Razer’s Kraken line is a bit of a staple when it comes to gaming headsets, typically putting very decent sound quality inside a classically-styled set of cans with well-rounded features. Nothing especially flashy, but incredibly solid. With the Kraken V4, that philosophy hasn’t really changed much, which is far from a bad thing. This is, through and through, a mid-range wireless gaming headset packing handy connectivity, good looks and great sound.
One of my immediate, positive impressions of the Kraken V4 was with its packaging, with the headset shipping in a much smaller and plastic-free box than I’m used to. It’s a really thoughtful design that makes for a great unboxing experience and shows that Razer’s put a lot of thought into sustainability that doesn’t sacrifice quality. In the box you get the actual headset, of course, along with a USB-C HyperSpeed wireless adapter, USB cable and USB-C extender, and of course a small instruction manual with a sheet of Razer stickers.
The headset itself is aesthetically quite similar to the previous generation/s, sporting an uncomplicated and not-unexpected design that screams “if it ain’t broke,” though there’s one significant difference that won’t be obvious until we actually power the headset on. Crucially, it’s well-built and feels just as premium as it looks, with lots of cushioning on the headband and ear cups that means I’ve been able to wear it for hours on end while testing it out and had little discomfort – perhaps a touch more weight and pressure than I’m used to from current my go-to, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, but definitely one of the comfier gaming headsets I’ve had the pleasure of using.
THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $329.95 FROM RAZER
Accompanying the cups is a standard array of physical buttons for connection controls, power (a differently-textured button, which is a nice touch) a volume dial and the like, plus the fully-retractable “HyperClear” wideband mic, but it’s what’s adorning the outside of each of them that’s new in this iteration of the Kraken – a pair of 9-zone RGB lighting displays. Recently when reviewing gaming gear, especially that of Razer’s, I’ve praised the shift away from tons of gaudy RGB lighting, so my initial reaction here was apprehension. The moment I turned the headset on though, that all faded away. Sure, nobody wearing the headset is even going to see these in use but goodness does it look nice.
Of course, the important thing here is how the Kraken V4 sounds, and the good news is that it’s another excellent performer from the Kraken line with crisp, high-definition audio right out of the box from its 40mm TriForce Titanium drivers. My first use of the headset was with my PS5, playing a fairly eclectic range of games like Zenless Zone Zero, Visions of Mana and a bit of Fortnite, and it handled everything with a great deal of clarity and punch that’ll suit everything from cinematic RPGs to intense multiplayer shooters and in-between. A lot of headsets I’ve used on console have tended toward a deep low end or really sharp highs, but this one felt suitably balanced right away without missing any details in games, movies or even a bit of music while I was grinding Inter-Knot level for hours in ZZZ.
Of course, connecting the Kraken V4 to a PC opens up even more options, with a wealth of enhancements available in the Razer Synapse app from THX Spatial Audio to customisable sound profiles that can be saved to the headset, control over the quality and volume of the very decent wideband mic and of course plenty of settings to tweak that 9-zone RGB effect. Lighting aside, it’s much the same as what you’ll see from other Razer headsets on the software side, though the dual-connectivity of the 2.4GHz USB-C dongle and Bluetooth means you can game and take (or ignore) calls at the same time, which is handy.
To get even more out of the THX Spatial Audio features of the Kraken V4, you can also download a whole extra app from Razer that allows you to do some neat things like edit the position and volume of every virtual speaker and mess with similar EQ settings to the Razer Synapse app, though you need to buy a license to use it for more than 15 days and it doesn’t add that much more.
In terms of battery life, Razer rates the Kraken V4 at 70 hours without RGB lighting or 35 hours with it, both when using the 2.4GHz USB-C dongle. I’ve been using the headset for a few hours a day for just under two weeks and I’m only now reaching for the charger, so I’d say those claims are pretty much bang on.
