We look at another product that’s part of the latest ‘Chroma’ series from Razer – the Razer Kraken Chroma 7.1 Gaming Headset. If you didn’t know, the Chroma series is Razer’s new line-up of re-badged products featuring customisable RGB LEDs. You can check out our review of the Razer Deathadder Chroma here.
Lightweight Design
The Razer Kraken Chroma features the exact same frame as the normal Kraken, so if you had one of those, you’ll find nothing different here. I’ve never tried the Razer Krakens before so I was quite surprised at how robust and comfortable the headset is than it actually looks. The cups looked small when I pulled it out of the box but after putting them on, the headset fits over my (fairly large ears) fine. The good thing as well was the headset frame really latches onto my head without any stress but is strong enough to keep it from sliding off.
On top, the headband felt fine over my skull and there was barely any pressure at all. I tested this headset for 1-2 weeks and have never be in any discomfort with the design, especially after some lengthy time spent with the Battlefield Hardline beta.
The only thing that I picked up that was quite concerning was the mesh part of the headset – it felt a little off design with some parts of it scratched and off colours and a few minor dents. It’s probably not the best thing to have on the side as that’s where the headset will take the most impact. So I wasn’t surprised to see some minor scratches from previous reviewers on the sides.
Brilliant Sound
The Razer Kraken Chroma’s 7.1 ‘virtual’ surround sound is quite amazing. As I mentioned above, I’ve never really owned a Razer audio product so I was surprised to find the Kraken Chroma sounded quite brilliant. The Razer Kraken Chroma uses a USB input so forget about those 3.5mm jacks, it’s a quick and easy plug & play setup. Out of the box, the Razer Kraken Chroma was tuned well but if you wanted to get into the full customisable audio – you’re best to download Synapse and Razer Surround to fine tune the headset.
I’ve tested a bunch of titles but have mostly been using the headset with the Battlefield Hardline beta. I’ve found the range of the headset to be quite incredible with deep rumbling bass and clear clarity. Battlefield has some great sounds, so hearing the different elements in-game with the headset really proved the Kraken Chroma can perform.
Obviously being a gaming headset, the Razer Kraken Chroma features a microphone which can be cleverly concealed into the cup. The microphone was really well-built, capable of all different types of angles to position it in the right spot. Performance wise, the microphone does the job. It’s not going to be studio quality from a headset but it does enough to provide clear communication with team mates when engaged in battle.
Final Say
If you’re buying the Razer Kraken Chroma 7.1, take note – it’s pretty much the exact same as the normal Kraken 7.1 as nothing has been changed apart from the customisable Razer snake logo on the side where you can choose from different effects and colours. Apart from that added customisable feature, the Razer Kraken Chroma is a brilliant headset with a comfortable design and excellent sound.
Price: $139 | Available Now | A review unit was provided by the vendor.