Razer BlackShark V3 Pro review – a premium, feature-rich option geared for FPS performance
Razer's newest esports-focused wireless headphones have arrived, with the BlackShark V3 Pro being a feature-rich offering that delivers a premium audio experience, albeit one that is aimed squarely at FPS games.
Fresh from launching its new esports-focused mouse, the DeathAdder V4 Pro, which earned a full 5/5 score in our review, Razer is now launching a new range of BlackShark gaming headsets, including the BlackShark V3, the BlackShark V3 Hyperspeed, and its most premium offering, the BlackShark V3 Pro. Coming in at £249.99 / $269.99 / AU$415 (approx conversion), it's priced firmly in line with other high-end gaming headsets, but is still a fair bit cheaper than what is probably its main competitor, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (£329.99 / $379.99 / AU$735).
So, how does it stack up?
Razer BlackShark V3 Pro design and features
For starters, there are three versions of the BlackShark V3 Pro, with specific PC, PlayStation, and Xbox versions. I tested the PC version, which has the added benefit of THX Spatial Audio with 7.1.4 surround sound, whereas the console versions enjoy either Windows Sonic for Xbox or 3D Tempest Audio for PlayStation as their surround sound options.
All versions of the BlackShark V3 Pro have four connectivity options: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, USB, and 3.5mm. The headset also allows simultaneous 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connections, which is a really nice premium feature. Talking of premium features, the headset also has Active Noise Cancellation, a first for the BlackShark range, and is something that gaming-focused headsets often don't have, so this is a very welcome addition.
To facilitate the 2.4GHz wireless connection, you'll need to connect Razer's new HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2 dongle, which is claimed to deliver latency of just 10ms, which would make it the world's fastest wireless gaming headset technology. For context, Razer shared with reviewers that the Logitech G Pro X 2 delivers 15ms latency, HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless delivers 15ms latency, and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless delivers 32ms of latency.
This all sounds amazing, but the dongle itself is a bit annoying. It's not grippy enough on the bottom, and because it's so light, it means it's often easily caught up with other cables and can move around when you don't want it to. Why does it need an external dongle that has to be plugged in at all? It's not a huge issue, but for such a premium wireless headset, with so many connection options, having to plug in a dongle seems to go against everything the device delivers.
In terms of design, they come in white or black, and there's no RGB whatsoever, which is rare for a Razer headset (or Razer products in general, for that matter). This is one of many choices that showcase a focused, simplified design theme that is clearly focused on performance and usability. The ear cushions and headband are dual-seal memory foam, which features fabric and leatherette on top of each other, offering the comfort of fabric whilst still having moisture-wicking properties, which is very important as a gamer!
The headset retains the same Yoke design of the previous generation, but it has been reinforced for increased durability, with a new 15-degree swivel joint built in too, for the purpose of getting a better seal on your ears. The Yoke design won't be for everyone, but one major positive for me personally, as someone with a head on the smaller side, is the fact that this is one of the few headsets that actually fits my peanut-like head shape, and the ear seal feels stronger compared to other headsets I've tested.
Another new design feature for this headset is the new swappable magnetic faceplates, similar to the system SteelSeries implemented in the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. However, instead of swappable batteries, Razer has kept with the standard battery system; this has made it much easier to replace, as it's located directly under the faceplate, which is great for repairability.
Overall, it's an incredibly comfortable headset that features nicely textured and high-quality materials, making it easy to wear, even for long, sweaty gaming sessions. Whether I was on a racing rig playing F1 25 or getting obliterated in Warzone, it handled both very well indeed, even in the ridiculously hot summer months we've endured in the UK.
In terms of buttons and ports, there are quite a few! You have a mic mute button, a power button, an LED indicator, a textured metal volume wheel, a USB charging port, and the removable mic on the left cup, with the SmartSwitch button, another customisable roller, and an ANC button on the right cup. There's a lot to learn and get used to when first using the headset, mostly because all of the buttons are quite similar in shape, but once you've made a few trips to Razer Synapse or used the Razer Audio mobile app, it becomes pretty natural.
You can cycle through EQs, cycle through wireless modes, change the game/chat balance, cycle through ANC modes, and more, just by pressing the right buttons. There's also the option to change the footstep sound level scaling using the additional roller, a feature that I'll touch on more in the performance section, but I think it's pretty obvious what it does!
Razer BlackShark V3 Pro performance
Featuring next-gen Razer TriForce Bio-Cellulose 50mm Drivers, the BlackShark V3 Pro delivers a superb audio experience for FPS players, with sounds like footsteps, reloads, and gunshots being impressively crisp, and it's easier to distinguish between the low-end and high-end sounds, which is really important in games like Warzone, in which there's just a lot of noise that is often hard to filter.
It gets even better with the footstep sound level scaling feature, which can be bound to the roller on the right cup. This feature lets you increase the specific frequencies mostly associated with footsteps, on the fly, and it really does work, particularly when you pair it with the esports-focused EQs (Fortnite, Warzone, Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, and Apex Legends), which have been optimised with the help of esports pros.
The spatial audio experience is also super impressive, particularly in games like Cyberpunk 2077, with the environmental sounds that buzz around you really adding to the feeling of immersion.
The detachable mic has also been given a considerable upgrade, with the full-band 12mm mic having a sampling rate of up to 48KHz, considerably more than the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' 16KHz, while also featuring a unidirectional pickup pattern. For a detachable mic on a gaming headset, it sounds really good, delivering strong clarity, and, when using some of the mic enhancement features within the Razer Synapse PC app, you can also make it work in tough situations too by adding a mic noise cancellation or boosting vocal clarity. It's not going to replace my Logitech G Blue Sona XLR microphone when doing voiceovers, but, like I said, for a gaming headset mic that's detachable, it's pretty darn good.
When it comes to using this headset for content like movies or music, it's a bit of a mixed bag. It delivers in the low end, with some impressive bass and strong mids, but the treble strength is overdone, making for a tinny audio experience, particularly in the default EQs, so I'd recommend having a play around with the EQ to get the sound you want. The ANC performs pretty well in most situations, but it's by no means the best I've tested, and I can often hear chatter and muffled conversations even in the most powerful ANC mode. I'm not sure if it's the seal, the material of the earcups, or the ANC technology itself, but there are some improvements to be made for sure.
Last but definitely not least, Razer claims a mammoth 70-hour battery life for the PC version of the BlackShark V3 Pro, and in my testing, it's pretty spot on. This is impressive considering it has to power ANC and simultaneous audio. Why would you need to swap out two batteries when just one is enough?
Razer BlackShark V3 Pro final thoughts
Overall, the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro delivers superb comfort, offers a range of impressive premium features, and provides strong audio performance, particularly when playing FPS games, while having excellent battery life. And all for a pretty decent price, considering its feature set and the price of its competitors.
The audio experience isn't perfect, particularly when watching content, and the ANC could be better, but guys, this is an esports-focused headset, and the fact that it has such a range of premium features at all offers great value, particularly at this price point, so it's an easy one to recommend.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Scotsman
and I love this controller holder
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Take it from me, an eight-year-old boy can adore a PlayStation almost too much. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... After being lucky enough to receive one as a birthday present a couple of months back, my son Eddie is in love: it's been a necessity to put a one-hour limit on the machine for the days when he is allowed to play it - and one game in particular stands out. Astro Bot PlayStation handset and phone holder by The Cable Guys | EXGPRO That game is Astro Bot, in which you have to rescue lost bots and find parts for your PlayStation 5 mothership. It also involves fighting the Space Bully Nebulax... all action, as you can see. It started off as a pre-installed feature on the PlayStation to show off some of its features but last year saw it become a proper standalone game. From a parent's point of view it is reassuringly 'safe' - the bold, bright colours and simple storylines put you in mind of Super Mario. There are no nasties here. And so, imagine Eddie's delight to discover that his newfound gaming hero/avatar was available to accompany him in his living room on his travels around various worlds. Astro Bot PlayStation handset and phone holder by The Cable Guys | Tom Morton/NationalWorld It's made by The Cable Guys, who have a range of similar stands including familiar faces such as Stitch, Sonic the Hedgehog, Spider-Man and Darth Vader (what a dinner party that would be). They are not essential, by any means, as your controller will sit quite happily on a table instead and the stand doesn't have a charging function. However, given that most controllers now are wireless, it's a good way of not losing a handset if you are prone to absentmindedly walking off with it and leaving it elsewhere in the house. If you are the kind of person who finds themselves using the 'Find My Phone' option rather too often in your own house then the stand will work well as a regular place to leave your phone so you at least have a chance of remembering where you put it. And, to be honest, the stand is a good-looking little model anyway. Anyone who enjoys playing the role of Astro Bot and zooming around looking for bots may well appreciate it just as a little piece of gaming decoration in its own right. The holder is about 21cm high and about 11cm wide, so not too intrusive. As Eddie puts it: 'Astro Bot is my favourite game. When I got this Astro Bot controller holder, it really helped me get my living room tidy.'
Scotsman
12 hours ago
- Scotsman
and I love this controller holder
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Take it from me, an eight-year-old boy can adore a PlayStation almost too much. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... After being lucky enough to receive one as a birthday present a couple of months back, my son Eddie is in love: it's been a necessity to put a one-hour limit on the machine for the days when he is allowed to play it - and one game in particular stands out. Astro Bot PlayStation handset and phone holder by The Cable Guys | EXGPRO That game is Astro Bot, in which you have to rescue lost bots and find parts for your PlayStation 5 mothership. It also involves fighting the Space Bully Nebulax... all action, as you can see. It started off as a pre-installed feature on the PlayStation to show off some of its features but last year saw it become a proper standalone game. From a parent's point of view it is reassuringly 'safe' - the bold, bright colours and simple storylines put you in mind of Super Mario. There are no nasties here. And so, imagine Eddie's delight to discover that his newfound gaming hero/avatar was available to accompany him in his living room on his travels around various worlds. Astro Bot PlayStation handset and phone holder by The Cable Guys | Tom Morton/NationalWorld It's made by The Cable Guys, who have a range of similar stands including familiar faces such as Stitch, Sonic the Hedgehog, Spider-Man and Darth Vader (what a dinner party that would be). They are not essential, by any means, as your controller will sit quite happily on a table instead and the stand doesn't have a charging function. However, given that most controllers now are wireless, it's a good way of not losing a handset if you are prone to absentmindedly walking off with it and leaving it elsewhere in the house. If you are the kind of person who finds themselves using the 'Find My Phone' option rather too often in your own house then the stand will work well as a regular place to leave your phone so you at least have a chance of remembering where you put it. And, to be honest, the stand is a good-looking little model anyway. Anyone who enjoys playing the role of Astro Bot and zooming around looking for bots may well appreciate it just as a little piece of gaming decoration in its own right. The holder is about 21cm high and about 11cm wide, so not too intrusive.
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Battlefield 6 beta starts with 2 days early access next week, and here's how to get involved
As part of the big Battlefield 6 reveal, EA has confirmed that the game will indeed have a beta and you can try it out for yourself before the end of August. We've had a good look at Battlefield 6 now, and it's certainly sparking excitement, with a return to the elements that made the series so unique in the first place – unbridled chaos and destruction. And you can give it a whirl for yourself in the August beta weekends. Battlefield 6 has finally been unveiled with its first reveal trailer dropping last week, quickly followed by the multiplayer reveal trailer this week. In the meantime, whispers of a Battlefield 6 beta have been circulating, with leaks hinting at two beta weekends and a couple of days early access before that and lo and behold, they were pretty much on the money. The Battlefield 6 beta is happening across PS5, Xbox Series X |S and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, EA App) and you'll be able to preload the game as early as Monday, August 4 so if you're participating, make sure to get that downloaded so when doors open, you can just jump right in. EA has also revealed the PC specs for the Battlefield 6 beta as well as cautioning players on the platform that they'll need to enable Secure Boot to accommodate the company's Javelin Anticheat system. You can check out the specs below. While there were a few methods to secure early access to the Battlefield 6 beta, those opportunities have now passed – but we're not dismissing the chance of more betas with early access, so keep an eye out and be ready for next time, as EA could utilise the same methods to select participants, and we've more details on that below! Here's all you need to know about Battlefield 6 beta early access, the complete beta timetable, what's included, and how to ensure you don't miss it in the future. And remember, although there are no rewards for participating in the Battlefield 6 beta early access phase, you will earn rewards during open weekends, so you're not missing out on much. Battlefield 6 beta early access The Battlefield 6 beta early access period kicks off on Thursday, August 7 at 8am UTC and runs until Friday, August 8, giving you two full days to get to grips with everything before it opens up to everyone. As it continues straight into the first Battlefield 6 open beta weekend, there's no specific 'end time'. Here's exactly when it starts in your local time: 1am UTC 2am MDT 3am CDT 4am EDT 8am UTC 9am BST 10am CET 11am EEST 4pm AWST 5pm JST 6pm AEST How to get Battlefield 6 beta early access The initial way to gain Battlefield 6 beta early access was to be a Battlefield Labs member (or at least have registered) before Thursday, July 31, which is when the multiplayer reveal trailer was released. Battlefield Labs allows players to trial what EA is developing behind the scenes, making it a win-win situation for all involved. No code is needed – you're simply given access on the EA account you used to register. EA has temporarily halted sign-ups, but it's worth keeping tabs on the game's social media channels so you can have another go when they reopen on the official website. Given that members received early access to the Battlefield 6 beta, we might see a similar scenario during a potential second beta. The second method, linked to the reveal, involved watching certain Twitch creators during the reveal streams on Thursday, July 31, to secure a Battlefield 6 beta early access code as a Twitch Drop. Watching streams of eligible creators for an hour would've landed you a code that you could redeem to gain early access to the Battlefield 6 beta. I'd suggest linking your EA account to Twitch in the meantime, so you're all set if EA organises something similar again. You can find the instructions for this on the EA website. Keep in mind that pre-ordering the Battlefield 6 Phantom Edition will get you a beta code, but not for early access. Considering most retailers don't charge for a pre-order until it's dispatched, you could pre-order, participate in the beta, and then cancel your pre-order if you decide it's not for you (or spot a better offer elsewhere). As for the pre-load, it should become available for everyone before the Battlefield 6 beta early access period kicks off, on Monday, August 4 at 3pm UTC which is 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 4pm BST. According to the PC specs (via EA), anticipate the file size to be around 75GB, at least on PC. What's included in the Battlefield 6 beta? Brace yourselves for the Battlefield 6 beta early access and open weekends – you're in for a treat with a chance to explore some of the nine confirmed maps, dive into four All-Out Warfare modes, and get up close and personal with four Close Quarters Combat modes. While EA is keeping schtum on the specifics for now, and the chatter so far isn't backed by solid facts, rest assured we'll bring you the latest as soon as it's set in stone. For now, feast your eyes on the full roster of maps and modes that we'll whittle down once we've got the scoop on what's making the cut for the Battlefield 6 beta. Maps Nine maps are hitting the ground running at launch, and we'll be sampling a selection during the beta: Liberation Peak Empire State New Sobek City Manhattan Bridge Iberian Offensive Mirak Valley Siege of Cairo Saints Quarter Operation Firestorm Classic All-Out Warfare modes These classic modes are fan favourites, and there's even a fresh face among them with Escalation, where "two teams battle over territory at an epic scale": Conquest Breakthrough Rush Escalation Fast-paced CQC Not everyone is cut out for grand-scale warfare. But fear not, EA has got the goods for those who fancy their action fast and furious with Close Quarter Combat modes: Team Deathmatch Domination Squad Deathmatch King of the Hill Stay tuned – we'll update you with the precise details of what you can plunge into once EA gives the green light on the Battlefield 6 beta early access.
