Razer Barracuda blends a gaming headset with premium headphones

Choosing the best gaming headset can be a bit tricky. There is a huge amount of frankly ridiculous options, with something to suit every budget and every need. Razer alone will likely find what works for you, and this may be its latest release.

The Razer Barracuda is a family of three headphones, with a budget model joining two advanced offerings. The one we have here is the middle of the three and is only known as the Razer Barracuda. Barracuda X is the budget model while Barracuda Pro is the headline for all the dances.

But for most people, the sweet spot will be this. It’s a wireless headphone that’s the latest and greatest from Razer and has two very important quality-of-life features that are enough on their own to make it worth it while getting one. The Barracuda sounds like a familiar version of Razer’s Opus headphones, and that’s what makes this headphone so good.

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Razer Barracuda Pricing and Availability

The Razer Barracuda is available to order beginning May 31 from private Razer Stores as well as third parties like Best Buy for $160. If you’re interested in the Barracuda X or Barracuda Pro, these are also available to order from May 31 from the same retailers.

The Barracuda X will cost $100 while the flagship model, the Barracuda Pro is the most expensive of all, at $250. All three can be used across platforms, although none of them support the necessary wireless protocols needed for Xbox.

Barracuda scanner specifications

About this review: This review was written after testing the Razer Barracuda, provided by Razer, over the course of about a week. Razer did not have any input on this article.

Design and Features: Take a sheet of Opus operation book

• Thin design, inspired by Opus headphones.
• No RGB!
• Supports 2.4GHz wireless connection via USB-C dongle or Bluetooth 5.2

I used a file Many From Razer headphones. And while they’re usually very good headphones, they look just like gaming headphones. I also own a pair of Razer Opus X headphones which I enjoy a lot, not only because they are bright green. Razer does a good job with sound, but no one wants to go outdoors with a Kraken on their head anymore.

So, along with the Opus, you can see the design direction that Razer has gone into. This is a gaming headset more like a premium set of headphones than flashy, “look at me” RGB mess and huge ear cups. In fact, nothing on the Barracuda lights up at all other than the power LED light. There is elegance and precision in this gaming headset and I love it very much.

It’s a bit heavier than, say, the Razer BlackShark V2, but not what you would call heavy. It is mostly made of matte plastic with a sturdy feel. It does have a bit of a fingerprint, but it’s solid. I would actually say the Barracuda feels better assembled overall than the Audio Technica ATH-M50X headphones I wear every day and cost about the same.

Besides the sleek design, the other big thing that Razer has done to make the Barracuda more bearable for non-gaming purposes is removing a prominent microphone. It doesn’t separate or retract, or droop from the side of your face, it just doesn’t exist. There is still a microphone on the Barracuda, but it’s just a permanent part of the earbuds. Again, as you’ll get for Opus headphones, only better. This is still a gaming headset after all.

The Razer Barracuda also gets bonus points for wirelessly supporting just about every platform imaginable. Except for the Xbox. You can’t use the Xbox wirelessly, but Razer includes a 3.5mm cable so you can connect it to your console. For wireless use, you have two options, and you can use them, both seamlessly.

The first is the good old Bluetooth, perfect for connecting to a mobile device or Nintendo Switch. The second is Razer’s Wireless HyperSpeed ​​with a mini USB-C dongle that supports PC, PlayStation 5 (and PS4 if you’re using a USB-A to USB-C adapter cable), USB-C-enabled phones and tablets, and even a drum roll Please, google stadia.

In the grand scheme of things, the latter is a happy coincidence, which Razer certainly didn’t mention on the box. But the fact that the Barracuda is one of very few headphones that uses a USB-C dongle means you can connect it to your Stadia console for game audio and microphone. It works an absolute treat. Thanks to the Razer SmartSwitch, a simple double press of the dedicated button on the headset allows you to switch between the dongle and Bluetooth.

Despite this, the Barracuda is truly a gaming headset for all occasions. Sure, the Xbox’s first-party wireless protocol means you have to use a cable with your Series X like an animal, but Razer hasn’t left anyone out. It is one of the most modern and platform friendly gaming headsets currently available.

Sound quality for games, movies and music

• Built-in microphone instead of a traditional boom microphone.
• Microphone quality is a bit poor.
• The sound quality is excellent, with lots of customizations.
• THX Spatial Audio for Windows PC users.

The sound is where the biggest difference between the Razer Barracuda and the more expensive Barracuda Pro makes. An extra $90 Pro gives you hybrid ANC networks, extra THX goodness, and improved drivers.

However, ordinary barracudas are not flabby. Razer used 50mm TriForce Titanium drivers to power the headset, and you get THX Spatial Audio on PC. This isn’t new to the Barracuda, but it’s one of the distinguishing features that separates it from a regular pair of headphones.

You can get the usual settings customizations in Razer Synapse on the desktop but there is also a mobile app to adjust it to your taste from your smartphone. THX Spatial Audio requires Synapse to run, but luckily it will be sitting there in the background.

As far as the sound goes, I’m impressed. This is the first headset in some time I’ve spent more time testing in music and movies than gaming, and it holds up to the Opus.

The sound is powerful and clear and there are plenty of low frequencies naturally if you want to. When it comes to gaming, Spatial Audio provides excellent directional information, and the sound stage is great overall. It’s immersive, passing along every sharp blast and bang, while also handling more subtle sounds with ease. I am particularly impressed with how clear the sound is in racing games. Playing F1, for example, it’s pretty clear which side of the car a particular noise is coming from.

I would say it’s an overall improved sound from some of the older Razer headphones, and I would definitely put it above the Kraken in the hierarchy. The fact that Barracuda handles music better than most gives it a definite edge.

In the past, microphone quality has been the area I’ve been most critical of over Razer headphones, so I’ll admit to some trepidation. Sadly, it’s still easily the Razer Barracuda’s weakest area by some margin. The sound is clear enough, but it sounds like you’re on the phone. Out of the box with no additional settings probably where you want to leave it, I found that adding noise cancellation would make the quality drop even more. For content creators, that’s definitely not the case, but for group chats, and even phone calls, it’s serviceable. Your friends will hear you, but for any kind of quality, you’ll still need a dedicated microphone. It’s a shame the rest of the headphones are so good.

Check it out for yourself in this sample clip.

Who Should Buy Razer Barracuda?

• You should buy Razer Barracuda if you play on PC, mobile, Nintendo Switch or even Stadia
• You should not buy the Razer Barracuda if you are an Xbox gamer because it does not support the correct wireless protocol.
• The Barracuda does double duty for anyone who also wants a great pair of wireless headphones for music.

The Razer Barracuda is a very exciting gaming headset. On the one hand, it’s comfortable, looks great and lasts the course with a battery life of up to 40 hours. Competitive gamers will enjoy THX Spatial Audio, and everyone will appreciate being able to use this headset as a regular pair of headphones without sounding like a football.

An added interest lies in Razer’s support for basically every platform, including one that could easily be considered an accident. USB-C is the new standard, and this simple feature on the dongle means you can get the best wireless audio performance from any device. Sorry xbox.

If I’m picking, I like it to be a little lighter and a little wider on the ears. It is also difficult to tell if the microphone is muted or not. The mute button is quite shallow and it is not immediately clear what state it is in. It was easy to get some audio feedback in the ears every time you mute/unmute so you know for sure what you just did. Especially since you get audio feedback using SmartSwitch. And of course, if microphone quality is important, you’ll either need a dedicated microphone or look elsewhere. Razer, please, make better headphone mics.

$160 isn’t a small investment for a gaming headset, but I think it’s well worth the spend. It’s a great versatile game, and unless you absolutely need ANC, save $90 on a Barracuda Pro and use it instead. Barracuda proves to you Can Buy a gaming headset and use it as your everyday wireless headphones.