Razer Kraken Pro Neon Headset Review

Roughly two years ago, Razer introduced the Kraken Pro Neon Gaming Headset which endorsed the popular Kraken Pro with a lick of bright and vibrant colours. After such a while, the price tag has inevitably decreased, but has its quality done so too? Review time.

To begin with, let’s discuss the unboxing. The headset is packaged in a transparent hard plastic mould wrapped half way by a cardboard cover which illustrates a few features of the product.  Unboxing was a rather annoying experience having all that hard plastic; thankfully there isn’t much to unbox. Apart from the headset itself having the undetectable 3.5mm jack is a manual, documentation, Razer stickers and a two part converter to connect to PC. This is an applauded addition by the company which will definitely come handy. When you’re done from the box just toss it, it was a nuisance trying to put everything back in. Now that that’s over, let’s check out the hardware.

Of course, the first thing your eyes will catch is the loud neon colour which could either be blue, green, yellow, orange, ‘red’ or ‘purple’. The last two colours are a little off; the red looks quite pink and so does the purple. The colour is properly embraced with a matte finish that barely shows fingerprints. A modern, sleek and sharp look is sported by the headset. Feeling the product can easily show off how well built the headset is, the plastic sounds extremely reliable and all 13 adjustment teeth have a satisfying crack. The outside face of the ear cups have a black plastic mesh centred by the three snakes. Cushioning feels great due to thick and plush cushions followed by a fabric mesh at the head. Hinges are tough, allowing a collapsible form for extra portability. Also, tucked away at the bottom of the left cup is a retractable microphone which we’ll discuss later. Overall, a fantastic job by Razer regarding the build quality. However, how does it feel when worn?

First of all, it’s extremely light, weighing a mere 293g including the wire. Putting it on is seamless and a pleasure. The outer shell of the earcup swivels vertically and the inner part horizontally – this ensures that your ears are covered. At 5cm of diameter, one’s ears cannot possibly be small enough to avoid contact with the cushioned cup, but it’s not a problem at all. Back to wearing the headset, the headband is remarkably flexible. As a reviewer, it must be confessed that at one point I forgot it was on my head completely. To conclude, the headset sits comfortably on the head with perhaps some room for improvement in the headband area – which does get the job done regardless. Upon reviewing this part, one notices the closed ear cup profile which Razer is going for; which is our next talking point.

“A closed ear cup deign with plush circumaural padding creates superior sound isolation so you can focus on your game or conversation uninterrupted by outside noise.”

The above was taken from the product page and we can confirm the above statement courageously. Thick foam does a superb job of blocking out ambient noise. In all honesty, for the price, it has outstanding sound isolation – we’ll keep it a surprise until the end. Of course, it’s irrelevant how well sound is isolated if it isn’t worth hearing, so is it?

It really depends on what you intend to use it for. Regarding use, connectivity is pretty bareboned using wires and no form of wireless technology. The 1.3mm jack at the end of the 1.3m wire can connect to most smartphones, handhelds, consoles and many other things. Using the included adapter nicely adds another metre in length and compatibility with your personal computer or laptop. Connections are gold plated and audio is in the Stereo 2.0 format. Back to the use; gaming and bass heavy music is beautiful on this peripheral due to one hell of a bass for the price, explosions and beat drops are emphasised and strong. Yet, it will be said that the bass is overpowering at times. This is why listening to light bassed music, content creating and other audio may be unpleasant due to drowned highs and average mids. If one has some equalising software it’s adjustable, but it’s a shame you’ll have to equalise to achieve a better sound profile. Regarding volume, it doesn’t get louder than it needs to. One noticeable negative from listening to audio are sweaty ears thanks to the lack of ventilation from the closed design. The Razer Kraken Neon Pro sounds amazing for gaming and bass but not that great for much else.

Gaming is what this headset is made for: time to check out if chatting is viable on this microphone. Pulling it out to the given 7 cm is done gently using a small amount of force. The black rubber chord submits willingly to whatever mould you choose to give it. Microphone quality is supreme for the price, having an above average clarity and commendable noice cancellation. Recorded sounds are converted into a unidirectional pick-up pattern. It’s a lovely microphone on the whole which makes up the “Pro” product compared to the standard one.  Portability is also what this headset was aiming at; it succeeds in this dimension to but is severely impaired by the undetectable cable.

That pretty much wraps up the review, but there’s something to be mentioned first. Since the product has aged for a couple years, Razer has added a free Razer Surround Pro subscription code, worth around €20 to entice consumers. It’s not certain if this code may be found on all units; except all of those in the Gamers.com.mt stock.  The software is fantastic to have and does a precise job of converting the stereo sound to 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound through heavy calibration on the PC.  Watch out for the sticker on the top face of the package because it really adds more value in general.

Has the Razer Kraken Neon Pro aged like a fine wine or become tasteless like a fizzy drink? At Gamers.com.mt, we believe the answer is the first one. Having outstanding build quality, bright looks, minimalistic design and an intense sound profile for gaming – it’s a strong effort by Razer. What makes everything appear that much more extraordinary is the €50 barrier between the headset and your head.

Who it’s for:

• PC gamers who need portability and strong build quality
• Bass heads
• Budget gamers who are looking for comfort
• Those looking for a headset to connect with portable devices and look fantastic
• Consumers who need sound isolation

Who it’s not for:

• Those who dislike neon colour
• Those who need surround sound
• PC gamers with a higher budget

Need one? Gamers.com.mt have you covered while stock lasts including a code for free to upgrade for the Razer Surround Pro from The Gamers Lounge : http://shop.gamers.com.mt/product/485/razer-kraken-neon-pro-pink