PC & Console Peripherals

Razer Kraken X Review – Beginner Headset with 7.1 Sound

They have already proven that Razer can do good headsets in several tests. As recently shown in our test for the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition. With the Kraken X there’s now a beginner’s headset that even offers 7.1 surround sound and costs only 60 Euros. But can this headset also be for this price?

Design and Features

The Razer Kraken X gets along without a lot of bells and whistles and pompous packaging with a lot of nonsense in it. On the box you can see only the headset and the features. Inside the headset is hidden including the Y-splitter, because the headset itself only has a combined 3.5 mm jack plug. At 1.3 meters, the cable isn’t exactly long either, so the splitter cable of 1.5 meters is almost obligatory for the PC. But it also includes an important piece of cardboard. Under the scratch field there is a code for Synapse 2.0 to be able to use the 7.1 surround sound at all.

With the Kraken X, Razer takes a minimalist path and even renounces his own recognition feature – the colour green. The headset is completely in plain black. Even the manufacturer’s logo on the ear cups is simply black. It is only accentuated by a mesh grid around it. But this is only for cosmetic purposes, because the headphones are completely closed.

The controls are located on the left earpiece. A switch for the microphone to mute it, and a volume control that could be bigger. Otherwise, the knob is easy to turn and has enough resistance. The mute switch also has clear feedback.

Technical Details

Name Razer Kraken X
Frequency 12 Hz – 28 kHz
Diameter driver 40 mm
Driver technology Neodymium
Impendance, sensitivity 32 Ohm, 109 dB
microphone polar pattern Undirectional ECM-ARM
Type Electret capacitor
Frequency range 100 Hz – 10 kHz
Weight 250 g
Connection 3.5mm jack (4-pin)
Compatibility PC, PS4 / Pro, XBox One / S / X, Mac, Smartphone, Tablet
Price € 52.91 *

Workmanship

The Razer Kraken X is made entirely of plastic, which is probably why the headset’s price is so favourable. Due to this fact it doesn’t feel very good. In addition, the headset is very stiff and you get the feeling that it breaks easily.

But the ear cushions lift the first impression again. They have an imitation leather cover and are padded with “Memory Foam”, so they give way nicely, but return to their original shape. Also the processing of the seams is good. The pads can be easily removed for cleaning. The only disadvantage is the closed construction in combination with the artificial leather. You sweat quite quickly, especially at the past temperatures.

Although the headset is mainly made of plastic, there are also advantages. With only 250 grams the Razer Kraken X is really light. Lightweight headset plus good padding, so perfect wearing comfort at the same time? Let’s clarify that now.

Wearing Comfort

A comfortable seat is a must, especially for longer sessions. Due to the low weight and the good padding the Kraken X does not have a problem. People who wear glasses or users with small heads will also like this headset.

The result is a great wearing comfort, even after a few hours in front of the tube. However, sweaty ears are not uncommon due to the material used.

Sound

At a price of 60 Euro one could already assume that the Kraken X is not really the bringer. In fact, the bass is a bit too powerful, but the highs and lows are well balanced. With Synapse 2.0, Razer’s software solution, the headset can’t be further adjusted and fine-tuned.

The Kraken X then cuts a good figure in in-game. Ambient noises as well as steps can be easily assigned, the locating is just as easy. The virtual 7.1 surround sound enlarges the sound space. Compared to real surround sound, the virtual version can’t keep up, of course. But more than enough for gambling.

To listen only to music, the Kraken X falls out completely. The claim of a gaming headset is certainly not the crystal clear reproduction of songs. This becomes noticeable with vocals, because they are clear and distinct. Everything else (height, middle and depth) is not perfectly tuned to each other. This is particularly noticeable in titles with many instruments. For listening to music in between, however, it is enough.

Microphone

Further economy measures become clear with the microphone. It cannot be folded up completely, is not removable or retractable. However, it is flexible enough to find the right position. But the sound is not convincing. As can be heard in the speech test (video), the microphone likes to overdrive. Due to the missing connection to the software, unfortunately nothing can be adjusted anymore. It is sufficient in matters of communication with your team, but for other purposes, such as live streaming, the Razer Kraken X unfortunately falls out.

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For the casual gambler the microphone is sufficient, but it could not convince completely.

Software

Although the Razer Kraken X has a connection to Synpase 2.0, this point is quickly worked off. To use the 7.1 surround sound, you need the Razer software where you can simply turn this option on and off for the headset. There are no more options.

Conclusion

The Razer Kraken X is a beginner headset with strengths and weaknesses. With 60 Euro it is certainly not the cheapest headset for beginners, but you get a good sound for gambling. Listening to music via the headset is not advisable, you won’t be happy with it.

Unfortunately, the Kraken X is completely made of plastic and feels a bit cheap, even the optics itself doesn’t look very high quality. Comfort is guaranteed with the good cushions (ear and head) and longer gaming sessions are no problem for the headset. Unfortunately, you sweat quite quickly through the imitation leather.

A simple starter headset is the Kraken X* definitely. At 60 Euro UVP you can’t expect a high-end product.

Razer Kraken X

Workmanship
Comfort
Sound Quality
Recording Quality
Features
Value for Money

Good entry-level headset

With the Kraken X you get a good headset for relatively little money.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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