Razer Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed review

The Razer Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed is Razer’s present flagship wi-fi gaming earbuds set, or gamebuds, in the event you desire. Like different gaming earbuds, their key differentiator from typical wi-fi earbuds is that they embrace a USB dongle, so not solely are you able to join these to your Bluetooth gadgets, however it’s also possible to join them to your gaming PC by way of a devoted high-speed wi-fi connection.

This immensely helpful utility means you possibly can take a name whereas gaming, management your PC media by way of your earbuds, and naturally use a single set of earbuds for each gaming and journey. Contemplating the price of premium earbuds, probably solely needing to purchase one set for all of your makes use of is a serious boon. Razer would not have this mix to itself, although. It is combating with the likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds, Sony InZone Buds, and Turtle Seaside Scout Air for a suggestion as the most effective gaming earbuds you should purchase, in addition to the most effective gaming headset. I’ve examined the Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeeds over a number of months, together with house gaming and journey by prepare and aircraft, to see how they maintain up.

Specs

Design and options

The core options of the Hammerhead are very like some other gamebud set. That’s, they embrace a pair of wi-fi earbuds in a compact carry case that may even recharge your earbuds a number of instances. A separate USB-C dongle, which you’ll be able to go away plugged into your PC (there is no room for it within the case), then provides you a wi-fi connection on your PC.

You may join the buds by way of Bluetooth in case your PC helps it, however the dongle means it’s also possible to hook up with your cellphone to shortly change between gaming and taking a name, as an example. Plus, the USB wi-fi connection is best optimized for low latency, lowering the possibility of interruptions or a delay in your audio.

Together with these core capabilities, Razer has failed to withstand the temptation so as to add some RGB lighting to those earbuds, with a small backlit Razer emblem on the outer face of every bud.

The case measures 63 x 53 x 25mm and weighs 46g, making it very pocketable, and even nearly sufficiently small to slot in a denims ticket pocket. The buds have a claimed 3-6.5-hour battery life per bud, with the case offering sufficient recharges for a complete listening time of 14-30 hours. The variation is down as to if you select to make use of lively noise canceling (ANC) and in the event you use the RGB lighting.

Oddly, the Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed buds aren’t appropriate with Razer’s Synapse software program, however as an alternative the corporate has a cell app that permits you to configure the buds.

Design and luxury

The Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed set has a charging case that could be very comparable in kind to Apple’s Airpods and Airpods Professional, with a magnetically clasping flip-up lid on its finish. That is in distinction to the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds, the place one entire facet of the case flips up.

The Razer method is smaller and extra intuitive to open, however the earbuds are fairly awkward to take away from the case, because the lengthy stalks of every earbud simply jam towards the holes during which they sit. The Arctis Gamebuds, alternatively, could be a little cumbersome to seize maintain of, however as soon as you have acquired a grip, they’re simpler to take away and dock into the case.

As for becoming the earbuds in your ear, the Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed buds are once more similar to Airpods. The majority of the bud nestles in your outer ear with the stalk dangling down simply in entrance of your lobe. The rubber ideas then simply push up towards your ear canal.

The general impact is that they are very straightforward to place in and take out, however they do not sit notably securely. The rubber ideas aren’t capable of push into your ear canal a lot in any respect, so they do not assist a lot to carry the buds in place, plus the lengthy straight stalks do not tuck in beneath your ear as neatly because the Airpods Professional.

In distinction, the Arctis Gamebuds use a distinct match system altogether. They haven’t any decrease stalk however as an alternative sit wholly in your outer ear and rely nearly solely on the grip supplied by the rubber ideas being pushed deeper into your ear canal to carry them in place. This makes them extra awkward to suit and take away, however far safer, and it enhances their passive noise blocking and bass response too.

Each kinds present glorious long-term consolation, although. I’ve worn each actually all day with out creating significant discomfort from a continued strain level.

The place the Razer buds actually do not work properly, although, is with their contact controls. The outer face of every bud – the realm with the backlit Razer emblem – is touch-sensitive and responds to single or a number of faucets with completely different capabilities.

Nevertheless, these buttons merely aren’t delicate sufficient and do not have sufficient suggestions. A voice immediate tells you of sure actions, however there is no click on of a button or haptic buzz. I usually discovered myself fairly fiercely tapping each earbuds to get any response out of them. The Arctis Gamebuds’ bodily buttons are a lot simpler to make use of.

Razer Audio app

With Razer selecting to not embrace Synapse help for the Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed, all configuration is completed by way of its cell app, which it merely calls Audio. By and enormous, the app is kind of streamlined and intuitive to make use of, with loads of options. You may management the ANC (off, on, cross by way of), activate the low latency Bluetooth mode (prioritizes pace over avoiding audio breaks), arrange don’t disturb (so Bluetooth calls do not disrupt when gaming), change the contact management capabilities, activate/off the RGB lighting, and setup an EQ.

The latter has 5 defaults – THX, amplified, enhanced bass, enhanced readability, and vocal, plus a customized possibility. Customized consists of ten EQ bands for surprisingly high quality management.

Razer might need been on to a winner with this app, besides that it is a bit glitchy and, particularly, would not enable me to dismiss a firmware replace notification that completely sits over the remainder of the controls – a firmware replace that merely refused to finish efficiently regardless of making an attempt it a dozen instances. Different customers have reported these identical issues with the app too. It would not destroy the usability of the buds, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a problem Razer ought to have mounted by now.

Sound high quality

The Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed buds have respectable sound high quality, however they undoubtedly profit from putting in the cell app and tweaking the default EQ. Straight out of the field, they’re set to the THX mode, which sounds a bit skinny and weak with not a lot bass, although it does present a large soundstage that works fairly properly for video games and films.

Swap to the Customized EQ with a flat profile, and these earbuds massively over-deliver on bass, with a booming low finish that muffles the general sound. Dial again the bass bands a notch or two, although, and the sound evens out.

Even with these modifications made, although, the highest finish is not notably detailed. The little background particulars in audio tracks simply do not come by way of with the identical readability as higher earbuds. The sound remains to be fairly full, enjoyable, and a straightforward hear, however they do not in the end sound nearly as good as they need to for his or her worth. The likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds have a smoother, clearer sound with a stronger total bass response that does not sound as pressured.

As for the passive and lively noise canceling of those buds, the comparatively mild seal means they do not passively block all that a lot noise. They will block out the sound of a light-weight breeze, quiet workplace chat, quieter keyboard typing, and distant birds cheeping, however solely in any other case take a slight edge off louder noise.

Interact the ANC – which might be tuned in severity from 1-10 – and a far larger affect might be made on loud, bassier noise corresponding to jackhammers, prepare observe rumble, loud crowds, and airplane engines. It is nonetheless not the best ANC system I’ve used, nevertheless it undoubtedly helps.

The highest degree of ANC introduces a background white noise that may be a bit distracting in the event you’re in a comparatively quiet area and are simply trying to scale back noise a bit, although. Plus, it might affect on sound high quality, pulling a bit little bit of bass response out of the buds, nevertheless it’s not too dangerous.

Battery life

The Razer Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed battery life will not be nice. Even with ANC and RGB off, six hours per bud cost means they will not final an entire working day, and you actually do discover how enabling the ANC and RGB options can considerably scale back their life. Out of the field, with out turning off these options, it’s important to dock and cost the buds two or 3 times for a working day or a long-haul flight, which is not an awesome expertise.

Likewise, the case solely stretches this to a complete of 30 hours, which is at greatest comfortably behind competing earbuds. The SteelSeries Gamebuds can get a complete of 40 hours, with ten hours per bud, for instance. It additionally would not assist that the case cannot be charged wirelessly.

Worth

The Razer Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed MSRP is $199.99 / €229.99, making them a decidedly costly possibility. The newer SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are $40 cheaper, and though they lack RGB, they’re higher in nearly each different method. In the meantime, though gaming earbuds with USB dongle connections nonetheless aren’t that widespread, we’re beginning to see far more inexpensive choices.

Alternate options

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

With core specs similar to the Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are their chief competitors. They’ve a distinct match that focuses extra on sitting in your ear canal reasonably than resting in your outer ear, and a few individuals simply do not like this really feel, however this supplies them with higher sound, higher long-term consolation, and higher noise cancelation. All for a lower cost.

Verdict

The Razer Hammerhead Professional Hyperspeed buds have been among the many first true gaming earbuds to mix the comfort of a set of Bluetooth earbuds with a devoted USB connection on your pc. Nevertheless, whereas they might have led the pack, they’ve considerably been outmoded by fashions which have come since.

Nonetheless, the core comfort of this mix stays. It is a extremely transportable set of Bluetooth earbuds with respectable sufficient sound high quality, nice consolation, and the all-essential addition of lively noise canceling. They work fairly properly for music, films, and video games, whether or not you are at house or on the highway.

Nevertheless, there is no getting round the truth that they do not sound nearly as good as they need to for his or her worth, their battery life is weaker than the competitors, and their worth is excessive. There are merely higher gaming earbuds on the market.

In case you’re nonetheless not satisfied by an in-ear headset selection, learn our information to the most effective wi-fi gaming headset for extra wi-fi over-ear headset choices. Or, take a look at our listing of the most effective pc audio system for some out-loud audio choices.