Mere weeks separate me from reviewing the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, which I firmly declared as the absolute best wireless gaming headset you can buy across Xbox, Windows PC, and PlayStation. Despite that, I may not be switching back to it after this review.
The new Razer Kraken Kitty V3 Pro isn't a better headset by any means — it costs $70 less, performs worse, and boasts fewer features, after all — but the "cute" factor is real, and it's making some monumental plays with the headset I've been testing for a couple of weeks now.
It took three generations, but Razer has finally made a cat-eared gaming headset that truly doesn't compromise, and it's easily the greatest in this admittedly niche category. It may seem shallow to value aesthetics so much, but the Kraken Kitty V3 Pro is as capable as it is adorable.
It's a Razer Kraken V4, but cuter
I had a lot of positive feelings when I reviewed the Razer Kraken V4, mostly centered around its more refined design and balanced feature set. Well, the Kraken Kitty V3 Pro might as well be the aforementioned Kraken V4, but with RGB-lit cat ears.
It's a little more complicated than that, of course, but I'll still keep it simple. The Razer Kraken Kitty V3 Pro shares its base design, audio quality, performance, feature set, and pricing with the Kraken V4, but feels a little less premium, adds some ears, and loses some endurance.
It's not unreasonable to describe this headset as a Razer Kraken V4 with cat ears, and that comparison is even more obvious when you notice I added some detachable cat ears to the Kraken V4 when I reviewed it. So, why does this headset exist?
Razer took a great mid-range gaming headset and added RGB cat ears, and it's awesome.
Those who love gaming headsets with cat ears already know the answer — the Kraken Kitty V3 Pro is cuter. With no bulky, unsightly straps securing the ears to the headband, the Kraken Kitty V3 Pro looks sleeker and feels more comfortable. That customizable RGB lighting makes a difference, too, and there's even an option to make that lighting react to the game you're playing or your chat (if you're a streamer).
Yeah, it's all about aesthetics, and it's only for gamers who love adding cat ears to their headset. It's a niche category, but Razer chose the right headset to base the Kraken Kitty V3 Pro off, and it made the right decisions to make this headset as good as possible for the price.
I adore the different colorways, too. I've used the Kraken Kitty V3 Pro in both white and pink, and each looks fantastic. Personally, the white is the best of the bunch, especially with how clean the RGB lighting in the earcups and ears is.
Not the most premium, but great all around
Seeing how similar this headset is to the Razer Kraken V4, I don't need to break down every facet.
These 40mm drivers sound good for gaming and music, the retractable microphone is crisp and clear, the battery life lasts for dozens of hours if you disable the RGB lighting, Razer Synapse provides plenty of software features, you get onboard audio profiles you can quickly switch between, there's both Razer HyperSpeed Wireless and Bluetooth support, and performance is good.
There is more RGB lighting here because of the attached cat ears, though, so enabling those lights will kill the battery noticeably faster than the Kraken V4. This headset also comes in at the same price, and Razer did have to cut a corner or two to accomplish that.
Namely, in build quality. The Kraken Kitty V3 Pro still feels appropriately put together for the price, but the overall fit and finish, plus the faux leatherette ear cups, do feel slightly less premium than the earless Kraken V4.
The Kraken Kitty V3 Pro does suffer from some familiar weaknesses, too. You can't mix audio sources, for example (although I don't really expect that feature in sub-$200 headsets), and it can be a little finicky to switch between Razer HyperSpeed and Bluetooth modes.
The onboard controls are messy in general. There are just a lot of buttons and dials at this point, so there's a learning curve when setting up the headset. There's also no Xbox-specific version, which especially stings coming off the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro I recently reviewed.
Kraken Kitty V3 Pro review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if ...
- You want a quality gaming headset with proper RGB-lit cat ears.
- You're tired of cute headsets compromising on features or performance.
- You're looking for a great headset that comes in more than just black.
❌You should not buy this if ...
- You don't care about cat ears on your headset (why are you here?).
- You prioritize performance and features far more than aesthetics.
Over two years separate Razer's fresh Kraken Kitty V3 Pro from its predecessor, and it's clear how the company's approach has changed in that time. The new headset is sleeker, cheaper, more capable, and drops the restrictive wire — all while looking better than ever.
Sure, we can't swap between different ear designs anymore (which will undoubtedly devastate some), but the new Kraken Kitty V3 Pro possesses a lot more mainstream appeal. It's the best the line has been, and while I would happily pay for an ultra-premium flagship variant, I also completely understand why Razer made this the highest-end Kitty.
I like this headset so much, I may not go back to the objectively more premium BlackShark V3 Pro I was using before.
And, to be frank, I like this headset enough that I may not go back to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro — even though that headset is objectively nicer in almost every category.
It's interesting to consider where the Kitty headset goes from here, especially knowing that Razer is considering detaching it from the Kraken family entirely, but I'm not in any rush to find out. The Razer Kraken Kitty V3 Pro is the wireless gaming headset for those who want to be cute, and it's available now for $179.99 at Razer.com.
Razer also has the new, entry-level Kraken Kitty V3 X for $59.99 at Razer.com, which is perfect for children or those on a tight budget. Sadly, there's no middle child, as Razer opted to keep the alright Kraken Kitty V2 BT on instead.
The Razer Kraken Kitty V3 Pro finally brings the quality, features, and performance most gamers are looking for, but with a design that's cuter than ever before. It's based off a great wireless gaming headset, but with RGB cat ears. For a lot of people, that's exactly what they want.
