Razer’s Barracuda X wi-fi headset is geared towards Switch and Android gamers | Engadget

Between the enduring recognition of the Nintendo Switch, the growing energy of flagship telephones and new providers like Apple Arcade, transportable gaming has lastly moved to the forefront. However, the disappearance of three.5mm ports on cellular units has left many gamers bereft of premium audio — Bluetooth earbuds don’t fairly minimize it whenever you want your audio synced completely. If you desire a rock-solid connection your finest wager is an RF dongle, which often makes use of USB-A in a world steadily being overtaken by USB-C ports. Razer has lastly stepped up with a mobile-first headset that may connect with your Switch, Android cellphone or thin-and-light laptop computer, the $100 Barracuda X.

The Barracuda X is way from the primary headset geared towards Nintendo Switch gamers; we’re massive followers of SteelSeries’ Arctis 1 Wireless due to its consolation and excellent audio high quality, and have even included it in just a few of our reward guides. It’s truthful to say that this headset is the Barracuda’s major competitor. Even the RF adapters look the identical.

However, whereas the Arctis 1 Wireless maintains the usual look of the road (because it ought to — it’s an awesome design), the Barracuda is a change of tempo for Razer. Instead of the Kraken brand’s round, grated look, the brand new headset resembles final 12 months’s Opus headphones, which acquired a refresh final month. It’s not completely similar, with completely different joints on the cups, and fabric ear padding as an alternative of faux leather-based. Here in New York, it’s 90 levels as of this writing, and I can report that I haven’t felt the necessity to take off the Barracuda even after carrying it for just a few hours. It’s nonetheless a bit heat, and I positively really feel cooler after I take the headset off, however it’s bearable.

The Barracuda X additionally weighs a really scant 250 grams, one of many lightest headsets I’ve examined. (I believe it is likely to be lighter than its personal packaging.) In direct comparability it feels about the identical in hand as related fashions from Turtle Beach and Logitech, however there’s a steadiness within the Barracuda’s plastic construct that makes it really feel extra ethereal. It’s not one thing I might thoughts maintaining on my head for a number of hours or throwing it in my backpack so I can sport on the practice. Which is exactly the purpose: You shouldn’t really feel that carrying this factor round is a burden.

While I wouldn’t go tossing this factor round casually in a rage, it does really feel solidly constructed, able to taking just a few dings in your bag. I’ve combined emotions in regards to the removable mic; with the ability to take it off means a extra compact headset design, however it’s additionally one other fiddly bit that I would lose. Then once more, it’s unlikely you want voice features whereas out and about. (Heck, the Switch console doesn’t even have actual voice chat; it asks you to attach through the app in your cellphone.)

The Barracuda X excites me, principally due to its USB-C compatibility. But that’s additionally the place it falls brief for me. The adapter is small, for positive, however it’s very broad. That signifies that in case you occur to have a laptop computer with two USB-C ports subsequent to one another like my 2017 MacBook, the Barracuda dongle will block the opposite utterly. This is a trouble in my workplace setup, the place I’ve an exterior monitor and USB hub related on the opposite facet. So whereas working I get to decide on between the ability twine and the headset. I’ve opted out of utilizing the Barracuda with my laptop computer in any respect, preferring as an alternative to hearken to podcasts on my cellphone. However, that’s my distinctive scenario, and on the go you may solely want two ports: one for the headset and the opposite for energy.

It’s thrilling to see firms lastly begin to take cellular gaming severely, and deal with the particular wants these avid gamers have. Mobile-friendly controllers are nice, however many fashionable cellular video games don’t actually need them. Better audio, although? Almost everybody can respect that. The $100 price ticket may appear a bit steep for some, however the Barracuda X appears versatile sufficient that you simply’ll greater than get your cash’s price.