Razer Barracuda X review: an affordable gaming headset with insanely good sound

If you’ve landed on this Razer Barracuda X review, then chances are you’re in the market for a new gaming headset. To cut right to the chase, for less than $100 / £100 / AU$150, you won’t get much better than this one. While this headset may not be jam-packed with over-the-top features, it does have plenty to boast about.

Razer knows its stuff when it comes to gaming peripherals, and it’s definitely no stranger to T3’s guide to the best gaming headsets. The Barracuda X once again proves Razer’s worth offering high-quality wireless audio for PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and Android devices. You can use it with Xbox, but it’ll have to be through a wired connection. 

Looking to give your whole gaming setup a refresh? Take a look at T3’s guides to the best gaming mouse, the best gaming keyboards, the best gaming monitors and the best gaming chairs. 

In this Razer Barracuda X review, I’ll go through everything you need to know about the headset from its design and how to set it up, through to the sound and microphone performance. Let’s get to it!

Razer Barracuda X review: price and availability

You can buy the Razer Barracuda X now starting from $99 in the US, £99 in the UK and AU$149 in Australia. Take a look at the widgets on this page for more up-to-date pricing across the web. Plus, check our Razer discount codes page to help lower the cost. 

Razer Barracuda X review: design and setup

Screaming simplicity, the Razer Barracuda X gaming headset is made from matte black plastic with oval-shaped earcups and memory foam cushioning. Each earcup has a very discreet Razer logo, in fact, you’ll need to look closely to even notice them. Similarly "Razer" is written in a glossy black across the outside of the headband. There’s no over-the-top RGB lighting or extravagant gaming-esque design here. These look like a simple pair of black over-ear headphones that you could wear anywhere. 

Sitting on the left earcup, you’ll find the controls and ports. These include a power button, volume wheel and microphone mute button, as well as a USB-C port, 3.5mm audio and a microphone jack. During gameplay, they aren’t as easily accessible as you get with an in-line remote for example, but they do the job. 

Weighing about 250g, the headset feels very light and the headband was sufficiently padded so the set can easily be worn for long periods of time. In an ideal world, there could be a bit more padding to make the headset even more comfortable but that’s just nitpicking. To adjust the headband to your size, there’s a steel slider. It’s not the smoothest to adjust but it certainly is easy. 

Setting up the headset is equally pain-free, you just need to plug in the T-shaped USB-C dongle, turn on the headset and away you go. That means the headset is compatible with PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and Android devices. If you use it with a wired connection, you’ll also be able to hook it up to your Xbox. Unfortunately, there’s no Bluetooth option. 

Unlike other Razer gaming headsets, you can’t use this one with Synapse for firmware updates, manual equaliser settings or anything else for that matter. According to Razer, they’ve been designed to work straight out of the box without the need for additional software.

In the box, you’ll find a wireless USB-C dongle, a 3.5mm audio cable, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a USB-A to USB-C extension cable and a detachable microphone. The microphone is pliable and versatile, it comes with a miniature pop shield to reduce popping sounds. I’ll get onto the microphone performance later. 

Razer Barracuda X review: audio and performance 

Using 40mm Razer TriForce drivers, the Razer Barracuda X sounds great, and the 7.1 surround sound does a good job at giving you 360-degree audio during gameplay for a fully immersive experience. You could easily hear people coming up behind you, and the game sounds like explosions or car engines felt pretty realistic as well. 

Unlike a lot of gaming headsets, these could pass as regular headphones as well, not just in looks but in sound quality too. Music sounds accurate and clear, with well-defined mids and crisp highs. The low-end wasn’t quite as powerful as you’d get elsewhere but overall they were still well balanced. 

Because it doesn’t work with Razer Synapse, you won’t be able to create your own sound profiles which is a shame, you’ll have to plug it in and go with its default settings. 

The unidirectional detachable microphone was very clear, other people could hear everything I was saying but they did mention that the microphone was a little on the quieter side. While it wasn’t too much of an issue, the pop shield didn’t have a huge impact on eliminating sounds either. Despite that, the microphone is pretty effective overall. What is really great about the Razer Barracuda X is that it works well with Discord’s noise suppression apps which not all headsets do. 

Battery life is another area where the Razer Barracuda X goes above and beyond its price tag, offering 20 hours per charge. I got through a good few days without needing to charge them up. There’s no fast-charging option here, though. 

Razer Barracuda X review: verdict

If you’re not one for in-your-face gaming peripherals with colourful RGB lighting then the Razer Barracuda X will be a good choice of headset. It’ll pass as being a regular pair of headphones both in design and sound quality as well. 

Not only does it look smart and have an effective detachable microphone, but it's also comfortable and has a very long-lasting battery life. You won’t get some of the features you’d get from a pricier pair like the choice to use Bluetooth or manual settings through desktop software but you will get accurate surround sound in all types of games which is really what counts here anyway.

So while the Razer Barracuda X gaming headset may not be completely perfect, considering just how affordable it is, you get seriously good quality for your hard-earned cash. I would definitely recommend this gaming headset. 

Razer Barracuda X review: also consider 

If you’re willing to spend just a bit more on the best gaming headset you can buy, take a look at the Steelseries Arctis 7P wireless. It has one of the best microphones I’ve seen on a headset, with immersive surround sound and a comfortable, premium design. The Actis 7P is made with Playstation gamers in mind, but if you have an Xbox then the SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless is the version for that console. 

Tempted by the Razer Barracuda X but still find your eyes watering at the price? If you’re on a very tight budget then you could consider the AOC GH300 instead. It’s significantly cheaper and while you won’t get the same level of sound quality or microphone clarity, this wired headset is still pretty good all-round. It doesn’t have any wireless connectivity though. 

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