Razer Barracuda Pro
MSRP $250.00
“The Barracuda Pro makes some unfortunate sacrifices to create a discreet gaming headset, but makes up for it with strong sound quality.”
Pros
-
Discreet design
-
Balanced audio
-
Versatile connectivity
-
Long battery life
cons
-
High price
-
Loosely
-
Weak microphone
Razer’s Barracuda Pro is a gaming headset that asks an important question: What if being a gamer wasn’t completely embarrassing? As someone who loves games but dislikes the loud “gamer” aesthetic that comes with them, I can’t stand most of the products and accessories marketed to gamers. Ridiculous chairs, obnoxious RGB lighting, gaudy headsets — it’s hard to play games without some loud statement in your house.
While Razer is a big instigator of that trend, the Barracuda Pro is aimed at people like me. Rather than making a futuristic headset with glowing green accents, the latest from Razer is as unassuming as a pair of Bose or Sony wireless headphones. It’s an attempt to fuse the specific qualities of a gaming headset into a more lifestyle-friendly design. It’s an admirable pitch, although those two ideas are sometimes a bit at odds with each other.
The Barracuda Pro is a solid option for players who want a more multifunctional gaming headset with a discreet look. It only comes with a few major compromises and quirks, including poor microphone quality and a hefty price tag.
Design and comfort
Perhaps the most important feature of the Barracuda Pro is that it looks like a perfectly normal pair of headphones. It’s a solid black pair of cans with no glowing accents and minimal decals (the Razer logo appears on each side, but it’s extremely subtle). My first reaction when I unwrapped them was “Thank God.” It’s just nice to have a good gaming headset that I could wear in public without drawing attention to myself.
It’s a comfortable fit, with elongated ear cups that are exceptionally soft. Although it is also a relatively loose fit, at least on my head. When I nod my head forward, I notice that the headband slides down over my head quite easily. In comparison, the Razer Kaira Pro has a tighter fit with firmer cups and doesn’t wobble nearly as much. Just be wary if you are a headbanger.
The headphones also come with a compact carrying case, which is a nice touch. It contains a small compartment that contains the various dongles and wires. That presentation makes the Barracuda Pro feel more like a premium product than a high-end toy for gamers. It’s not something you want to toss haphazardly on your desk after wearing them.
Sound quality
At this point, Razer knows how to make a gaming headset, so it’s no surprise that sound quality is a strong point. During my testing, I found that the audio mix was fairly balanced across a range of games thanks to the powerful bio-cellulose 50mm drivers. Most notable is its lower range, which allows it to produce fairly good thumping bass. That’s important, because the Barracuda Pro isn’t just another gaming headset. With its lifestyle design, Razer hopes you’ll use it for other purposes as well, such as listening to music. That balanced default sound profile makes it more effective as a jack of all trades, even if it doesn’t excel in a specific category.
I’ve noticed it struggles a bit with mids. While playing Xenoblade Chronicles 3, with chaotic battles filled with clashing attack tones, I felt the audio spike a bit. That’s an extreme example (I’m not convinced xenoblade‘s battles sound good on any headset), but I found it a bit loud to listen to in that environment.
Fortunately, you can change the equalization using the Razer Audio app, which I would recommend. The app also lets you adjust microphone noise cancellation, enable Do Not Disturb mode, and more. It’s a nice companion app, although I personally would have liked to see a few sound profile options on the headset itself to make some quick adjustments when the mix gets tough.
A nice onboard customization option that the Barracuda Pro does offer is hybrid noise cancellation. I can easily turn Active Noise Cancellation on or off at the push of a button. I can also turn on Ambient mode, which makes me want some outside noise if I want to be aware of my surroundings – again, a useful addition for those looking to use their headset for more than just gaming. I can absolutely hear the difference between each mode as I scroll through the options, with ANC cutting out a fair amount of background noise. However, some ambient noises still get through even with ANC on, so don’t expect a perfectly isolated experience.
Your voice will sound like it’s coming from an old landline answering machine.
There is one area where the sound quality is very lacking. As part of its sleek design, the Barracuda Pro doesn’t have an attachable boom microphone like most gaming headsets. Instead, it opts for an in-line one, which is an important decision for buyers. The lack of a mic dangling in front helps it maintain that lifestyle look, but at the cost of sound quality. Your voice will sound like it’s coming from an old landline answering machine. It’s a hard digital quality that’s not exactly ideal for team communication. As a result, the Barracuda Pro is probably best suited for solo players.
Connectivity
The Barracuda Pro has some neat tricks up its sleeve when it comes to connectivity, but also a notable blind spot. The most impressive feature is the dual wireless Smartswitch connection. This allows the headset to be connected to a device via Bluetooth and connected to another device via 2.4 GHz at the same time. For example, I connected my headset to my Steam Deck via Bluetooth, but at the same time connected to my PS5 thanks to the USB-C dongle that comes with the headset. With a quick double tap of a button, I switched effortlessly between both systems.
The Barracuda Pro connects to a wide variety of devices right out of the box.
I ran into a minor problem with that setup when I unplugged the dongle from my PS5 while it was plugged in. After doing that I found that I couldn’t get back to my Steam Deck audio unless I disconnected and reconnected. Likewise, I ran into the same problem when I accidentally switched to 2.4GHz mode (without the dongle plugged into anything) while connected to Bluetooth. I don’t think these are use cases that many users will really run into, but there is a bit of a fuss about the process. Other than that, the Smartswitch technology works pretty well and I can easily answer a phone call while playing a game without taking off my headset.
Due to its hybrid approach, the Barracuda Pro can be connected to a wide variety of devices right out of the box. I was able to connect it to my Nintendo Switch, PS5, Steam Deck and iPhone with no problem. Xbox is an odd one as the Series X doesn’t have native Bluetooth support or a USB-C port (as a rule of thumb I’m always against USB-C dongles, as the port isn’t common enough yet aren’t universal ). That makes it a bit incomplete as a perfect gaming headset, even if there are solutions.
Note that the Bluetooth option comes with some latency issues. In my testing, I noticed a noticeable audio lag when playing on Switch, as the sound of switching bike listing options in games didn’t match well. For a lag-free connection, 2.4 GHz is a safer bet.
Battery life
Razer notes that the Barracuda Pro lasts about 40 hours, and that matches my testing. Of course there are variables in both directions, but I found that I could get through a long gaming session without worrying about my headset dying. The headset also turns off automatically when not in use, helping to save some battery.
I did run into two pain points when it comes to the battery. It’s just a little disappointing that there isn’t a wired option for the Barracuda Pro. Although it includes a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, you still need to connect wirelessly no matter what. Much more annoying is the headset’s battery indicator, which is constantly interrupted by a vocal warning – sometimes for hours on end due to the long battery life. It’s the same annoyance I’ve had with my Razer Kaira Pro and I’m shocked that it carries over to this more “high-end” model.
If it sounds like I’m nagging on many of these points, it’s for good reason: They cost $250. At such a higher price point, I don’t just want a headset to look like a premium product. A few missing details here and there add up, making it clear that Razer isn’t quite ready to fight Bose or Sony as a lifestyle brand just yet. This is primarily a gaming headset; it’s just one that you can wear outside without raising eyebrows when needed.
Our opinion
The Razer Barracuda Pro is a good all-round headset for players who can’t stand the loud design of most gaming accessories. Its discreet design, long battery life and balanced sound make it a strong option whether you want to play games at home or listen to music on an airplane. The hefty $250 price tag makes some of its issues stand out more than they would. Issues like the weak built-in microphone make me feel like the high cost has more to do with maintaining the illusion of a gaming headset turned into a prestige lifestyle product.
Is there a better alternative?
For a solid gaming headset with a low-key design, the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless is comparable in price and has a better microphone. For a comparable lifestyle headset, take a look at the Jabra Elite 85H.
How long will it stay that way?
The battery lasts up to 40 hours on a single charge, meaning it will last you every marathon gaming session. The build quality itself is solid and the carrying case should protect it from long-term damage.
Should you buy it?
Yes. If you just want a less embarrassing gaming headset, this is a great option. Just be prepared for some quirks.
Editor’s Recommendations
0 Comments