The Razer Kraken X are basic headphones for gaming. They aren’t as big as other Razer headsets we’ve tried and aren’t as heavy, but they are still pretty comfortable. Their boom microphone records well and can handle noise well, and the wired connection makes sure that there is no audio latency while gaming. Unfortunately, they feel like they were made on the cheap, and their simple controls aren’t good enough for everyday use. They also have a sound that isn’t quite balanced. Still, if you like a louder, bassier sound, you might want to think about them for console or PC gaming.
1. Design
The Razer Kraken X looks a lot like the Razer Kraken USB and other headsets made by the same company. They have a wide headband and big, round ear cups with the Razer logo on each side. Since they aren’t as bulky as the Razer Kraken Pro V2 or the Razer Pro Tournament Edition, they have a bit more of a casual look. However, they are still big headphones. You can get them in a black design or with blue details.
These headphones are pretty comfortable. They’re a bit big, and the band around the head feels tight, like it’s squeezing the head. They have thick padding in the ear cups, which helps spread the pressure around the ears. They also have a decently padded headband, and they are very light, so they don’t feel too heavy. They might not be the best for long gaming sessions, but they are comfortable enough for shorter games. Check out the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless if you want a more comfortable pair of gaming headphones.
The controls on the Razer Kraken X are not very good. It’s easy to use, but it doesn’t do as much as it could. On the left ear cup, there is a volume wheel and a button to mute the microphone. The mic button feels like it clicks, but the volume wheel doesn’t give much feedback because it doesn’t have any clear notches. It doesn’t have any controls for playing music or managing calls, which would be helpful for everyday use. It also doesn’t have any controls for mixing channels or taking calls.
The Razer Kraken X doesn’t let in as much air as most over-ear gaming headphones. Their closed-back ear cups and thick pads that look like leather block a lot of airflow, which makes a noticeable difference in temperature when listening to music or playing games for a long time. After a few hours of casual use, they can start to warm up your ears. If you wear them while exercising, your ears are likely to sweat.
The fit of the Razer Kraken X is stable. Their light design fits securely on the head and doesn’t move around much unless you shake your head very hard. But their cable can’t be taken off, so if it gets caught on something, it could pull the headphones off your head.
2. Sound
The Razer Kraken X have a sound that is dark and uneven. The bump from high bass to low midrange makes some mixes sound a little boomy and can make vocals and lead instruments sound a little less clear. The dip in the low treble range can hide the finer details of some higher notes.
The Razer Kraken X does a good job with bass. It lacks a bit of low-bass, which can take away the thump and rumble from some sound effects as well as EDM and hip-hop songs. Overemphasizing the high-bass response can give a mix more warmth, but it can also make it sound boomy and muddy. Still, their bass response can be very different depending on how they fit, seal, and are placed, so your experience may be different.
Their performance in the middle range is very good. The overemphasis on bass goes on into the low-mid range, which can make dialogue, vocals, and lead instruments sound a little muddy and crowded. The rest of the response, though, is pretty even and balanced, so vocals and lead instruments should sound clear and present.
3. Isolation
The Razer Kraken X does a good job of letting sound out. If you listen to loud music in a quiet room, you might bother people nearby, but most of the sound that gets out should be drowned out by the background noise in a typical office.
The Razer Kraken X doesn’t keep out noise very well. They don’t really block out low-frequency noises like the rumble of bus and plane engines. They do a little better with mid-range background noise, but you’ll probably still hear some people talking in the background. Noises in the treble range, like the hum of an air conditioner, are mostly blocked out.
4. Microphone
The microphone is great for making recordings. Speech that has been recorded sounds full, clear, and natural, but not as bright as it could be. The JBL Quantum 100 is a good alternative that costs about the same and has a boom microphone that can be removed.
All View
The Razer Kraken X are good for gaming with a wire. They are made to be pretty comfortable. They have a great boom mic, so your teammates should be able to hear you clearly. Unfortunately, they have a lot of bass in their sound, which could make game dialogue or music hard to hear, and their control scheme is very simple.
