Sub-bass frequencies are what put the thump in music, movies, and games, and they usually require a lot of space to generate. Subwoofers do it by using large drivers in large enclosures that shake enough air at low enough frequencies to generate rumble. This is a problem for headphones and gaming headsets that lack the room to produce those frequencies, and are located so close to the ear that it would be physically dangerous to the listener’s hearing. Razer’s $199.99 Kraken V3 Pro uses the company’s HyperSense technology to replicate that feeling much more safely by using vibrating motors to give the sense of sub-bass without the sound itself. It’s certainly an attention-grabbing effect, but we found it to be more disruptive than helpful in our tests. Despite the unneeded gimmick, the Kraken V3 Pro is an excellent wireless gaming headset.
Klassic Kraken
The Kraken V3 Pro uses Razer’s classic headset design, with large, circular over-ear earcups (the Barracuda and Blackshark lines have the more “typical,” oblong earcups, but Krakens have kept the same shape for more than half a decade). The earpads use thick, soft memory foam with leatherette lining the sides, and breathable fabric for the surface that touches your head. The underside of the headband is wrapped in a generous amount of faux-leather-covered memory foam as well, resulting in a snug, slightly warm, but comfortable fit.
The left earcup holds the majority of the Kraken’s controls and connectors, including a volume wheel, power button, mic mute button, USB-C port for charging, detachable boom mic connector, and a 3.5mm port for using the headset in wired fashion. The right earcup has the HyperSense button that lets you enable the haptic feedback feature.
An RGB light ring sits on the back of each earcup, and they can be set to show a variety of colors and lighting effects with the Razer Synapse software.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the Kraken V3 Pro works best with a PC. With it, you can customize settings and enable various features, including THX Spatial Audio, with the Razer Synapse software. The USB transmitter also works with the Nintendo Switch in docked mode, and with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The 3.5mm wired connection is compatible with any device with a headphone or headset jack, including the Xbox Wireless Controller connected to an Xbox and the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. The headset lacks Bluetooth connectivity.
Clean-Sounding Voice Chat
Razer has become proficient at making headset microphones, and that talent shines through with the Kraken V3 Pro. The headset’s unidirectional cardioid boom mic captures full, clear sound while reducing outside noise. My voice sounded clean in test recordings, and nearby coffee shop chatter remained low enough that I could be easily understood. We still recommend getting a separate USB microphone if you’re serious about streaming or podcasting, but the mic on this works quite well.
What Is HyperSense?
The Kraken V3 Pro includes Razer’s HyperSense feature, which adds haptic feedback to the audio that comes through the headset. Vibration motors in each earcup activate in tandem with the sound, adding a physical sensation to the audio. The feature is automatic, and doesn’t require using the Razer Synapse software to work; you simply press the HyperSense button on the right earcup (a tone lets you know that the feature is activated). It cycles through three intensity settings before deactivating, so you can easily adjust the vibration strength. In practice, HyperSense delivered mix results.
The Razer Kraken V3 Pro’s Sound Quality
The Kraken V3 Pro spits out powerful bass. In our bass test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the kick drum hits reach low enough to give a sense of the vibration with HyperSense disabled, and doesn’t distort at maximum volume. Turning HyperSense on, the motors start to kick in time with the hits and the bass synth notes, giving the sensation of a subwoofer without actually reaching the low frequencies required to rattle your head (and potentially damage your hearing).
The opening acoustic guitar plucks in Yes’ “Roundabout” sound full, and plenty of string texture comes through thanks to the headset’s high-frequency finesse. When the track properly kicks in, the bassline and vocals sit at the front of the mix, while the high-hat and guitar strums settle a bit behind them. The latter elements aren’t quite overwhelmed, but there’s clearly some sculpting giving bass and vocals the most presence.
The Crystal Method’s “Born Too Slow” sounds excellent on the Kraken V3 Pro. The screeching vocals and synth riffs cut through the mix, while the backbeat receives enough low frequency presence to drive the track. Again, HyperSense complimented the track by giving the illusion of subwoofer force without actually putting out sub-bass sound, though it worked best at the low or medium settings, since the highest setting triggered too often and felt out of sync with the backbeat.
HyperSense enhances club tracks with thumping bass, but it should be disabled for most other music. When the feature was turned on for “Roundabout,” the vibrations were jarring and strange, and threw off the dense, synthless mix. Even when it compliments the music like in “Silent Shout” and “Born Too Slow,” the rhythmic vibrations against the sides of your head linger and feel a bit disorienting after you listen for a while, especially at the highest setting. It’s clearly a feature designed to work best with occasional sound effects like explosions in games (though even that is iffy, as explained below), and the consistent throb of club music can be a bit much.
Good Gaming With THX Spatial Audio
Fortnite sounds full and clean on the Kraken V3 Pro. Gunshots have plenty of punch, and other effects (like grass under footsteps) easily come through on the headset. The THX Spatial Audio feature provides a solid simulated surround sound effect, offering fairly strong left-right directionality and giving at least a vague sense of whether a sound is coming from the front-right or rear-right.
Monster Hunter Rise also sounds good via the Kraken V3 Pro. The beasts’ roars and thrashes are appropriately loud, and the headset’s simulated surround sound helps you determine where the creatures are located when they’re splashing in water. The game’s soundtrack is also balanced and pleasant, particularly the vocals sung by Hinoa and Minoto.
HyperSense, unfortunately, again throws off the headset’s well-balanced sound, and disrupts the simulated surround effect enabled by THX Spatial Audio. The vibration motors’ throbs are a bit uncomfortable, especially if a game has a swelling soundtrack that’s just as likely to trigger it as gameplay sound effects. The physical shaking also diminishes any sense of directionality that might come from the higher frequencies. Most of the time, I preferred using the Kraken V3 Pro with HyperSense disabled.
It Would be Great Without the Gimmick
The Razer Kraken V3 Pro is an excellent headset saddled with a force feedback effect that hinders its performance, and likely pushes its price higher than it should be. The headset is comfortable, sounds great for both games and music, has a clean-sounding microphone, and features capable simulated surround sound with THX Spatial Audio. The HyperSense vibration motors are an interesting extra that enhances certain media by offering the physical sensation of a subwoofer’s rumble without the frequency range necessary to really hit it. That said, the rumble is uncomfortable and disruptive for many games and music tracks. If you love thumping club tracks or having your head vibrated while you play shooters, you might have fun with it. Otherwise, HyperSense throws off the audio mix too much. Thankfully, you can turn it off.
Still, the Kraken V3 Pro is a wireless PC gaming headset that’s worth considering. Its $199 price feels a bit inflated by the HyperSense tech, especially considering that the headset lacks Bluetooth like the also-$199 JBL Quantum 800. There’s certainly a gap in Razer’s Kraken lineup where a non-HyperSense version of the Kraken V3 Pro could fit; possibly in the $150 to $170 range that’s just above the $129 wired Kraken V3 HyperSense and Kraken Ultimate (we’re not counting the $149 Kraken Kitty, which is much more of a novelty). The $179 Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is a slightly more affordable alternative to the Kraken that lacks HyperSense, and has a lighter build and excellent, THX Spatial Audio-powered audio. Editors’ Choice pick Razer Barracuda X is a $99.99 option that sounds great, but you must use your own THX Spatial Audio license or a similar solution (like Dolby Atmos for Headphones) for simulated surround sound.
