Description
The Razer Kraken Tournament Edition is a wired gaming headset supplied with a USB digital to analog converter that adds THX Spatial Audio 7.1 surround processing and inline controls. Razer lists 50 mm dynamic drivers, oval earcups, a retractable noise canceling microphone and a headset weight of 11.4 ounces. The model number is RZ04-02051100-R3U1 in the green finish, and the listing dates to August 2018.
Before the detail, one significant problem with this listing needs stating: the product title and the product description describe different products. The title is for the Kraken Tournament Edition with a USB DAC; the description text is written for the Kraken for console, a different variant. Where the two disagree, this review notes the disagreement rather than choosing one.
What the Tournament Edition Adds
The Kraken family has existed in several forms, and what distinguishes the Tournament Edition is the USB DAC in the box. A DAC is a small inline unit the headset plugs into, which then connects to the host over USB. It does three things here: it converts the digital audio signal itself rather than relying on the host’s audio circuitry, it provides physical controls including volume and a game and chat balance mix, and it runs the THX Spatial Audio processing that generates the 7.1 surround effect from a stereo headset.
That last point is worth being precise about. A 7.1 surround headset does not contain eight drivers. It contains two, and software applies positional processing so that sounds appear to come from around you rather than from left and right only. Whether that helps depends on the game and on personal preference; competitive players often prefer plain stereo for positional accuracy, while single player games benefit more from the effect. What matters practically is that the surround processing depends on the DAC and on platform software support, and the listing does not state which platforms enable it. Assume plain stereo on anything other than a PC unless Razer’s documentation says otherwise.
Drivers, Comfort and Microphone
Drivers and frequency response
Razer lists 50 mm dynamic drivers, which is a large driver size for a headset and generally associated with fuller low frequency output. Here the listing contradicts itself on frequency response: the specification block gives 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz while the description text gives 12 Hz to 28 kHz. Those are different claims and there is no way to resolve them from this page. Note also that frequency response numbers on headsets are quoted without tolerance figures, which makes them close to meaningless for comparison; a range extending below 20 Hz says nothing about how loud or clean the output is at that frequency.
Earcups
The earcups are listed as oval, which is the shape that fits the outline of a human ear more closely than a circle and generally reduces pressure on the ear itself over long sessions. Razer’s cooling gel infused cushions are a feature of this generation of Kraken and were previously described on this page; the current listing data does not restate the cushion material, so that detail is left as a manufacturer claim to verify rather than repeated as fact. Headset weight is listed at 11.4 ounces, which is moderate; the material field lists aluminum, presumably describing the headband frame.
Microphone
The microphone is retractable, sliding out of the left earcup when needed and disappearing when not. On a headset that doubles as everyday headphones, that is a genuinely useful design: there is no detachable boom to lose and nothing sticking out in public. Razer describes it as noise canceling, which in this context means the microphone’s pickup pattern and processing reduce ambient sound rather than that the headset cancels noise for the listener. There is no active noise cancellation for the wearer described anywhere in this listing.
Highlights
- 50 mm dynamic drivers in oval earcups, listed at 11.4 ounces.
- USB DAC included, carrying THX Spatial Audio 7.1 processing and inline controls.
- Game and chat balance control on the DAC alongside volume.
- Retractable noise canceling microphone stowed in the earcup.
- Dual connection options: 3.5 mm analog and USB through the DAC.
- Aluminum listed as a construction material for the frame.
- Listed by Razer for PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and mobile.
Things To Consider
This listing has more internal contradictions than most, and they are worth setting out plainly:
- The description text describes the Kraken for console, a different product from the Tournament Edition named in the title. The console variant does not include the USB DAC that defines this model.
- Frequency response is given as 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz in one place and 12 Hz to 28 kHz in another.
- The compatible devices field lists only PC and PS4, while the title lists PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and mobile as well.
- The operating system field lists PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation, which are consoles that predate this headset by many years.
- Control method reads “Touch” in one field and “Button Control” in another. A wired headset with an inline DAC has physical controls.
- The ASIN recorded in the specification block does not match the one associated with this page, suggesting the listing has been relinked at some point.
Practically, the most important consequence is compatibility. On consoles, USB audio device support varies, and a headset that works over USB on a PC may need the 3.5 mm connection on a console, which means no DAC, no surround processing and no inline mix control. Confirm which connection your platform supports before buying if the DAC features are your reason for choosing this model.
Second, this is a wired headset. That is a positive for latency and for never needing charging, and a limitation if you want to leave the desk. If wireless is a requirement, the Razer Barracuda X and the Logitech G435 cover that ground.
Third, note the age. A 2018 listing means software support, particularly for the THX Spatial Audio component, should be checked against current operating systems before you rely on it.
Who Should Buy It, and Who Should Not
Buy the Kraken Tournament Edition if you play primarily on a PC, you want physical volume and game and chat mix controls within reach, and a retractable microphone suits a headset that doubles as headphones. The included DAC is the value here; without it this would be a conventional 3.5 mm headset.
Do not buy it if you play mainly on a console where the USB DAC may not be supported, if you want wireless, or if you need a headset with active noise cancellation for the listener, which this is not. Cheaper wired alternatives such as the Corsair HS35 v2 and the Sony INZONE H3 cover the basics without the DAC. If what you want is genuinely good voice capture rather than a headset microphone, a standalone unit such as the Astro A40 TR microphone is a different approach, and our headsets category covers the wider field.
