Razer - Barracuda Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, and Mobile - Black

These are really high quality headphones, that in my opinion, fair better than the actual AirPods Max. They are very comfortable, the ANC seems to have a perfect air tight seal and bluetooth works flawlessly when connecting to devices. The headset comes with a leather covered hardshell carrying case, a long USB-C cable, USB-A to USB-C adapter cable, as well as a USB-C dongle to plug-n-play with a second device to prevent having to pair and re-pair between devices. A 100% recommend to anyone wanting perfect sound with a professional, yet comfortably aesthetically pleasing design.

Design/Comfort Pros: - Streamlined clean look - Very lightweight feel - Ear cups and headband are very soft - Easy to use controls for audio, mute, or switching modes - Audible announcement for most modes (such a pairing, powered on, powering off) - The included carrying case is well laid out, has a nice pocket for cables and is tough enough to protect the headset. Cons: - Leather earcups can support sweat as they do not breath - Internal Mic leaves for sub par mic quality - The cup to headband distance is a little too large, barely fit my head on smallest setting - No audible announcement for “muted” - 2.4 GHZ Dongle is rather long and can block ports. There is an included extension cable that will fix this, but it’s use could be frustrating - Cannot use while charging - Doesn’t work in “wired” mode - Matte finish shows grease and fingerprints very easily - Getting the headset out of the case can be a bit finicky Sound Quality Pros: - Very nice and natural sound - Bass is present but not obnoxious - Connected to the included 2.4ghz USB C dongle, audio is fast and high quality - Music, Movies, and games all sound very good. There are built in profiles for each mode Cons: - THX support requires a licensed app. This should be been included with the headset - Setting up the THX Spatial audio was insanely hard to do. Audio often does not work and requires reboots, switching inputs, uninstall/reinstall and became more pain that it was worth Wireless Connectivity Pros: - Very good wireless range - Bluetooth pairs easily with devices - Instant connection using USB C 2.4Ghz Dongle Cons: - Razer Android or iOS app doesn’t seem to pick up the headset when using bluetooth after disconnection. Had to often unpair then repair to get the app to recognize it again Battery Life Pros: - Amazing battery life. Used for 3 days and still at 60% - Razer claims about 40 hours of use which may even be downplayed Cons: - Cannot use the headset while it is charging Active Noise Cancellation Pros: - Has 10 levels of ANC that can be controlled via the headset switch or the Razer app - Good enough to block out ambient noise such as laptop or desktop fans and background noise - Voice announces when it is in use Cons: - Not as good as other headsets rocking this feature - May not be a large selling point for gamers Microphone Pros: - Unobtrusive hidden design - Looks more stylish Cons: - Audio sounds more distant due to being internal - Likely won’t appeal to hardcore gamers Recommended Changes: - Change from internal mic to external boom mic that can detach - Give a license for THX audio away - Fix the THX audio setup - Fix the lack of headset detection in the mobile apps - Allow an option to use while plugged into USB and/or charging - Come up with a way to get the headset out of the case easier (maybe a pull tab?) Bottom Line: This is a nice sounding and very comfortable headset. There are a number of features that should appeal to a wider audience but may exclude their core customer base, hardcore gamers. I also feel the asking MSRP price point of $250 is steep given the requirement to purchase a THX license, sub par mic quality and lack of size adjustments. Overall though, this is one of the better sounding wireless headsets aimed at gamers, with outstanding battery life and extremely comfortable feel. Razer hit most of the key points with this model. Gen 2 could knock it out of the park.

----- SUMMARY ----- Verdict: There’s a lot that the Razer Barracuda Pro does well. Multi-device connectivity, comfort, great battery life, excellent audio quality, competent mic performance, and a solid design. I think it’s just shy of a five-star headset, only because they’re mostly plastic, detracting from the premium feel, and they aren’t compatible with Xbox. If those aren’t dealbreakers for you, the Barracuda Pro is a good choice for your next gaming headset. Pros: - Quick and easy setup - Comfortable, even for prolonged use - Excellent audio quality - Nice carrying case included - Seamless multi-device connectivity - Competent mic performance - Great battery life Cons: - Plastic design - Not compatible with Xbox ----- DETAILS ----- Unboxing & Setup: When you open the box you’re greeted with a nice hard-shell zip-up carrying case. Inside of it, the Barracuda Pro headset is folded flat, since the earcups can rotate. There’s a convenient compartment in the middle that’s even magnetically held shut. Razer put thought into the design of the case, which gave me a positive first impression, and I appreciated that it was included. The case protects the headset well and makes it easy to transport. Inside the compartment are two braided cables, one that’s a USB-C to USB-A charging cable and another that’s a USB-A to USB-C extender, which allows you to connect the USB-C dongle to a USB-A port. There’s a little pouch within the compartment that holds the USB-C dongle. Again, Razer was thoughtful in the design because the dongle is small and would be easy to lose if there wasn’t a dedicated pouch. As suggested in the instructions, I fully charged the headset before first use, which took a couple of hours. Setup was quick and easy because the USB-C dongle automatically connects to the headset when you plug it in. Setting up Bluetooth is also simple, with just the extra step of putting the headset in pairing mode. Sound settings and firmware updates are done in the Razer Synapse software (more on that later). Design & Features: I like the style of the Barracuda Pro because it blurs the lines between gaming and everyday use. I wanted a headset that I could use for gaming, work, and when I’m on the go without the attention-grabbing design that many gaming headsets have. In this regard, the Barracuda Pro has been just what I was looking for. Aside from the green indicator on the mic mute switch, the headset is mostly black, including the subtle Razer logo on the earcups. Though the headset looks metal in pictures, the outer shell is plastic which was a bit of a disappointment. I suppose it helps keep the headset lightweight, but I think it detracts from the premium feel. Some metal would’ve elevated the design, but the build quality is still solid. In terms of comfort, I’ve been very impressed. Between listening to music and conference calls while working from home, I often wear the headset for 8+ hours a day, and I have no complaints. The headband provides enough clamp to stabilize the headset without any ear or head pain, and the faux-leather-covered memory foam earpads are soft. I worry about the memory foam's longevity though, because it feels low-density, so it seems possible that it could compress over time. The right earcup has a “SmartSwitch” button that allows you to easily toggle between noise canceling on/off as well as ambient mode which amplifies sounds or voices around you. Double pressing the button seamlessly switches between high-speed 2.4GHz or Bluetooth mode, a feature I’ve found useful. When I’m gaming on my PC and receive a call, I can quickly answer and use the headset for the call, or when I finish a conference call on my PC and want to take a break, I can leave my desk with my phone in hand and stream music from it almost instantly. There’s no waiting to connect on either end. On the left earcup, there’s a mic mute button, volume wheel, power button, and USB-C charging port. The power button has many more uses, like pausing music/videos or accepting/ending calls with a single short press. A double press will take you to the next song or reject a call. Three presses will go back to the previous song. There’s a bit of a learning curve remembering what button presses do what, but I like having that level of control all on the headset. Presumably to help it fit into a gaming and on-the-go lifestyle, Razer opted for in-cup microphones instead of a boom mic (more detail on the mic performance later). The included USB-C dongle that enables a “HyperSpeed” wireless connection is compatible with PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Android devices with USB-C ports. Since there’s also Bluetooth connectivity, you can pair the headset with compatible devices as well. As an Xbox owner, I was disappointed that the Barracuda Pro isn’t compatible. I’m not sure why Xbox was excluded, but it seems like a missed opportunity. Performance: Whether it’s games, music, or entertainment, the Barracuda Pro pumps out a lot of bass without overpowering or drowning out the lows and highs. It’s crisp and clear sound. I like the default settings, but the Razer Synapse software gives you a lot of flexibility to fine-tune the sound to your liking. The active noise cancellation and ambient (audio pass-through) modes work quite well but they’ll reduce the bass and soundstage significantly. They’re nice to have though. I just wish the ambient mode didn’t pick up wind as much because it can be noisy. Though audio quality was my main interest in the Barracuda Pro headset, the mic quality is important to me as well. Since I use the headset for work and gaming, I need a mic to communicate with fellow gamers or colleagues at work. Most of my time talking with a headset is spent while I’m working, so I asked my colleagues how I sounded, and they had no complaints. The integrated mics on the Barracuda Pro might not surpass the quality of what a boom mic can offer, but for most people, I think they’ll be good enough. If you’re a streamer though, you'd be better off with a desktop microphone. Software: Tools and settings for the Barracuda Pro can be managed in the Razer Synapse software. It’s convenient and easy to use right from the start. Connecting the USB-C dongle automatically initiates a pop-up that you can just click to install the software. I liked that I didn’t have to read instructions or browse the internet to find the download. The software enables THX Spatial Audio and provides a variety of sound enhancement toggles and sliders, such as volume normalization, bass boost, and voice clarity. It also gives you the ability to update the headset’s firmware. Battery Life: On a single charge, I average around 40 hours of battery life. Other similar headsets that I’ve either owned or seen on the market average around 20 hours of battery life, so I’m impressed that the Barracuda Pro doubles that. Even with heavy usage, I usually don’t have to worry about charging for a week or more. When it does come time to charge, the headset will say “low battery”, and there’s a braided USB-C to USB-A charging cable included in the box. ----- WHAT’S IN THE BOX ----- 1 x Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless Gaming Headset 1 x USB-C Wireless (2.4GHz) Transmitter 1 x USB-C to USB-A Braided Charging Cable 1 x USB-A to USB-C Extender 1 x Hard-Shell Zip-Up Carrying Case 1 x Quick Start Guide 1 x Razer Sticker