Razer BlackShark V2 Gaming Headset Review

Usage & Testing

I have been using this headset for the past few weeks as my main headset. So not only was I gaming but listening to music, media and much more. Lets talk about gaming first. You are definitely going to want to turn on THX Spatial Audio when you are gaming. If you have it set to auto in the software it will use Game Mode for all of your games. I have to say the normal game mode is exceptional. It is honestly like night and day compared to a few other headsets the offer virtual surround sound etc. It will take a little to get used to as you’ll hear enemies from further away and think they are closer to you. Just normal THX Spatial Audio should sell this headset, it is that good!

Apex Legends offers THX Competitive Mode as well as THX Environmental Mode. I toggled between the normal game mode and THX Competitive Mode. There definitely is a difference. THX Competitive mode definitely drops the bass quite a lot. This allows you to hear footsteps more clearly. I also feel that you can pin-point where those footsteps are coming from better than just in game mode. But don’t get me wrong, the Game Mode still does a good job at it. If you game supports one of the two THX modes I would definitely give it a try. Also be sure to actually give it a chance, just turning on THX is a big change and you might not like it at first. After a couple of days you’ll realize you are able to hear enemies from further away and much more clearly as well.

When it comes to movies and music the BlackShark V2 performs well, but I do feel you need to turn voice clarity off. This will increase the bass and give you a better listening experience whether you are listening to music or enjoying a movie. This is not a bass-heavy headset, which is good for competitive gaming, but turning voice clarity off will bring back some of that bass you really want in music and movies.

I honestly did not think I would like the fabric on the headset. I typically prefer PU leather on my headsets, but the fabric matched with the memory foam made for a very comfortable experience. The breathable memory foam did not cause any discomfort even after long gaming sessions and my ears were not hot either. The memory foam surprisingly does a pretty good job at blocking out outside noise as well.

The microphone on the BlackShark V2 is probably the downfall of the headset, you can check out our audio sample down below as well as samples from other gaming headsets we’ve tested. As you can hear the microphone audio is very compressed and is that sort of “typical gaming headset” microphone sound. I do like that you have some options in the software, most importantly is the voice gate, which will only pick up noise after a certain level.

Razer BlackShark V2