Razer is a name synonymous with gaming. The Irvine-based gaming accessory company has built a sterling reputation over the years with gamers around the world as one of the leading manufacturers of gaming equipment, including peripherals, gaming laptops, and more. The company’s three-headed snake logo is instantly recognizable to any serious gamer, emblazoned on its products and often illuminated with that classic gamer RGB glow.

Gaming headsets represent a significant portion of Razer’s footprint in the gaming space, with products geared towards console and PC gamers alike. The latest iteration of its flagship BlackShark V2 Pro gaming headphones is aimed at the former, with new versions tailored for use on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, each with its own model. I got the chance to put some miles on the Xbox edition of the updated headset, and put it through its paces.

Price, availability, and specs

The console edition of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is available now directly from Razer and is also sold at Amazon, Best Buy, and a number of other gaming electronics retailers like Micro Center. The headset typically retails for $199.99, though it just launched, so it might be discounted further down the road.

The BlackShark V2 Pro connects to your Xbox or PC via an included USB-C dongle through 2.4GHz HyperSpeed wireless. Sound is driven through 50mm drivers on each side, and your voice is picked up by what Razer calls a Detachable Super Wideband microphone. For wireless headphones, they’re quite light, weighing in at 320g.

Razer claims a battery life of 70 hours but is quick to point out this was measured on a PC, and console battery life can be expected to be closer to 48 hours. The headset is also capable of connecting to just about any Bluetooth-enabled device, though its software and operation are most designed for use with Xbox or PlayStation, depending on which model you purchase.

What I liked about Razer’s BlackShark V2 Pro

From box to game in minutes

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for consoles is pretty much ready to go right out of the box. The provided dongle features a straightforward switch that simply states USB or Xbox — not exactly rocket science. Once the headset is charged, you simply connect the dongle into the USB-C port of either your Xbox or your PC.

If your device doesn’t have a USB-C port, it’s completely fine as the headset handily includes a USB-A to USB-C cable adapter. Once connected, users simply turn on the headset by holding the power button until you hear a pleasant voice proclaim power on.

Intuitive controls

Using the headset is incredibly straightforward, as users only need to navigate through the whopping three buttons and one knob found on the headset. A convenient microphone mute toggle button placed directly above the power button can be pressed and depressed to easily mute your mic when playing. On the same side as those controls, users will find a simple volume knob.

On the other side of the headset, you’ll find an EQ button where you can cycle through the various preset equalizer profiles. When using the headset on a PC, this will cycle between game, movie, music, and custom, though custom just seems to be a flat equalizer profile without any adjustments.

When using the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro headset with its intended console, the controls become more expansive. The volume knob can now also control the balance of game chat volume and in-game volume, so that users can fine-tune how loud their team is compared to the game audio. On Xbox, the headset also supports a number of Pro-Tuned FPS Audio Profiles that have been designed to work best with games like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Fortnite.

Comfort and Mic Performance

I have always found Razer gaming headsets to be very comfortable, and this set is no exception. The headphone cups are heavily cushioned and fit snug over your ears, providing great passive noise-cancellation while remaining comfortable for long sessions. For being wireless, this headset is quite light, and isn’t much heavier than its wired counterpart. The cushioned headband adds to the headset’s comfort, and you never feel like your head is being squeezed or poke by any sharp angles or hard plastic.

The Super Wideband mic on this headset transmits your voice at a wider range of frequencies than mics on cheaper, lower quality gaming headsets. The included foam screen covering of the mic helps cut down on hissing noise, and my regular teammates that I’d been playing with for years asked me, “did you get a new headset? Your voice sounds crisp.”

What I didn’t like

I’ll always be partial to wired fidelity

My daily gaming headset for over three years has been the Razer BlackShark V2 wired headset, so it was easy for me to spot differences in audio quality between my daily and the new wireless V2 Pro for Xbox. The first thing I noticed, and my least favorite thing, was the drop in audio quality. To be fair, comparing the fidelity in audio afforded by a wired set of headphones to a wireless set isn’t totally fair, as it’s always going to be easier to pump higher bitrate audio through a direct connection than over wireless or Bluetooth. That being said, I still wish the audio quality was just a little better on this $200 pair of wireless headphones.

The best way I can describe the audio quality of the wireless version is that it’s perfect for gaming, fine for movies, but seriously lacking for music. They sound like a gaming headset, and less like well-rounded wireless headphones. The higher range and percussive sounds found in most gameplay like alert sounds, gunshots, and voices both in-game and team chat, sound crisp through the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. The audio profile, regardless of EQ setting, is biased towards gaming, and less focus was placed on the mids and lows that would make for a more complete soundstage.

No Razer Synapse

The only other minor gripe I had was that when testing these with my PC, I wasn’t able to use Razer’s Synapse software to customize any mic or audio settings. More of these customizations were available on my Xbox, and I understand these models are aimed at console players, but I’m left wondering how difficult it would have been to make these headphones communicate with the Synapse software when in USB mode and connected to a Windows PC.

Should you buy the new Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for console?

The new Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Xbox or PlayStation seems a no-brainer for serious console gamers. These new models bring customization and feature sets to console gaming that you just won’t get on more PC-focused headsets. The opposite side of the coin is equally true, so PC gamers might be better suited sticking with the original BlackShark V2 Pro for PC.

Razer has put together a headset that shows it’s attuned to the needs of console gamers, and the end result is a thought-through product that excels for its primary demographic.