Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023)

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is a wireless gaming headset designed with esports professionals and built around three priorities: clear voice, clear positional sound and a comfortable fit you can wear for hours. The version described here is the 2023 edition, which Razer updated with a next-generation microphone, on-headset audio profiles for popular shooters, USB-C charging and a much longer battery life than the original. It is a closed-back headset with a removable boom microphone and it aims to be equally at home in a tournament and on a long working day. This page explains the specifications, the microphone and the sound features in plain terms, and helps you decide whether it suits you.

Drivers and sound

The headset uses Razer TriForce Titanium 50 mm drivers. Razer says the diaphragm is coated with titanium for added clarity, and that its patented design divides each driver into three parts so that highs, mids and lows can be tuned individually. The idea is a cleaner separation of sounds, which matters in games where you want to hear footsteps and reloads distinctly against explosions and music. For those who want to understand why driver design influences soundstage and imaging, our news piece on headset drivers and soundstage is a helpful primer. As a closed-back design, the headset isolates you from the room; our open-back versus closed-back guide explains the trade-offs.

Razer also builds in pro-tuned FPS audio profiles on the headset itself. In its promotional material Razer names games such as CS:GO, Valorant, Apex Legends, Fortnite and Call of Duty as examples of profiles tuned with top esports athletes to give maximum information for competitive play. You can customise the profiles in Razer Synapse and save them on-board, so they travel with the headset and work without extra software. There is also THX Spatial Audio, advanced 7.1 surround sound with positional accuracy, which you may prefer to leave off if you like a natural stereo image for music and films.

The microphone

The mic is one of the main reasons to buy this headset. It is called the Razer HyperClear Super Wideband Mic and is detachable. By covering a wider frequency range, Razer says it captures and transmits more detail in your voice so calls sound rich and natural rather than narrow. That matters in team games, where clear communication helps, and on work calls. The mic can be removed, which is handy if you use the headset outdoors or at a desk where a boom microphone is not needed. Realistically, a headset microphone will not beat a dedicated desk microphone for streaming or recording, but for voice chat it is very good.

Wireless and battery

The headset supports Razer HyperSpeed Wireless, a 2.4 GHz connection designed for low latency, and Bluetooth 5.2. With Razer SmartSwitch Dual Wireless, you can connect a 2.4 GHz device and a Bluetooth device at the same time and switch between them by double-tapping the SmartSwitch button, so you can be on a game and still answer a phone call from your mobile without re-pairing. For a wider look at wired versus wireless choices, see our headset buying guide. Battery life is listed as up to 70 hours, more than triple that of the previous generation according to Razer, and USB-C charging provides about six hours of play from a 15-minute charge. Battery life depends on volume and features, so treat 70 hours as a best case.

A small tip from Razer's FAQ: you can tell the 2023 version from the previous generation by the charging port, because the new one uses USB-C and the older one uses micro-USB. That is useful when you are buying second-hand or from older stock.

Comfort, build and weight

Comfort is where the BlackShark V2 Pro is meant to shine. It has ultra-soft FlowKnit memory foam cushions with a breathable weave that helps you stay cool, a steel-reinforced headband and sliders for robustness and flexibility, and a profile and clamping force tuned for a good seal and noise isolation. The comparison chart on the product page lists the weight of the Pro model at 320 g. That is heavier than some of the lighter gaming headsets, but the weight is spread by the headband and the thick cushions. If you wear glasses, try to test it, because closed cups and clamping force can press on the frames after a few hours.

The wider BlackShark family

Razer sells several headsets under the BlackShark V2 name, and its comparison chart puts the Pro next to the V2 HyperSpeed, the V2 X USB and the V2 X. The Pro is the one with the titanium-coated drivers and the detachable super wideband microphone; the other models use standard TriForce drivers and different microphones, and the chart shows lighter siblings at 280 g and 240 g. If you value low weight and a lower price more than microphone quality and battery life, one of the other models may be the smarter buy. If voice quality and wireless freedom matter most, the Pro is the version to look at.

Getting the best fit and sound

Spend a few minutes with Synapse when you first set the headset up. Try the pro-tuned profile for your favourite game, then compare it with a flat setting and keep whichever helps you hear footsteps and cues without tiring your ears. Position the earcups so that the cushions seal around the ear rather than resting on it, adjust the headband sliders evenly on both sides, and place the boom mic about a thumb's width from the corner of your mouth. Finally, keep the USB dongle on a front or top port rather than behind a case if you can, and give the cushions an occasional wipe with a slightly damp cloth.

Price, warranty and what to expect

Razer offers up to two years of warranty and 14 days of risk-free returns when you buy from its own store. On the day we checked, the list price was 199.99 USD, with an offer price of 129.99 USD shown; prices change, so use the list price as a reference. The headset comes in black and white. Two things to keep in mind: the headset is designed for gaming first, so its tuning favours clarity and positioning rather than a warm, bass-heavy music sound, and active noise cancelling is not listed among its features.

Who should buy it

The BlackShark V2 Pro is a strong pick for competitive players, for anyone who spends a lot of time in voice chat, and for people who want one comfortable wireless headset for both gaming and calls. It is less compelling for audiophiles seeking a natural music sound, or for people who want active noise cancelling, which is not listed. To compare it with other headsets on this site, browse the headsets category, and consider the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, a premium option with a base station, and the Corsair HS80 MAX Wireless, another dual-mode wireless gaming headset with a different sound and feature set.