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.
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.
Reason 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 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
Headphone Fit
Over-ear
Max Frequency Response
28,000Hz
Min Frequency Response
12Hz
Noise Canceling
No
Product Weight
0.57 lbs
Programmable Buttons
No
Wireless
No
Wireless Connectivity
n/a
All Specs
Test Results
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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
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56
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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
