Razer Kraken V3 Pro Wireless Headset Review – Haptic Break Dance

Kraken V3 Pro Review

There is no question Razer has firmly established itself as one of the premier gaming accessories companies. Whether it’s a soundbar for your PC, a high-end mouse, or one of the many headsets they have produced over the years, you know what you are getting with a Razer product. I’m rarely disappointed. Every single Razer product I have used has lasted for years. I recommend them to friends. Razer’s Kraken V3 Pro is no exception. It’s a well-built fantastic-sounding headset. That said, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns for the Kraken V3 Pro.

Out of the box, the Razer Kraken V3 Pro comes with everything you need to get gaming right away. In addition to the snazzy-looking headphones, you get a detachable microphone, USB dongle, USB-C charging cable, 3.5 mm cable (necessary if you want to use the headset for your Xbox One or smartphone), and a user manual. That is about it. I’ll admit I am disappointed it didn’t come with a carrying case or storage bag of some sort. Many headsets at that price point include one, so sadly you are SOL here.

Sexy Cans

The headset boasts a stylish design as the RGB lighting on the outer ear cups really pops. I do love the overall aesthetics. It looks and feels like a premium headset. Its construction is sturdy and super durable. The combination of matte and glossy finishes gives the headset a slick look.

The ear cups are large but they rest nicely over my ears. The plush memory foam leatherette ear cushions are comfortable but they do get hot. It doesn’t help that the weather has been warm the past few weeks but regardless, I did find my ears heat up after about half an hour of continued use. The headset is adjustable and features the trademark Razer logo etched on the headband. The microphone itself is detachable and flexible, which allows for easy positioning. I will admit, I do prefer a mic that flips up when not in use but that is more of a personal preference thing for me.

Overall, the Razer Kraken V3 Pro is certainly one of the better-looking headsets on the market, but it is pricey. Currently, at the time of writing, it’s $269.99 CND which makes it one of the more expensive headsets on the market. Especially when you consider the features. This headset doesn’t include Bluetooth connectivity and if you want to use it with your Xbox One or smartphone, you have to use the 3.5 mm cable. Frankly, if you are looking for a new headset for your Xbox One, I’d avoid the Kraken V3. Not only is having to plug in the cable to the Xbox controller a bit of a nuisance but ‘party chat’ was brutal. The echoing was so bad, I had to unplug the mic. Apparently, others have experienced this issue in ‘party chat’ on Xbox as well. It’s a huge bummer and something I wasn’t able to resolve at the time of writing.

Xbox mic issues aside, the Kraken V3 Pro delivers exceptional audio quality. Equipped with TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers, this headset packs a punch, delivering fantastic clarity, depth, and precision. Every in-game sound is meticulously captured. I could hear every footstep and bullet whizzing by in my Warzone games and I could hear every ‘Last of Us’ Clicker from afar. The sound was stunning. It’s unfortunate I had issues with the mic on Xbox because I didn’t experience those issues on PS5, at all. The mic was super clear on PS5. Others said my voice was coming through loud and clear with no echoing at all. Bottom line I was impressed with the sound but I am left with some mixed impressions regarding the Hypersense haptics technology.

Royal Rumble

Don’t get me wrong, I love having haptic technology in my controllers. The rumbling makes for a more immersive experience but in my ears, it’s a bit much. That said, the Hypersense haptics is an innovative feature and it’s very cool. The best way to describe this is to think of it as having subwoofers in your ears. Every time the audio intensifies in game, which is frequently, the haptic technology rumbles in your ears. There is certainly an added depth and immersion, but it’s frequent, relentless, and can be a bit distracting. I found myself turning it off more than I was leaving it on. Regardless, I can appreciate what Razer is trying to do and it certainly does make for an intense and immersive experience.

I should mention its wireless connectivity was seamless. In other words, the headset would instantly connect to all my devices after the USB was plugged in. The low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection made for a stable and lag-free audio experience. That said, the lack of a Bluetooth connection is an absolute bummer and in this day in age, should have been included.

There is no doubt the 44-hour battery life is impressive. Just keep in mind you have to leave the haptic bass feature and RGB lighting off if you want to pull 44 hours. Otherwise with both of those features on you only get 11 hours of battery life, which is not great but not horrible either.

Like other Razer headphones, the Synapse software provides a boatload of customization options. From EQ settings to customizing the RGB lighting, you have complete control over your gaming audio experience. It’s easy to use and a must for those that like to tweak their audio experience to match your gaming needs.

The Kraken V3 Pro is an excellent headset that features superb audio. Yet the lack of noise cancellation features, the lack of Bluetooth, and the absolutely horrible echo problem on Xbox Series X really dampens what should be an incredible audio experience. That said, if you are picking up the headset for your PS5 or PC, you won’t be disappointed. Xbox owners; however, should exercise caution.

**The headset was provided by Razer for the purpose of this review***