Razer Barracuda x Multi-Platform Wireless Gaming Headset

It could be my own realtek audio drivers or something else in the house interfering with the wireless bluetooth connection i'm not too sure. This headsets wireless functionality is really hit or miss, I've seen so many people online having problems with the dongle - having the device not being able to read the dongle when it is connected. The wired functionality works fine but the wireless one doesn't. It's pretty 50/50 to be honest. You would be better off saving money for a better, more durable and optimized wireless gaming headset. The mic isn't that clear as well, I'm only giving it 3 stars because if the wireless functionality doesn't seem to work you can still use it with the wired jack that comes with it if you are not too fussed about wires. All in all, if ... MoreIt could be my own realtek audio drivers or something else in the house interfering with the wireless bluetooth connection i'm not too sure. This headsets wireless functionality is really hit or miss, I've seen so many people online having problems with the dongle - having the device not being able to read the dongle when it is connected. The wired functionality works fine but the wireless one doesn't. It's pretty 50/50 to be honest. You would be better off saving money for a better, more durable and optimized wireless gaming headset. The mic isn't that clear as well, I'm only giving it 3 stars because if the wireless functionality doesn't seem to work you can still use it with the wired jack that comes with it if you are not too fussed about wires. All in all, if you are looking for a wireless gaming headset spend that little bit more just to secure one that isn't faulty because believe me It's wireless functionality is very poor.

Balanced and compatible

These have been solid, packable wireless headphones. I seldom use them for gaming as I have other headsets and prefer a wired connection for games. They fold flat and using them is almost foolproof, but I took one point off because there is no bluetooth option and the audio adapter can be awkward. First major issue: The power connector is USB-C but these are NOT Power Delivery compliant. You need to connect them to a PC or charger's USB-A port or they will not charge at all. Always make sure the light turns on when you plug them in to charge. Once you understand it's a minor annoyance, but I almost thought they were broken. Second issue: You need to use the chunky wireless adapter. The adapter is USB-C and works with the USB-audio standard. It works instantly with a ... MoreThese have been solid, packable wireless headphones. I seldom use them for gaming as I have other headsets and prefer a wired connection for games. They fold flat and using them is almost foolproof, but I took one point off because there is no bluetooth option and the audio adapter can be awkward. First major issue: The power connector is USB-C but these are NOT Power Delivery compliant. You need to connect them to a PC or charger's USB-A port or they will not charge at all. Always make sure the light turns on when you plug them in to charge. Once you understand it's a minor annoyance, but I almost thought they were broken. Second issue: You need to use the chunky wireless adapter. The adapter is USB-C and works with the USB-audio standard. It works instantly with a lot of mobile devices and PCs by merely plugging it in, no driver software or special apps needed. It is faster and higher quality than what you'd expect from bluetooth audio (which is good for gaming) but the piece of plastic sticking out can be awkward. And if you don't have a USB-C port there is a USB-A adapter cable, but it's kinda clumsy. They do also include an audio cable so you can plug your wireless headphones directly into a headphone jack. I like them but I wouldn't say they are the best. Battery life has been good for me, they are compatible with everything and they're easy to travel with but - they're not really the best at anything. I probably wouldn't be saying this if they also supported Bluetooth.

Decent Headphones

These headphones are ok. I managed to snag them on sale for $50 during the holiday season, which is a decent deal. No one should soend the $100 full price. The heaphones are a pretty good universal headset, given the detachable mic, wireless capabilties, and non-agressive gamer form factor. That beinng said, there isnt anything that is significant or even particularly good about the headphones. They provide mediocre audio quality and not spectacular microphone quality. However, the headphones do offer great battery life, and extremely comfortable cushions. There were two things I dislike about these headphones. The first being integration into Razer synaspe to monitor battery life. Secondly, they don’tclarify that the headphones don’t actually hve bluetooth built ... MoreThese headphones are ok. I managed to snag them on sale for $50 during the holiday season, which is a decent deal. No one should soend the $100 full price. The heaphones are a pretty good universal headset, given the detachable mic, wireless capabilties, and non-agressive gamer form factor. That beinng said, there isnt anything that is significant or even particularly good about the headphones. They provide mediocre audio quality and not spectacular microphone quality. However, the headphones do offer great battery life, and extremely comfortable cushions. There were two things I dislike about these headphones. The first being integration into Razer synaspe to monitor battery life. Secondly, they don’tclarify that the headphones don’t actually hve bluetooth built in, but rather only achieve the “wireless” with a usb C receiver. This was fairly misleading, because I thought I could use this with my lightning port iPhone.

Great headset except for the microphone

I bought these and the Arctis one wirelessly to compare as they were the same price at one point of $50. First and foremost, these are super comfortable to wear. I had them on for 3 hours with no discomfort. Sound quality was quite nice too. Not quite monitor but they were pretty nice and even, nothing crazy. I was able to get a good soundstage and able to distinguish where the sound came from pretty easily. The battery life apparently is great, but didn't use it enough to know. The USB dongle is exactly the same as Arctis 1. I wish it was slightly longer so I can use it on my phone or my portable gaming consoles without taking the protective case off, but that's the same issue with Arctis. The biggest difference between this and the Arctis, which is what I ended up ... MoreI bought these and the Arctis one wirelessly to compare as they were the same price at one point of $50. First and foremost, these are super comfortable to wear. I had them on for 3 hours with no discomfort. Sound quality was quite nice too. Not quite monitor but they were pretty nice and even, nothing crazy. I was able to get a good soundstage and able to distinguish where the sound came from pretty easily. The battery life apparently is great, but didn't use it enough to know. The USB dongle is exactly the same as Arctis 1. I wish it was slightly longer so I can use it on my phone or my portable gaming consoles without taking the protective case off, but that's the same issue with Arctis. The biggest difference between this and the Arctis, which is what I ended up keeping, was the microphone. Compared to Arctis, it is awful. Sounds very distorted compared to Arctis which came in clear.

Great multiplatform headset.

Love these headphones. I've tried a few sets now trying to find a good multiplatform set. My main pair has been the astro a50 gen 3 for years now. Love the sound of them better than any Ive tried to date. Bass and sound quality to me is still better than new ones. The problem is they can't seem to stay connected and sometimes cut in and out for several minutes B4 it stops for a few. Very aggravating plus only works with one console unless both base stations are bought. I have both and both do the same cutting in and out. Went wired on a couple sets but wasn't impressed really then found these on sale for 50 bucks and I'm definitely glad I did. Sound is good but not as good as far as loudness and bass as I'd like but the razor headphones literally work with ... MoreLove these headphones. I've tried a few sets now trying to find a good multiplatform set. My main pair has been the astro a50 gen 3 for years now. Love the sound of them better than any Ive tried to date. Bass and sound quality to me is still better than new ones. The problem is they can't seem to stay connected and sometimes cut in and out for several minutes B4 it stops for a few. Very aggravating plus only works with one console unless both base stations are bought. I have both and both do the same cutting in and out. Went wired on a couple sets but wasn't impressed really then found these on sale for 50 bucks and I'm definitely glad I did. Sound is good but not as good as far as loudness and bass as I'd like but the razor headphones literally work with everything I've tried. PS5, Series X, switch, and even my android. Best part is it can run wireless or wired on all platforms except Xbox must be wired. Very comfortable and battery seems good. Connections have been very stable so far. If ur looking for a good set that is priced very well the razor barracudas are the one. I will definitely be trying the new 2022 version soon. It also connects through Bluetooth with double the battery.

Incredible value for a quality headset

The Razer Barracuda X is an awesome value for a great quality, comfortable headset. It is advertised as a 4 in 1 wireless headset, and for the most part it delivers on that promise. The key to this headset is that it has a little USB-C dongle that allows you to use the headset with pretty much any device that supports a standard USB audio device. It comes with a (fairly long) adapter cable that connects to USB-A ports as well, so it works with desktop PCs that don't always have easily accessible USB-C ports. The design of the headset is really discrete and with the mic detached doesn't scream "GAMER" if you want to use it for music listening on the go. It's also lightweight and the memory foam pads are comfortable to wear even with glasses. I also want to draw ... MoreThe Razer Barracuda X is an awesome value for a great quality, comfortable headset. It is advertised as a 4 in 1 wireless headset, and for the most part it delivers on that promise. The key to this headset is that it has a little USB-C dongle that allows you to use the headset with pretty much any device that supports a standard USB audio device. It comes with a (fairly long) adapter cable that connects to USB-A ports as well, so it works with desktop PCs that don't always have easily accessible USB-C ports. The design of the headset is really discrete and with the mic detached doesn't scream "GAMER" if you want to use it for music listening on the go. It's also lightweight and the memory foam pads are comfortable to wear even with glasses. I also want to draw special attention to how premium the packaging felt - each cable and part comes in a small foam padded bag that really was a great touch. One thing I found surprising is that the Barracuda X actually supports Razer's two virtual 7.1 surround apps for PC - both the free 'basic' 7.1 surround sound app (you have to register the headset and then you get an activation code) and the THX spatial sound app which is about 20 bucks. If you go to the webpage for their 7.1 surround app, the Barracuda X is advertised there, but on the Barracuda X itself there isn't any designation about this feature. I imagine this is because the 7.1 surround is only possible on PC and not on Android, Switch, or PlayStation. Either way, it's a welcome feature that adds a lot to the PC experience. Using with Android, Switch or PS4 is also pretty seamless. You just connect the USB-C adapter either directly to the Switch in handheld mode (or Android device), or using the USB-A adapter cable with the dock or the PS4. The mic works as expected (and has great quality and noise reduction), even in phone calls on my Note 20. Other than for Android gaming I don't expect much use out of the Razer headset since it requires the dongle and doesn't support bluetooth - this is a minor tradeoff as the dongle fixes issues with every other platform. I really loved the Barracuda X with my Switch - being able to use them wirelessly is a lot more flexible, and you can always use the included 3.5mm cable to plug them in if you need to charge at the same time. Sound quality wise, the Barracuda X is not an audiophile grade headset and as such I didn't expect it to sound like one. It sounds well balanced for gaming audio and some music listening - but there is a little distortion if you use bass-heavy EQ settings. Honestly the bass is pretty good without being overdone by default so I don't see the need to add bass boost to these. Otherwise I found the audio to be pleasant with a wide soundstage for a closed over the ear headset. THX Spatial Audio (an optional $$ add on for PC) adds even more depth and directional audio to the soundstage so definitely check that out if you pick this up for PC use.

LOVE the Headset - HATE the Dongle

While suspiciously similar to the (older and cheaper) Steelseries Arctic 1, Razer’s Barracuda X is a great headset - so long as you are not bothered by the dongle (which is required for the wireless functionality). The headset is affordable, lightweight, produces balanced sound, is comfortable to wear (even with glasses), very simple to control, has great battery life, a stellar microphone, and is compatible with nearly every device (except for iPhones) - But, I absolutely hate being tied to the dongle. Apparently the Hyperspeed Wireless technology has virtually no latency - which makes it technically better for gaming compared to Bluetooth. Bluetooth, however, is universally compatible with nearly every product that produces audio and it doesn’t require a dongle. ... MoreWhile suspiciously similar to the (older and cheaper) Steelseries Arctic 1, Razer’s Barracuda X is a great headset - so long as you are not bothered by the dongle (which is required for the wireless functionality). The headset is affordable, lightweight, produces balanced sound, is comfortable to wear (even with glasses), very simple to control, has great battery life, a stellar microphone, and is compatible with nearly every device (except for iPhones) - But, I absolutely hate being tied to the dongle. Apparently the Hyperspeed Wireless technology has virtually no latency - which makes it technically better for gaming compared to Bluetooth. Bluetooth, however, is universally compatible with nearly every product that produces audio and it doesn’t require a dongle. The dongle plugs into a USB-C port, but it is so wide that it blocks the other inputs on a laptop (see attached picture). To solve this issue, Razer has included a USB-A to USB-C extension cable. The added cable does ensure that the dongle doesn’t block other ports, but makes the dongle bulky. I would honestly rather have a Bluetooth connection as it would GREATLY improve the convenience of the Barracuda X. ...Bluetooth headsets are able to connect to multiple devices - which means that while you are gaming, you can also connect to your phone and listen to music, or accept phone calls. With the Barracuda X, you only have a single audio connection - which is really too bad. The headset design is low profile enough that it can actually pass as a pair of stereo headphones - instead of being the average bulky gaming headset that makes the wearer look like an air traffic controller. If the dongle was not required for wireless use, the Barracuda X could be the only headphones I need for home and for travel. For a headset that is only used primarily in one location, or with one device - I do absolutely recommend the Barracuda X. But, if you want a single headset for multi-use that will travel with you - I believe that a Bluetooth headset is a better option. - CONS: - Requires a dongle for wireless functionality - No Active Noise Cancelation - Ear cups are rather small - Ear cups are shallow so ears press against the inside fabric - No cooling gel used in the padding - Ear cup padding is not replaceable - No official iPhone support - No built in audio controls other than Play/Pause - No Bluetooth functionality - Cannot connect to multiple devices at once - No battery meter / indicator - 3.5 mm cord has no microphone or controls built in

Robert's review of RAZER Barracuda X Wireless Gaming Headset - White

Pros: Excellent product. I love this headset. As a heavy gamer it produces beautiful, high fidelity audio. When I am in the game I can easily locate my opponent. Cons: There is only one aspect where this headset could improve: There is no way to tell how much battery power is left, it only flashes red when the battery is about to die. There is no software availability, and the hardware has already been designed. Perhaps what they could have done is changing the power button lighting from blue to green when there is only 20 percent left, and red when only 5 is left. But when the red light on you're only minutes away from a dead battery which is kind of annoying. But that's a very minor inconvenience.

Solid audio quality, comfort, and light weight

In my search for a versatile gaming / work headphone I picked up the Razer Barracuda X based on its compatibility with mobile, PC, and PS4. Overall I found this headset to be a well rounded offering for gaming, teleconferencing, and streaming music / movies. In the box are the headphones, USB C dongle, USB A cable, USB charger, audio cable and logo decals. Setup is easy, on my Samsung android mobile I connect the USB C dongle into the phone charging port and can seamlessly stream with no further setup required. For gaming or PS4 I use the USB A to USB C cable and dongle. Sound range from dongle is 25' through and around walls, I expect even further for line of sight. One negative is that the USB C dongle is wide, so phones need to be removed from cases and if you ... MoreIn my search for a versatile gaming / work headphone I picked up the Razer Barracuda X based on its compatibility with mobile, PC, and PS4. Overall I found this headset to be a well rounded offering for gaming, teleconferencing, and streaming music / movies. In the box are the headphones, USB C dongle, USB A cable, USB charger, audio cable and logo decals. Setup is easy, on my Samsung android mobile I connect the USB C dongle into the phone charging port and can seamlessly stream with no further setup required. For gaming or PS4 I use the USB A to USB C cable and dongle. Sound range from dongle is 25' through and around walls, I expect even further for line of sight. One negative is that the USB C dongle is wide, so phones need to be removed from cases and if you have anything in nearby ports on laptop or console you cannot use the dongle directly without the USB extension cable. As far as build quality, these are middle of the road. I'm not confident these will withstand my teen's level of wear and tear after months of use or being dropped. I think this is the tradeoff for being so light weight at this price point. The headphones pivot for comfort, both up down and swivel left right. The headband flexes without providing too much pressure on the ears. I'm very picky about band comfort and was surprised that this headset is suitable for hours of wear without a break and zero ear discomfort. The band is foam padded for comfort, as are the ear cups, but the foam is not removable to clean / replace. The controls are on the left ear and include (in order from bottom up) mic port, USB A port, audio cable port, power button, volume wheel, and mute. The mic is removable and flexible to move out of the way or take completely off. Overall an 8/10 for build and comfort for extended wear. As far as sound quality, that's where this headset is surprisingly good for the price point. The sound quality is not music hall quality, but it does have a moderate level of depth and range for music. For gaming I find that the subtle nuances are clear and distinct, the sound location is accurate and enhances game play over not having a headset. There are slight noise canceling properties due to the over the ear style, and the mic is clear and does not pick up nearby background noise. No complaints, 10/10 sound quality for price value. Overall, I'm not sold on the USB C dongle approach, but with the tradeoff being versatility to swap to multiple devices, it's a decent trade off. I think these make a solid comfortable headset to take with you to the office, on the go, or paired with your favorite gaming platform.

Surprisingly (!!!) outstanding multi-role headset

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: I can't say as I've ever been a big Razer fanboy when it came to their headsets. I have tried and passed on various wired/wireless iterations of the Kraken, Nari, and Blackshark for a variety of comfort, sound, and sometimes even software support issues. BUT, the Barracuda X came out of nowhere to totally blow my expectations out of the water and turn in some remarkably fine gaming AND multimedia performance for both the PC and Switch, all while overcoming some of the comfort issues that dogged a few of their previous outings. And all of this was on tap without needing Razer's sometimes bloated and resource-heavy Synapse client! Frankly, I was skeptical that the Barracuda X would be a keeper after a recent disappointment with the Blackshark V2 ... MoreBOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: I can't say as I've ever been a big Razer fanboy when it came to their headsets. I have tried and passed on various wired/wireless iterations of the Kraken, Nari, and Blackshark for a variety of comfort, sound, and sometimes even software support issues. BUT, the Barracuda X came out of nowhere to totally blow my expectations out of the water and turn in some remarkably fine gaming AND multimedia performance for both the PC and Switch, all while overcoming some of the comfort issues that dogged a few of their previous outings. And all of this was on tap without needing Razer's sometimes bloated and resource-heavy Synapse client! Frankly, I was skeptical that the Barracuda X would be a keeper after a recent disappointment with the Blackshark V2 X, but Razer appears to have put its best foot forward with this headset and the results were simply outstanding. DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED if you're hunting in the crowded $100 headset market for something comfortable, versatile, and sporting a powerful, engaging, but definitely not bloated, sound signature. A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK: Starting with style, build quality and comfort, Razer has eschewed their normal, over-the-top gamer aesthetic and loud RGB bling for something that looks more like a middle-of-the-road consumer headset with styling cues very similar to the Sony WH-1000XM4. In fact, if it weren't for the subtle Razer logos etched in the earcups, you'd be hard-pressed to identify the Barracuda X as a Razer gaming headset at all--definitely a plus if you want these to fit into a workplace or other subdued public setting. The mostly plastic construction keeps the weight down (just 250 grams), yet the construction feels solid with nary a creak to be heard. The underside of the headband is generously padded with a very long strip of faux leather that runs virtually the entire length of the headband assembly. Thankfully, the headband itself features a fairly natural curvature that dramatically reduces topside hotspots (at least for someone with a reasonably adult-sized head) by spreading the points of contact along a much wider section of your skull. The internal headband support is metal but still slightly flexible--this allows the headband to retain its primary shape yet still respond to gentle pressure so you can personalize fit and curvature even further--there's even a quick passage in the manual about making these slight adjustments to the headband to improve longevity. The earpads feature pillow-soft memory foam under a breathable mesh covering. While this does decrease passive noise isolation a bit, it makes them VERY comfortable against the skin, and keeps your ears from overheating during longer gaming sessions. Although billed as over-the-ear cans, the earpad openings on the Barracuda X are actually pretty small, falling somewhere between the wider stadium-shaped openings of the Arctis 7/Wireless Pro and the narrower ovals of the Audeze Mobius. In practice, this meant that a good deal of the earpads were pressing in on the lobes/outer anatomy of my ear. However, the soft earpad material, coupled with the design/construction of the headband, meant that on-ear contact and inward clamping forces were actually VERY comfortable. Unlike the unyielding construction and high clamping force of the Blackshark V2 X (which resulted in so much discomfort I had to remove the headset every 20-30 minutes), I was EASILY wearing the Barracuda X for 2-3 hour gaming sessions at a single go without ever needing to touch or readjust the headset even once. Moving on to function and controls, the Barracuda X puts all the controls and ports on the left earcup. Although the control possibilities themselves are minimal, this also means you're never really fumbling around from one earcup to the other trying to find volume, mute, or the power button. The volume wheel is nestled between the power and mic mute buttons...all are spaced far enough apart to allow easy access and manipulation without undue risk of adjusting one control while reaching for another. Although they are the same shape, the mic mute button features a longer push-button action than the power/multi-function button; however, there are no accompanying tones or LED status lights to indicate when the mic is muted. Nevertheless, the mic-on position (raised) feels different enough from the mute position (flush against the earcup) that I doubt anyone would mistake one position for the other--note that there is no mixing control dial for mic & playback volume levels. The main power button produces a set of rising & falling tones when the headset powers up or down--there are no spoken voice status indicators here. Beyond that, a single, double or triple press of the power button provides functions for play/pause & call accept/end, skip track and previous track--these functions worked perfectly from the headset when I was streaming Amazon music from my PC. The Barracuda X works wirelessly with a small, paddle-shaped USB-C dongle; Windows reported output formal support up to 16-bit/48khz. The male USB-C connector on the dongle was long enough that it still seated securely in my daughter's Nintendo Switch, even through a full-body bumper case; the dongle does not appear to be large enough to intrude during handheld use. The Switch recognized the dongle immediately and playback began instantly without any setup or menu adjustments--very nice! You are also provided a USB-A to female USB-C cable that gives you a connection point in case you don't have an open USB-C port. Wireless range was about 25-30 ft around a corner before I noticed the first bit of signal degradation; range was even better (~50 ft) while I maintained direct line of sight to my PC. The headset can also operate in passive/analog mode using the provided 3.5mm combination (stereo and microphone) cable. Note that Razer did not include an audio/mic breakout cable, so you'll need to provide one of your own if your PC, laptop, or other device has separate analog jacks for audio output and mic input. The headset will not function as an external sound card without the dongle--the additional USB-A to USB-C cable is for charging only. The removable microphone (thank you!) features a foam windscreen and an idiot-proof, one-way insertion design into the earcup. The boom is long enough to position the mic well inside the outer edge of your mouth, and it nicely stays in place once bent into position (that has not always been my experience with other boom-style mics!). It would have been nice if Razer had included a small bag or case with the headset (though the earcups do swivel flat for low-profile stowage), and the analog cable is only about 53" tip-to-tip so you can't game in wired mode very comfortably if your PC is situated quite far from your seat. But aside from those observations, the Barracuda X comes very nicely appointed. Finally, let's talk about performance. I didn't find mic recording quality or levels to be problematic at all; my teammates online had no trouble hearing me in the heat of battle, and my voice was devoid of any extreme distortion or tinny/metallic tones that I've experienced with lesser quality mics (YMMV depending on your setup/software support). As indicated up front, this headset does NOT require Synapse, but Razer's simulated 7.1 audio application is a separate (though mercifully small) client/download. Once you register your headset, you'll get a code to activate the program; but frankly, it doesn't seem all that necessary, at least on a Windows machine. The Razer 7.1 virtual surround solution isn't integrated with the OS like Windows Sonic or Dolby/DTS--you have to select a virtual 7.1 device (from the 'Sounds' settings page, or from the system tray) and then turn on 7.1 surround processing using the separate Razer 7.1 app (and then leave it running). The effect does add some depth/reverb, but it sounds pretty close (if not slightly inferior) to Windows Sonic IMO--Dolby & DTS are far more immersive and provide much greater realism in terms of a wide soundstage and convincing sound-source panning/localization. Once installed, you may upgrade to THX's Spatial Audio app (and are given a 50%-off code as incentive), but the number of supported games is currently somewhat limited so I eventually uninstalled Razer's 7.1 client in favor of the Dolby and DTS virtual surround processing solutions. Yeah, great...but how did the Barracuda X actually SOUND? In a word--fantastic (especially at this price point)! Overall, I found these cans to be very pleasant and non-fatiguing with just a bit of "gamer-appropriate" bloom in the low end. Transient response felt very accurate--instruments & notes on busier tracks didn't seem to be distorting or smearing into each other. Highs and mids seemed quite articulate with female vocals & acoustic instruments sounding clear and clean without getting harsh or sibilant at very high frequencies. Compared to the Acrtis Pro Wireless and Audeze Mobius headsets, the Barracuda X did feel just a hair less "airy" or "breathy"--it was only a subtle difference in detail retrieval, but still noticeable, especially during some quick A/B comparisons on a repeating loop. However, those headsets also cost 3x-4x more, so the fact that the Barracuda X turned in such a strong performance in comparison is more than admirable. In the low end, however, the Barracuda X definitely kicked things up a notch--mid-bass and deep bass (like bass guitars or kick drums) had some extra oomph and almost palpable heft over both of those higher-end gaming headsets. Fortunately, however, all that extra warmth and low-end body never sounded muddy or overblown, nor did it wear me down over time. If you favor a warmer/bass-tilting sound signature, I'm very happy to report that the Barracuda X felt like it delivered without overpowering everything else in the mix. Well done, Razer--this one is a keeper!