For what it costs, I had relatively low expectations of this headset. I came from a Corsair Virtuoso SE wireless headset that had a great mic and very good sound, but the connection with my PS4 was never very solid and I would notice relatively frequent dropouts in audio. Friends with PS4s swore by using the 3.5mm jack on the controller and I decided to use this to test.
Build Quality
When you pick up the headset the first thing you notice is just how light it is. It feels somewhat solid, but also it's clear that this is not a headset that prioritized premium materials. It's also extremely comfortable because of how light it is. Although I've never had issues with heavier headsets and neck pain, if that is a consideration the light materials should be great for long term sessions.
The pads are faux leather on the interior ring and exterior ring. The part that rests against your head feels like something a little more breathable. I don't think I will have any issues wearing these for long sessions. The clamping force is a good moderate level where they won't fall off accidentally, but I don't feel like I am in a death grip.
Mic Quality
I made some calls using the mic and, I believe this to be a great compliment to the quality of the mic, no one thought I was on a headset. "It's like you were actually talking through your phone." Although they have a gamer vibe, I could definitely see using these on conference calls (as long as the video was off.) Basically, the mic is great.
Audio Quality
Here's where I was expecting things to fall apart, but they really didn't. I decided to make a completely unfair comparison between these and my pair of Sennheiser HD600s run off of an AudioQuest DragonFly Black DAC/AMP. There was clearly no contest between the two headphones in terms of vocals or detail retrieval, but the Razer wasn't a bad headphone by any means. It had a clear and present bass, without being muddy. I do feel like the Corsair Virtuoso had a more full sound, but the spotty connection ruined it.
Gaming tends to be, I think, more forgiving than listening to music ... so I ran through a couple of games as a test. I tried a game that I feel focuses on background music (Unravel), which sounded great. I also tried something with more exploding (Borderlands 3) and the headset felt equally competent.
Flaws (But Not Deal Breakers)
The volume knob goes the opposite of the way my mind treats every other volume knob in my life. Clockwise turns the sound down?! WHY?!
I would have loved an LED to remind me that I'm muted. My first attempted call failed because the mute was engaged.
Conclusion
The Razer Blackshark V2 X might have a terrible name, but it's an amazing product at the price point. I don't play as many games online as I used to and I listen to a lot more music. For me, it makes sense to have a great pair of headphones for music and solo play as well as a cheap headset for online play with friends and conference calls. This works for me.
| Brand Name | Razer |
|---|---|
| Series | BlackShark V2 |
| Item model number | RZ04-03230100-R3U1 |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Item Weight | 1.36 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 7.6 x 6.76 x 3.86 inches |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 7.6 x 6.76 x 3.86 inches |
