The new $100 Razer Barracuda X bears no resemblance to its gaming siblings; the Razer Nari, Kraken, and Blackshark headsets all appeal to gaming to some degree. This one does not. In fact, it appears to follow in the footsteps of the Razer Opus headphones, a prosumer headset with noise-canceling features. However, their unassuming appearance belies the fact that they are very high-performance, with the superior TriForce drivers introduced in the Blackshark V2, 2.4Ghz HyperSpeed wireless for time-lag-free audio, a 20-hour battery, and all-day comfort that makes them a versatile headset is hidden away. Are they good enough to be included in our Best Gaming Headsets guide?

Razer advertises the Barracuda X as a 4-in-1 wireless headset, but it actually only supports Razer Hyperspeed 2.4Ghz and can only connect to PC, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and Android devices. The lack of Xbox wireless support and Bluetooth connectivity is disappointing, but on the other hand, it does a lot for its $100 price tag.

Wireless connectivity is provided via a T-shaped USB Type-C dongle similar to the one used in the Arctis 1. This shape works wonderfully on Nintendo Switch and Android devices, but not so much on PCs and laptops, where the dongle covers the adjacent port. Thankfully, Razer includes a 1.5m USB Type-A extender, which is helpful when Type-C ports are not available or there are signal issues.

The Barracuda X is designed primarily for mobile gamers, who want a great headset they can use on the go without looking like a complete goofball. And it succeeds admirably: instead of the traditional flashy Razer green, the Barracuda X has a clean, stealthy black look with a pitch-black snakehead logo engraved on it.

The ear cups are rectangular and slightly angled to fit the natural angle of the ear. The cushions are made of Razer's Flowknit memory foam, which makes the headset really soft, breathable, and comfortable. The clamping force is firm, but the edges of the ears are not compressed. I wear glasses, which happens with many other headsets, and the Barracuda looks and feels much like the excellent Steelseries Arctis 1, except for the suspension headband and retractable microphone.

The headband is a traditional steel band with foam cushioning and steel sliders to adjust the fit. Weighing only 250 grams, the Barracuda fit comfortably on my head after a full day of use. The ear cups rotate and lay flat, but face backward, so you can still hear audio. However, placing the cans on the neck is not the most comfortable way.

All controls for the Barracuda X wireless headset are located on the left ear cup. The power button can be pressed and held normally, as well as limited media control by pressing it twice. The volume wheel is reasonably tactile but a bit too loose, and I accidentally changed the volume a few times just by brushing against it, leaving only slots for USB Type-C charging, 3.5mm audio, and a microphone jack, with a microphone mute rounding out the buttons.

The microphone is removable, unidirectional, and flexible for easy placement. It also comes with a foam windshield to protect against voice loss when losing to cheetahs in Trials of Osiris. The microphone performance is passable. It picks up my voice clearly, but can sound compressed and quite muted. There are no controls to manage gain or noise, but it gets the job done without fuss.

Speaking of performance, the sound from the 40mm Triforce drivers is good. Really good. I was constantly impressed by the clarity and separation of the high, mid, and low frequencies. The bass response is also excellent and doesn't muddy other frequencies that gaming headsets suffer from; playing games with the Barracuda X gives you big, boomy explosions, eerily realistic voices, and a soundtrack that immerses you in the game.

The Barracuda X also supports THX spatial audio, which is a paid upgrade ($20/£20) over the standard 7.1 surround that comes with the headset. Again, the Triforce drivers do a great job of separating the audio channels and providing excellent positioning. During the game, I was able to clearly perceive the position of my enemies. Unlike other Razer products, the Barracuda does not work with Razer Synapse. Therefore, it is not possible to update the firmware, tweak the EQ settings, or check the battery level.

There is no need to worry about battery life; the Barracuda X typically lasted almost four days on a single charge. Rated usage time is 20 hours, only two hours less than the Arctis 7X. Sadly, it does not offer fast charging, but at least it can be charged via USB Type-C with a single charger.

The Razer Barracuda X isn't perfect; the lack of Bluetooth and Xbox support makes it a little short of a true wireless guru. But all in all, they sound great, have solid battery life, and are comfortable to wear all day. At only $100, it is on the same level as the Steelseries Arctis 1 Wireless, which is nearly identical in specs. However, for my values, the Barracuda X sounds much better.