Given the multi-billion dollar mobile gaming industry, it would surprise no one if the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless X exists; at £69 (A$116), the Hammerhead True Wireless X offers impressive ultra-low latency audio, 24-hour battery life, IPX4 splash and sweat resistance, and a glowing Razer snakehead logo. But Bluetooth is certainly not for gaming. I hear you, so that's why Razer has a sort of overdrive called Game Mode that lowers the latency of the Hammerheads to a mere 60 milliseconds. More on this later.

The Hammerhead True Wireless X is a lower cost version of the Hammerhead Pro. The biggest difference is that it uses a single plastic mold for the earbuds instead of a replaceable silicone tip design. Remember the dreaded and highly controversial Apple Earpods that came with every iPhone and either fit you perfectly or not at all?

Well, Razer has adopted them. If you are one of those "le miserables" like me, wearing the Hammerhead True Wireless X is a nightmare. The fit on my ears is too loose and they constantly slip down. I can't even walk fast without dropping one of the buds, let alone try to run or do anything that requires movement.

I also irritated the skin around my ear canals by constantly fidgeting to keep the earbuds in; Razer includes a pair of silicone wrappers to at least save you from the hard plastic, but even those did basically nothing to improve the fit The Razer is a very good product, but it is not the best fit for the price. Adding to the frustration were the touch controls, which kept activating every time I adjusted the buds, pausing and skipping media. Ugh.

But the most frustrating thing about the terrible fit is that the Hammerheads have the best sound of any wireless earbuds I've ever used. Despite the badass design with zero sound sealing, everything around me sounds crystal clear, and Razer's custom-tuned 13mm drivers pack a strong punch with impressive clarity and soundstage. It's not hard to imagine how much better they would sound with a good silicone chip.

Listening to music, I was surprised at how well the Hammerheads separated the vocals from the warm midrange and punchy bass. The soundstage is much wider than expected, more like outside the ear than inside the head. The same was true on phone calls and chats. Callers told me that my voice sounded loud and clear, even when there was a lot of background noise.

Ultimately, however, the Hammerheads are marketed as wireless gaming earbuds, and Bluetooth is traditionally not suited for that purpose due to high latency and audio lag. call of Duty Mobile and PUBG The last thing you want when playing a fast-paced game like Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG is to hear footsteps that are a second later than when your opponent actually ran in front of you.

And now back to the game mode mentioned at the beginning. Triple-tapping and holding on either of the buds activates game mode, which provides a fast 60 ms response time; depending on the device to which the Hammerheads are connected, the delay can vary between 200 ms and 450 ms on average. Game mode makes a noticeable and significant difference in audio response.

The easiest way to test this was a simple, down-to-earth video lip-sync test. The same YouTube video was played back with and without game mode, and the delay between the character's lips moving and the audio being heard was observed. The game mode was perfectly in sync compared to the standard mode. This was enough to convince us that any advantage mattered, even in fast-paced games.

Game mode should affect battery life, but given that the Hammerheads lasted 6 hours on a single charge and over 18 hours in the case, there is not much to worry about. I have never had a dead battery. You can also turn off the logo light for a few more hours of use.

If you read our review of the EPOS GTW 270, we're not averse to the idea of gaming earphones, and the Hammerhead True Wireless X proves that it can be a viable option. We like the sound these earbuds produce, the generous battery life, and the gaming mode. I really want to love these, but I can't get past the hit-or-miss nature of the fit.

By not using silicone tips, buyers are left with no option if the Hammerheads don't fit out of the box, and the $70 price is a big gamble. unless you have a good experience with Apple-style buds and they fit you, avoid these It's best to avoid this one. If you really want a wireless gaming bud, buy the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro, which fits most people.

If you're looking for a new headset, be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming headsets.