Razer Kraken V4 Gaming Headset Review – With the User in Mind

Inside you’ll find the Razer Kraken V4 headphones , a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle, a 1.5-meter USB-A to USB-C cable for wired connection and charging of the headphones, a USB-A to USB-C (male) cable for connecting the dongle, a user manual, and a set of stickers.

The headset features the familiar Kraken design: chunky earcups, a large headband, and LED lighting on the outer earcups. Visually, the Razer Kraken V4 and Razer Kraken V4 Pro are very similar, practically indistinguishable from each other. However, the younger model uses fabric earpads, while the older model features protein leatherette earpads.

The headband is covered with eco-leather on the outside and fabric with soft foam on the inside. Considering the model’s weight of 350 grams, this helps reduce pressure on the head, allowing you to wear the headset for hours without any discomfort. The ear pads on the earcups are also filled with soft memory foam.

The earcups are connected to the headband with a swivel mount, allowing them to rotate 90 degrees: this is a new feature of the fourth generation of the Kraken series – if necessary, you can comfortably place the headphones around your neck or put them in a backpack , where they will not take up much space thanks to their design.

The outer earcups feature a perforated area through which the lighting shines. The Razer logo in the center of the outer earcup also lights up. The lighting has nine zones: each zone can be customized independently using the software, with its own effect, color, and brightness. The inner earcups are covered with a thick fabric with “R” and “L” markings, denoting the right and left speakers, respectively.

Controls are concentrated on both earcups. The left one houses a retractable microphone, a USB-C port, a power button, an activity indicator, a volume wheel, and a microphone mute button. The right one houses a game/chat balance button and a SmartSwitch button for switching connection modes (Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz).

The microphone is non-detachable. It’s mounted on a flexible boom and easily slides in and out of the housing. Its housing features an LED indicator that lights red when the user mutes the microphone.

Both visually and tactilely, the Razer Kraken V4 feels like a quality product. The headset is well-built, with no play or creaks, ensuring a snug fit without any pressure or fatigue, even after hours of gaming.

Connection and setup

The headset supports three connection modes: wired USB, wireless Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz. The wireless connection supports simultaneous connection to a 2.4 GHz dongle and a Bluetooth source, allowing you to take an incoming call on your smartphone and answer the caller from the headset without interrupting your PC game.

Some headphone functions can be controlled using the buttons. For example, the wheel adjusts volume by default, but if you hold down the Game/Chat button for three seconds, you can also use the wheel to adjust the balance between game and voice chat volume. A single press of the connection mode button cycles through the built-in equalizer (available presets are “Game,” “Movie,” “Music,” and “Custom”), while a double press switches between Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz connection modes.

For more flexible configuration of the Razer Kraken V4, you need to install the Razer Synapse 4 application on your PC. The software contains several tabs:

Sound is the most important tab. Here you can adjust the equalizer, set the headphone volume, and game/chat balance, as well as select sound profiles for specific games. For supported titles, you can even enable THX immersive mode, which enhances spatial sound and improves positional awareness.

Enhancements – here you can access sound enhancement settings: you can amplify quiet sounds like footsteps, increase bass, and make characters’ speech clearer. This tab also allows you to activate the “Do Not Disturb” mode, which blocks incoming calls from your mobile device when the headset is simultaneously connected to a PC via a 2.4 GHz dongle and a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Microphone – microphone settings: equalizer, voice clarity enhancement, noise reduction, etc.

Backlighting – everything related to the headset’s lighting. You can adjust the brightness, timeout, select preset effects, or create a custom profile using the Razer Chroma module.

Power – here you can set the time for the headphones to turn off when idle.

Demo – This tab provides a demonstration of the difference between stereo sound and THX surround sound.

While the headset sounds great out of the box, the app is worth checking out: you can customize the sound to your preferences, choose a backlight mode, improve microphone performance , and set power-saving options.

Impressions of use

The Razer Kraken V4 features 40mm Razer TriForce Titanium drivers that deliver powerful, balanced audio. Expect a wide soundstage in games: the new headset was tested in the Resident Evil 4 remake , the arcade racing game Forza Horizon 5 , the online shooter Counter-Strike 2, as well as the stealth action game HITMAN World of Assassination and the action RPG The Outer Worlds 2 .

All these games focus on high-quality audio design, and the user experience depends largely on how they perceive sound. And here, the Razer Kraken V4 does not disappoint: footsteps and gunshots are well-positioned, nearby explosions are practically deafening, and dialogue is clear and intelligible. Even in the background soundtrack, every note is clearly audible.

The headset can also be used for listening to music and movies . Rich lows, clear mids, and crisp highs—you’re sure to be satisfied with the sound quality.

A unidirectional microphone aims to capture only the user’s voice, ignoring extraneous sounds. While this isn’t always successful, it’s not guaranteed that ambient noise will drown out your speech—sometimes, however, your conversation partners will be able to hear the sound of a car outside or the clicking of a keyboard .

The RGB lighting looks nice, but its value is questionable given that the headphones sit on the user’s head and are invisible. However, if you’re streaming , the illumination will be a nice addition to the headset’s appearance.

However, you can always turn off the backlight to save battery life. In this case, you can expect approximately 50 hours of battery life—generally a decent result, although there are headsets with longer battery life.

Conclusion

The Razer Kraken V4 is a very good gaming headset that has several useful features: three connection options, including simultaneous connection to two sources, high-quality sound with support for THX spatial audio, a comfortable fit and soft ear cushions, very detailed customization through the Razer Synapse app, high build quality, and decent battery life.

Yes, the microphone isn’t the best (though it’s generally sufficient for transmitting voices to teammates), and you’ll have to dig into the settings to get the perfect sound, but for the most part, the model is worth the investment. If you don’t need tactile feedback in your headphones but still want excellent sound and positional awareness in video games, the Razer Kraken V4 is well worth your consideration.