Razer BlackShark V3 Pro tested: dual wireless, ANC and a 12mm boom mic
Razer's BlackShark V3 Pro is the company's new flagship esports headset, and it brings two features that its predecessor, the BlackShark V2 Pro (2023), lacked: simultaneous 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth audio, and active noise cancellation. A recent hands-on review put the $249.99 headset through music, gaming and voice chat, and came away with mixed results, particularly for the detachable microphone.
Connectivity, controls and comfort
The V3 Pro offers four ways to connect: a 2.4GHz dongle (which itself plugs into a PC over USB-C), Bluetooth 5.3, a wired USB-C link and a 3.5mm analog cable. Razer rates the battery at up to 70 hours over 2.4GHz. A configurable roller on the right earcup by default sets the balance between the two wireless inputs, and the in-call mixing of the two sources can be adjusted or switched off in Synapse.
The left earcup carries the familiar BlackShark volume dial, a 3.5mm mic jack, the USB-C charging port, a power button and a physical mute switch; the reviewer found the switch's muted position hard to remember. The right earcup holds an ANC button and a multifunction button for EQ presets and Bluetooth pairing. At 367g the headset is heavier than the 320g V2 Pro, though the reviewer still described it as comfortable. The earcups now swivel but do not fold flat, and the magnetic speaker plates can be swapped, although Razer does not yet sell replacement plates on their own. Black and white versions are available.
Audio and the microphone
Inside are 50mm Triforce Bio-Cellulose drivers rated from 12Hz to 28kHz. The review found directional cues in Counter-Strike 2 easy to follow, but reported harsh distortion in the high frequencies when playing music. THX Spatial Audio is built in, and Razer Synapse 4 adds a 10-band equalizer, per-game profiles and up to nine EQ presets stored on the headset.
The boom mic is a full-band 12mm HyperClear capsule, larger than the 9mm unit on the V2 Pro, mounted on a 4-inch flexible gooseneck with a removable foam pop filter. In testing on Discord and Google Meet the reviewer said their voice came through full but slightly muffled and fuzzy, worse than an average headset boom mic. Turning software processing off made no difference, and a firmware update Razer released for the mic did not fix the fuzziness. Synapse offers gain control, a mic equalizer, "mic enhancement" options such as volume normalization and noise cancellation, and sidetone monitoring, which the reviewer said also sounded distorted.
The reviewer concluded that the V2 Pro (2023) still sounds better, both in playback and through its mic, and costs around $50 less, while the V3 Pro wins on features and convenience.