Razer went through a few years of stuffing interesting gimmicks into its headsets, from RGB lighting to actual literal on-ear haptics but, in the last year or two, it’s walked that all back to concentrate on nailing the basics.
That feels like the core ethos of the BlackShark V2 Pro, and it’s an approach that brings really good results, a headset that’s comfortable to wear, easy to adjust and has all the features you need without overcomplicating things. Here are my full thoughts.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
This is an excellent headset from Razer, one that ticks every major box – although we think it’s perhaps a little pricey compared to some of the competition.
Pros
- Easy to adjust
- Great microphone
- Very good sound
Cons
- Slightly hot on the ears
- Could feel lighter
Design
- Available in black and white
- Weighs 331g
Razer hasn’t shaken things up too much for the new version of its already popular BlackShark, but there are some changes that I think give the headset a little more personality.
For one thing, you can now buy it in white, and as you can see from my photos that’s the version I tested – it’s a gorgeous headset, and pairs with the base PS5 very, very nicely to give a really clean and modern look.
The control knob on the left earcup is a tiny bit bigger, and the ear cushions have a subtly changed finish, but really this is a case of consistency, and that means all the good things about the first BlackShark Pro are still here.
You get a really solid headband with thick cushioning, and a pretty unique set of sliders that sit on each side of the two earcups, rather than in the headband itself.
This is a little different to usual, but I found that it made it very easy to get a precise and comfortable fit. Interestingly, at 331g this isn’t the lightest headset I’ve tested recently but is still very much not a heavy unit to wear.
Despite that, though, I found that the BlackShark V2 Pro is a tiny bit tighter around the head than some others from SteelSeries or Logitech and that this also led to a tiny bit of hotness around my ears. This is hardly a deal-breaker, but does suggest that other options might be more breathable.
Still, this is a very nice headset to look at and wear compared to most on the market, and the white version is particularly choice.
Sound quality and microphone
- 50mm drivers
A headset really comes into its own once you actually connect it, of course, and while wireless audio theoretically has limits that wired headsets can circumvent, the reality is that outside of pro-level competition, I’ll always go wireless where I can.
The BlackShark V2 Pro underlines this with a really rich and warm presentation that preserves detail and makes it a real asset if you’re playing anything competitive and online.
I played most of Diablo 4 using it for a taste of a richer and more story-driven approach to sound design, and it was terrific for echoing dungeons and howling winds.
Moving over to Call of Duty: Warzone, the headset passed the sniff test immediately, with footstep audio that was clearer and more precise than many alternatives we’ve tested – something that only gets better in more fine-tuned games.
Connecting the headset to a PC and using Razer’s software yields the chance to adjust your EQ to your own desires, which is always welcome, but I think most gamers would be satisfied with the default arrangement.
As I said, it leans toward warmth but does so without sacrificing detail, a presentation that gets quite close to being the best of all worlds for most people’s uses.
The microphone, meanwhile, is excellent, nicely flexible and easy to get centred in front of your mouth (and removable for when you don’t want it). I’d rather a fold-away mic to remove the chance of losing the boom arm, but that’s a minor gripe.
Pick-up is excellent, clipping is rare and clarity is superb, putting this in the top tier of gaming headset microphones from recent times.
Battery life and features
- 70-hour battery life with fast-charging
- 7.1 surround audio compatible
As I’ve noted in a number of recent reviews, the arms race in battery life has been something to behold over the last couple of years in gaming headsets, and Razer has clearly been paying attention.
With a 70-hour battery life, the BlackShark V2 Pro is up there near the top of the leaderboard, and it adds to that by bringing fast charging that can net you six hours of playtime in 15 minutes of charging.
That’s a great setup and means that you’re unlikely to ever get caught out with low battery, and the headset is similarly impressive in other regards.
Its on-earcup controls are simple but effective. There’s that prominent main volume dial to let you adjust your overall sound at any moment, and I really like how easily grabbed it is thanks to its protruding design.
You also get a mute toggle, an on-off switch and a pairing button for Bluetooth, since you connect to your console or PC using a small dongle, as you’d expect.
That’s the normal range of controls, to be fair, but they’re well laid out and easily distinguished from each other, and the headset both wakes and pairs nice and quickly, too.
Verdict
The BlackShark V2 Pro is a great wireless headset – one that goes about its business pretty quietly and doesn’t shout about itself, but which excels in all the ways that really matter.
One hesitation in giving it a total clean bill of health comes where its price is concerned, with a $200 tag that would be so much easier to go for at $150, but sales and discounts will likely take care of that in time.
If you’re looking for a headset that offers clean sound and great battery life, Razer has put itself right in the game with this one.
