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.
Razer Kraken X Review
Unfortunately, its poor bass performance doesn’t bode well for action and shooter games, where loud and deep explosions are the norm. And now refreshed with a Mercury White colour option, the Razer Kraken remains one of the best gaming headsets at an affordable price.
The rest of the headset is made of plastic, but with a sturdy build and smooth finish, it certainly doesn’t feel cheap.
Razer has recently been expanding the colour options of its peripherals to appeal to a broader audience, and I’m a big fan.
The white plastic complements the grey padding well here, and it’s a nice change to the blacks and silvers you usually find with peripherals, without going garish with flamboyant colours. The inspiring soundtrack of Civilization VI sounded great with the headset, as did Sean Bean’s purring monologues.
When playing Apex Legends though, I immediately noticed that explosions and gunfire lacked depth and sounded a little hollow compared to more expensive gaming headsets I’ve used recently. To enable the 7.1 surround sound, you must download software from Razer’s website and then punch in a code that comes bundled in the box – important to bear in mind if you’re buying second-hand.
This will then link to your Razer account, allowing you to use it with multiple computers but, unfortunately, not with consoles – the Kraken X still works with the PS4, Xbox and Switch, you just miss out on 7.1 surround sound. It’s a far better offering than most budget options, with a super-comfortable, robust design and useful features like 7.1 surround sound, while undercutting the cost of more premium headsets by a decent margin. It’s no problem for vocals and soundtracks but its low-quality bass means gunshots, grenades and bombastic set pieces lack the gravitas found with more expensive alternatives. It’s also worth bearing in mind that the Razer Kraken Lite is available at an even cheaper price, despite essentially being the same headset, just without the on-headset volume controls and microphone switch.
At its current price, the Kraken X is still a good option for those who don’t want to spend a fortune, while the introduction of the new Mercury White design has widened its appeal even further.
Razer Kraken X Review: A Solid $50 Gaming Headset
While gaming headsets in the $100 range tend to marry good sound quality to attractive designs, those that cost between $50 and $60 always seem to sacrifice something. The Razer Kraken X is no exception to this rule, with subpar music performance and an inconvenient microphone. Furthermore, it’s extremely comfortable to wear for hours at a time and lightweight enough to make you forget how oversized Razer’s other headsets, like the Kraken Tournament Edition, tend to be.
If you need a cheap gaming headset that sounds pretty good and works with everything you own, this is an easy recommendation, even though it’s not quite yet a definitive one.
You get an all-black plastic chassis with subtle honeycomb designs and Razer logos on the ear cups. I spent most of my time with the Kraken X trying it out with various PC games, including Overwatch, StarCraft: Remastered, World of Warcraft and Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition.
The headset excelled with voice work, such as the character quips in Baldur’s Gate, as well as music, like StarCraft’s driving background beats. Likewise, the Kraken X delivered high-quality sound on portable platforms, whether I was exploring the forests of Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition on the Switch or probing the dungeons of Dragon Quest III on Android.
The sound isn’t quite as deep or nuanced as what you’d get in a more expensive headset, but the Kraken X more than holds its own against competitors like the HyperX Cloud Stinger ($50) and the Roccat Renga Boost ($60). Purchasing a new Kraken X gives you access to Razer’s proprietary surround-sound software, which you can use to enable digital 7.1 surround sound. However, a lot of background noise came through loud and clear as well, including my co-workers’ conversations a whole row of desks away. I tested the Kraken X with music from Old Crow Medicine Show, Flogging Molly, The Rolling Stones and G.F. Handel to see how well it tackled various genres, and it didn’t do all that well.
The Kraken X will work in a pinch — music doesn’t sound fuzzy or far away, like it does on a lot of comparable headsets — but it’s not great. But for $50, it’s an extremely solid headset, providing good in-game sound and a comfortable fit for hours on end.
Customer Reviews: Razer Kraken Wired 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Series X
Second reason is the headset is very comfortable to wear for long sessions because of the size and shape of the ear cushions gel in them. This headset does not have any outstanding flaws of function or design, although there are a couple areas for slight improvement.
Razer Kraken X Multi-Platform Gaming Headset (Mercury)
Enter the Razer Kraken X. Ultra-light at just 250g and ultra-immersive with 7.1 surround sound. Equipped with 7.1 surround sound software so you can experience accurate positional audio when gaming—you’ll be able to pick up the direction of where the action is coming from so you’re ready to pounce into a gunfight. Featuring custom-tuned 40mm drivers, the Razer Kraken X produces clear and balanced sound from thundering explosions in all-out wars to subtle footsteps in stealthy covert operations.
Engineered with a lightweight form factor for a near-weightless feel on your head.
The flexible and bendable microphone utilizes a cardioid pattern that records sound from an area that focuses on your mouth. This helps to capture your voice with clarity while suppressing background noise from the back and sides.
The microphone mute button and volume slider is easily accessed underneath the left earcup for convenient control. The Razer Kraken X is compatible with PC, Mac, Xbox One*, PS4, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices with a 3.5mm audio jack.
Oval ear cushions: Designed for full-ear coverage with leatherette, for sound isolation and comfort
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.
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