Razer Kraken V3 Review

Razer’s reputation for quality gaming equipment needs no introduction. Their products have a distinctive look, feel and sound. The flagship pair of headphones from Razer is the Blackshark. And, despite its enormous success, Razer hasn’t left out the gamer on a tighter budget.

Enter the Razer Kraken V3 gaming headset. Razer’s answer to the flurry of budget gaming headsets that users have become spoiled with.

Could this be a safe option for the guy on a budget who is at peace with fewer features and capability, but still wants good build quality and proper sound? Let’s find out if the three-headed snake has done it once again in my in-depth Razer Kraken V3 Review.

Contents

Design and Build

Our rating:

(4.5 / 5)

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The Kraken V3 only comes in black, but this is not a bad thing. The design is edgy and beautifully low-key, as many Razer products are. The single branding mark on the outside of the ear cups is just subtle enough not to be overboard.

Being a less expensive model, the exposed wire running from each ear cup to the headband is not neon green but black. The weight of the headset in your hand is light and yet weighted enough where it counts to reassure you of money well spent.

High-Quality Construction

The ear cups and headband are made with high-grade memory foam, as seen on other Razer headsets. It makes for one of the comfiest and best fitting gaming headsets on the market. The ear cups are plenty wide and deep enough to accompany any size ear and have room to spare.

The size adjustment mechanism is easy to operate and clicks into place with satisfying sounds as you run it through the intervals. The ear cups can swivel vertically but not horizontally.

As far as sturdiness is concerned, the Kraken V3 can be twisted and bent in any way you desire. It will not break easily and will more than pay for itself in years of use if looked after. Furthermore, this is one of the most durable gaming headsets you can buy.

Fit and Comfort

The combination of super lightweight, high-quality memory foam, and proper stitching makes the Kraken V3 one of the most comfortable gaming headsets around. And that’s not only within its price range; there are much more expensive headsets out there that are not as comfortable as these.

One small downside, due to the lack of a horizontal swivel, there’s the smallest difference in pressure from front to back. To notice this would take hours of wear and concentration. But still, it is slightly biased to the front. For users wearing glasses, this may become apparent a bit faster.

Functions and Software

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The controls on the Kraken are straightforward and easy to understand. There’s a simple continuous volume control wheel and a mic mute button on the left ear cup. As with other Razer models, the mic is detachable.

A small downside with the Kraken is that the cable is not detachable. But you’re in the sub $100 territory. If you are gaming at your desk or close to the TV, you’ll be fine with the headset as is. But, if you’ve got a lazy boy and your console is across the room, you’re going to want to get an extension.

Synapse Software

As with many Razer headsets, one of the high points with the Kraken V3 is the access to Razer’s Synapse software. Once you have your device connected and the software is open, it automatically updates itself, and you are off to the races.

The interface has a simple yet stylish layout and design, which makes it that much more pleasing to use. You get access to Bass Boost and Normalization features which can be turned on or off and set to varying degrees. There is also a voice clarity control for the mic.

Customization

Once again, Razer provides its users with one of the best equalizers in any companion software out there. The synapse EQ has 10 bands and 5 slots that can be customized per global profile.

Global profiles are presets that save the EQ, Bass boost, Normalization, and Voice clarity values. Additionally, the user can create as many profiles as they like.

Furthermore, the Synapse software gives the user the ability to choose the color of the RGB lighting on the otherwise grey logos. A downside to consider with the synapse software is that it is not available on Mac OS yet.

Sound Quality

Flying high are the banner of Razer’s sound quality department, the beautiful 50mm drivers that I know so well and love so much. These are featured on most, if not all, of Razer’s gaming headsets, and there’s a good reason for that – they are fantastic.

The frequency response is 20Hz to 20kHz. The Kraken V3 supports THX Spatial Audio, and I highly recommend that you never turn it off.

The word I’d use to describe the brilliance of the Kraken V3’s sound is “Immersive.” I urge you to try games with very rich environments or intense directional sound experiences. The sound of the wind blowing through trees is real, detailed, and clear as can be.

Testing the soundstage…

Playing an open-world shooter like “Battlefield” is incredibly engaging, with bullets and footsteps coming across clear and with distinct directionality. The THX spatial audio has two modes: “Environmental” and “Competitive.”

In competitive mode, sounds are more enhanced and punchy, almost sharpened to a cinematic feel. In environmental mode, the world sounds big, and the details are crisp and immersive. If you want the most immersive sounding gaming headset, the Kraken V3 should be on your list.

The Kraken V3s have the most admirable of traits in a gaming headset, and that is a well-balanced low-end. Most headsets overcompensate with bass, and the result is the wind that sounds like a rainstorm. The Kraken V3, however, is impeccably balanced.

Mic Quality

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The mic quality on the Kraken could be considered its weakest link. Yet, compared to many competitors, it’s easily above average. The voice does lack some naturalness because of a slight cut in the lows. But, as far as clarity and volume are concerned, the Kraken V3 is excellent.