The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro has a lot going for it, with generous battery life, comfortable ear cups, and solid audio quality. But it’s the headset’s design that I can’t quite get over. I don’t normally obsess over how headphoness look—it’s not like I can see them on my head, after all—but these manage to be stylish in a way that made me care.
This latest version of the BlackShark headphones line is a wireless variation of the previous BlackShark V2 headset. The headset can connect via a USB-A dongle to your gaming PC or PS5, and it can pair via Bluetooth to mobiles devices. A convenient button makes it easy to swap between these two, so you can pause your game to answer a call without taking off your headset. When this headset first came out, there wasn’t an Xbox variation, but earlier this year Razer let fans of Microsoft’s console in on the fun. You’ll look damn good while you’re listening.
Accidentally Retro
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless has a striking design from its angular wire rods to the large volume knob jutting out of the left ear cup. The latter is particularly a choice. Plenty of gaming headsets have a volume dial, but it’s usually embedded into the earcup itself. This one is so prominent that it’s impossible to miss, and I kinda like it?
It took me a while to figure out why I felt so positive about this design. The wiry frame and giant knob aren’t what I picture when I think of stylish design. Then, it hit me. The BlackShark V2 Pro reminds me of those old headphoness every school in the '90s had. Those things had uncomfortable rubber, utilitarian wire headbands, and just barely enough material to cover the speakers in each ear cup. They were, by all accounts, awful headphoness. But my God, they had style.