1 
0 It’s been a full-on Razer few weeks here at TC HQ. Firstly we have my recent review of the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro Headset and now the Razer Kraken V4. We may just have something else from Razer coming soon too. But that’s not what we’re here for today! I really like that Razer level up their hardware with an extra version number. Rather than giving it a whole new name. It just makes sense.
So with the fourth iteration of the Razer Kraken range, let’s take a dive into the hardware and see what we find.
Release the Kraken!
If you are a fan of the Razer hardware then get in touch, we love to hear from like-minded gamers, all our social links are at the bottom of the article.
Design
The Razer Kraken V4 has a lot of typical Razer design nods. The headset is sturdy, it feels solid both when picking it up and wearing it. Weighing 350g it’s not a light headset, but it by no means will put a strain on your neck either.
Straight out of the box, you will notice the soft breathable fabric of the memory foam cushions that adorn each ear cup. Ensuring you stay cool during those long gaming sessions. Even throughout a particularly sweaty game of Call of Duty! All of the buttons you will need are around the different ear cups, with the majority around the left. Textured buttons mean you don’t mis-press something in the heat of battle either.
The Razer Kraken V4 also has an extendable mic on that signature Razer HyperClear Super Wideband.
Did we mention the RGB? With 9 separate RGB zones on the earcup, you can use one of the premade patterns or create your own. You can customise your own pattern using one of the 16.8 million colours available to you. Add to the Razer Chroma app and you can make use of the lighting with over 300 games, and 500 devices. Personally I always go for the fire setting, it just gives a nice red/orange/yellow glow. It isn’t like you can see the colours when its on your head anyway, but we all know RGB makes us better gamers!
Connectivity
Coming in the box with the Razer Kraken V4 is the HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle. With both 2.4 GHz as well as Bluetooth 5.3, whichever way you want to connect to your computer you can get brilliant audio. Connecting to your device is as simple as plugging the dongle into an available USB-C port and turning the headset on. Unless you are connecting via Bluetooth, in which case there are a few extra steps.
You can connect the headset via a wire if you also wish. Particularly handy if you have forgotten to charge the headset! However, with an up to 70-hour battery life I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.
Performance
With all headsets, this is where you really get an indicator of it’s money well spent or not. As with all headsets I test, the first challenge for a newcomer is the Jurassic World Theme Tune. Such an amazing piece of music to be able to feel how the headset frequency response performs. In the case of the Razer Kraken V4, it has a frequency response of 20Hz – 28kHz which gives a great warm range of sounds.
Once the Dinosaurs have been tested, it’s time for the games! Contrary to a lot of people’s interest the first game I usually get to grips with is Call of Duty. It gives a decent amount of sound variations as well as ensuring you have good communications using the built-in mic. Another successful test. Those 40mm TriForce Titanium drivers are really putting in a shift with the headset. Ensuring all the sounds you would expect from a game are accurately delivered into your ears.
To say the Razer Kraken V4 performs great is an understatement. Genuinely, this headset made me retire my Arctis Pro Wireless to the spare drawer. Something I never thought I would do.
Open or Closed
The one downside with the headset is that it is a Closed Back headset. Now if you prefer those then great, however, if you prefer an open-back then these probably aren’t for you. The one saving grace for those who prefer an open back is the mic monitoring. This can be set up in the Synapse app. It doesn’t give you as open a feel as a traditional open-back headset would, but it does a pretty good job of stopping you from shouting.
You get a great headset for your money, even if that money is just shy of £180. It’s been a long time since I welcomed a permanent addition to my gaming setup, but the Razer Kraken V4 is just that. My new daily driver.
Final Thoughts
Dear Razer, thanks for delivering such a great headset to me. I loved getting hands-on with the Kraken V4 and seeing how much development and care goes into each one of your headsets. I have no doubt that the next iteration of the Kraken will be even better.
I’m excited to keep using the Razer Kraken V4 after this review, and as such receives the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Disclaimer: A sample was received to write this review.
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
