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Razer Blackshark V2 Review

Nikshep Myle Avatar
Updated Jan 16, 2024 2:20 PM

True Score

85
84
7

Experts

90
1,262

Consumers

Product Awards

Top 5

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

The Razer Blackshark V2 is ideal for gaming, given its balanced sound profile, comfortable design, and no audio-visual latency. However, you should reconsider if you are recording content or relying on the mic for gaming.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Razer Blackshark V2 headphones arrived in mid-2020 as a set of basic, wired headphones available in three color schemes. The wired, over-ear headphones have a detachable boom mic, but they don’t support noise canceling. Sound adjustments can be made through the Razer Synapse app; the headphones only offer volume and microphone controls.

This is a bit limited compared to what the best gaming headsets on the market have. Nonetheless, they have good enough padding on the ear cups and the headband for comfort, but the metal hinges supporting the earcups do not swivel. They also have 50mm drivers and are compatible with both PlayStation consoles and PCs but not Xbox consoles.

Best For

  • Big Heads

  • Razer

Consensus

our Verdict

The Razer Blackshark V2 is a great gaming option. The audio production is balanced, creating an accurate gaming environment and delivering clear bass, mids, and trebles. The companion software also offers a great EQ, allowing users to adjust sound levels to their liking. The headset design allows for long listening sessions, given its cushiony padding and high-quality cloth covering. Another significant draw is the incredibly low latency, which was tested at .3 ms, meaning there are no noticeable delays between audio and visuals.

However, the headset is not ideal for recording or picking up audio via the detachable boom mic, and it was rated 5.6/10, which is in the bottom 10% of the category. The mic does not pick up a natural, clear sound, which produces poor recordings. Finally, the controls on the headset itself are limited and don’t allow users to make key adjustments on the fly.

ReasonS to Buy

  • Good Audio Quality
    • Gamers can expect a natural, balanced sound profile that reliably produces good bass and mids. However, the headset can have slightly inaccurate trebles, and they can sometimes come through slightly harsh.

  • Comfortable Design
    • The headset is ideal for long gaming sessions, as the earcups and headband are both padded with thick memory foam. Additionally, the padding is covered with a cool cloth instead of leather, which enhances breathability and comfort.

  • Great Companion Software
    • Gamers are able to adjust the sound to their liking, given the Razer Synapse 3 software has an EQ and settings for adjusting the mic levels.

Reason to Avoid

  • Microphone Recording Issues
    • The mic struggles to deliver a rich, full sound or capture trebles accurately, given tests show its frequency extension range is limited to 586-10,000 Hz. The mic was rated 5.6/10, placing it in the bottom 10% of tested gaming mics.

  • No Noise Cancelation
    • The headset does not block out outside noise, which can distract during gameplay, given the soundstage is passive and it has no built-in noise cancellation feature.

  • Limited Controls
    • Gamers don’t have the ability to make quick adjustments, given the headset only has two control functions, one for volume and the other for muting the mic.

Razer Blackshark V2 Specs

Adjustable HeadbandAdjustable HeadbandYes
Auto-Adjusting HeadbandAuto-Adjusting HeadbandNo
Battery LifeBattery Life
Compatible PlatformsCompatible PlatformsAndroid, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Connector SizeConnector Size3.5mm
Detachable MicDetachable MicYes
Driver SizeDriver Size50mm
Earcup Foam MaterialEarcup Foam MaterialMemory Foam
Headphone FitHeadphone FitOver-ear
Max Frequency ResponseMax Frequency Response28,000Hz
Min Frequency ResponseMin Frequency Response12Hz
Noise CancelingNoise CancelingNo
Product WeightProduct Weight0.57 lbs
Programmable ButtonsProgrammable ButtonsNo
WirelessWirelessNo
Wireless ConnectivityWireless Connectivityn/a

All Specs

Test Results

Max Volume (dB)0
Microphone Sound Quality Rating (out of 10.0)6.35
Speech To Noise Ratio (dB)27.73
BT Latency (ms)0
Non-BT Latency (ms)0
Low End Roll Off (Hz)20
High End Roll Off (Hz)8,992.011

All Tests

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    Product Comparison

    Razer Blackshark V2 Review

    True Score

    85
    NR
    NR
    NR

    Ranking

    #

    4

    /

    57

    #

    /

    #

    /

    #

    /

    Market Context

    The Razer Blackshark V2 headphones arrived in mid-2020 as a set of basic, wired headphones available in three color schemes. The wired, over-ear headphones have…

    The Razer Blackshark V2 headphones arrived in mid-2020 as a set of basic, wired headphones available in three color schemes. The wired, over-ear headphones have a detachable boom mic, but they don’t support noise canceling. Sound adjustments can be made through the Razer Synapse app; the headphones only offer volume and microphone controls.

    This is a bit limited compared to what the best gaming headsets on the market have. Nonetheless, they have good enough padding on the ear cups and the headband for comfort, but the metal hinges supporting the earcups do not swivel. They also have 50mm drivers and are compatible with both PlayStation consoles and PCs but not Xbox consoles.

    It might be hard to distinguish the Razer BlackShark V2 headphones and the Razer BlackShark V2 X headphones because of their very similar design and…

    It might be hard to distinguish the Razer BlackShark V2 headphones and the Razer BlackShark V2 X headphones because of their very similar design and build, but the two are different in that the mic on the V2 headphones is detachable, while the one on the V2 X is not. Another difference is that the V2 headphones can be configured through the Razer Synapse app, but the same cannot be said of the V2 X headphones since they have no companion app. Lastly, the V2 X headphones ship with a USB Audio cable, but the V2 headphones do not. Learn more about the V2 X headphones through our Razer Blackshark V2 X review.

    While the Razer Blackshark V2 headphones are a wired variant, the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro headphones are a wireless variant and, therefore, slightly more convenient…

    While the Razer Blackshark V2 headphones are a wired variant, the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro headphones are a wireless variant and, therefore, slightly more convenient to deal with. The V2 Pro headphones also have somewhat better sound leakage performance, but in case you’re interested in what else they have to offer, feel free to check out our Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review.

    The Razer Blackshark V2 headphones are slightly larger than the Logitech G433 headphones, and they also have much better sound leakage performance, making them ideal…

    The Razer Blackshark V2 headphones are slightly larger than the Logitech G433 headphones, and they also have much better sound leakage performance, making them ideal for use in crowded environments since they’re less likely to disturb those seated around. However, the Logitech headphones have both an in-line and detachable boom mic, while the Razer headphones only have one boom mic. Go ahead and see what else they have to offer by reading through our Logitech G433 gaming headset review.

    Adjustable Headband

    Yes

    Auto-Adjusting Headband

    No

    Battery Life

    Compatible Platforms

    Android, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X

    Connector Size

    3.5mm

    Detachable Mic

    Yes

    Driver Size

    50mm

    Earcup Foam Material

    Memory Foam

    Dig Deeper

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    Score Card

    E

    Expert Score

    84

    *.75

    We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

    C

    Customer Score

    90

    *.25

    We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

    True Score

    85

    Expert Scores

    • Rtings
      99.8

      Category Trust Rating

      63
      The Razer BlackShark V2 are good for neutral sound. They can accurately reproduce thump and… Read More

      By:

    • Sound Guys
      82.1

      Category Trust Rating

      77
      The Razer BlackShark V2 is among the best gaming headsets on the market, in its… Read More

      By:

    • PC Mag
      67.6

      Category Trust Rating

      90
      The wired Razer Blackshark V2 gaming headset offers excellent audio and microphone quality, loads of… Read More

      By:

    • Tom’s Guide
      56.25

      Category Trust Rating

      90
      The Razer Blackshark V2 is one of Razer’s finest gaming headsets yet, featuring subtle sound… Read More

      By:

    • Tweak Town
      71.15

      Category Trust Rating

      89
      Razer has stepped things up with the BlackShark V2, and while it still may have… Read More

      By:

    • IGN
      64.95

      Category Trust Rating

      80
      If you want an esports gaming headset that won’t give you wearer’s fatigue, but will… Read More

      By: