Razer Carcharias Review

Introduction

Comfort Design & Features

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Not portable, but it's uncomfortable and has a decent microphone.

While the Razer Carcharias have a somewhat stiff foam padding, the headset itself is light enough to rest softly on your skull. There are no overheating issues of note, and the band does not dig into your scalp. With no carrying case, a very cumbersome cord, and open backs, these are not suited to be ported around often, though you could probably get away with stuffing them in a very clean bag, but we’d suggest keeping these at home if you can.

The 9.84 foot long cable of the Razer Carcharias is wrapped in a cloth weave, and capped off with a 3.5mm headphone and 3.5mm microphone jack, both fairly robust. Also present on the cable is a remote that allows you to clip the cable to an article of clothing, turn the mic on or off, and adjust the volume of your headset.

On the side of the remote exists a volume control, allowing you to adjust the in-game volume on the fly. It's not a super-advanced feature that will instantly make you a better gamer, but it is definitely nice to be able to bypass having to change settings in an option screen to adjust the volume. The microphone boom is a single, solid piece of plastic which, while not malleable, will get the job done with good results. It can swivel around about 270°.

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Audio Quality

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For a headset, the {{product.name}} has some great sound quality.

The Razer Carcharias has a mostly even frequency response, outside of small ranges of extremely minor emphasis here and there. While this does mean that they're best suited for music-heavy games like RPGs, it also means that you won’t have to worry about loud booms or other noises completely dominating your experience. Between the left and right cups, there was some distortion, but no enough to notice unless your listening intently at an ear shattering volume.

However, you may need to turn up the volume: if there’s one downside to open-backed cans, or even semi open-backed cans, it’s the fact that they do not attenuate much sound at all. While there is a small range of high-end sound that the Razer Carcharias shuts out, you’re not going to notice it.

Conclusion

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Good job, Razer!

Overall, the {{product.name}} is about everything you could ask a gaming headset to be, and it doesn't break the bank. While many companies offer ultra-premium headsets for upwards of $150, the {{product.name}} holds its own at a price point that's far more affordable. With good audio quality, a decent microphone, and a comfortable fit, the {{product.name}} has a lot to offer for $80.

While it's not perfect, the problems with the {{product.name}} are really very minor, and some arise due to the nature of the use of gaming headphones. For example, they should not be able to give you a competitive advantage over other people by boosting the sound of certain frequencies to detect footsteps or the like. This can be accomplished with an EQ, however.

Overall, if you just want a gaming headset, and don't want to fuss with anything terribly complicated, the {{product.name}} is probably the headset for you. It's comfortable, performs well, and can hang with the best of them. Be sure to weigh all your options before buying, but this is a great budget pickup.

Science Introduction

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The {{product.name}} is priced at around $80. With such a low hanging price tag, this gaming headset has a lot to offer. In our tests, it had a strong performance, particularly with sound quality. However, this headset is made to be used in a quiet place without distractions. Its open-backed design lets the outside world leak in. Definitely not recommended for a crowded household.

Isolation

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This gaming headset is not very good at defending against the outside world.

Our best friend, HATS (Head and Torso Simulator) collected the data to see how much of the outside world's noise leaks in. In this regard, the {{product.name}} did not perform well. Though, it should be noted that they are not designed to cancel ambient noise. However, from a consumer standpoint, we can see plenty of scenarios in which a gamer would need to block out the outside world. We blasted HATS with pink noise while he was wearing the {{product.name}}, and his mechanical ears picked up that a distracting amount of noise managed to leak through. Similarly, these cans also leak a lot of noise into the world around you,

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Frequency Response

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Top of the headset food chain

As far as headsets go, this frequency response looks fairly impressive, given that some companies take liberties with which frequencies are emphasized. The Razer Carcharias, on the other hand, have a mostly even frequency response, outside of a small range of 5dB underemphasis at 2-8kHz. Overall, this makes the {{product.model}} easily able to be equalized, as well as suited for music-heavy or non-FPS games.

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Other Tests

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