It’s unlike Razer to release a headset that doesn’t have Chroma RGB effects, a strikingly neon-coloured skin or a very bright Razer logo. However, the Razer Barracuda X could be an insight into the direction that the company is going towards with its headsets. That’s because the Barracuda X doesn’t have any of the aforementioned bells and whistles. Instead, Razer released a wireless gaming headset where simplicity is at the core of everything it stands for. As an example, it doesn’t take time to fine tune in Synapse 3, simply because it’s not compatible with Razer’s proprietary software! It’s not intended for that purpose. The main use-case is that you’re just supposed to plug the USB-C dongle in and start playing.
Razer isn’t the first company to do this, however this sort of simplicity is something I can get used to. Since it connects via a USB-C dongle, the Barracuda X is compatible with a large variety of platforms that include computers, android phones, the Nintendo Switch and most importantly for us, PlayStation consoles. For the PS4, you will need to plug the dongle into the provided USB-A adapter but for the PS5, you don’t need to do this since the next-gen console comes with a USB-C port. Unfortunately, the headset will not work with Xbox Series X unless you connect it via a cable. What’s the price of such convenience? As things stand, it’s only £99.99. For a wireless headset made by Razer, that is fantastic value for money, primarily because Razer doesn’t take many shortcuts when it comes to quality.
Firstly, the Barracuda X is not the best sounding headset in the market. In fact, even Razer provides better headsets with larger drivers. However, the Barracuda X sounds perfectly adequate for eSports gaming. If you’re looking for extra bass or extra treble, you’re not getting that here. Due to the lack of configuration options, the only tweaking you can do to the audio is the one that the operating system on your device provides. I personally found that the standard settings on my PS5 were perfectly fine. When playing Warzone, you can change the audio within the menus in order to get the maximum spatial awareness. Unfortunately, it won’t help you hear enemies running at you with “Dead Silence” activated, but no headset does this!
What’s perhaps most striking is that the Barracuda X does not look like a traditional Razer headset. In fact, you’ll need to look hard to see the Razer logo very subtly embossed onto the earcups. Razer only provides a black version of the headset and gone are the sharp colours or the lighting effects that define a traditional Razer headset. As far as headsets go, the Barracuda X has one of the most minimalist designs on the market, essentially resembling what they are currently offering with the Opus X line. It also has a striking resemblance to the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, which are some of the nicest looking pair of cans on the market.
The headband on the Barracuda X is padded to a respectable amount. It’s not the thickest cushion, however it doesn’t need to be. That’s because the Barracuda X weighs in at only 250g! I cannot stress how light this is. From the moment you take the headset out of the box, you will be surprised at how light it is. With that in mind, you don’t need the thickest padding. The Barracuda X also passed the stretch test, which means that you can pull the headset very wide without fear of breaking it. The headset gets a perfect score when it comes to comfort levels.
All of the controls are on the left earcup, which again seems to be a regular custom with headset manufacturers. The buttons are exactly what you’d expect from a headset: a mute option, power, volume etc. There are also ports for charging, the microphone and if you want to connect the headset via a 3.5mm cable. Kudos to Razer for making it a USB-C charging port, since it means that PS5 gamers can just use their controller charger to also charge the headset.
The Barracuda X unfortunately doesn’t fold in completely. Instead, only the earcups can fold flat so if you want to take it around, you’ll need to ideally have it around your neck. You can still store it away, but it doesn’t fold into a portable set of cans that can be stowed away in a front zip pocket of a bag. It’s also worth noting that the headset has a detachable microphone. I always prefer headsets where the microphone can be stowed away since it allows me to use the cans for movies and music too.
Performance is ultimately key when it comes to a gaming headset, and the Barracuda X does a respectable job in this department. The sound will not blow you away and the microphone quality is average at best. My party members could hear me perfectly well but they could also hear background noise a little too easily. I did also get some moments where people complained of a muffled voice, but I can’t tell if it’s my connection quality that was causing it. Despite all of this, we need to remember that the Barracuda X is only £99.99, which is an exceptional price for a Razer wireless headset.
After all, the Barracuda X boasts a great 20 hour battery life. Although this is not the best in the market, 20 hours is an incredible amount of juice before you need to recharge. In addition, the 40mm drivers provide great spatial awareness in shooting games. Although Razer claims that there is 7.1 surround sound only on Windows 10 64-bit I found that the Barracuda X did a good job at helping me become more aware of my surroundings when playing Warzone on PS5.
I particularly loved how the moment I plugged in the USB-C dongle, my PS5 recognized it as a Razer Barracuda X headset and automatically switched to it. The moment I turned on the headset, I received sound immediately. This level of convenience is unparalleled and will work the same if you plug it into your Nintendo Switch. If convenience is your primary buying factor, the Barracuda X is the most convenient wireless headset you’ll ever buy for your PS5.
There are areas of significant improvement that Razer can make, most likely with a ‘Pro’ version of the Barracuda lineup. In order for the headset to be an eSports giant for PS5, it needs a scroll wheel that allows me to easily balance between party chat and in-game audio. Again, I know this can be configured in the party settings on the PS5, but I would want to do this via the headset. We also do need a way to modulate the EQ. For an entry-level headset like the Barracuda X, it’s not necessary, but modulating the EQ means we can at least enjoy the headset in other use cases. Perhaps Razer can just give us preset options e.g. FPS mode, movie mode, sports mode, music mode.
Finally, I realize that this may be a technological limitation, but the USB-C dongle currently is shaped in such a way that it will block your front USB-A port of the PS5 and is very likely to block a port on your computer. If you have this issue, you can just connect the USB-C dongle to the USB-A adapter and use a spare USB-A port, but if like me you hate wires, you’ll want a better solution to this problem.
The Razer Barracuda X is a fantastic entry-level wireless gaming headset for your PS5 (and other USB-C compatible devices). Its key selling point is that you’ll be using it within seconds of unboxing it. Razer made a very smart choice by going with a bland (and I say this as a compliment) design, since I can actually use it with my Nintendo Switch on public transport without the fear that someone is going to rob me. If you’re looking to break into the eSports scene and want a wireless gaming headset that will elevate your performance without breaking the bank, you really can’t go wrong with the Razer Barracuda X.