The design is without a doubt one of the best aspects of the Razer Barracuda. If orange was the new black a few years ago, Razer proves that black is the new black once more with this headset, which combines elegant coloring with understated yet deliberate slickness in shape and form. If it weren’t for the subtly glossy logos on the earpads and the telltale neon green accent visible when using the mute function, you’d be forgiven for thinking Razer had completely abandoned its gaming aesthetic. The headband and earpieces are lined with memory foam and are wonderfully cushioned, enough so for even the pickiest of users, and the material-covered earpads mean overheating is far less of an issue than with other headsets. The earpieces fit comfortably for us, but they haven’t been tested on people with larger ears, who may find them too snug. Each earpad has a row of buttons along the bottom. The mute button, volume wheel, on/off button, 3.5mm analog headphone jack, and USB-C port are all located on the left, from back to front. The SmartSwitch button is on the right. A microphone is built into the front of both earpads. Once you’ve figured out how to use the Barracuda, the well-spaced and intuitive controls provide an easy-breezy experience that is difficult to replicate on headsets. One major missed opportunity for this headset is portability; you can’t fold it to store it when you’re on the go. To be fair, many of the top wireless headphones on the market are beginning to avoid foldable form factors, but it’s a shame given that the headphone operates in such a unique space that it wouldn’t capitalize on portability – especially since it doesn’t come with a case. In terms of features, the regular Razer Baraccuda is much more of an everyday device than the Pro, and the features it does have are nice but not essential or high-performing. SmartSwitch is the main culprit here, with little-to-no functionality in our experience. We tried several different scenarios to replicate the smooth, seamless transitions shown in Razer’s promotional materials, but all we got was awkward silence (and mild panic) when the headset refused to connect to anything. Compatibility with the Razer Audio app adds value and allows for some additional customization, which is always welcome. You can adjust your sound settings, silence incoming calls, adjust the mic noise cancellation, and check your battery level from the app.
