Razer Kraken V4 review: Maybe the only headset you need, plus RGB

Razer is no stranger to making great gaming headsets, and I have used and loved more than a few during my time at Windows Central. The company's original headset family has been one of its most successful, though, and Razer Kraken just entered a new era.

The Razer Kraken V4 is a brand-new, premium wireless gaming headset that adopts a sleeker, more refined design with more customizable RGB lighting than ever, improved sound quality, and superior connectivity. The result is a headset that looks and sounds great, enough so that I wouldn't hesitate to use this headset for all my audio needs, not just gaming. With all this RGB lighting, you can also make the Kraken V4 your own.

With a reasonable price considering the features you're getting and excellent all-around quality, the Razer Kraken V4 won't disappoint you... As long as you don't need to use it with your Xbox console, and you're not expecting the exact same microphone quality as the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) I reviewed (despite the shared name).

Kraken V4 review: Pricing and specifications

Pricing highlights

• The Razer Kraken V4 retails for $180, just below the normal threshold for Razer's most premium gaming headsets.
• It's a fair price considering the quality and feature set of the Kraken V4, especially if you value the RGB lighting.
• It puts the Razer Kraken V4 up against other great headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7, which is the same price.

The Razer Kraken V4 is what I would describe as an "upper mid-range" gaming headset, in that it sits directly below where many premium headsets are priced. It dodges that $200 threshold with a retail price of $179.99 at Best Buy, and is only available in black at first.

This is an all-plastic wireless gaming headset with three forms of connectivity (2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and USB Type-C), but it doesn't feel cheap thanks to its reassuring build quality and attractive design. The Razer Kraken V4 aims to stand out in this crowded market with its unique 9-zone Razer Chroma RGB lighting in each ear, which users can customize to their heart's content with Razer Synapse. In many ways the Kraken V4 feels just like a true flagship Razer headset, and even brings over the underlying HyperClear Super Wideband mic tech that first debuted in the BlackShark V2 Pro.

In the box, you get the Razer Kraken V4 wireless PC gaming headset, the sleeker USB Type-C Razer HyperSpeed Wireless dongle, a USB Type-A to USB Type-C audio and charging cable, and a USB Type-A to USB Type-C adapter cable to plug the Type-C dongle into your PC's legacy ports. The Kraken V4 continues Razer's efforts to be environmentally conscious with sustainable and compact packaging that avoids single-use plastics.

Razer Kraken V4 — $179.99 at Best Buy | Razer

The Razer Kraken V4 is almost guaranteed to become one of Razer's best-selling gaming headsets due to its attractive design, balanced set of features, and reasonable price tag. It's a capable and beautiful wireless gaming headset.

• Back to the top ⤴

Kraken V4 review: The good

The pros highlights

• The Razer Kraken V4 is by far one of the best-looking headsets Razer has ever made, significantly slimming down the old design.
• The RGB lighting looks great, even if it's unnecessary, and the Kraken V4 is very comfortable to wear.
• It also sounds just as great as I expect from other high-end Razer headsets, with a good suite of supporting features like onboard audio profiles, multiple forms of connectivity, and more.

The Razer Kraken line of headsets has become rather iconic since its inception. It's not just Razer's best-selling headset family, it's simply one of the best-selling series of gaming peripherals, and as such the oversized, circular cups are instantly recognizable. However, the unwieldy design of previous Krakens is no more, as Razer has modernized the Kraken V4 to make it one of the most comfortable and attractive headsets the company has ever put out.

Internal upgrades have let Razer shave off precious millimeters in earcup depth and width, which absolutely add up. The Kraken V4 is far more compact than its predecessor, making it a more ergonomic headset that also looks considerably better on your head. That pairs with the new 9-zone Razer Chroma RGB lighting in each earcup, which looks awesome (if you care about that).

I expect nothing less from Razer when it comes to RGB lighting, honestly, with a diffuser plate in the earcups helping the light spread evenly and Razer Synapse giving you countless options for customization. If you care about RGB lighting in your accessories, the Kraken V4 is easily one of the best gaming headsets on the market.

It doesn't just look good, though — the Kraken V4 is also very comfortable to wear. The earcups and headband are adorned with Memory Foam cushions covered in a microtextured fabrics, the headband feels flexible and durable, the clamping force is balanced nicely to keep the headset in place without applying too much pressure to your head, and the earcups now swivel to adjust to the unique shape of your head and ears, allowing for a better fit and seal for superior comfort and audio. At 350g this is hardly the lightest headset ever, but Razer did an excellent job with the ergonomics here.

Audio-wise, the Razer Kraken V4 sounds almost identical to most other high-end Razer headsets. That is to say, it sounds really good, but it's not industry-leading. The TriForce Titanium 40mm drivers inside this headset sound clear and detailed, with a solid soundstage for closed back headphones and a dynamic profile that can rise to meet any content you play. The default EQ is warmer and more balanced than something like the BlackShark V2 Pro (which is tuned for competitive games), but there's still a SmartSwitch button to flip between up to four onboard audio profiles: Game, Movie, Music, and Custom so you can find the exact sound you want.

THX Spatial Audio support is awesome to have and does make a noticeable difference when listening to music or playing games, and just having the earcups swivel does improve isolation compared to other Razer headsets I've tested. The Kraken V4 honestly compares very favorably to other comparable headsets in the price range, and I don't believe anyone would be disappointed by how it sounds.

You can enjoy that sound for quite a long time, too, with up to 70 hours of battery life. This does feel like an accurate estimate, but enabling the RGB lighting understandably cuts that time by as much as half if you prefer aesthetics to endurance. Either way, it's easy to charge via USB Type-C and you can use that same port for wired audio if you'd prefer not to rely on battery power. No complaints here.

Speaking of connectivity, I have seen some reports from consumers encountering Bluetooth stability issues with the Kraken V4. I can't speak to those experiences, but my review sample has had zero issues connecting to all my devices and staying connected. Wireless performance has been flawless, and audio quality over Bluetooth has been fantastic thanks to AAC and SBC audio codec support. Razer HyperSpeed Wireless also performs wonderfully, and I like the new, compact USB Type-C dongle (and the fact that a USB Type-A adapter cable is included in the box).

• Back to the top ⤴

Kraken V4 review: The bad

The cons highlights

• The Kraken V4 is a very well-rounded headset with no glaring faults to speak of.
• However, some will criticize the all-plastic construction as being less than premium, and there's no Xbox support.
• This headset's biggest weakness, however, is simply that its mic isn't quite up to the new standard Razer has set for itself.

I can already hear people complaining that the Razer Kraken V4 doesn't justify its price tag because of its plastic construction, but I frankly don't agree. This headset feels like a premium, high-quality product, and it's comfortable and attractive to boot. The audio quality, wireless performance, and extra features all meet or exceed my expectations for this price point, too.

Honestly, this headset's greatest weakness isn't really a weakness when compared to many other headsets in the same range, and that's the microphone. The Kraken V4 is the first non-BlackShark to boast the new HyperClear Super Wideband Mic, which greatly contributed to the perfect 5/5 score I gave the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) due to the peerless recording quality. Credit where credit is due, the Kraken V4 is greatly improved over older Razer headsets in this department, but despite sharing the same name (and underlying tech) this is not the same mic.

The Kraken V4 can sound better than many of its competitors with greater clarity and detail, but it's more prone to unwanted noise, artifacts, and clipping than its BlackShark siblings. It's also more finicky to find the right combination of mic volume, EQ profile, and additional enhancements (which include vocal clarity, noise cancelation, and voice gate) that make it sound the best. I chalk this discrepancy up to simple physics: the Kraken V4 uses a much smaller, retractable microphone for a more streamlined and attractive design, and Razer did confirm to me that this includes using some different components.

As an aside, I also want to complain about the lack of Xbox support. I understand that Xbox frustratingly makes it more difficult for third-party manufacturers to make wireless Xbox accessories, but it's most annoying for the end consumer. There's no multi-source audio mixing here, either, which is admittedly a niche feature that not many need, but it still useful to have when you do.

• Back to the top ⤴

Kraken V4 review: Final thoughts

You should buy this if ...

✅You want a great all-around wireless gaming headset

The Razer Kraken V4 checks all the boxes. It's comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions, offers a versatile and responsive sound profile, can last for dozens of hours on a single charge, and has no issues with wireless connectivity. It goes toe-to-toe with the best in the sub-$200 range and often compares very favorably.

✅You really like RGB lighting

You had to suspect this one was coming. Razer is known for injecting its Chroma RGB lighting into every product it feasibly can get away with, and headsets are no exception. The Kraken V4's design is already slimmer and more attractive than the last generation, but the 9-zone RGB lighting in each earcup adds an additional layer of personalization that you won't find elsewhere.

You should not buy this if ...

❌You need Xbox support

There are many gaming headsets that support Xbox consoles in addition to other platforms, but the Razer Kraken V4 simply isn't one of them. You're better off looking at something like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X or even the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Xbox. I wish the Kraken V4 supported Xbox because I like this headset more than those in a few areas, but it's simply not available (right now).

The $180-200 price range is surprisingly competitive for upper mid-range wireless gaming headsets, with competitors from Logitech's Astro, HP's HyperX, Turtle Beach, SteelSeries, Razer, and others all battling for the spot of best sub-$200 value. When you compare the Razer Kraken V4 to options like the Astro A30, it's a fantastic headset that punches above its weight in most categories for just $179.99 at Best Buy.

However, it's not the only great option here. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X is just as attractive at the same price, for example, and it's really hard to ignore the excellent Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Xbox and its brilliant microphone for just $20 more. If I had to pick just one, though, it'd be really hard to ignore the Razer Kraken V4, especially if I didn't need Xbox console support or really appreciated the RGB lighting. Just know that you honestly can't go wrong with a lot of these options.

The Razer Kraken V4 is the most attractive and comfortable the Kraken line has ever been, and it also readjusts the expectations for the line with a new pricing scheme. The Kraken V4 is the middle sibling of the new family, offering a great balance between features and cost. For those who want more, the Razer Kraken V4 Pro costs twice as much as this headset — so it's not exactly direct competition. There's also the much more affordable (wired) Razer Kraken V4 X, if you've decided you don't need to cut that wire.

Don't forget to add some Razer Kitty Ears V2 to your new headset for some added personality, too. Those are available in black and pink for $19.99 at Razer, and I love them. Too bad they don't glow, though.

• Back to the top ⤴