Earlier this year, Razer, a brand synonymous with game props, showed that his equipment is not just for gamers when he introduced his Opus wireless headphones which offered a Sony-like experience for just $ 200. As a follow-up, the company is updating its Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds with a new Pro version that features noise cancellation. for $ 200, which makes them $ 50 cheaper than Apple’s AirPods Pro.
Most of Razer’s gamer-centric hardware is very company-specific in design; it’s easy to spot when someone is using a Razer mouse or a few Razer s deportes headphones. For its products aimed at a wider consumer base, especially headphones, the company seems to be taking inspiration from the design of its competitors, which is not a bad thing. Their Opus wireless headphones looks like a lost twin of Sony WH-1000XM3 and its original Razer Hammerhead True wireless earbuds feature the extended stem design first introduced in the original Apple AirPods.
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Razer’s new Hammerhead True Wireless Pro headset will no doubt be compared to Apple’s AirPods Pro, but the design is less curved than Apple’s earbuds and a bit larger. Therefore, The Hammerhead True Wireless Pros don’t hide and disappear in your ears like AirPods Pro do, but their larger size facilitates a key benefit: bigger pilots.
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The original Hammerhead True Wireless headset featured 13-millimeter speakers (the moving part of the small speaker inside the headset that pushes air and generates sound waves) that were absolutely huge by standards. headphones, even larger than the 12 millimeters that Sony included in their WF-XB700 wireless headsets. For its new Hammerhead True Wireless Pro, Razer reduced the size of the drivers to 10 millimeters (likely to accommodate the additional technology and battery drain from active noise cancellation), but it’s still considerably larger than the drivers. Apple. used in AirPods Pro, and the difference in sound quality is dramatic.
Everything I heard through the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pros had more noise and presence than wireless headphones from Jabra, Klipsch, and even Sony were able to offer (although the WF-XB700 still offer the best value for money) and when switching between these and the AirPods Pro, the dramatically improved bass performance stood out the most. The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pros also sounded louder than most wireless headphones I’ve tested, thanks to these bigger drivers, which will help prevent the world around you from drowning your music or podcast.
This is also the reason why Razer introduced active noise cancellation in the Hammerhead True Wireless Pros by using an internal and external microphone in each ear cup to pick up sounds from the surrounding environment and unwanted sounds reaching the ear canal. the user. It’s pretty good in terms of active noise cancellation performance on headphones, but I have to say the ANC on Apple’s AirPods Pro is a bit better. But unless you spend most of your days on a plane, I don’t think the difference in performance is enough to justify the extra $ 50. for AirPods Pro.
Razer also deserves bonus points for the variety of headphone tips it includes with the Hammerhead True Wireless Pros. They offer better sound isolation (and passive noise blocking) than the previous version due to the nature of their in-ear design, and to ensure an optimal fit, Razer offers three different ear tip options. Small, medium and large versions of their SmoothComfort silicone tips (which are supposed to be softer, making them more comfortable to wear for longer) and their SecureSeal silicone tips (which are more textured and sticky to improve grip and help keep the headphones in your ears when active). Razer also includes a pair of midsize Comply memory foam ear tips that expand when inserted into the ear for a snug fit. It’s nice to see a company that includes foam tips with their headphones and educates consumers on alternatives to silicone tips which are often uncomfortable even though Comply tips need to be replaced every few months.
Razer won’t win any innovation awards for the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro vertical charging case that extends the headset’s battery life from four hours to 20 hours on four additional full charges. It’s slightly bigger and thicker than the AirPods Pro charging case without the convenience of wireless charging – just a USB-C port to plug in. But it’s very easy to pocket, it holds everything in place and closed with magnets, and it basically does what it’s supposed to do with a minimal mark other than “RAZER” etched into the lid.
Where the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro headset becomes particularly appealing as an alternative to the competition is on the software side. One of my biggest complaints with the Razer Headset Opus has been resolved with the new Razer wireless headset. In addition to the five EQ presets to choose from in the included iOS / Android mobile app (including a fantastic sounding THX preset), users can create their own custom EQ preset which can be of benefit to those suffering from loss. hearing who prefer to increase certain frequency ranges.
The robust app also includes other customization features, such as the ability to reassign triggered shortcuts by touching or long-pressing the headset. I often find myself accidentally interrupting my music when I’m just trying to put headphones in my ear, so being able to turn off the one-key shortcut completely is a welcome feature. As for the apps that come with it, I wouldn’t ask for much more here.
Since Razer’s pedigree is gaming, its new Hammerhead True Wireless Pro headphones have another cool feature: a “ game mode ” that promises to reduce the latency between what happens on the screen and the audio streamed without thread only 60. milliseconds. According to a spokesperson for Razer, instead of reducing the bandwidth and audio quality of streaming to achieve this, the “game mode” instead “… prioritizes the power of the Bluetooth chip, like the overclocking a processor, so to speak. Having said that, there is a slight increase in battery consumption in this mode, so for maximum battery life we are giving the user the option to turn it off.
The performance and price of the Razer Opus headphones really surprised me, and I’m also impressed with the company’s new Hammerhead True Wireless Pro headphones. There are many companies entering the wireless headphone market with products that really only differ in the company logo on the headphones. But Razer has clearly done a lot to differentiate its new professional Hammerhead True Wireless and make it a compelling alternative to the most popular solutions that already exist. If you are determined to buy ANC wireless headphones, that would be $ 200 very well spent.
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