When it comes to gaming hardware, Razer is easily one of the most-trusted brands on the market, and for good reason. Whether it's the Razer DeathAdder mice or the company's line of gaming laptops, gamers can usually be guaranteed a high quality product from Razer. And that extends to Razer's gaming headsets as well, with the Razer BlackShark V2 headset easily one of the most impressive gaming headsets on the market.

The Razer BlackShark V2 is a new take on the BlackShark headset that the company launched years ago, with significant improvements that make it an easy recommendation to anyone looking for a new gaming headset. Easily one of the best gaming headsets available for its price, the BlackShark V2 offers incredible sound quality, giving those using one a real advantage when it comes to things like online multiplayer shooter games.

Razer's BlackShark V2 uses THX Spatial Audio to give players a sense of exactly where any noise is coming from. In shooter games, this can be hugely advantageous as players can tell exactly where any given noise is coming from. We tested the headset using popular modern games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Valorant and found that it was much easier to determine the direction of enemy gunfire or footsteps with the BlackShark V2 versus using another headset or standard computer speakers.

The Razer BlackShark V2's use of THX Spatial Audio is a game-changer, but the quality of the audio in general is also a huge benefit. Everything sounds incredibly crisp and clear, with the BlackShark V2 offering truly top-quality audio for gamers. Usually this level of audio quality would require players to shell out for a much more expensive headset, but the Razer BlackShark V2 is priced relatively low at just $99, making it that much easier to recommend to anyone who is in the market for a new headset.

For the price, the BlackShark V2's level of quality is tough to beat, and that extends to other aspects of the headset as well, like the USB sound card. Thanks to the USB sound card, players can create their own profiles with custom audio settings to fine-tune the audio until it's exactly what they want.

On August 6, Razer BlackShark V2 users can look forward to the introduction of THX Game Profiles as well, which are essentially pre-made audio profiles for some of the gaming world's current top games. At launch, there will be 18 games supported, with Razer specifically calling out the likes of Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Valorant. Players can swap between Environmental Mode for more realistic sounds and Competitive Mode, which puts the focus on the THX Spatial Audio technology. The THX Game Profiles ensure players can have the best audio experience for that specific game without having to waste time messing with the settings themselves.

But success in online competitive games doesn't just require players to be able to hear the game well - they also need to communicate with their teammates. As it turns out, the Razer BlackShark V2 microphone is pretty great as well, with minimal background noise issues or other problems. This makes the Razer BlackShark V2 ideal for esports, and so it's no surprise that the headset has the endorsement of some members of the Evil Geniuses esports team.

That being said, there was an odd, but infrequent issue encountered when communicating through the Razer BlackShark V2 microphone. Loud static noise would randomly start emitting from the microphone, which was very distracting and frustrating for our online teammates. However, a quick adjustment to the microphone solved the problem immediately, and it's only something that was ever ran into on consoles. The issue never popped up when using the Razer BlackShark V2 on PC.

Speaking of consoles, the Razer BlackShark V2 is compatible with both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and all players have to do is plug in and play. The audio quality when playing on console is not quite as impressive as when playing on PC, and console players also miss out on the benefits of the USB sound card. This means that the THX Game Profiles and other unique features offered by the Razer BlackShark V2 aren't available on consoles, but it's still a great headset for those on PlayStation and Xbox.

But a gaming headset can check all of these boxes and still not be worthwhile if it's not comfortable to use for an extended period of time. We're happy to report that the Razer BlackShark V2 is also extremely comfortable, even after especially long gaming sessions. This makes it ideal for those interested in esports, Twitch streamers, or anyone who just likes to spend a lot of time playing online multiplayer games.

Generally speaking, the Razer BlackShark V2 is a superb gaming headset, but it should be noted that there is currently no wireless version available. Wireless gaming headsets definitely have their own pros and cons, but there are some who prefer them greatly over wired ones. It seems likely that a wireless version of the Razer BlackShark V2 will be produced at some point down the line (or, alternatively, a comparable Razer wireless headset with different branding), so those who just can't deal with a traditional wired headset may want to wait.

Otherwise, the Razer BlackShark V2 headset can't be recommended enough. It's a truly top of the line gaming headset that provides fantastic audio quality that may genuinely give some gamers a competitive edge in online shooter games, and it's available for a much cheaper price than similar-quality headsets on the market. Even if one isn't interested in the THX Game Profiles or some of the other more unique features, the Razer BlackShark V2 is still a great buy.

Razer BlackShark V2 is available now, with THX Game Profiles coming August 6. Game ZXC was provided with a Razer BlackShark V2 headset for this review.