Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense Review: This Definitely Got Me Rumbling

This is the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense and it really has me split on my opinion. In certain applications, it left me questioning. But in other applications, it certainly wowed me.

If you’re familiar with the Kraken series for the Razer, the new V3 design across the lineup isn’t all that different. But it does strike a nice balance between the iconic style of the series while still being able to look less bulky and a little more modern.

The headset is still made primarily out of plastic to keep the weight down as much as possible, but it does feature a really nice steel-reinforced headband that provides that extra rigidity and gives the headset a slightly more premium feel.

One thing I definitely appreciate are the notches on the side of the headband, which gives you an easy indication for adjustment and they click right into place really easily. This is also where you’ll see the branding for HyperSense, which we’ll talk more about later.

As far as comfort goes, the Kraken V3 HyperSense is arguably one of the more comfortable headsets out there. The memory foam cushions utilise a hybrid of leather and fabric and they feel really comfortable, really pillowy in that sense, and I could wear the headset pretty much almost all day long.

The headband cushion also does feature a good amount of thickness and for me personally, I didn’t feel much pressure if at all.

Now, of course, your experience may vary depending on the size and shape of your head and ears, but I daresay that the Kraken series from Razer has always been the more comfortable option. The V3 HyperSense this time around is no exception.

As for the RGB, it’s actually really tastefully done in my opinion. It’s a little more refined now, with a glossy surface to mimic the look of glass and with just the Razer logo and the subtle ring around it, it honestly does look pretty clean and minimalistic while still retaining that Razer flair. Goes without saying that you can adjust everything about the RGB using Synapse.

But aside from software controls, there are physical hardware controls on the earcups which are really easily accessible and positioned intuitively when you’re wearing the headset. On the left earcup, you get a mute mic switch, a volume wheel and the connection for the detachable microphone. On the right earcup, all you get is a single button that cycles the different modes for the HyperSense feature.

Honestly, my only gripe here is that the wire is attached to the headset, which means if you somehow snag the cable or if it’s broken, the headset is rendered useless. I do wish manufacturers would make the cables detachable so you can get longevity out of your device. But well, the Kraken V3 Pro is available, so there’s that.

So we’ve already set the premise that this headset is really comfortable to wear, but how does it sound?

It uses Razer’s TriForce Titanium 50mm Drivers which is what you would find in most of Razer’s high-end audio lineup such as the Blackshark V2 Pro and the Kaira Pro. If you’ve heard any of those, this sounds pretty similar in a sense.

Of course, there is still a slight emphasis on the low end which can be really enjoyable in games where lots of things are happening on screen such as gunfire, explosions, magic and whatnot, but it’s not to the point where it’s overbearing. It also doesn’t intrude into the mids and highs, so those frequencies are still relatively clean which makes the headset not just great for gaming, but equally enjoyable for quite a variety of genres of music and videos or movies.

But now let’s talk about HyperSense, because this is probably the main reason as to why you’re looking at this headset or the Kraken V3 Pro, which is the wireless version of this.

To keep it very simple, this headset basically includes haptic drivers in each ear cup that vibrate according to the audio to give you that added immersion and experience.

So for example in a game like War Thunder, when you move your tank, you don’t just hear the sound of the engine revving or the sound of the tracks pressing against the ground, you do feel the vibrations as well. The best part is probably when you fire the main cannon. The blast and recoil on the 120mm is not only just loud, but you’re also going to be able to feel the recoil and the shockwave that it produces as well.

The haptics are also properly reflected with stereo imaging but you can also turn it up a notch by toggling THX Spatial Audio. This will provide you with a virtual 7.1 surround sound experience and increase the accuracy of the vibrations thanks to the more realistic positional audio.

Now all in all, I really do enjoy the HyperSense experience but it really does depend on the game. War Thunder is really one such game where it really gives a more immersive experience. But if you’re talking about a game like CS:GO or Genshin Impact, it detracts from the gaming experience more so than anything.

In CS:GO, the haptics interferes with your focus and really mixes and muddles what you would be used to hearing, especially if you’re playing competitive, and in Genshin Impact, while certain combat scenarios are enjoyable, the fact that HyperSense isn’t game-coded specifically means certain soundtracks would be overpowering at times.

In addition, HyperSense works not just for games, but literally any audio signals that get fed to the headset. So if I’m playing a game, even notifications from Discord and Telegram would give me that slight rumble, which can be annoying, to say the least. I would also suggest keeping it to the medium setting because low is almost non-existent at normal listening levels and high is just far too much.

As for the microphone, it’s pretty decent and definitely gets the job done. It’s not what I would suggest if you’re into streaming, but for just talking over Discord, your voice would be clear and it would suppress unnecessary noises due to cardioid pickup pattern. It’s going to do you fine.

For US$129.99 or S$209.90, I do feel that the Kraken V3 HyperSense does fit a really nice middle ground.

The design and build quality is definitely much better than the previous generation, it’s really comfortable to wear even after a long while, it sounds good especially for a gaming headset and with HyperSense, it’ll give you that added immersion that, depending on the game, you would probably thoroughly enjoy.