Just recently announced, we had the opportunity to go hands-on with the Razer Kraken Ultimate. This addition to the high-performing and affordable Kraken line delivers THX Spatial Audio, an active noise-canceling microphone, and an extremely customizable sound profile. Check out the video below for our hands-on review and more.
Design
Made out of aluminum and metal, the Kraken Ultimate feels substantial. The headband is plenty padded. Despite its large size, it doesn’t feel heavy when being used. It’s also adjustable with numbered settings on the sides, so once you dial in what feels right, you’ll know where to set it if it gets changed. The extensive profile spreads the weight out evenly, and the large earcups don’t grip your head too tight. I could comfortably wear this headset for long gaming sessions.
On the left earcup are two of the physical controls for the Kraken Ultimate. A dedicated button switches on and off the THX spatial audio setting. This can be further tweaked inside of Razer Synapse 3.0.
Razer Kraken Ultimate: Video
Below that button is the volume dial. It’s a smooth dial that rotates smoothly, but it also is connected to the overall volume on your computer. So if you have a dedicated volume control, like this on my Huntsman Elite, you can use that dial as well to make the same volume adjustments as what you can on the Kraken Ultimate.
On the microphone itself is a button for muting. It’s convenient to have this located on the mic rather than fumbling for it on the back of the headset like some others I’ve tested.
Chroma
Does it have RGB? Yes, of course it does. The Razer logo illuminates as well as some “underglow lighting,” as Razer calls it. As much as I want to make fun of the underglow name because it reminds me of tuned import cars with lights under them, it does look nice. It makes the Chroma look much more substantial than just the glowing logo on some older Razer headsets. And it looks great when sitting on the Base Station Chroma. If you can’t get enough Chroma, head on over to our Building the Ultimate Chroma Cave series.
Sound
With 50mm drivers delivering 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, the Kraken Ultimate has a vast and customizable sound. When THX Spatial Audio is turned on, it was easy to pick out enemy footsteps when playing battle royale games. It’s also easy to toggle on and off with the press of a button on the headset to hear what it is doing to your audio.
Microphone
Like most gaming headsets, I’m a little disappointed by the microphone on the Kraken Ultimate. It sounds excellent when you have sidetone turned on and are testing it, but when recorded and being used in multiplayer, it just sounds like a cheap headset. Now, this is might great for competitive gaming were extremely clear communication matters. Still, for most multiplayer gaming with friends, it just sounds like a cheap microphone with limited dynamic range. Be sure to check out the video to hear what this sounds like. If you want something more natural, check out my review of the Audio-Technica ATH-G1WL.
Synapse
Unlike some other gaming headsets like the Audio-Technica ATH-G1WL, the Kraken Ultimate shines with its level of customization within the Synapse 3.0 app. From adjusting volume and turning on or off THX Spacial audio to customizing EQ and dialing in your mic sensitivity, there is a ton to do within Synapse. Once again, be sure to check out the video to see what all is available to adjust.
Overall
Overall for $130, the Razer Kraken Ultimate is a comfortable and extremely customizable wired headset. It offers some intense sound with the 50mm drivers and excellent positioning with the THX Spatial Audio. I do wish the microphone sounded more natural, but that’s my preference for casual gaming with friends and seems to be pretty par for the course with these gaming headsets.
Buy the Kraken Ultimate on Amazon
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