The takeaway: Bose isn’t the only brand bringing back the cable. Less than a month after announcing a new set of noise-canceling earbuds that replace wireless Bluetooth with a wired connection, gaming peripheral maker Razer is essentially doing the same thing.
The Razer Hammerhead V3 Chroma is said to be designed for gamers who demand “uncompromised” digital sound on the go. The wired headphones eliminate the usual disadvantages of wireless solutions such as latency, audio compression and battery life issues and instead enable a plug-and-play experience across multiple platforms.
The headphones feature specially tuned 11mm dynamic drivers for punchy bass reproduction and special 6mm tweeters for clear highs. Presets for games, music, movies, and calls can make it easier to find the right profile for the job. If you want, you can use the equalizer to adjust what sounds best to you. As an added bonus, THX Surround Sound 7.1 is available when the headphones are used on the PC via Razer’s Synapse software.
Razer’s latest earbuds utilize USB-C with a flat 90-degree port and feature IPX4 protection against sweat, light rain, and accidental liquid splashes. Razer says the 90-degree connector is designed to sit flush with phones, tablets and handheld gaming systems and can help eliminate cable strain.
The in-line remote lets you quickly adjust volume and playback as well as toggle ANC, and the built-in omnidirectional microphone should be enough for in-game communication and voice calls. However, at just 1.2 meters (3.93 feet), the cable is a bit short.
Since this is a Razer product, it should come as no surprise that RGB is part of the package. The buds support 16.8 million colors and can be synced with other Razer devices if you’re into that sort of thing. If not, just leave the light off and turn it on.
The Razer Hammerhead V3 Chroma gaming earbuds are backed by a two-year warranty and are available to order now directly from Razer’s website for $79.99. Look for them to ship next week.
