These days, it seems more and more companies are going for the fancy and expensive type of gaming headset, which is perfect for those with money to spare, but what about those who have a tighter budget. Previously this meant a lower quality headset, but Razer are attempting to change that with the Kraken X, the question is though, did they succeed?

The first thing that must be understood is that this is a budget headset, at under $100 it is the cheapest headsets around and while the cost is low, the performance is still very high. Because of the lower price point, many of the features that have become standard for Razer, are not present, but you are still getting great audio, which is the main thing, but lets talk construction. The Kraken X features the same basic shape and build as the rest of the Kraken family, the two large ear cups are attached at the sides, which run up to the almost solid, one-piece headband. The top of the band is solid plastic, under the underside is broken, with a large piece of soft foam, to help keep it comfortable when on your head. The single piece that runs across the top is thin enough that there is some flexibility to the band, so if it gets push in on itself, it won’t immediately break, but there is still plenty of rigidity in it, that you can’t pull it to far from its default shape.

The cups, as mentioned before, attach by a dual pin hinge, giving them a firmer sit when on your head, there is no movement there, attaching them to the headband is the standard pull and click system, used for adjustment of the size. There are eight notches each and when both fully extended provide a significant increase to the size of the head capable of using the headphones, the only real issue with them, they can be a little stubborn to move. If you only want to adjust one notch, you will likely find yourself pushing past the one and instead getting two or three, while not a big problem, it is annoying. The foam that is used as cushioning across the inside of the main band is also thin and has very little resistance to it, the slightest amount of pressure and the foam gives way, great for getting it in place quickly, not so when you game for a long period of time.

As with any headphones the other point of importance are the ear cups and here is where they fall in line with the rest of the Kraken family, as they sport the same shape as the rest of the family, just with a set of 40mm drivers, instead of the standard 50mm. On the outside of the ear cups are the pads, which are firm enough to not give way when in use, but soft enough that they don’t feel like they are going to cut into your head from extended use, the catch though, there is no airflow with them, so using them in a warm room, or on a warm day, will quickly lead to your ears feeling confined and somewhat sweaty. The outside of the cups contain a honeycomb pattern which is just that, a pattern, pure decorative and not functional in any way, the right ear cup is devoid of any additional features, they are all confined to the left ear. On that ear cup you have a volume wheel, well for volume control and thankfully it is not a free spin, there are ends to the movement, making it easy to know where you are. Above that is a push to mute button, but as an odd choice, it actually sinks in and when you push to unmute, it pops back out, finally near the base is the cord and the microphone.

Over the past few years, Razer have spent a lot of time, investing in their microphone technology and here another place where it shows. The microphone is a cardioid shape, which allows for a solid pick up distance, this range means that no matter where you adjust the mic to sit, something that is made possible by the bendable arm, you will still be heard. While there is a significant amount of pick up from the front, there can be slight noise pick ups from the sides of the microphone, thankfully the rear remains quiet, anything within the 180 degree arc of where the front of the mic is, that is where sound will be picked up, it will just be quieter the further away it gets. Unlike other models in the Kraken family, the microphone does not retract into the headset, which means it is always there and as it is not removable, means unless you are using it, it is always in the way. Given the price point of the headset, I would have preferred it be removable, but I can understand keeping he costs down as much as possible.

The sound quality though is where any headset succeeds or fails and while the drivers are smaller than most other headsets that the company produces, they still manage to deliver great spatial audio. The claim is it that they provide 7.1 surround sound, they do a solid job, but they are not quite true to the claim, though the quality is still great. Connecting the headphones to a mobile phone for music, provides clear and crisp sounds, regardless of the artist playing, from Guns N’ Roses to Elton John, Hilltop Hoods to Billie Eilish, they all sounded great. As the connection is a standard 3.5mm connection, it will connect to almost all devices without issue, such as a Switch or iPad, to gaming controllers that support it. The 3.5mm connection is also the reason that it is unable to do true 7.1, but regardless of that, the sound quality is superb all around. The cord itself is weird though, it is not a corded cable, like many of the other ones from Razer, but is instead a grooved piece of rubber, which feels odd and has about the same amount of flexibility as the headband, the upside, it does not tangle easy.

Those looking for a new headset, should take a look at the Kraken X, it offers a good range of options, especially for the price it is asking. The catch is that some of what it is offering, like the 7.1, does not exist in the way it should and with cups that provide little airflow around them, for a few extra dollars, you can get another Razer headset that will likely do you better.