Razer Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 review: The best headset you’ll ever need for anything

The Razer Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 edition is a refresh of the esports-focused wireless gaming headset of the same name that was originally released in 2020.

But, in my eyes, this headset is so well-rounded that I would even recommend it for all kinds of usage, including for serious work.

In comparison to the original 2020 version of the Blackshark V2 Pro, the 2023 edition has improved the device in so many ways that I wouldn’t have bat an eyelid if Razer actually rebranded this as a V3.

To make it clear, I am not shy when it comes to calling out an extremely bad product. My review of Razer’s Barracuda Pro and the Audio Mixer were pretty scathing, in my opinion, because they just couldn’t live up to the expectations of what they were touting the products to be.

So, believe me when I say that I have tried to look for flaws on the Blackshark V2 Pro 2023, but I just couldn’t find any notable ones (except the software).

In fact, it impressed me so much that I am not shy to say that this is probably the best wireless headset in the market for now. Read on to find out why.

So, what’s new in the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro 2023?

For starters, the mic is perhaps the most improved part of the headset compared to the 2020 version.

It sounds extremely clear, and I would even daresay that it is much closer to a condenser microphone than any other headset on the market, wireless or not.

In the older Blackshark V2 Pro, the microphone quality was atrocious. It sounded extremely thin, and you were better off using a separate microphone if you wanted someone to hear your voice clearly. Putting it, bluntly, the quality of it was no better than a cheap $10 microphone.

It seems to be a thing with wireless headsets, to have really crappy microphone audio quality (yes, it even persists today) due the the wireless bandwidth.

There were a few exceptions in the market like some of Corsair’s headsets, but generally, microphone audio quality is one of the reasons why I still do not recommend wireless headsets to the general public, unless if you want the convenience.

The new Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 has a ‘wideband’ microphone, but to be honest, is not the reason why it has much better quality than its predecessor. When I tried to plug the old 2020’s microphone into the 2023 edition, it sounded clear as well.

I believe the microphone improvement has something to do with the optimisation of the product’s internals. Plugging in the newer microphone into the older headset will not automatically make the older one sound better.

The 2023 edition has also seen a large increase in battery life. Up to 70 hours from the mere 24 hours in the older version, the headset now is able to last as long as 10 to 15 days if you only use it for about four hours a day.

What’s also great this time around is that you are able to save adjusted sound profiles onboard the 2023 edition after tuning them.

In the older version, you have to keep Razer’s terrible Synapse software running to have any of the audio adjustments apply to the headset. If the software crashes (and it happens often), you are out of luck, and expect some terrible audio dropouts when it happens.

You are able to install Synapse, adjust the profiles, and delete it off your computer forever without any hesitation this time around. That is a quality-of-life thing that I wish Razer will implement in their products moving forward.

The saved sound profiles will also work when you use the headset on another device like the PlayStation 5.

What about the old stuff?

Razer’s Blackshark V2 Pro was arguably one of the most comfortable headsets in the market, and the 2023 edition is no different.

The headset sits comfortably on the head, and has just the right amount of clamping force on the earcups to keep it secure without giving you a headache.

The quality of the headset is still top notch, and is pretty robust.

Most importantly, the audio quality from the headset is still pretty good.

Although a little bit more on the bass-y side due to it being a ‘gaming’ headset, you are able to balance it out using the equaliser on Synapse to get a neutral sound profile (since, y’know, you are able to save the profiles this time around). Once adjusted, it is actually a really good sounding headphone, even for an audio snob like me.

Other than that, the 2023 edition still looks sleek, without any ‘gamer-y’ stand outs like distasteful RGB. The black colour looks professional, and the white version that I have for review looks discreet and clean.

Conclusion: Is the Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 worth it?

All these new changes to the headset could easily warrant a V3 product launch, so it is baffling that Razer decided to just do a 2023 refresh of the product.

But, because of all these changes, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 edition to someone that is looking for a headset, even for general purpose use.

The microphone is clear for recordings and presentations, the audio quality is good for general media use, it looks sleek and professional, the battery is quite lasting, and the headset’s comfort is amazing.

All-in-all, the Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 edition is the best wireless headset out in the market at the time of this writing, and Razer has set quite a high bar to beat. I am not even sure if they are going to be able to beat it themselves in the near future.

Although priced at a relatively hefty S$325, a Modmic Wireless microphone which has the same microphone quality as the 2023 edition costs S$199, more than half the headset’s price.

In terms of similar products, Steelseries has their wireless headsets priced at around the same price ballpark, but those tend to have inferior battery life and microphones, although their sound quality is comparable to the Blackshark V2 Pro.

All in all, the Blackshark V2 Pro 2023 edition has a lot going for it.