Designed to compete with the best gaming headsets without breaking the bank, Razer’s Kraken V3 X combines a comfortable earcup design with strong audio output, an excellent microphone and software that greatly enhances the experience. Thick thanks to Razer’s proprietary Triforce 40mm drivers, this $69 set of USB cans offers a touch of RGB-style in-the-ear cups.
Razer Kraken V3 X Specs
| Driver type: | 40mm. Neodymium Magnet |
| Impedance | 32 Ohm |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz – 28kHz |
| Microphone Type: | Cardioid Hyperclear Unidirectional |
| Connectivity | USB Type-A |
| Weight | 0.6 pounds (285 g) |
| cord length | USB Type-A cable: 1.8 meters |
| Relief | RGB on earcups |
| Software | Razer Synapse and 7.1 Surround Sound |
Design and comfort of Razer Kraken V3 X
Although it is made of lightweight plastic, the Razer Kraken V3 X feels very sturdy. The Hybrid-Fabric memory foam ear cups are wonderfully soft and the headband is highly adjustable and fits comfortably on my uncomfortably large head. When I plugged it in, the three-headed snake logo on each earcup lit up in RGB.
On the left earcup you’ll find the flexible Razer Hyper Clear cardioid microphone, which is quite bendable, with a volume knob and a mute button. The Razer Kraken V3 X is fine for extended use, as they don’t get very hot or warm with extended use, unlike many other over-the-ear style gaming headphones I’ve tested before.
Audio Performance of Razer Kraken V3 X
The headset uses a pair of 40mm Triforce drivers designed by Razer and they pump thunderous, distortion-free bass and sweet sound across the audio spectrum. From sweet, warm, throaty lows to angelic highs, the rich sound on the Razer Kraken V3 X surprised me.
First, I took to YouTube to listen to “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” by Busta Rhymes, as the thick, punchy bassline would be an excellent test of the Kraken V3 X’s capabilities. The unit came with flying colors because they produced a clear, loud, thunderous bass that Thor Odinson would be proud of.
My favorite moment came while listening to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire. At the beginning of the song, the Razer Kraken V3 X reproduced the softer notes of the finger clicks and the guitar melody sweetly. When the horn section takes over with its powerful rhythm, the Krakens proved they were audio titans.
The Razer Kraken V3 X also has a lot of gaming skills. While playing Borderlands 2, the spatial surround sound of 7.1 helped me hear some creeps on my right side, and I was able to quickly turn around with my sniper rifle and blow a villain’s head off before he could roast me with a flamethrower. . The sound of explosions was exquisite as I fired a barrel full of chemicals and took out three enemies.
After I was done with Borderlands 2 I decided to knock a few heads and so I launched Batman Arkham Knight and again the spatial sound software helped me when I heard footsteps to my left and I took down a would-be attacker. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the bone-crushing thrusts, and then my favorite sound, the thruster on the Batmobile firing, was bombastically reproduced, launching me off a bridge and onto a roof.
To test the movie viewing experience, I watched Avengers Infinity War through Disney Plus. The audio captured the thundering bass and every nuance so well that it felt like I was watching this movie in an IMAX theater.
During the scene where Starlord feels insecure about Thor’s presence and begins to deepen his voice, I noticed the subtle difference in tone from the moment Chris Pratt begins his impression. Every fight scene and explosion was so realistic. When Iron Man fights Thanos and he digs the feet of his armor and gives Thanos a double blow and knocks him into the rubble, I could literally hear individual rocks swinging and landing somewhere else.
Microphone on Razer Kraken V3 X
The Razer Kraken V3 X comes with Razer’s HyperClear cardioid microphone, which has a nominal frequency response of 100-10,000 Hz with a sensitivity of -42dB. It’s very flexible and pliable and does a really good job of recording audio.
I attended Google Meet for an afternoon and everyone said my voice came in loud and clear, my natural deep timbre was picked up nicely by the mic and when I appeared on my friend’s baseball podcast he commented that the mic had excellent pickup and very nicely captured.
Razer Kraken V3 X Features and Software
The Razer Kraken V3 X is a solid performer on its own, but I highly recommend downloading Razer’s Synapse software that lets you configure the RGB lighting effects, create lighting profiles, and adjust the volume.
The real winner here is Razer’s 7.1 Surround Sound download; it is the game changer and the sound quality takes a lot of teeth. The normal audio performance as mentioned before is solid. However, the really thunderous, high-quality audio that makes these cans worth their weight is when the device is paired with the software. They go from sounding like $69 headphones to sounding like $200 headphones.
Bottom Line
For $69.99 you get great sounding headphones, especially when you think about downloading Razer’s 7.1 surround sound software. Yes they are plastic but they are very stylish with the RGB lighting adding a bit of panache and flair. The Kraken V3 X is also super lightweight, the hybrid cloth and memory foam cups envelop your ears in plush comfort.
With the excellent microphone performance, you can bark commands to your friends during games or even host a podcast with crystal clear sound. If you don’t mind spending a little more and want a headset with a 3.5mm jack then you should consider the HyperX Cloud Alpha, but if you want a quality, affordable USB gaming headset the Razer Kraken is the one. . V3X a good choice.