Christmas is fast approaching, and many of us are starting to look at our wishlists and hunt for the perfect gift for our loved ones. Christmas came early for this little reviewer, and it’s shaping up to be the brightest, most productive year ahead, thanks to the all-new Razer Barracuda X Chroma wireless headset. While I am very familiar with the Razer brand and its peripherals, I have never had my hands on any of them until now. Have I been missing out for all these years? Will Razer find themselves a new member of Team Sneki? 

Included in the box, you will find a USB-C to USB-A adapter, a USB-C to USB-C braided charge cable, a USB-C hyper-speed wireless adaptor, a sticker sheet, a quick start guide, the detachable microphone, and the Razer Barracuda X Chroma headset you will slide out of a velvety feeling cloth carry bag. Getting started took me a little longer than I anticipated, mostly due to the poor readability of the quick start guide. Don’t get me wrong, silver on black looks visually appealing to the eye, but the sheen on the silver text proves to be a little more difficult to read as the light bounces off the page.

Taking my first tour of the headset, I am instantly drawn to the stylish, modern design and matte black colour. The headband and earcups are cushioned with a luxurious feeling, memory foam that is super comfortable even while wearing glasses. Etched onto the top of the headset, you have the Razer branding. On the sides of each ear cup, you have the 6-zone RGB lighting with the Razer tri-snake logo starring centre stage. The left earcup is home to your various controls, microphone input, and the USB-C charging port.

The headset setup process differs slightly from many other wireless headsets. Setting up the hyperspeed wireless is plug-and-play. Compatible with many devices, like the Nintendo Switch, PC, MAC, PS5, PS4, and Steam Deck. What made the setup different was that I was also pairing my mobile via a Bluetooth connection. This brings me to the first feature of the headset, the Razer SmartSwitch Dual Wireless.

Razer SmartSwitch Dual Wireless allows you to conveniently switch between the two connected devices at the press of a button. While connected to the hyperspeed wireless, the SmartSwitch will automatically switch to your Bluetooth-connected device when a call comes through. You can also switch between the connected devices manually by double-pressing the button located underneath the microphone. I fell in love with the fact that I could take a call while gaming without needing to remove the headset. 

The 6-Zone Chroma RGB allows the user to make a visual statement with highly customisable lighting effects. Users can customise each zone from within the Razer Audio app or the all-new Chroma app within Synapse 4. Tinker till your heart is content, or select from one of 8 presets within the app. I may not be the biggest fan of RGB in the world, but I will admit that this looks stunning. 

I thoroughly enjoyed spending some time in a dark room, watching the glow of the RGB changing colour as I gamed. Even with the RGB turned on, I was able to get a very impressive 29 hours of playtime before being prompted to charge. After a second full charge and turning off the RGB via the Razer Audio app on my phone, I have been able to spend the rest of the week gaming and going mobile without the need for another charge. 

The most important part of any headset is the sound quality, and Razer’s TriForce 40mm drivers do not disappoint. The majority of the time spent with the headset, I’ve been giving Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 a thrashing. I am nothing but thrilled at the sound quality that has been delivered. The Gaming preset EQ tuning is impeccable for this particular game. Player footsteps were easy to focus on without feeling lost in the chaos around me. 

My only issue regarding sound quality is that the Movie preset tuning was perhaps a little heavy on the bass, which made the sound quality in certain movies sound a little muddy. Thankfully, there is a custom EQ profile, which can be customised to your liking via the Razer Audio app. Microphone quality is as you would expect it to be from Razer. It is crisp, clear, and very natural sounding. 

Weighing in at only 285 grams, the Razer Barracuda X Chroma is extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods. Half of the time, I would even forget that I was even wearing a headset. 

With the Razer Barracuda X Chroma, you are essentially getting two headsets for the price of one. Priced at a reasonable mid-range bracket of $229.95, you are getting plenty of bang for your buck. Sleek modern design with gorgeous RGB lighting that makes a statement. The most convenient headset I’ve had in years, and it sounds incredible. I am so glad this was my first experience with Razer, and clearly, I’ve been missing out all this time.

Written by: Gary Nielsen