The Razer BlackShark V2 (Pro) has been a well-loved headset in the pro gaming scene ever since it first came out. A while ago, Razer released an updated version of their most popular gaming headset, so we sent one over to our reviewer to see what’s what. Read our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review to find out everything you need to know about Razer’s flagship competitive gaming headset!
Note: this review is about the 2023 version, which has replaced older versions.
At A Glance
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Used by 145 players ()-
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The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is an impressive competitive gaming headset. It has just about the best (wireless) mic on the market right now, and it also gets top marks when it comes to battery life and range. Combine that with the very respectable sound quality (once you’ve tweaked the EQ a bit) and great positional audio and you’ve got a quality competitive gaming audio product.
Pros
- Longest range of any wireless headset I’ve tried so far
- Fantastic battery life
- Good sound quality, after tweaking the EQ
- Fantastic mic (on the 2023 model)
- Sturdy build quality
- Good (passive) noise isolation
- Comfy and surprisingly light
Cons
- Price tag is on the higher side
- Ear cushions could be more breathable
- Some bugs when pairing with Razer Synapse
Specs
| Type | Closed-Back |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wireless |
| Noise Cancelling | No |
| Microphone | Detachable |
| Weight | 320g |
First Impressions
Something that I immediately noticed upon unboxing the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is its weight. Or rather, the lack thereof. With its styling that’s reminiscent of a helicopter headset or some other heavy-duty audio product, it’s easy to assume that the BlackShark V2 Pro is a bulky and heavy product, but it’s actually surprisingly light.
Changes versus the 2020 version
I have not reviewed the first version of this headset, but looking at pictures and spec sheets I can tell that pretty much nothing has changed on the exterior at first sight. Most of the big changes between the 2020 version and the 2023 version come in the form of under the hood upgrades:
- The 2023 version has a better mic
- The 2023 version uses USB-C instead of Micro USB
- The 2023 version is Bluetooth compatible
- The 2023 version has a better battery
As far as I can tell, the 2023 version just outright replaces the 2020 version, so this is more of a ‘refresh’ rather than a successor.
Packaging
Inside the box of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, you will find:
- Detachable microphone
- The headset itself
- Wireless USB receiver
- User documentation
- USB-C charging cable
- Extender cable for wireless receiver
Build and Comfort
I’ve already mentioned how light the BlackShark V2 Pro feels. This lightness makes it very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and that coupled with the fact that it’s wireless means that you basically never have to take it off during the day. I had no issues with pressure points or undue clamping, even when using the headset for multiple hours at a time.
Something to note when it comes to comfort is that it’s not the most breathable headset. The memory foam cushions use Flowknit (which is basically a mesh-like material) so they’re not as bad as leather(ette) ear cushions, but I did sometimes feel my ears get toasty underneath the headset.
I am someone who is quite sensitive to this stuff, so your mileage may vary here, but if you live in a warmer climate and you like to feel a fresh breeze on your ears while gaming then it’s good to know that you’re not getting that here. That’s pretty much the only remark I have when it comes to build and comfort, however.
The ear cushions themselves are thick and comfy, and the ear cups are big enough to comfortably house my ears without any contact with the cushions.
In addition to all of this, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro feels like a quality product when it comes to the overall finish. It has a steel-reinforced headband and uses what feels like quality plastics all over the rest of the headset. The stitching on the headband is also nicely done, and the mesh on said headband is also generously thick.
Wearing the BlackShark V2 Pro is a pleasure thanks to its almost surprising lightness and a well thought-out design.
Sound and Mic
Microphone
I’ve never formally tested the original BlackShark V2 Pro, but I do know that the mic on that one was considered to be passable at best. Sure, it was good for a wireless headset (at the time) but nothing you’d want to use for anything other than quick callouts when gaming.
That has changed tremendously with this new version. The microphone on the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro 2023 is one of the best microphones I’ve ever heard on a (wired or wireless) gaming headset. It sounds clear, precise, and very natural. You get none of that ‘tin can’ vibe that you usually get with gaming headsets.
To top it off there’s a ton of customizability here as well. There are various microphone enhancements available to toggle on or off, and the mic also has its own EQ. It doesn’t matter if you have a loud and rumbly voice or your voice is in the higher register: you will be able to sound great with this mic.
Note that in the second audio clip, I had all of the mic processing features turned on at once at the end. This is why the sound got a little bit jumpy and distorted.
Sound Quality
Being well aware of the fact that sound is partially subjective, I have to say that the default sound profile of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro does not work for me at all. Without making any changes to the EQ, the BlackShark V2 Pro sounds very sharp and trebly to me, with a rather blurry sounding lower register.
Luckily, there’s a rather detailed equalizer present in Razer’s Synapse software, and after fiddling around with that I managed to get a sound profile that I liked. Using that profile, I got a headset that did pretty well for listening to music and consuming content.
All in all, the BlackShark V2 Pro puts out a very respectable sound, but it can be somewhat inconsistent. Even with my custom EQ settings, I sometimes feel like a cymbal comes through too sharply when listening to songs, for example. Again, though: what type of sound profile you like is subjective. This one, even though the quality of the audio is very respectable, just doesn’t seem to fully agree with my tastes. And that’s fine.
Gaming Performance
The BlackShark V2 Pro puts a lot of emphasis on noise isolation, and it certainly delivers on that front. It doesn’t have active noise cancelation, but its passive performance is more than enough to drown out most ‘household disturbances’.
With the fact that this is a closed-back headset (open-back vs closed-back headphones explained) that focuses strongly on isolation, you’re naturally not going to get the widest soundstage. As such, you won’t get the feeling that you’re dropped into a vast and expansive auditory world once you put them on, but that’s by design.
I personally prefer a more open soundstage, but then again I’m almost always playing in relatively quiet environments, so isolation is a secondary concern to me.
For gaming, what matters most (to me) is the directional audio. Being able to pinpoint the direction that sounds are coming from can give you a massive edge when playing competitive games, and the BlackShark V2 Pro delivers here. The imaging of directional cues is on point, making it easy to tell where exactly your enemies are cooking that grenade.
Switching Profiles
The headset allows you to set different sound profiles for different games, which is a cool feature. When playing CS2, for example, I like to go for a ‘tryhard’ sound profile. Sound quality be damned: I want to isolate footsteps and reloads, and I want to know exactly where they’re coming from. On the other hand, I like to go for a more cinematic approach when playing single player games, where the bass is perhaps even a bit boosted. The BlackShark V2 Pro handles this automatically as long as you have Synapse enabled.
Even if you don’t have Synapse enabled (or even installed) you can switch between different sound profiles by pressing a button on the right earcup, which is a nice extra touch.
Features and Everyday Usage
Controls and Software
On the left earcup, you have a large volume wheel along with a power button and a mic mute button. This is also where you’ll find the USB-C charging port.
On the right earcup, you have the aforementioned button that you can use to switch EQ presets. If you hold this button, you active Bluetooth pairing mode. If you double tap it, you switch between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz mode.
It’s a simple control scheme, but it works well. I particularly like the position of the volume wheel. It’s placed so that it’s nearly impossible to accidentally raise or lower the volume when you’re adjusting or otherwise handling the headset.
For any in-depth customization, you’ll want to download Razer Synapse. I normally don’t have any issues with this program at all, but with the setup of the BlackShark V2 Pro it managed to trip over itself once or twice. When pairing the headset to the software, it crashed on me twice. Furthermore, the pairing process was also a lengthy one, where I had to restart my PC twice.
That’s obviously not a great way to start things off, but those problems stopped once the headset was fully paired.
Synapse itself is pretty self-explanatory and everything is clearly laid out, so when it’s working properly I have no problem with this software at all.
Connectivity
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro connects via a 2.4GHz wireless signal (sent through a USB dongle) or via Bluetooth. For gaming, you will definitely want to use the 2.4GHz connection, as Bluetooth introduces a lot of latency and quite simply isn’t up to par for (competitive) gaming.
You cannot use the BT and 2.4GHz connection at the same time (meaning you can’t make a call on your phone while getting audio from the game you’re playing on your PC) but switching between the two connections is as easy as double tapping the button on the right earcup.
Having a Bluetooth connection option definitely isn’t a necessity in a gaming headset for me but it is a nice extra. Having the ability to go out or take a quick call without having to take off your headset is very convenient, and people who are often on the go or multitasking will certainly appreciate this.
Battery Life
When it comes to the battery life, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro has pretty much all of the competition beat. It has around 70 hours of battery life on a full charge. That’s very impressive to begin with, but then there’s also the fact that just 15 minutes of charging will get you enough juice to play around 6 hours.
Following this, it’s pretty much impossible to run out of battery with the BlackShark V2 Pro. Even if you do, just a couple of minutes of charging will last you a full competitive match of pretty much any esports title out there without issues. Very impressive stuff from the engineers at Razer.
Wireless Range
When it comes to the range, the BlackShark V2 Pro beats every other wireless gaming headset I’ve tested so far. I don’t have any exact measurements, but when walking around my house the V2 Pro kept going long after other headsets had already given up. I can very comfortably go downstairs, get a drink, and even take a couple of steps outside without the signal dropping out.
Whether you’ll be able to do the same obviously depends on the layout and size of your home, but if range is important to you then this is definitely the one to go for.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Review – Conclusion
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is an impressive competitive gaming headset. It has just about the best (wireless) mic on the market right now, and it also gets top marks when it comes to battery life and range. Combine that with the very respectable sound quality (once you’ve tweaked the EQ a bit) and great positional audio and you’ve got a quality competitive gaming audio product.
As a closed-back gaming headset with a strong focus on passive noise cancelation, it does exactly what it sets out to do, but if you’re mostly looking for a headset for content consumption and casual gaming there are probably better options out there at this price point.
Still, as a pure wireless gaming headset it’s one of the better offerings out there. Whether this is the one for you or not will depend on what you find important in your audio products.
You can learn more about the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro on Razer’s website.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
