Razer Kraken V3 X Gaming Headset Review
The new Razer Kraken V3 X, at $69, is the cheapest headset in their lineup to offer full Chroma RGB lighting support. It’s also using the pads and microphone from the $59 BlackShark V2 X, the frame from the $39-$49 Kraken X, and new smaller 40mm TriForce drivers. It’s a true recycled product cobbled together out of other Razer designs that baffled me on first announcement and launch last week.
After a week of use, it didn’t really redeem itself. It works fine when considered in a total vacuum, but up against Razer’s other audio gear I’m not sure why it exists.
NOTE: I bought this headset with my own money. I don’t receive a kickback if you decide to buy one, and none of the links in this article are affiliate links. I wasn’t sponsored to write this, and I had full editorial control over this article.
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OVERVIEW
The Razer Kraken V3 X is a $69 closed back wired gaming headset that exclusively uses a USB connection (official site here). That means it works best on the PC platform, but it’ll also connect to consoles that work with generic USB audio like the PS4 and PS5. In the box, you get the headset itself, a code to download Razer’s basic 7.1 surround virtualization software, and some manuals and Razer Chroma stickers.
The presence of “V3” in the name is a little bit misleading, since this is the second version of the cheaper Kraken X frame that Razer launched a few years ago. I’m hopeful that this is a clue that Razer is also going to update the bigger Kraken with new drivers and a new microphone and call it the “Kraken V3” without an X, but they’ve been quiet about that so far.
Unfortunately, although it’s nice to see the technical innovations from the totally awesome BlackShark lineup come to the Kraken X…the sound quality is bad.
