The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are the stealth version of the Razer Opus Wireless 2020. Without any announcements, Razer quietly replaced their 2020 model with this variant. The differences in packaging and marketing between both models can be hard to catch: the manufacturer has updated the Bluetooth version from 4.2 to 5.0 and removed aptX codec support, which offers better audio quality. That said, although they otherwise look nearly identical to their predecessor, they don't perform similarly and are, overall, a step-down from the original model. Their sound profile is more warm and boomy rather than neutral while their noise cancelling system doesn't block out nearly as much background sound. On the upside, they now offer a 'Gaming Mode' for low latency, which is good if you like to stream video or play games on your mobile device. Their continuous battery life is much longer too.
If you'd like to know which variant of these headphones you have, Razer provides instructions on how to check your unit's serial number on their support page, under the 'FAQs' tab.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are good for neutral sound. Using their 'Amplified' EQ, which results in the flattest frequency response, they have a warm sound profile that delivers extra boom and warmth. That said, while vocals and lead instruments also sound clear and accurate, their upper harmonics are veiled while sibilants are dull. The headphones also lack low-bass, so if you like listening to genres like EDM and hip-hop, your mixes lack thump and rumble. While you won't be able to get a flatter, more neutral sound using their EQ presets in their companion app, they're still worth using if you want a different sound.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are good for commute and travel. They have a comfortable, well-built design and come with a carrying case to help protect them when you're on the go. They also have a very long continuous battery life that can last through long plane rides without an issue, and they're equipped with an active noise cancelling (ANC) system. However, they still struggle to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They do a better job of isolating you from passenger chatter though.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are decent for sports and fitness. While over-ear headphones can be a bit bulky, and their design tends to trap heat around your ears, the Razer have a comfortable and stable fit that's worth considering for light to moderate workouts. They also have a great build quality, and their wireless design makes it difficult for something to snag the headphones off your head while moving.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are decent for office use. They have a comfortable and well-built fit. Their long continuous battery life means that you can use them for a few days in a row before recharging them. On the downside, they don't support multi-device pairing, which is disappointing if you want to stay connected to your smartphone and PC at the same time. If you're using the headphones for virtual meetings, you can also experience a dip in sound quality when using the mic and audio simultaneously. However, this isn't an issue with the headphones per se but is one of the limitations of Bluetooth.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are Bluetooth-only headphones, so they aren't compatible with Xbox or PlayStation consoles. While you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, the latency will likely be too high for gaming. That said, they're worth considering if you're interested in mobile gaming as they have a low latency mode to lower the risk of audio syncing issues.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are good for wired gaming. You can plug them into your console's controller using the 1/8" TRRS cable with full audio and mic compatibility. Their warm sound profile can help emphasize sound effects like footsteps in gameplay while their neutral mid range ensures that dialogue and lead instruments sound clear. Their mic also offers decent recording quality, so your voice sounds clear to your teammates.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are okay for phone calls. They have an integrated mic that doesn't sit very close to your mouth. While the mic is able to capture your voice clearly, it struggles to separate speech from ambient sound. If you're taking a call from a busy office, your voice can be drowned out. In addition, if you're making a conference call, audio quality can drop, which is to be expected as it's a limitation of Bluetooth. That said, they're equipped with an ANC system that can help block out a decent amount of ambient noise around you.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 have a nearly identical design to the Razer Opus Wireless 2020. They have oval-shaped ear cups with a fairly non-descript look. Like other casual use Razer headphones, they also lack Razer's usual gaming logo. However, the only thing that has changed in terms of design is that their controls are now only located on the right ear cup instead of on both ear cups. They come in two colors: 'Black' and 'Razer x *A Bathing Ape', which is a black and green colorway.
The Razer Opus 2021 have a comfortable fit. Like the Razer Opus Wireless 2020, they have good padding on the ear cups and headband. They also don't put too much pressure on your head and feel lightweight. However, they have somewhat shallow ear cups, so if you have large ears, they may get squished.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 have a good control scheme. Unlike the original Razer Opus Wireless 2020, all the controls are located on the right ear cup. They have dedicated volume up and down buttons that you can press and hold to continuously increase the volume. Each of the buttons are clicky and the multi-function button has an indentation so that it's easy to distinguish it from the volume buttons. There are also audio prompts when cycling between different ANC settings and there's a chime to let you know when you've reached max volume.
Multi-function button:
Power button:
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 come with a great carrying case that should protect the headphones from scratches, bumps, and water damage. There's a space inside the case to store the cables when not in use. While it's a bit bulky, it should fit into a backpack without an issue.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 have a great build quality. The only difference between this model and the Razer Opus Wireless 2020 in terms of build is that the controls are only located on the right ear cup. They're mostly made out of plastic with faux leather padding. However, they feel like they could survive a couple of accidental drops without taking too much damage.
Using the 'Amplifed' EQ, which is the default setting and the one that produces the flattest frequency response, the Razer Opus 2021 have a warm sound profile with a touch of extra boom and rolled-off treble to ensure a smooth sound. They differ from the original Razer Opus Wireless 2020, which sound more neutral and less bass-heavy. You can see a comparison of both headphones using the same EQ here. Luckily, if you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a few EQ presets to help you find the right sound for your needs.
These headphones have fantastic bass accuracy. The range is fairly flat across the range. Although there's a small dip in the low-bass, which lessens the amount of thump and rumble in your mixes, the mid and high-bass have a bit more kick and warmth that will please fans of EDM and hip-hop.
The peaks and dips performance of the Razer Opus 2021 is decent. A dip in the low-bass weakens thump and rumble in your mix while a peak in the high-bass adds extra warmth. Another peak in the high-mid makes vocals and lead instruments harsh while the uneven low-treble hurts their comprehensibility overall. Another uneven peak and dip in the mid-treble makes sibilants like S and T sounds alternatingly dull and piercing.
The imaging performance of the Razer Opus Wireless 2021 is great. The group delay response falls below the audibility threshold, which results in tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. The L/R drivers are also well-matched in terms of phase, amplitude, and frequency response, which is important for the accurate placement of objects like instruments in the stereo image. That said, there's a peak in the phase response's low-mid, which skews audio a bit to the left, and it can be heard in some kinds of regular content. However, it shouldn't be an issue for most listeners. Keep in mind that imaging can vary between units and can indicate a manufacturer's quality control and ergonomics.
The passive soundstage performance of the Razer Opus Wireless 2021 is disappointing, which is common among closed-back headphones. It feels somewhat unnatural and it lacks openness as well as spaciousness. Despite this, the soundstage also seems wide, and sound is perceived as coming from speakers placed in the room around you rather than from inside your head, which can make for a somewhat more immersive audio experience.
Like the Razer Opus Wireless 2020, these headphones are THX-certified via the companion app. There's an EQ preset, which you can use to help create a more immersive sound, and you can turn this feature on and off. That said, this feature isn't THX Spatial Audio, which is a separate downloadable application.
These are the settings used to test the Razer Opus Wireless 2021. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.
The noise isolation performance of the Razer Opus Wireless 2021 is decent, but it's a large step down from the Razer Opus Wireless 2020. You can see a comparison between both units' noise isolation performance here. Overall, they have some trouble blocking out the low rumble of bus and plane engines. While they do a better job of reducing ambient chatter and the high-pitched hum of an AC unit, their performance still falls short compared to the 2020 variant and the Razer Opus X Wireless.
The leakage performance of the Razer Opus Wireless 2021 is great. Leakage is concentrated across the range and sounds fuller than in-ear headphones. That said, if you're listening to audio at high volumes, it's unlikely for others to hear it if you're in a moderately noisy environment like a busy office.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021's integrated mic has a satisfactory recording quality. Your voice sounds fairly natural but lacks depth.
These headphones are Bluetooth and rely on Bluetooth profiles, which define the specifications for how data is communicated between devices. When you connect these headphones to your PC, they use Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), a Bluetooth profile for audio playback. A2DP is a one-way profile, which means that if you're using this profile, the mic won't work on any device or OS. If you want mic and audio compatibility, the headphones can enable Headset Profile (HSP) or Hands-Free Profile (HFP). However, both profiles can lower sound and mic quality. During a conference call, we noticed that audio quality dropped a lot. Your voice becomes pitchy and all the bass is lost, so speech lacks body.
The noise handling performance of the mic is mediocre. The mic has a difficult time separating your voice from moderate ambient noise around you, so if you're taking a call from a busy street, your voice can be drowned out.
The battery performance of the Razer Opus Wireless 2021 is outstanding. They're advertised to last 30 hours continuously and with their ANC on. We measured over 52 hours, which far exceeds our expectations, but matches the high discrepancy also seen in the Razer Opus X Wireless. We also verified that the volume was maxed out on both our headphones and the test phone.
These headphones are equipped with an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life when you're not using them. You can adjust the length of the timer via the companion app. There's also an 'Auto-Pause/Resume' feature that you can use to pause the headphones if you take them off of your head.
The Razer Audio app is decent. You can check out the battery life, turn on and off the 'Auto Pause/Resume' feature, as well as adjust the auto-off timer. There are also four EQ presets that you can use to adjust their sound: 'Amplified', 'Enhanced Bass', 'Enhanced Clarity', and 'Vocal'. You can even turn on and off their THX virtual soundstage feature for a more immersive audio experience.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 have okay Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device or NFC pairing. Unlike the Razer Opus Wireless 2020, they don't support aptX codec for better sound quality either. They also have somewhat high latency on PCs as well as on iOS and Android devices. That said, they're equipped with a 'Gaming Mode' that helps lower latency and ensures that your audio and visuals stay in sync. With this mode on, there's 98 ms of latency on PC, 112 ms on iOS, and 90 ms on Android. Note that some devices and apps compensate for latency though.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 can connect to PCs via Bluetooth with full compatibility. You can also receive full audio and mic support when using their 1/8" TRRS cable.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 can only be used on PlayStation consoles when you plug in their analog cable into your controller. That said, you'll receive full audio and mic support via this connection.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 can only be used via analog with your Xbox console. Once you've plugged their 1/8" TRRS cable into your controller, you'll receive full audio and mic compatibility.
Some users have reported experiencing issues with the headphones' max volume when connected to their Xbox console. We connected our headphones to an Xbox Series S and played a game to measure the volume. When powered off, they reached 84 dB. Turning the ANC on lowered their volume to 75 dB. With the headphones on, but the ANC off, the headphones reached 71 dB. We tried the same settings with an audio file on a USB drive. When powered off, we could reach 107 dB, but ANC on lowered the volume to 103 dB. With ANC off, the headphones reached 99 dB. To confirm our results, we also tried the same audio file on a PC with the headphones connected wired and wirelessly. We experienced similar results to our pass with the USB drive but could reach higher volumes wirelessly.
Overall, we consistently experienced a drop in volume when the headphones were turned on, but the ANC was off. However, the difference is most noticeable on Xbox consoles, as the volume of the game is much lower than when using the headphones wirelessly or using them wired with the power off. The headphones can also reach a volume similar to their wireless performance when playing non-game audio files on the Xbox. We don't currently know what's causing this, but if you experience this issue, please let us know in the discussion section below.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 come in two color variants: 'Black' and 'Razer x *A Bathing Ape', which is a black variant with a green snake-like print. We tested the Black variant and you can see our model's label here. Keep in mind that these headphones are the updated stealth variant of the Razer Opus Wireless 2020. If you want to check which version you have, Razer has instructions on how to check their serial number via their support page, in the 'FAQs' tab.
If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussion section below and we'll update our review.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are the updated variant of the Razer Opus Wireless 2020. While they have a similarly comfortable and sleek design, their ANC's noise isolation performance is a step down from their predecessor as it struggles to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engine rumbles. Their sound profile is also less neutral than that of the Razer Opus X Wireless, although some users may still prefer their warm sound profile with rolled-off treble for genres like jazz. That said, they're better built than the AKG N700NC M2, and they have a long-lasting continuous battery life.
Check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones, and the best headphones for music.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are the stealth update of the Razer Opus Wireless 2020 and there have been some downgrades in performance. While both headphones have a similarly comfortable and well-built design, the 2020 variant have a much more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their noise isolation performance is significantly better. They also support aptX codec, which is nice if you're looking for better audio quality via Bluetooth. That said, the 2021 have a 'Gaming Mode' for a lower latency audio experience.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the Razer Opus Wireless 2021. The Sony are more comfortable, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. They also support multi-device pairing, which is good if you want to stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time. However, the Razer have a more immersive passive soundstage performance.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are slightly better headphones than the Razer Opus X Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Opus are better-built, have a better noise isolation performance, and support passive playback. They also come with a carrying case and have better frequency response consistency. However, you may still prefer the Opus X if you're looking for more colorful headphones at a lower price point.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are slightly better over-ears than the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Razer are better-built, have more consistent audio delivery, and their default sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer. Their battery performance is better, and you can use them wired with full audio and mic compatibility. However, the Anker have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. They also support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are better headphones than the Razer Opus Wireless 2021. The Bose are more comfortable, have a neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC offers a significantly better noise isolation performance. They also support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time. However, the Razer are better-built.
The AKG N700NC M2 Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Razer Opus Wireless 2021. While both headphones are comfortable, the AKG have a more neutral overall sound profile, which some users may prefer, more sound customization features to help you adjust their sound to your liking, and their noise isolation performance is significantly better. They also support multi-device pairing so you can connect them to your laptop and smartphone at the same time. That said, the Razer are better built and have a better overall batter life.
The Razer Opus Wireless 2021 are slightly better headphones than the Beats Solo Pro Wireless. While both headphones are well-built, the Razer are over-ears that are more comfortable and have a better battery performance. Their companion app also offers EQ presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking, and their integrated mic has a better overall performance. However, the Beats have a better noise isolation performance and an H1 chip so that you can seamlessly pair them with your Apple devices.
The Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Razer Opus Wireless 2021. While both headphones are comfortable, the Sennheiser have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, a significantly better noise isolation performance, and they support multi-device pairing. They also support atpX codec for better audio quality via Bluetooth. That said, the Razer are better built and their battery performance is better overall.
Depending on your preferences, you may prefer either the Razer Opus Wireless 2021 or TREBLAB Z7 Pro Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Razer are better built, have a more neutral sound profile, and their companion app offers a couple of EQ presets to help you adjust their sound. They also have a better battery performance. However, the TREBLAB have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and they support multi-device pairing as well as aptX and aptX HD.