It is hard to imagine when we all used to attend conferences and travel on plans, but this was a reality not long ago, and I wish I had the Razer Opus when I used to do these mythical activities. The newest in the THX audio accessories, the Razer Opus headphones, are built for people who love audio and love it while on the go. With active noise cancelation, amazing audio clarity and a stylish mobile design, it is hard to find fault with the new Bluetooth headphones.
Before I dive into the meat of this review, I want to be upfront and say while tested the Opus, I wanted to give a fair test, going though a few of the bluetooth headphones I have on offer and compare them throughout the day, but the Razer Opus after about a week ended up being the go-to pick every time. The only time I decided for one of the other headphone offerings was when I needed to do something on the PC, and that is only because Bluetooth on windows is still lacking in some areas.
Sitting in the empty offices, music and podcasts are my go to solution to cut away the hours of solitude. Especially when sitting at a desk for close to 10-12 hours a day, without the options for some audio very little would get done, so thankfully the Razer Opus is comfortable. I have worn them for upwards of 5 hours without taking them off and they never once got painful or frustrating to keep on. The adjustable band and leatherette ear cups work for long wear even in the summer, and the battery is truly fantastic, lasting upwards of 25 hours on a single charge. These would be the traveler’s dream headphones, were that still a thing people did.
Thankfully the Razer Opus is so comfortable because once you put them on you won’t want to take them off, thanks to the staggering audio quality. It is silly to think I was skeptical if these headphones would deliver on the promise of presentations and press releases, but they do more than deliver. The sound stage for music is open and vibrant. You feel the expanse of the music, there is a clear world of sound just beyond the headphones and it is filled with depth and clarity.
Even for gaming, the Razer Opus manages a wave a sound that delivers all of the nuance hidden in a game. From footsteps to the boom of gunfire, these are headphones that capture the full range games can deliver. I have tested them on the Nintendo Switch, along with PC and Mobile, moving between games like Mario, Zelda, Doom, and Fortnite and everything felt far more expansive than they have any right to offer, especially considering the size of the headphones.
Thanks to the active noise cancelling on offer, should you find yourself around people or noise, the Opus will make them feel like a world away. It is amazing how much they block until you realize what is going on around in the outside world. Pause your music or game and the headphones will let a slight bit of the noise in and it is staggering to hear the difference. While it is not dead silent, it does a good job of blocking some of the noise so you can enjoy your music or media and not be distracted. Another nice feature is the easy way music stops and starts simply by taking off the headphones. It is a minor touch, but one that was never a disappointment when it happened.
Granted not everything is perfect with the Razer Opus, as the headset on these headphones is only serviceable. While yes, it will get the job done in a pinch, if you plan to use these headphones for serious gaming, you will quickly find your voice is not nearly as clear as it could be. These are not nearly as good as many gaming headsets, since they don’t offer voice isolation, so while the Opus will sound “fine” in zoom calls or over a quick chat, for gaming you will sound muffled and will not offer the clarity we have come to demand from pro gaming headphones on offer from Razer, SteelSeries or even Astro.
Another gripe, and this is a minor one, is the fact the Razer Opus is not a USB headset. Yes it comes with a USB-C cable, and it feels like you should be able to plug it into your desktop, but that port is for charging only. So should you want to adjust the headsets using PC software for gaming, you sadly are out of luck. There are no settings to speak of while on PC so you will be stuck with the buttons on the Opus themselves, and while for music and solo gaming this should be fine, for anything multiplayer, you will be at an audio disadvantage.
From a company known for gaming gear, it is odd to see a headphone that does everything but multiplayer gaming so well. These are some of the best headphones I have used for under $500, and they are truly a stunning piece of audio tech. With the help of THX, a great design, and an overall quality, Razer has crafted headphones that need to be heard to be believed. If you are looking to make a mobile audio upgrade, do yourself a favour and invest in some Razer Opus headphones.
