Razer Kraken X USB: Definitive Review 2021

Our Top Pick had a control scheme that couldn’t be beaten!

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This is our ultimate review of the Razer Kraken X USB…

This headset had some great features, and came in as our Top Pick for its excellent User Interface.

In this comprehensive review, we’ll cover:

• Initial thoughts and feelings following our testing of the Razer Kraken X;
• Specs and test results;
• Our overall takeaway on this headset and why it won our Top Pick Award;
• Lots more…

Our Top Pick always goes to products that excel in a particular area, even if they don’t perform so well in others.

In this case, the Kraken X fits that bill, providing the single best user interface among any of the other headsets I looked at during my testing. And while there are many other cool and exciting features on this headset, the control scheme was the highlight for me.

So if you want a solid headset with responsive controls you can easily adjust in-game, you’ll love this guide.

Buckle up.
Let’s make a start:

Top Pick

Value for Money	8
Ease of Use	10
Durability/Workmanship	7
Comfortable	8
Audio Quality	7
Total Score	40
Overall Score  /100	80
Connection	Wired
Audio	Stereo Surround Sound
Microphone	Solid Bendable Cardioid Microphone
Driver Size	40mm
Weight	0.61
Pros	• Very light at just 275g • Solid bendable cardioid microphone quality • Comfortable
Cons	• Cheaper plastic construction • Poorer incoming sound quality
Manufacturer	Razer
Bottom Line	A solid starter headset with an extremely beginner-friendly setup and control schemes.

A solid starter headset with an extremely beginner-friendly setup and control schemes. Our Verdict: Razer Kraken X USB The Kraken X USB is a mixed bag, really impressing us with certain attributes and falling short on others.

To start, the headset comes with a smaller 40mm driver, standard stereo surround sound package, and a bendable mic (a divergence from Razer’s regular retractable mics).

With all that, the headset is a lot lighter than many of the others I looked at, which really cuts down on long-term neck strain.

The headset’s title feature is its USB cord, which also departs from the standard 3.5mm connectors that most of Razers Headsets use.

Though the headset didn’t perform very well in the audio department – featuring the aforementioned basic surround sound and a slightly lackluster bendable mic – this USB gaming headset blew us away with its control scheme and generally no-nonsense user interface.

Overall, it’s a PC USB gaming headset worth exploring if you’re the kind of gamer who likes instant access to sound controls or – you make lots of adjustments in-game.

Picture	Model	Best	Overall Score	Price
	Razer Kraken	Best Gaming Headset	88
	Razer Nari Ultimate	Best Value Headset	86
	Razer Kraken X USB	Best USB – Our Pick	80
	Razer Kraken 7.1	Best Wired Headset	84
	Razer Blackshark	Best Headset For PS4	84
	Razer Kitty Edition	Best Pink Gaming Headset	80
	Razer Thresher	Best Wireless Headset For PS4	74
	Razer D.Va	Best Analog Gaming Headset	80
	Kraken Ultimate	Best Noise Cancelling Headset	82

Our Analysis Comparisons and Test Results

During our initial testing, the Kraken X USB didn’t make a significant impression on us.

The superior sound clarity was good but was pretty much the baseline from which we tested all our headsets.

It also had a bendable cardioid microphone, which was fine, but not so good as the retractable mics on many of the other Razers.

Likewise, it boasted 64-bit ultra light comfort engineering, but suffered from a lack of durability because of that.

And while I could wear it for hours on end without any pinching or overheating, this headset didn’t come with the gel cooling featured in the Kraken Ultimate.

However, this headset was our Top Pick for a reason – its user interface was excellent.

Whereas many of the other headsets on this list – and especially those for gaming in general – get lost in their dreams when adding features to their USB gaming headset, the X USB kept everything blessedly simple.

The controls were straightforward, responsive, and better than any other Razer gaming headset on the market today.

Performance Comparison

What’s important about gaming headsets, and how do we rate each of the headsets we looked at?

Well, to start, there are five metrics that we looked at when rating each of these headsets. These were:

• Value for Money
• Ease of Use
• Durability/ Workmanship
• Comfort
• Audio Quality
We went ahead and tested each of these headsets, rating them against one another (and all the other headsets we’ve ever used) to see where they stack up on these five metrics.

Here’s what we found:

1 – Value for Money

Money: you just can’t get past it.
And that’s why it’s here, right at the top of the list for essential considerations. For this metric, we looked at how much the headset cost, then weighted that against how many features were included and how good the headset’s overall quality was.

Value For Money	Total Marks Out of 10
Razer Kraken Headset	10
Razer Nari Ultimate	10
Razer Blackshark	9
Kraken Ultimate	8
Razer Kraken X USB	8
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma	7
Razer D.Va	7
Razer Thresher	7
Razer Pink Kitty Edition	6

On this one, the X USB did well enough, finishing in the upper half of the headsets we looked at. However, it did fall short of the original Kraken – and our Top Pick for value – the Nari Ultimate.

While the X USB did come with some cool features, it didn’t quite live up to its price hike (over the original Kraken, anyway), and it didn’t show the incredible quality of the Nari Ultimate either. It was all enough to land the X USB a strong “8”, but nothing more.

2 – Ease of Use

We all like our things to be well-built, cheap, and, well, easy to use.

Headsets used for gaming – for all of their fun and exciting features – are no exception to that rule. All I want is excellent sound quality, a reasonable price, and everything else on this list – all within a reliable, simple package.

Ease Of Use	Total Marks Out of 10
Razer Kraken X USB	10
Razer D.Va	10
Razer Kraken Headset	9
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma	9
Razer Blackshark	9
Razer Pink Kitty Edition	9
Razer Nari Ultimate	8
Razer Thresher	7
Kraken Ultimate	7

Well, when it comes to simplicity, the Kraken X USB can’t be beaten.

After all, it took the near-perfection of the original headset and integrated universal USB technology and a superior on-headset control layout, making the experience even more straightforward in the process.

There’s very little more I can say about this headset – the designers completely understood the excellence of their original design, then went ahead and improved it even further.

3 – Durability/ Workmanship

The solid design comes in two parts: ease of use and durability.

We’ve already covered the first, but what about the second? Even if a headset is intelligently designed and elegant, it’s not worth your time if it’s going to crack the moment it’s dropped.

Durability/ Workmanship	Total Marks Out of 10
Razer Kraken Headset	9
Razer Pink Kitty Edition	9
Razer Thresher	9
Kraken Ultimate	9
Razer Nari Ultimate	8
Razer Kraken X USB	7
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma	7
Razer Blackshark	7
Razer D.Va	6

While the X USB did finish in the bottom half for this one, it’s only separated from the best headsets by a pretty slim margin. Still, that divide does exist, so why did we only give this headset a 7?

Simply put, it’s not as durable as some of the others. This headset was marketed for its “ultralight” qualities, but these compromised its overall durability.

Based on conversations with long-term users, this hunch seems to hold, and you won’t get the same longevity out of these as with other headsets.

Comfort

Gaming headsets are made for gamers.

And what do gamers like to do? Sit for hours in the same position, leaning into a screen? Given that, you want a headset that won’t weigh down your neck, pinch or overheat your ears, or do any number of other unpleasant things to you while you play.

Comfort	Total Marks Out of 10
Razer Nari Ultimate	10
Razer Blackshark	10
Razer Kraken Headset	9
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma	9
Razer Pink Kitty Edition	9
Kraken Ultimate	9
Razer Thresher	8
Razer Kraken X USB	8
Razer D.Va	7

Once again, the Kraken X USB finished just outside the upper echelon, though this time it boasts an entirely respectable score of “8”.

But what made it less comfortable than some of these other headsets? Well, several of these headsets came with elegant comfort features, including gel-cooled memory foam ear cushions. Others just got it right, like the original Kraken. For the X USB, it wasn’t so much that it did anything wrong, just that the other headset heavily outperformed.

5 – Audio Quality

Finally, there’s audio quality.

For this metric, we looked at both incoming and outgoing comms – meaning how well you can hear them and how well they can hear you. After all, without both of these in-sync, your gaming experience will suffer.

Audio Quality	Total Marks Out of 10
Razer Thresher	9
Kraken Ultimate	8
Razer Kraken Headset	7
Razer Nari Ultimate	7
Razer Kraken X USB	7
Razer Blackshark	7
Razer Pink Kitty Edition	7
Razer D.Va	7
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma	7

As you can see, the X USB falls into the big pile of “7”s that define this list. That tends to happen on lists focused on a single manufacturer, as many of their headsets suffer from the same flaws.

In this case, it was the outgoing sound quality – notably the more inferior quality of Kraken’s mics. For the X USB, this resulted in some low-level feedback and voice distortion, compounded by its lesser-quality cardioid mic (I’ve always preferred the retractable ones).

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions: Razer Kraken X USB

Q – Is the Kraken X USB?
A – Yes. The Kraken XUSB differs from many other headphones on this list because it uses a USB cord for connection.

Q – Does Kraken X USB work on ps4?
A – While the Kraken XUSB does work on the PS4, it must be fed directly into the PS4’s USB port. Users also report that you can’t turn the mic off once it has been turned on when connected to the PS4.

Q – Is Kraken X good?
A – Yes. The Kraken XUSB is our Top Pick because of its straightforward user interface. This headset is also reasonably comfortable and a good deal compared to other headsets on the market, though its lower-quality surround sound didn’t impress.

Q – Is Razer Kraken better than Kraken X?
A – In our opinion, the Razer Kraken is the best overall Razer PC gaming headset, and has higher ratings than the Kraken X. That being said, the Kraken X is also a good choice, and has some unique upsides.

Our Final Verdict: Razer Kraken X USB

So there you have it, here’s our last word.

Which headset will you go for?

Is it going to be the Kraken XUSB? Or will it be our Editor’s Choice, the original Razer Kraken? Of course, you should also consider our Best Value Choice, the Razer Nari.

Best	Total Marks Out of 100
Razer Kraken Headset	88
Razer Nari Ultimate	86
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma	84
Razer Blackshark	84
Kraken Ultimate	82
Razer Kraken X USB	80
Razer Pink Kitty Edition	80
Razer Thresher	80
Razer D.Va	74

Conclusion: Razer Kraken X USB

We’ve done the hard work testing and putting this review together – now it’s your turn to make the hard choices…

We’ve given you plenty of things to think about for the Kraken XUSB, and there’s plenty more to consider, whether it’s the fact that this USB gaming headset simply sounds great – or you’re shopping for something a little different.

At the end of the day, every gamer is different, and the perfect headset isn’t far away – you have the Top 10 in our review here…

Now it’s up to you to decide which one floats your boat!

See owner reviews and check out current prices by clicking on the link below. RELATED: Best For Y Full Title (Definitive Review)

Other Versions:

Razer makes a wide range of Kraken gaming PC headsets, including those we reviewed alongside the XUSB.

Notable inclusions are the original Kraken PC Gaming Headset – and our Editor’s Choice for best overall Razer headset.

The Kraken Ultimate was also an excellent headset, with excellent sound quality and gel-cooled memory foam ear cushions. It’s a bit higher-priced, but worth every penny.