Razer Blackshark V2 Pro Review

Manufacturer: Razer
Where to Buy: Razer
RRP: £199.99

The headset market is really ramping up in recent years. Just here at the Tavern we’ve been fortunate enough to review plenty of awesome sets, and now a wild Razer appears with it’s new Blackshark V2 Pro for Xbox; a wireless set that has been created in collaboration with eSports professionals, resulting in excellent performance and comfort, as well as bespoke options for titles such as Apex Legends and Fortnite.

First things first, the presentation upon opening the box is excellent. The headset is nicely cushioned in there, with the accessories in their own little compartments. Even the roughest delivery driver couldn’t budge these I reckon. We also get some stickers and a short manual for that extra little touch.

Lifting them out of the box, I was surprised how light they felt, coming in at around 320 grams. They look and feel sturdy despite this, and over the last few weeks have been an utter joy to wear for any and all gaming sessions. Some headphones I’ve used can feel a bit uncomfortable after long sessions, but I’ve worn the Blackshark for over 10 hours in a day (both for music at work and gaming in the evening) and I’ve barely even noticed they were on.

The headband and ear cups are very soft and comfy, and can be adjusted individually with the metallic rods on each cup. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews I tend to need any headphones I wear to go to the maximum they allow, but the Blackshark is actually too big for me at it’s maximum – a nice change indeed!

On the cups we have the controls for use; a power button and mic mute on the left, as well as the volume dial, and the multi-purpose button on the right. This used for everything from pairing Bluetooth to changing the audio pre-sets, each requiring a different time held down to activate. This is perhaps the only real nit-pick of the Blackshark, as I found myself accidently engaging a different audio profile instead of changing to Bluetooth at times, but in reality this is a small issue as we’re not constantly doing so.

Onto the real meat of the device then, and it’s safe to say the Blackshark V2 Pro has some utterly incredible audio quality. The onboard 50mm drivers deliver supreme bass and clarity in all modes. I’ve been playing a variety of games with these, from Wrath: Aeon of Ruin to Crow Country and Dragon’s Dogma II, and no matter the scenario the sound has been excellent. Wrath‘s explosive combat had extra punch, Crow Country‘s creepy ambience was heightened, and those Pawns’ barks of nearby ladders were (annoyingly) clearer than ever.

There are four standard modes to choose from (Movie, Music, Game, Custom) each with their own perks and can be easily fine-tuned in the Razer Audio Setup for Xbox app. A little voice prompt will let us know what one we switch to as we press the button too, so we’re not second-guessing ourselves. But as mentioned above this set was designed not just with the everyman gamer in mind, but those who really get into eSports games.

With that said, we can switch from the standard modes to the eSports mode. Here, Razer have collaborated with pros in fine-tuning pre-sets for Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Fortnite. I’m not in any way a pro-gamer, but I do play a lot of Fortnite so based my testing on this title, with a little Apex thrown in.

For Fortnite, I do believe there was a genuine difference in the finer detail noises such as humming chests or players footsteps nearby. I kept switching back and forth as I played and definitely found it clearer to hear these aspects, as well as long distance pops of gunfire. Did it make me any better? That’s a tall order for any peripheral, but it certainly was a noticeable difference to my ears. Apex was a harder difference to spot as I’m not as familiar with that game these days (I last played it when the first of new maps originally came out) although again, there was definitely something that bit clearer in the few rounds I tried.

So far so good then, with excellent audio quality and options, and a great look and feel to the device itself. Keeping the positive train rolling is the fact this is fully wireless to not only the Xbox, but other formats too, either via Bluetooth or simply flicking the switch on the USB Dongle and plugging it into a PS5 or PC. Battery life is reportedly up to 48hours on Xbox, or 70 hours Bluetooth, and in the couple of weeks I’ve had it I’m only now approaching the need to pop it on charge for the second time.

An included detachable mic rounds out the solid package of the Blackshark, and here again eSports in kept in mind. The large foam covering keeps pops and crackles at bay, while the 32hz sample rate means our voice comes in nice and clear at all times.

Conclusion

All told, Razer have produced a frankly excellent pair of headphones in the Blackshark V2 Pro. Not only are they brilliantly comfortable, but the sound quality and variety of options for use are all top notch indeed. There’s no lack of competition out there for headphones, but these should be at the top of the list if you’re in need of a new, high-end pair.

Hardware provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.