I love video games. Rarely does a day go by that I don't play a PS5 or Nintendo Switch game for at least an hour. My favorite genre to play is RPG because I love acting out a fictional character's actions within a narrative. I adore the storytelling aspect of a game like Baldur's Gate 3, and I instantly fall in love with a phenomenal soundtrack in a game like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
If you're anything like me, you'll know the importance of using one of the best gaming headsets to ensure you're hearing a game the way its developers intended. I test a lot of gaming cans for a living, and while there have been great ones from SteelSeries and Asus, I've never looked at one and gone, "That's the one, that's my dream headset." This was true until I tested the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro — and fell head over heels for it.
Where do I even begin with why the BlackShark V3 Pro is the headset of my dreams? Should I tell you how comfortable it is, or how user-friendly its companion software and mobile app are? Or should I wax lyrical about its sound quality, as it wouldn't be out of line for me to say that you haven't experienced true gaming until you've tried this set of cans? Allow me to demonstrate why the BlackShark V3 Pro upstages every other gaming headset I've tested so far.
Ear-resistibly comfortable
Pardon the pun, I couldn't resist it. The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is perhaps the most comfortable gaming headset I've tested so far. Having tested many, I've concluded that memory foam earcups are far better than leather ones — in my personal opinion, at least. The BlackShark V3 Pro's memory foam earcups are not just spacious but breathable too, which means I don't have to worry about sweat pooling or my ears overheating.
The pressure-relieving headband also ensures there is, well, no pressure on the top of your head, so you can wear it for hours and hours without worrying about any discomfort.
I thoroughly appreciate and adore the headset's design, which is clearly inspired by the aviation-style headsets worn by pilots, as the earcups are connected via hinges to a padded headband. Simply slide the earcups down the metal hinges to adjust the headset. The hinges lend the BlackShark V3 Pro a premium edge, too.
Just me and my game
As someone who listens to music almost throughout the day, I can't live without active noise cancellation (ANC), and it's one of the features I value most in non-gaming earbuds and headphones. I didn't realize I needed ANC in gaming headsets too until I tested the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro — and now I want all gaming cans to have it.
The BlackShark V3 Pro utilizes four mics to negate ambient noise, and I highly recommend enabling it if you want a truly immersive gaming experience. I ended up feeling like I was at the movie theater, especially when playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Cyberpunk 2077, both of which have fantastic soundtracks (the former features orchestral power ballads while the latter's music is high-tempo techno).
With ANC enabled, the BlackShark V3 Pro completely isolates you, so you feel like the main character in the game — which also gives you a competitive edge, and that's what the headset is designed to do. It boasts phenomenal, detailed sound quality to match, so much so that I discovered new sounds in Expedition 33. I've already spent 100 hours playing it, so discovering the subtle difference in the sound of my character walking on grass versus on petals was very exciting.
Better than all the rest
As I've noted in my Razer BlackShark V3 Pro review, it's a premium headset that costs a premium. It retails for $249 / £249, so it might not be everyone's bag, but as I say when I review a Leica camera, if you can afford it, why wouldn't you buy it? I'd buy the BlackShark V3 Pro in a heartbeat for every gamer in my life.
Five-star ratings at Tom's Guide are rare, and it isn't often that I review a near-perfect product. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 got a full rating from me because it offers great value for money, just like the BlackShark V3 Pro — and giving the latter less than a 100% rating would have been unfair because it nails every aspect.
The design, comfort, sound quality, a plethora of customization options, and long battery life help it stand out in a crowded market. It has set a high bar, and it's going to be tough for any gaming headset I test in the future to upstage the BlackShark V3 Pro.
