundcard. However, their mic does have a better out-of-the-box performance than the BlackShark V2.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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