Is Razer’s brand new Barracuda X the one gaming headset to rule them all? We went hands-on with a pair of our own to find out.
We’ve tested quite the number of headphones in our time, but while each one has their merits, after spending a bit of time with Razer’s Barracuda X we were thoroughly impressed from top to bottom.
This high praise stems mainly from the Barracuda’s biggest positive: flexibility. Where many headsets specifically tailor themselves to one or two systems in particular (like PlayStation’s Pulse 3D headset), the Barracuda solves this issue thanks to its wonderfully nifty USB-C wireless transceiver. Simply plug it into your compatible device, turn on your headset and you’re off to the races.
It’s a real godsend for Nintendo Switch gamers in particular who want one wireless headset across all their devices (although a recent Bluetooth update should help alleviate some of those woes). Don’t have a USB-C port? Razer have you covered there too, smartly packing in a USB-A adapter into the box. It’s not always the prettiest solution, but it gets the job done and comes at no extra charge as well.
We put the Barracuda X through its paces during a number of gaming sessions on our Switch, PC and PS5, and it performed admirably every time. For Xbox gamers, you won’t exactly be left out in the cold, but you will need to be wired in – connecting a 3.5mm cable between the headset and your controller. Can’t win them all, it seems.
Meanwhile, although you mightn’t score fancy bells and whistles like 7.1-channel surround sound, for the price (you can pick one up for as low as $125) the Barracuda X packs a pretty significant punch where it counts and handles bass surprisngly well. Plus newer features like the PS5’s 3D audio are fully compatible. Likewise we never had any complaints about our audio levels from the HyperClear Cardioid detachable microphone, which aims to supress sounds from the back and sides to allow for greater clarity.
If there’s any minor gripes we have with the Barracuda X it’s that the build doesn’t feel as premium as we’d like due to all the plastic. In particular the power/mute buttons feel a little fragile, however it is worth noting that the headband does have a steel reinforcement so you don’t need worry about snapping them, especially if your head is on the larger side.
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What we’re trying to say is that if you’re after a sleek, flexible headset that doesn’t break the bank, the Razer Barcuda X is well worth a look.
You can buy the Razer Barracuda X from Amazon.
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