Razer’s Barracuda Pro headset mixes ANC with go-anywhere looks
When is a gaming headset not a gaming headset?
Wearing a gaming headset away from your PC or console used to be a major street cred faux pas, but now peripheral expert Razer is all about the outdoors. The Barracuda Pro is its new set of flagship ‘phones, designed to appeal everywhere – not just while you’re playing. It’s one part of a three-stage overhaul of the Barracuda range, with the mid-tier Barracuda also making its debut alongside a refreshed Barracuda X.
The Barracuda Pro has hybrid active noise cancellation to silence the outside world, along with 50mm speaker drivers made from eco-friendly bio-cellulose that promise punchy and detailed audio. It’s also packing a dedicated THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier, which boosts signal-to-noise, cuts down on distortion and should deliver more dynamic range to your music. THX spatial audio is on hand for better in-game positional tracking, too.
Razer has ditched ugly external microphones in favour of a pair of stealthy, integrated mics that use beam-forming and noise-cancelling for clearer voice pick-up. The rest of the headset is supremely subtle, with leatherette memory foam ear cups and minimal branding. The RGB-obsessed firm has even managed to hold back on the colour-changing LEDs, too.
The headset uses dual wireless tech, with 2.4GHz to a USB-C dongle for PC and console gaming, and Bluetooth for your other gadgets. It can switch between the two with one button, which could come in handy for taking calls on a phone while you’re mid-game. Battery life should max out at 40 hours away from the mains, with USB-C charging on hand when it’s time to top up.
The regular Barracuda completes the line-up, sandwiching between the pricier Pro and entry-level X. The major changes are to the 50mm drivers, which are made from titanium here, and the memory foam ear cups, which swap leatherette for a FlowKnit material finish. ANC doesn’t make the cut, but the dual integrated microphones remain for maximum style points.
It gets the same SmartSwitch dual wireless connectivity, with a promised 40 hours of battery life between charges. THX spatial audio support sticks around, but it does without the THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier of the Barracuda Pro.
The Barracuda X now has a whopping 50 hours of battery life, up from 20 hours on the first-gen model. It finally gets Bluetooth as well as 2.4GHz wireless, for cable-free listening on a smartphone. It keeps the same 40mm drivers and detachable cardioid boom microphone as before, along with USB-C charging and a 3.5mm wired input.
The Barracuda Pro is the latest gaming headset to attempt to break out of the bedroom/office/man-cave, landing just behind the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro. Razer’s version goes without any kind of base unit, but costs considerably less.
The new Barracuda family is on sale right now, direct from Razer and from all the usual online/bricks-and-mortar retailers. Prices start from £100 for the refreshed Barracuda X, rising to £160 for the Barracuda, and topping out at £250 for the Barracuda Pro.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
