This is a very light and comfortable gaming headset, and paired with the mesh ear pads: I never ran into any strain or heat issues-even after hours of use. Playing games with the Razer BlackShark V2 is easy to do for long periods of time. The mic is detachable, if you’re playing something single player, or just don’t feel like talking. These features are nice to have, but you won’t miss much if you skip Synapse, especially if you’re not interested in games that use surround sound. The software lets you customize your EQ and mic settings, and soon after launch it will include a suite of THX-tuned game profiles, to tailor your sound to games like Apex Legends, Valorant, and more. Synapse works well enough-the latest iteration of the app is better laid out than most gaming headset apps, but it’s still a little clunky, similar to pretty much every other app like it. The headset’s more granular controls and additional features, like surround sound, are handled by Razer Synapse 3, the company’s universal (sort of) companion app. On consoles you need to do even less (just plug it into the 3.5mm headphone jack of the controller). Once the USB soundcard installs its driver, you don’t really need to do anything to get it to work on PC. The included USB soundcard is what lets you connect to Razer Synapse and access all the additional features.

The ear pads are made of memory foam covered in layers of leatherette and mesh fabric-they’re very soft, and achieving a decent seal is extremely easy. The headphones have a pretty large tilt range, so people with wider heads shouldn’t have to worry about finding a comfortable fit.

The wireframe hinges don’t feel terribly sturdy, but I never ran into any issues over the course of reviewing the headset. The Razer BlackShark V2 is a primarily metal construction, with a headband covered in a soft foam cushion wrapped in a mesh fabric. Basically, it looks more like a regular pair of headphones than most Razer headsets. Even the Razer logo is rather small compared to other headsets. The headphones are smooth and not as bulky as something like, say, the Razer Kraken or Thresher-there aren’t any strange design flourishes or colored LEDs. However, there’s a degree of aesthetic restraint here that other Razer gaming headsets lack. There aren’t any random grilles or light-up logos here.įrom the outset, it’s obvious the Razer BlackShark V2 is a gaming headset from its boom mic, to the extra prominent volume dial, to the neon green accents.

Razer surround eq settings