The helmet gaming Razer Kraken V4 Pro is certainly the brand’s most complete model to date. Giving pride of place to RGB, this new model also integrates vibration motors, to go further than simple sound retransmission. This technology, already seen in the Kraken V3 HyperSense, intends to significantly improve immersion in games.
It comes with a wired control box, similar to what SteelSeries offers on its high-end models. Thanks to the latter, the headset accepts four different connection modes and supports simultaneous audio in 2.4 GHz/Bluetooth. It also integrates 40 mm biocellulose transducers, as well as a very promising retractable microphone.
All this has a cost, and it is particularly high here. Indeed, this brand new Razer Kraken V4 Pro is offered for the tidy sum of 450 euros. It’s simply the helmet gaming the most expensive one we have tested to date. Suffice to say that he will have a lot to do to justify such a price!
Technical sheet
| Model | Razer Kraken V4 Pro |
|---|---|
| Format | Wireless headphones |
| Removable battery | No |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Active noise reduction | No |
| Autonomy announced | 50 hours |
| Connector type | USB Type-C |
| Weight | 397g |
| Product sheet |
This test was carried out using a product loaned by the brand.
A Kraken (almost) like the others
The helmet
Without standing out for its originality, the Kraken V4 Pro is a beautiful object. Razer has nothing left to prove when it comes to the conception and design of its products and this new addition to the Kraken range is no exception. Relatively sober, it exudes solidity even in its weight which reaches almost 400 g.
It has a completely classic design which takes place around a covered arch entirely covered in fabric and which features imitation leather stamped with the brand logo on the upper part. This hoop is flexible enough not to compress the skull and accommodates the sliding metal forks allowing the adjustment of the helmet. The travel is also large enough to suit the largest heads.
The almost circular earcups typical of the Kraken range rotate 90°, which allows the headset to be placed comfortably around the neck. They still feature a perforated plastic covering, which here displays particularly successful RGB lighting, although completely dispensable. This extends to the central logo, also illuminated.
These earbuds have generous memory foam, covered here with a synthetic coating which provides good insulation, but will, as often happens, tend to make the ears a little hot. Once screwed on the head, the Kraken V4 is not the most comfortable headset at the moment. It suffers in particular due to its weight and its cushions keep the ears a little too warm.
The Kraken V4 Pro stands out with the quantity of buttons it has, especially when you add the control box. Thus, the right earpiece has two buttons: one controlling the equalizer, the second acting on the vibrations. On the left, the power button is accompanied by a dial and a final button to deactivate the integrated microphone. There is also the USB port dedicated to charging and wired use.
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The retractable microphone is also very well integrated and consists of a particularly convincing memory boom. It has an LED that lights up when capture is cut off. An audible notification indicates this when activated, as with most features that can be operated from the headset.
The control box
If so far the Kraken V4 Pro does not really differ from its ancestors in its design, this is without counting on the arrival of a dedicated control box. Very sober, this one seems unnecessarily imposing to us. For comparison, it is much larger than the SteelSeries GameDAC which also includes a slot for charging an additional battery.
In addition to replacing the traditional dongle USB, this control box allows you to bring together several connectors while offering quick access to most of the headset’s settings. Operation is relatively simple since you simply press the secondary button to navigate between the settings and then turn the dial to adjust them.
The screen can also be used to display animations, as well as useful information about the headset’s operation. However, the options remain limited and it seems impossible to keep the screen on permanently.
Multiple connection options, but average battery life
The Kraken V4 Pro is not the most durable headset at the moment. The snake brand announces up to 50 hours of autonomy in 2.4 GHz, RGB lighting off and only 13 hours when the latter is activated. For my part, and after a short week of use with the lighting activated, Synapse still indicated 45% battery remaining.
In terms of connectivity, Razer offers us a very generous headset. Indeed, the control box has two USB C ports, to connect a PC and a console, an auxiliary input (3.5 mm jack), but also a Bluetooth connection directly integrated into the headset. This can also be used simultaneously with the 2.4 GHz link. Finally, the Kraken V4 Pro can also be used wired, thanks to the USB port it integrates.
Boom boom in the ears
Razer has equipped its Kraken V4 Pro with 40mm TriForce drivers. Without really shining with their performances, they deliver a sound that is fairly accurate and does not present any major flaws. Each frequency finds its place, without overdoing it. The headphones are therefore not particularly “low”, nor too bright and correctly transcribe my favorite songs.
In-game, immersion is there, without requiring you to activate THX spatialization which tends to distort the soundtrack of titles or films too much. The headset benefits from good stereophony and a wide soundstage, just what is needed to promote good localization of sounds.
Above all, the Kraken V4 Pro integrates a vibration module in each earpiece. The goal? Make the player physically feel the soundtrack of their favorite games. To summarize briefly: these vibrations are triggered in synchronization with low frequencies, to accentuate their magnitude and thus improve immersion.
Concretely, if this functionality is more of a gadget than anything else, I must admit that in-game and when watching a film, these vibrations bring a little something interesting. Especially since the technology used by Razer seems to have evolved in the right direction and is now more mature. We finally have the impression of being a bit like at the cinema, or of having a very sturdy subwoofer installed near the PC, without annoying the neighbors.
The intensity and behavior of the vibrations are also adjustable, in order to adapt to individual preferences. In my case, the balanced mode, combined with medium intensity, gave good results on Satisfactory where each machine in operation takes on a whole new dimension. In short, without being essential, Razer’s haptic technology is interesting and “funny”.
The integrated microphone delivers a rather decent performance. The voice is well captured, with enough detail to be heard correctly by our playmates. On the other hand, a slight compression is heard and the capture has a slightly metallic side which is not particularly pleasant to the ear, without nonetheless be prohibitive. We benefit here from a very good quality microphone.
A very complete new version for Synapse
The Kraken V4 Pro allows us to discover the new version of Synapse for the first time. I must say that I don’t remember having ever tested a headset offering so many adjustments. Synapse offers no less than eight distinct tabs to adjust the Kraken V4 Pro settings.
The first, relatively classic, deals with audio settings and offers a ten-band equalizer. Several presets are also offered, as well as the activation or not of THX spatialization. This is where the game/chat balance can be adjusted, although this setting will be more convenient to adjust from the OLED box. The functionalities of the latter can also be modified on this same page.
A tab is entirely dedicated to the microphone, which also benefits from several improvements and a dedicated equalizer (but not customizable). Likewise, the entire “vibration” aspect of the headset is adjustable, with different configurations, the settings of which are rather obscure despite the explanations provided by the application.
The screen of the control box is also customizable, like the RGB lighting integrated into the earpieces. As is often the case, you will need to use Chroma Studio to finely adjust this lighting. However, the preconfigured effects are quite sufficient, especially for a headset where you cannot really take advantage of the integrated lighting.
Obviously, it remains possible to save all these parameters in profiles. These can then be associated with games and applications, to adjust the operation of the headset depending on the situation.
Razer Kraken V4 Pro headset price and availability
The Razer Kraken V4 Pro headset is available at the recommended price of 450 euros.
