I’m writing my review of the Razer Hammerhead V2 Bluetooth Headphones while I use them to catch up on the Flash episodes I’ve missed, and play the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 soundtrack. That right there, could probably be enough of a review if you’re just looking for an endorsement, but let’s dive into the details – the pros, cons, and what the set will cost you if you’re tempted.
For starters, the Hammerhead V2 has undergone a complete redesign across all its variants. There’s the BT (for Bluetooth) which Razer sent us for review, the iOS (with a lightning plug) the V2 basic, and the V2 Pro (the pro has the 3-button controls while the basic doesn’t). There’s a $20 price difference between the V2 and the Pro ($49.99 to $69.99) while the BT runs for $99.99. The iOS doesn’t seem to be on sale yet.
The BT has a surprisingly long battery life, as I’ve been using it exclusively for the past week or so. I’ve only had to charge it once every couple days of work. They smartly use power and go into standby mode whenever there’s no audio to play. The sound isn’t as customizable as I’d like on the iPhone (but there’s a good chance it will be with the Hammerhead app that’s coming with the iOS version). That said, the custom-tuned 10mm drivers do make for pretty solid audio in earbud form. There’s an omnidirectional mic on the cables too, which my wife and friends claim sounds just better than the headset, and almost as clear as my Yeti for gaming.
Here are the tech specs, according to Razer:
Headphones
- Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20kHz
- Impedance: 32 ± 15% Ω
- Sensitivity: 116 ± 3 dB @ 1 kHz
- Max input Power: 10mW
- Drivers: 10 mm with Neodymium magnets
- Cable length: 63 cm / 2.07 ft.
- Approximate Weight: 0.06 lbs (28.0 g)
Microphone
- Frequency response: 300 Hz – 3.4 kHz
- Signal-to-noise ratio: ≥ 55 dB
- Sensitivity (@1 kHz): 42 ± 3 dB
- Pick-up pattern: Omnidirectional
As of late, I’ve been trying (trying) to take up running to shed some of the pounds I’ve put on with a sedentary job and two kids and I’ve been looking for a pair of wireless earbuds to use while I’m out pretending I can job more than a mile without dying. These are, to my limited experience, perfect for running. They’ve got a bi-flange tip that means it has one tip which goes into the ear, and a second that sort of spreads out and helps both keep noise out and keep the bud in.
The best feature for me though, is the one that keeps the wire from flapping around while you run or bend or whatever. There’s a Razer-branded magnetic clip in the middle of the headphone wire that you can slap onto your shirt collar. It keeps it in place, and if you unplug the buds it still stays. The outside of the earbuds light up green when they’re in use, which looks pretty sweet in my book. The flat cable, black on one side and green on the other, is also pretty slick. But if you’re looking for more than one color combination, you’re out of luck. So if neon green and black aren’t your cup of tea, sorry!
So if you’re looking for a new pair of earbuds that can be used for both gaming and exercise, I’d really not hesitate to recommend these. They even come with a slick little carrying case and a few different sizes of the buds to tweak the fit.
