Razer has a healthy range of gaming headsets and many of them sit in the upper echelons of ‘best of’ lists across the Internet. Known as the Razer Kraken, it is part of a mini-set of Razer gear designated as the manufacturer’s ‘must-have series’.The Kraken is the third generation of this headset and promises a polished, extended bit of kit that builds on all the good and great that came before It’s a great headset, and it’s a great headset. But is it true? And how does it stack up against the products that rank in our Best Gaming Headsets list?
At first glance, it looks just like the Pro V2 and Tournament Edition, and that’s okay; the Kraken series has maintained its distinctive style and quality build throughout this headset. The exterior and aesthetics are largely familiar, while enhancements and development took place under the hood. The exterior is just as cool as previous Kraken models, retaining unique design quirks and color combinations. The two main elements of the solid headband and half-open earcups come together seamlessly and still work as a whole. The headband is more cushioned than ever, and the sizing ratchet has a firm, non-slip click. The headband is more cushioned than ever, and the sizing ratchet clicks firmly and does not slip. Impressive.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]The Kraken also performs well in gaming: Although the Kraken is a tournament edition for the PC, we tested its performance in all current gaming formats. First, in our current favorite test game, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Kraken performed well on every bass element of Ubisoft’s AAA game flagship. When waves crash against the side of the Adestria, the headset reproduces it well (rather fittingly, given its name). Also, in combat scenes, the emphasis on bass makes each impact and collision sound meaty and holistic; where Kraken is a little less so is in the treble and high frequencies, which are not quite as rich. Also, listening to the ambient world, there is a lack of detail that is present in other high-end headsets.
The Kraken is quite good in terms of dialogue, with a somewhat flatter range of sound, so the mix of dialogue and accompanying audio in games such as “Assassin’s Creed” is less problematic. In-game music is also fairly well represented, although the Odyssey’s soundtrack again shows a lack of clarity on the higher-pitched guitar numbers. As a single-player headset, it is fine, but may be inferior to high-end TV speakers.