Razer Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed review

The Razer Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed is Razer's current flagship wireless gaming earbuds set, or gamebuds, if you prefer. Like other gaming earbuds, their key differentiator from conventional wireless earbuds is that they include a USB dongle, so not only can you connect these to your Bluetooth devices, but you can also connect them to your gaming PC via a dedicated high-speed wireless connection.

This immensely useful utility means you can take a call while gaming, control your PC media via your earbuds, and of course use a single set of earbuds for both gaming and travel. Considering the cost of premium earbuds, potentially only needing to buy one set for all your uses is a major boon. Razer doesn't have this combination to itself, though. It's fighting with the likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds, Sony InZone Buds, and Turtle Beach Scout Air for a recommendation as the best gaming earbuds you can buy, as well as the best gaming headset. I've tested the Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeeds over several months, including home gaming and travel by train and plane, to see how they hold up.

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Specs

Design and features

The core features of the Hammerhead are much like any other gamebud set. That is, they include a pair of wireless earbuds in a compact carry case that will also recharge your earbuds several times. A separate USB-C dongle, which you can leave plugged into your PC (there's no room for it in the case), then gives you a wireless connection for your PC.

You can connect the buds via Bluetooth if your PC supports it, but the dongle means you can also connect to your phone to quickly switch between gaming and taking a call, for instance. Plus, the USB wireless connection is better optimized for low latency, reducing the chance of interruptions or a delay in your audio.

Along with these core functions, Razer has failed to resist the temptation to add some RGB lighting to these earbuds, with a small backlit Razer logo on the outer face of each bud.

The case measures 63 x 53 x 25mm and weighs 46g, making it very pocketable, and even just about small enough to fit in a jeans ticket pocket. The buds have a claimed 3-6.5-hour battery life per bud, with the case providing enough recharges for a total listening time of 14-30 hours. The variation is down to whether you choose to use active noise canceling (ANC) and if you use the RGB lighting.

Oddly, the Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed buds aren't compatible with Razer's Synapse software, but instead the company has a mobile app that lets you configure the buds.

Design and comfort

The Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed set has a charging case that is very similar in form to Apple's Airpods and Airpods Pro, with a magnetically clasping flip-up lid on its end. That's in contrast to the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds, where one whole side of the case flips up.

The Razer way is smaller and more intuitive to open, but the earbuds are quite awkward to remove from the case, as the long stalks of each earbud easily jam against the holes in which they sit. The Arctis Gamebuds, on the other hand, can be a little cumbersome to grab hold of, but once you've got a grip, they're easier to remove and dock into the case.

As for fitting the earbuds in your ear, the Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed buds are again very similar to Airpods. The bulk of the bud nestles in your outer ear with the stalk dangling down just in front of your lobe. The rubber tips then just push up against your ear canal.

The overall effect is that they're very easy to put in and take out, but they don't sit particularly securely. The rubber tips aren't able to push into your ear canal much at all, so they don't help much to hold the buds in place, plus the long straight stalks don't tuck in under your ear as neatly as the Airpods Pro.

In contrast, the Arctis Gamebuds use a different fit system altogether. They have no lower stalk but instead sit wholly in your outer ear and rely almost entirely on the grip provided by the rubber tips being pushed deeper into your ear canal to hold them in place. This makes them more awkward to fit and remove, but far more secure, and it enhances their passive noise blocking and bass response too.

Both styles provide excellent long-term comfort, though. I've worn both literally all day without developing meaningful discomfort from a continued pressure point.

Where the Razer buds really don't work well, though, is with their touch controls. The outer face of each bud – the area with the backlit Razer logo – is touch-sensitive and responds to single or multiple taps with different functions.

However, these buttons simply aren't sensitive enough and don't have enough feedback. A voice prompt tells you of certain actions, but there's no click of a button or haptic buzz. I regularly found myself quite fiercely tapping both earbuds to get any response out of them. The Arctis Gamebuds' physical buttons are much easier to use.

Razer Audio app

With Razer choosing not to include Synapse support for the Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed, all configuration is done via its mobile app, which it simply calls Audio. By and large, the app is quite streamlined and intuitive to use, with plenty of features. You can control the ANC (off, on, pass through), turn on the low latency Bluetooth mode (prioritizes speed over avoiding audio breaks), set up do not disturb (so Bluetooth calls don't disrupt when gaming), change the touch control functions, turn on/off the RGB lighting, and setup an EQ.

The latter has five defaults – THX, amplified, enhanced bass, enhanced clarity, and vocal, plus a custom option. Custom includes ten EQ bands for surprisingly fine control.

Razer might have been on to a winner with this app, except that it's a bit glitchy and, in particular, wouldn't allow me to dismiss a firmware update notification that permanently sits over the rest of the controls – a firmware update that simply refused to complete successfully despite trying it a dozen times. Other users have reported these same problems with the app too. It doesn't ruin the usability of the buds, but it's definitely an issue Razer should have fixed by now.

Sound quality

The Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed buds have decent sound quality, but they definitely benefit from installing the mobile app and tweaking the default EQ. Straight out of the box, they're set to the THX mode, which sounds a little thin and weak with not much bass, though it does provide a wide soundstage that works quite well for games and movies.

Switch to the Custom EQ with a flat profile, and these earbuds massively over-deliver on bass, with a booming low end that muffles the overall sound. Dial back the bass bands a notch or two, though, and the sound evens out.

Even with these changes made, though, the top end isn't particularly detailed. The little background details in audio tracks just don't come through with the same clarity as better earbuds. The sound is still quite full, fun, and an easy listen, but they don't ultimately sound as good as they should for their price. The likes of the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds have a smoother, clearer sound with a stronger overall bass response that doesn't sound as forced.

As for the passive and active noise canceling of these buds, the relatively light seal means they don't passively block all that much noise. They'll block out the sound of a light breeze, quiet office chat, quieter keyboard typing, and distant birds cheeping, but only otherwise take a slight edge off louder noise.

Engage the ANC – which can be tuned in severity from 1-10 – and a far greater impact can be made on loud, bassier noise such as jackhammers, train track rumble, loud crowds, and airplane engines. It's still not the most effective ANC system I've used, but it definitely helps.

The top level of ANC introduces a background white noise that can be a little distracting if you're in a relatively quiet space and are just looking to reduce noise a little, though. Plus, it can impact on sound quality, pulling a little bit of bass response out of the buds, but it's not too bad.

Battery life

The Razer Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed battery life is not great. Even with ANC and RGB off, six hours per bud charge means they won't last a whole working day, and you really do notice how enabling the ANC and RGB features can significantly reduce their life. Out of the box, without turning off these features, you have to dock and charge the buds two or three times for a working day or a long-haul flight, which isn't a great experience.

Likewise, the case only stretches this to a total of 30 hours, which is at best comfortably behind competing earbuds. The SteelSeries Gamebuds can get a total of 40 hours, with ten hours per bud, for example. It also doesn't help that the case can't be charged wirelessly.

Price

The Razer Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed MSRP is $199.99 / €229.99, making them a decidedly expensive option. The newer SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are $40 cheaper, and although they lack RGB, they're better in just about every other way. Meanwhile, although gaming earbuds with USB dongle connections still aren't that common, we're starting to see much more affordable options.

Alternatives

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

With core specs very similar to the Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are their chief competition. They have a different fit that focuses more on sitting in your ear canal rather than resting in your outer ear, and some people just don't like this feel, but this provides them with better sound, better long-term comfort, and better noise cancelation. All for a lower price.

Verdict

The Razer Hammerhead Pro Hyperspeed buds were among the first true gaming earbuds to combine the convenience of a set of Bluetooth earbuds with a dedicated USB connection for your computer. However, while they may have led the pack, they've somewhat been superseded by models that have come since.

Nonetheless, the core convenience of this combination remains. This is a highly portable set of Bluetooth earbuds with decent enough sound quality, great comfort, and the all-essential addition of active noise canceling. They work reasonably well for music, movies, and games, whether you're at home or on the road.

However, there's no getting around the fact that they don't sound as good as they should for their price, their battery life is weaker than the competition, and their price is high. There are simply better gaming earbuds out there.

If you're still not convinced by an in-ear headset choice, read our guide to the best wireless gaming headset for more wireless over-ear headset options. Or, check out our list of the best computer speakers for some out-loud audio options.