We find out if Razer’s new Hammerhead HyperSpeed for PlayStation are the only gaming earbuds you’ll ever need in your life.
When it comes to video games, we all love the convenient option. It’s the reason why digital game purchases have soared in popularity and most headphones have, quite literally, cut the cord. The path of least resistance is always the most preferable, and that’s a mantra it feels like Razer has adopted for some time now. Indeed, the company seems to be striving to find the perfect balance between killer tech, style and convenience, which brings us to the Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds for PlayStation.
Using the foundations of Razer’s popular Hammerhead line-up, this PlayStation-iteration offers 2.4GHz gaming grade wireless (via a USB dongle included in the box) and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, up to 30 hours of battery life and active noise cancellation technology. That’s in addition to RGB lighting on the edge of each bud, and a black/white design that perfectly matches the aesthetic of the PS5. The classic PlayStation logo on the front of the device is an especially nice touch.
Put together, it allows the Hammerhead HyperSpeed buds to become one of the most portable multi-purpose offerings we’ve used in quite some time. Being able to effortlessly jump from a session of Wild Hearts at home to a game of Marvel Snap on a train without having to worry about juggling multiple devices is a true treat – the only downside being the fact that you may lose track of the USB-C dongle if you want to keep it nearby (there’s no dedicated storage solution for it in the case of the buds).
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The sound is no slouch, either. I appreciated the overall clarity the Hammerhead HyperSpeed’s offered amongst gaming and music, allowing me to clearly hear dialogue and distant soundscapes in games, while still being able to a deliver a respectable level of bass for the more musically-inclined. The ANC isn’t best in class, but does well enough to dampen most louder surrounds – even more so when you have a song or game pumping.
It’s worth noting that the unit we tested was the PlayStation model, meaning the buds won’t work with the Xbox Series X. For Xbox gamers, Razer has produced an Xbox variant of the Hammerhead HyperSpeed that will connect with both Xbox and PlayStation, however you are forced into a black and green aesthetic. Personally, I prefer the clean look of the PlayStation-branded offering, but the option to have everything in one will be invaluable for many.
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Priced at $285.95 (but you can currently pre-order them from JB Hi-Fi for $259) there’s a lot to love about the HyperSpeed Wireless earbuds. Pairing them to your phone or console is easy and painless (I did it within seconds), audio and RGB features can be toggled with an app and the microphone provides decent audio in quiet settings. The buds aren’t perfect – the microphone struggles slightly in louder environments and the touch controls are a little awkward compared to the instant responsiveness of AirPods, but how much those factors matter will vary from user to user.
At the end of the day, being able to have a set of buds that you can use across your smartphone, Switch and PlayStation is incredibly efficient, especially with a tiny formfactor that’ll fit in your back pocket. It makes the Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds an easy recommendation.
You can buy the Razer Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds from the official Razer store or JB Hi-Fi from March 31.
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