Verdict The Kraken X Lite headset ticks all the right boxes for headphones and its capabilities greatly exceed its price. Previous models, such as the standard Kraken, represent great value for money in terms of gaming headphones, and the new version has been built with buyers on a budget in mind. The grey and black of the two-tone colouring offset each other nicely, helping to maintain that sense of style throughout the entire product.
The ear cushions fit tightly and snugly, which really does cement you right in the middle of any battles or prog-rock soundscapes you happen to be involved with. There’s a decent-length cable too, which means you’re not tugging on the wire for dear life when strapped into those long gaming sessions. Despite the lack of on-board controls, the volume level of the Razer Kraken X Lite, especially when cranked up to the max, is enough to blow your eardrums out.
There’s enough bass to pick up the sound of an incoming grenade (and the accompanying explosions) and plenty of scope to hear an entire battle unfold. In the box you’ll find an access code to Razer’s 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound system, which works with an app that you download from the website.
When it’s enabled, it changes the audio profile completely, thrusting you into the centre of Abbey Road Studios for The Beatles’ last hurrah on The End, or on stage next to Brian Johnson for an AC/DC gig. Sure, these headphones aren’t designed for ardent audiophiles, but for general gaming or day-to-day listening to your playlist of banging tunes, they’re perfectly usable. Both through standard recording and while playing with friends, the microphone certainly did a fantastic job of picking up my voice and cancelling out the blaring music from the next room.
Gaming Review: Razer Kraken X Lite – A Great Option for Entry-level Gaming
Razer’s budget bet is a decent pair of standard gaming headphones that does not turn heads but gets the job done. Razer Kraken X Lite Bottom Line The build quality and the overall premium feel are severely lacking in these headphones.
The brand was catapulted to fame in the early 2000s when it released a soon-to-be-legendary gaming mouse, the Razer Boomslang. Through the years, Razer has continuously improved its mastery of sound technology which was solidified with its acquisition of THX Ltd. in 2016. Inside, the headphones are placed in a grey styrofoam bag resting in another pull-out carton box. To me, it was a gentle reminder that the Kraken X Lite are one of the most affordable products from the brand and that expectations should be managed moving forward.
I got the classic Black Kraken X Lite and they really looked like a pair of Razer headphones right out of the gate. Both of the ear cups and the middle part of the headband feature around half-inch plush memory foam paddings. I also appreciated the small numbers indicating the levels inside the headband that you’ll see when you adjust the headphones.
Since this is the Lite version of the Kraken X, they do not feature the convenient mute button and the volume dial on the left ear cup.
Because of this, I sometimes find myself just leaving the mic on all the time, even though I would usually mute them in some circumstances, just because I didn’t want to bother adjusting the settings. I also couldn’t adjust the volume fast enough when my teammates start screaming too loud or when the game sound just becomes too intolerable.
Razer did not disclose the material they used as an insulator for the cable but it’s some sort of rigid nylon that feels flexible and durable to an extent. Wired gaming headphones would always feature lengthy cables that could, admittedly, get in the way of mobile gamers.
In my case, I do prefer overly cushioned headphones with pillow-like paddings and, I must say, that the Kraken X Lite got this one right. Both ear cups of the headphones are lined with half-inch memory foam paddings covered in leatherette. I did not have a problem using these for long periods of time and I didn’t experience any ear sweats or other forms of fatigue. With a well-thought and clean design, the Kraken X Lite definitely excels in comfort the most, compared to other areas of this review.
These headphones feature a hidden eyewear channel where your glasses would slot in to ensure that you won’t feel any sliver of pain. The mic, however, can only isolate the noise to a certain level like keyboards and light taps so high-noise settings such as highways are not ideal.
Admittedly, I wasn’t really expecting much from the Kraken X Lite and their 40mm drivers in terms of sound quality — and I was right to do so. After all, they are budget gaming headphones so, for me, as long as they produce the right sound details and proper directional audio, they would be fine.
Playing mostly first-person shooter (FPS) games, I couldn’t help but notice that the Kraken X Lite provided great details. I heard the littlest clanking sounds of empty bullet shells touching the ground, enemy footsteps, and I also didn’t have a hard time hearing my team.
The Kraken X Lite’s 7.1 surround sound allowed me to accurately pinpoint the direction and distance of my enemies in-game. The audio wasn’t just simply blasted through the left or right ear cups and the headphones used volume control masterfully to indicate proper positioning. Despite being a budget bet, Razer chose to include their proprietary surround sound feature because they know that their market will be looking for it. With all these, I was able to bear long hours of gaming and, to some extent, was also able to hear the directions of the sounds without the distraction of any impactful bass.
First, the Kraken X has two nifty features — a mute button on the left ear cup and a volume dial under that. It’s a lot easier to simply toggle these buttons instead of going through your console settings every time you need to mute the mic or adjust the volume. At 250g, the Razer Kraken X are 20g heavier than the lite version but, quite frankly, you probably won’t even feel the difference in weight. MPOW’s budget bet feature metal clamps on their ear cups and they generally feel a lot more premium than the Kraken X Lite. I’m also a big fan of the Kraken X Lite’s seamless and featherweight design that really lessens the tendency for ear fatigue and sweating. I also found the Kraken X Lite more comfortable and I really appreciated their adjustment locks — a feature that isn’t present in the Air SE. They are both simple headphones that get the job done but Kraken X Lite’s 7.1 Surround Sound gives them a slight edge in terms of usability. If you want to learn more about these headphones, feel free to check out our MPOW Air SE gaming review
The standard Kraken X are 20g heavier because of two additional features — the mic mute button and the volume dial. Career gamers would probably appreciate the effort that Razer has done for the Kraken X Lite, but it will undeniably fall short of their gaming gear shopping list.
Razer Kraken X review: “Worthy of the Kraken name – as is its X Lite sibling”
An affordable addition to the Kraken line that falters due to its non-detachable mic and flies with superb 7.1 surround sound on PC. An affordable addition to the Kraken line that falters due to its non-detachable mic and flies with superb 7.1 surround sound on PC.
We got the redesigned Razer BlackWidow keyboard earlier in 2019, and now it’s the Kraken headset’s turn.
Designed as a cheaper alternative, the budget Razer Kraken X aims to prove that you don’t need to spend the earth to get good quality audio. That’s accompanied by memory-foam cushioning with eyewear channels, positional audio, and a built-in microphone that’s flexible but permanently attached. Most notably, they give the illusion of a continuous loop rather than twin bars connecting the headrest and body as per their predecessor. One of our favorites is the Mercury White edition released earlier in 2020 – it makes for a sharp and stylish alternative to the black headsets we’re generally used to. They balance sharp, clear highs with rumbling lows, and the positional sound is pretty good as well.
Yes, the latter’s unsubtle (audio is dumped entirely onto the left or right ear the moment you turn away, for instance) but it’s not bad for an affordable headset. If you have the standard Kraken X, it’s easy to fiddle with the volume and/or activate the mute button via on-board controls as well. Alongside richer audio and a greater depth of sound, the surround is more subtle and immersive as a result. While there’s an argument to be made for saving up and grabbing the superior Kraken Tournament Edition instead, these are still some of the best PC headsets for gaming we’ve gotten our hands on.
Razer Kraken X Lite Gaming Headset – PC
Gebruik nauwkeurige positionele audio met surroundsound 7.1, terwijl de zachte oorkussens en verstelbare hoofdband je in alle comfort laten gamen. Ervaar surroundsound 7.1 voor nauwkeurige positionele audio in elke game-omgeving – van een explosieve totale oorlog tot heimelijke operaties*. Ervaar superieure audio door het extreem lichte ontwerp van slechts 230 g, terwijl je urenlang gamet zonder dat je headset een last wordt.
Buigbare cardioïde microfoon onderdrukt geluid van achteren en opzij
Het cardioïde opnamepatroon registreert geluid vanuit een kleinere hoek. De in-game audio zorgt voor levensechte details, van gedempte voetstappen tot krachtige explosies. Game op je pc, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch en mobiele apparaten. Met een splitterkabel als verlengstuk heb je ook volledige audio- en mic-toegang voor afzonderlijke uitgangs- en ingangspoorten.
Razer Kraken X Lite Ultralight Gaming Headset Review [2021]
While the Kraken has seen many iterations over the years, some of which include the tournament edition and ultimate version, among others. PRODUCT INFO Kraken X Lite Ultralight Manufacture Razer Available at View at Amazon
The latest iteration, the Kraken X Lite focuses purely on both of those things. For the average gamer, the Kraken X Lite looks like one of the best Razer headphones we’ve seen yet.
Razer has stuck with the black and green color scheme for a long time now. This is quite a contrast to other high-end headsets, such as what we saw in our HyperX Cloud II Wireless Review. We have a picture of the headset itself, some of the main features, and a platform compatibility list at the bottom. Finally, the headset sits inside of a brown cardboard box within plastic packaging. Similar to previous entries in the Kraken lineup, this headset is sleek and stylish. To put it simply, what we have here is a slight redesign of the classic Kraken headset.
While they could have added an aluminum headband, we’re not too bothered as long as the comfort holds up to the claims. On the standard Razer Kraken X, you can find onboard volume controls like a dial and a mic mute button on the left earcup.
As mentioned before, this headset has an adjustable hinge, and it can fit larger head sizes with no problem. The earcups use a light memory foam padding, while the headband uses artificial leather. On a related note, you should also check out our HyperX Cloud II Review if you are interested in more gaming headphones. All of these things like the lightweight design, earpads, and minor clamping force make this one of the comfortable headsets out there. The Razer Kraken X Lite uses a unidirectional cardioid microphone that is permanently attached. The mic here is excellent, and it makes a couple of improvements coming from the previous versions.
This is because the microphone doesn’t use USB, so you’ll have to adjust everything in your PC settings or audio interface. Vocals sound crystal clear with this mic, and you can’t clip it even if you get extremely loud.
You miss out on some of the higher-end features like chat mix and side-tone, but we were expecting that for the price. Surprisingly, it sounds relatively more balanced than any other Razer headset we’ve tried before. Unlike previous headsets, the bass does not storm in and make everything sound muddy. It’s powerful, sure, but it sounds a bit more mature and subdued compared to previous Razer headsets.
While these aren’t audiophile-grade headphones, they’ll sound great to most people, especially gamers. We doubt anyone is going to mind since if you’re looking for that sort of sound, you shouldn’t be looking at a gaming headset in the first place.
A perfect solution would be one that widens the soundstage, having great positional audio and no impact on the actual quality. Razer is giving gamers a lightweight and affordable headset, that is a very capable and sensible option for many people.
Customer Reviews: Razer Kraken X Lite Wired 7.1 Gaming Headset Black RZ04-02950100-R381
Dont expect an all encompassing binarual experience, but for the money you should be pleasently stisfied with the surround sound capabilites this set packs in. I even let my boyfriend use them for a coupe hours while he games, and after about 30-40 minutes in, he too began experincing the irration and redness caused by the thin layeing of fabirc between the speaker and your ear. That being said, the muffs are large enough to fit my ears comfortably and any larger would jst make it that much more uncomfortable, but im glad that, for me atleast ,they fir=t nicely in that respect.
Razer Kraken X review
Gamers don’t get much in the way of features but the onboard controls, boom mic, and 7.1 surround sound cover the necessities. The Razer Kraken X headset is made for gamers on a budget and works just as well for anyone who needs over-ears with an integrated boom mic. They’re not intended to leave your gaming station and include a dedicated audio/mic splitter cable for computers with separate inputs.
If your desktop has separate audio and mic inputs, you’ll need to use the included splitter for full functionality.
The Razer Kraken X works with virtually any platform, making it a valuable contender within the gaming headset market. The headphones lack in-line controls but do feature a volume dial and mute button on the left ear cup.
The 40mm dynamic drivers reproduce a natural representation of three-dimensional space, something gamers should require from any headset. This realistic perception of sound makes it easier to spatially understand where enemies are located. When playing Destiny, alien footsteps were easy to identify and I predicted which doorways potential threats emerged from. While the frequency response chart appears rather odd, the headphones sound good for their price point. The broad dip from 1-6.5kHz isn’t as dramatic as it looks, but does subject high-pitched frequencies, like harmonics, to auditory masking. The headset’s amplified bass response lends itself nicely to Brown’s folksy style, stressing the drum kicks.
Meanwhile, the light midrange emphasis highlights Brown’s voice even more than the mix intended, which works well for the genre. The microphone doesn’t do a great job at mitigating ambient noise, but if you’re in a quiet room it shouldn’t be too noticeable. The Razer Nari Ultimate is a more premium gaming headset that has a louder design with its LED lights. The Kraken X is a wired-only gaming headset, while the Nari Ultimate supports a wireless connection via the USB adapter.
While wireless support is nice, it also means that you have to be aware of battery life: the Nari Ultimate provides 8 hours, 22 minutes of playtime before you have to recharge them. If you’re able to splurge on a similarly sized gaming headset with a slightly more neutral sound signature, look into the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless.
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