These headphones were replaced by the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021
Type Earbuds
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling No
Mic Yes
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 are truly wireless headphones with an onboard'Gaming Mode' function for low latency via Bluetooth. They're decently well-built and do a good job of staying in your ears, but they're not especially comfortable due to their large buds and lack of other ear tip sizes. They have a bass-heavy sound profile, too, which makes mixes dark and muddy. Their sub-four-hour continuous battery life also isn't particularly impressive.
Our Verdict
6.1 Neutral Sound
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds are passable for neutral sound. Their default sound profile is very bass-heavy, which can clutter and muddy vocals and lead instruments. Like most in-ears, they also have a poor passive soundstage that feels small and limited. On the upside, they deliver audio very consistently.
Pros
-
Consistent audio reproduction.
Cons
-
Very limited sound customization via companion app.
See our Neutral Sound Recommendations
6.1 Commute/Travel
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds are an unremarkable option for commuting. They barely reduce background noise like bus or plane engines, and they may not be comfortable for long periods of time. Although they're very portable, their sub-four-hour continuous battery life may not be enough to get you through most flights. Using their 'Gaming Mode' helps to drop latency on mobile devices, which is good if you enjoy watching videos on your way into the office or to class.
Pros
-
Decently sturdy construction.
-
Compact design.
-
Low levels of audio leakage.
Cons
-
Somewhat uncomfortable fit.
-
Short continuous battery life.
-
Bad noise isolation capability.
See our Commute/Travel Recommendations
7.9 Sports/Fitness
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds are very good for sports. These earbuds are easy to take with you to the gym, and even though they don't come with differently sized ear-tips, they should be stable enough for running or light workouts. They feel decently sturdy, and although we don't currently test for it, they also have an IPX4 rating for water resistance. However, not everyone is likely to find their fit comfortable.
Pros
-
Stable in-ear fit.
-
Decently sturdy construction.
-
Compact design.
Cons
-
Somewhat uncomfortable fit.
See our Sports/Fitness Recommendations
5.8 Office
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds are disappointing for office use. Their bulky design isn't the most comfortable for long listening sessions. Their short continuous battery life also means that they need to be charged throughout your workday. They also don't really block out office chatter. However, they don't leak too much sound, so you can turn up the volume on your favorite tracks without annoying nearby coworkers.
Pros
-
Low levels of audio leakage.
Cons
-
Somewhat uncomfortable fit.
-
Short continuous battery life.
-
Bad noise isolation capability.
See our Office Recommendations
5.2 Wireless Gaming
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds aren't suitable for wireless gaming. While they have a lower latency if you use their 'Gaming Mode', it's still likely to be too high for gaming. These headphones are also Bluetooth-only, so while you can use them on your mobile devices, they can't connect to consoles.
See our Wireless Gaming Recommendations
5.0 Wired Gaming
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used wired.
5.7 Phone Calls
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth gaming earbuds are disappointing for phone calls. Recorded speech is muffled and lacking in detail. Their integrated mic struggles to separate speech from background noise, even in moderately loud environments. These earbuds also do a poor job of isolating background noise, so you may have trouble hearing what's being said on a call in louder environments.
Pros
-
Consistent audio reproduction.
Cons
-
Bad noise isolation capability.
-
Middling mic recording quality and noise handling capability.
- 6.1 Neutral Sound
- 6.1 Commute/Travel
- 7.9 Sports/Fitness
- 5.8 Office
- 5.2 Wireless Gaming
- 5.0 Wired Gaming
- 5.7 Phone Calls
+ Create your own
- Updated Jul 22, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Apr 27, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Dec 20, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Dec 16, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Dec 16, 2019: Early access published.
- Updated Dec 12, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Nov 25, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 are available in three color variants: 'Black', 'Mercury', and 'Quartz'. We tested the 'Black' variant, but expect the other variants to perform similarly overall.
If you come across another variant, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Razer Hammerhead2019 are true wireless earbuds with a'Gaming Mode' feature via Bluetooth that reduces audio latency, which is helpful if you want to watch movies or videos on your phone, but it may still be too high for serious gamers. Unlike the EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid Truly Wireless, they don't require a secondary USB-C dongle to offer low-latency audio, though the Razer aren't as well-built or as comfortable. They also have fewer sound customization features than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro.
If you're looking for alternatives, check out our recommendations forthebest truly wireless earbudsand thebest wireless earbuds. If you need more noise isolation, see our picks for thebest noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears.
Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro
TheRazer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro are abetter pair of headphones than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. The Pro are more comfortable, better-built, and have graphic EQ and presets so that you can customize their sound profile. Their mic also offers a better recording quality, and they have longer continuous battery life. They block out more background noise too, although their ANC system's overall performance is still mediocre.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 are the next generation of the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 and offer better overall performance. The 2021 are more comfortable, feel better built, and have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system that helps them offer a better noise isolation performance. They also have a better battery performance, their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets, and they have customizable RGB lighting.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless
The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wirelessare slightly better than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. The Apple are more comfortable, feel more premium, and have a better-balanced sound profile. On the other hand, the Razer have a more consistent listening experience among users, feel much more stable in the ear, andhave much lower latency on non-iOS devices with 'Gaming Mode' enabled.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 are better headphones for mixed-use than the Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC. The True Wireless have a more stable fit and can deliver a significantly more thumpy, punchy bass. They also have a companion app with EQ presets. However, they have mediocre battery life and high latency across PC, iOS, and Android. In comparison, the wired USB-C ANC have a better build quality and include volume controls. Their in-line mic also performs better, and their audio latency is very low. Unfortunately, whilethey have an ANC feature, it struggles to cut down bass range noise.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless
The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless in-ears than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. The Apple aremuch more comfortable, feel more premium, and have a much better-balanced sound profile. On the other hand, the listening experience is slightly more consistent among users with the Razer, and with gaming mode enabled, their latency is lower on non-iOS devices.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless are much better truly wireless in-ears than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. The Samsung are comfier, feel better-built, have a much better-balanced sound profile, block more background noise, and have a dedicated companion app with a broader range of sound customization features. On the other hand, the Razer have lower latency with gaming mode enabled.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless are much better truly wireless in-ears than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. The Anker have a much better-balanced sound profile, block more ambient noise, and are more comfortable. They also have better controls, better battery life, and feel more premium. They have a companion app with more customization features, including a graphic EQ. On the other hand, the Razer have a lower latency with gaming mode enabled.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Turtle Beach Battle Buds
The Turtle Beach Battle Buds are better gaming headphones than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. While the Razer are better for daily use thanks to their truly wireless design, they're Bluetooth-only, and you can't use them with a PS4 or Xbox One. The Turtle Beachare wired and can be plugged directly into your console's controller. Their microphone also performs a lot better than the Razer.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless are more versatile Bluetooth earbuds than the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019. Mobile gamers will appreciate the Razer's unique low-latency 'Gaming Mode' on iOS and Android, but the earbuds have a poorly balanced sound profile and mediocre fit. The Monster earbuds don't have the most balanced sound, but aren't as boomy, have a much longer battery life, and isolate against more noise.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 are better wireless earbuds than the JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless. The Razer have a much more bass-heavy sound profile, though some people may find this overwhelming. They also have a better battery life, a dedicated app with EQ presets, and lower latency. On the other hand, the JBL come in a wider range of colors and have a muchbetter microphone.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
+ Show more
Test Results
Design
Type Earbuds
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic
The Razer Hammerhead 2019 have a sleek, matte finish. While their ear-stem design is reminiscent of the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, they also have shorter stems and a green Razer logo on both earbuds' backs. They also have the manufacturer's logo engraved on their carrying case. Aside from the monochrome black colorway of our test unit, these earbuds are also available in white or pink.
—
6.5 Design
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
These earbuds are reasonably comfortable. They're relatively large and don't come with any differently sized ear tips. Even though they don't go too deep into your ear canal, they can still apply a lot of pressure to the inside of your ear, which can cause some discomfort during longer listening sessions. If you're looking for more comfortable Razer in-ears, consider the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2021 instead.
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LEARN ABOUT COMFORT
5.1 Design
OS Compatibility
Ease Of Use Okay
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control No
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
Additional Controls Voice Assistant
These earbuds have a disappointing control scheme. Although basic commands are easy to use, these earbuds don't have on-board volume controls, so you have to adjust the volume on your device. The overall list of controls can be a little complicated to remember. You can turn on an individual bud by holding it down for two seconds, which also rejects incoming calls or enables your phone's voice assistant. Touching and holding either bud for half a second answers or ends calls and pauses or plays media. Double tapping either bud accepts incoming calls, allows you to switch to another call, or skips to the next track. A triple tap of either bud skips to the previous track. Tapping and holding either for six seconds puts them into their Bluetooth pairing mode. You can enable their 'Gaming Mode' with a double-tap followed by a two-second hold, which also clears all paired devices from the buds. You should receive audio prompts for answering and rejecting calls, enabling your phone's voice assistant, powering on your earbud, enabling and disabling 'Gaming Mode', and Bluetooth pairing.
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LEARN ABOUT CONTROLS
9.2 Design
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C
The Razer Hammerhead 2019 are remarkably breathable. They don't really trap heat in your ear so if you wear them during a workout, you shouldn't sweat more than usual.
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LEARN ABOUT BREATHABILITY
9.5 Design
L 1.5" (3.8 cm)
W 1.0" (2.5 cm)
H 0.7" (1.8 cm)
Volume 1.10 in³ (18.03 cm³)
Transmitter Required No
Like most truly wireless earbuds, the Razer Hammerhead 2019 are exceptionally portable and can easily fit into most pockets. Their charging case is also fairly small.
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LEARN ABOUT PORTABILITY
6.5 Design
Type Hard case
L 3.0" (7.6 cm)
W 1.5" (3.8 cm)
H 1.0" (2.5 cm)
Volume 4.50 in³ (73.74 cm³)
The Razer Hammerhead 2019's carrying case is okay. While it looks and feels similar to that of the Anker SoundCore Life P2 Truly Wireless, the lid is very wobbly and can easily open when dropped or bumped.
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LEARN ABOUT CASE
7.0 Design
These headphones have satisfactory build quality. Although both the earbuds and the case are made of plastic, the earbuds feel more durable, while the case has a wobbly lid and loose hinges, making it feel cheap. The earbuds are also rated IPX4 for water resistance, but we don't currently test for this.
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LEARN ABOUT BUILD QUALITY
7.5 Design
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 are stable earbuds. They should stay in place if you're running or working out. On the downside, they don't come with differently-sized ear tips to help you find the right fit for your ear size.
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LEARN ABOUT STABILITY
Design
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Design
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Design
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Design
- Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 headphones
- 1x silicone tips
- Charging case
- USB-C charging cable
- Wrist strap
- Manuals
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Sound
Bass Amount
Treble Amount
The Razer Hammerhead 2019's sound profile is very bass-heavy and muddy. While the extra bass emphasizes the thump and rumble of genres like EDM and hip-hop, it can also help to immerse you in action-packed gameplay. However, the dark treble reduces the clarity and detail of your mixes so they may not be as well-suited for vocal-centric content. If you aren't a fan of their default audio reproduction, they also have 'Bass Boost' and 'Treble Boost' EQ presets that can be enabled via their companion app.
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LEARN ABOUT SOUND PROFILE
9.4 Sound
Avg. Std. Deviation
The frequency response consistency is superb. Sound reproduction should be consistent every time you use them.
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LEARN ABOUT FREQUENCY RESPONSE CONSISTENCY
Sound
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LEARN ABOUT RAW FREQUENCY RESPONSE
5.3 Sound
Std. Err.
Low-Frequency Extension
Low-Bass
Mid-Bass
High-Bass
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's bass accuracy is poor. There's an overall overemphasis across the range that emphasizes the thump and punch of EDM and hip-hop tracks. However, some may find this muddy and boomy.
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LEARN ABOUT BASS ACCURACY
6.6 Sound
Std. Err.
Low-Mid
Mid-Mid
High-Mid
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's mid accuracy is okay. The overemphasis in the low-mids clutters vocals and lead instruments, while the dip throughout the rest of the mid-range nudges vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix and makes them sound weak and distant.
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LEARN ABOUT MID ACCURACY
6.5 Sound
Std. Err.
Low-Treble
Mid-Treble
High-Treble
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's treble accuracy is mediocre. Most of the treble range is underemphasized, so instruments lose their detail and presence while sibilants like S and T are slightly dull.
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LEARN ABOUT TREBLE ACCURACY
6.5 Sound
Peaks
Dips
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's peaks and dips performance is alright. The extended bump from the mid-bass to low-mid range adds boominess and muddies vocals and lead instruments. Most of the mid-mid and high-mid range is recessed, which weakens vocals and leads and pushes them to the back of the mix. The uneven low-treble range can give an alternatively harsh quality to the upper harmonics of vocals and lead instruments and make them sound somewhat dull, depending on their frequency. Another peak in the mid-treble range makes sibilants, like S and T sounds, piercing and painful.
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LEARN ABOUT PEAKS/DIPS
9.1 Sound
Weighted Group Delay
Weighted Phase Mismatch
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's stereo imaging is excellent. The group delay is below the audibility threshold for the entire range, ensuring a tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers of our unit are also very well-matched in regards to phase, amplitude, and frequency response, which should ensure the accurate placement of objects like voices and footsteps in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.
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LEARN ABOUT IMAGING
2.7 Sound
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
PRTF Size (Avg.)
PRTF Distance
Openness 9.2
Acoustic Space Excitation 2.8
Like most in-ears, the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 have a terrible passive soundstage. A large and spacious soundstage depends on interaction with the outer ear, which earbuds bypass. While these earbuds have a more open soundstage than other closed-back in-ears, it still sounds fairly small and limited.
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LEARN ABOUT PASSIVE SOUNDSTAGE
0 Sound
Head Modeling
Speaker Modeling
Room Ambience
Head Tracking
Virtual Surround
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LEARN ABOUT VIRTUAL SOUNDSTAGE
7.2 Sound
WHD @ 90
WHD @ 100
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's weighted harmonic distortion is decent. There's a couple of peaks in the low-treble range at moderate listening volumes, but it may not be noticeable to all listeners. Otherwise, the rest of the frequency responses fall within good limits and should result in fairly clear and pure audio reproduction.
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LEARN ABOUT WEIGHTED HARMONIC DISTORTION
Sound
Firmware
Power
Connection
Codec
EQ
ANC
Tip/Pad
Microphone
These results are only valid for these test settings. We only tested 'Gaming Mode' for its Bluetooth latency.
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LEARN ABOUT TEST SETTINGS
2.2 Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
Mid
Treble
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 have terrible noise isolation capability. They don't block out any bass-range ambient noise like the low rumble of bus or plane engines. They do a similarly terrible job of filtering out background chatter. They do a little better when it comes to treble-range ambient noise, like the high-pitched hum of an A/C unit, but their performance in this respect is still poor.
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LEARN ABOUT NOISE ISOLATION
7.6 Isolation
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
These headphones have good leakage performance. Most of the leakage is concentrated in the higher frequencies and sounds thin. If you like to listen to your music at high volumes, it shouldn't bother those around you unless you're in a very quiet setting like a library.
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LEARN ABOUT LEAKAGE
Microphone
Integrated
In-Line
Boom
Detachable Boom
Mic Yes
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LEARN ABOUT MICROPHONE STYLE
5.7 Microphone
Recorded Speech
LFE
FR Std. Dev.
HFE
Weighted THD
Gain
The microphone's recording quality on these headphones is disappointing. While your voice should sound natural, it's likely to be muffled, thin, distorted, and lacking in detail.
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LEARN ABOUT RECORDING QUALITY
7.0 Microphone
SpNR
Noise Gate
Speech + Pink Noise Handling 7.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling 7.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
The microphone's noise handling capability is middling. If you're talking in even moderately noisy spaces like a busy street, people on the other end of the line are likely to have trouble understanding what you're saying.
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LEARN ABOUT NOISE HANDLING
6.3 Active Features
Battery Type
Continuous Battery Life
Additional Charges
Total Battery Life
Charge Time
Power-Saving Feature
Audio While Charging
Passive Playback
Charging Port USB-C
These headphones have a mediocre battery performance. Their sub-four-hour continuous battery life is much shorter than other truly wireless headphones, like the EarFun Air Pro True Wireless, but it's worth noting that battery life can vary with usage. Their case supplies roughly three additional charges, which should last you more than a day of use. They take about an hour to fully charge so you shouldn't be away from your music for too long. They also have standby mode to help conserve battery life, and you can also use either earbud while the other one is charging.
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LEARN ABOUT BATTERY
6.0 Active Features
App Name Razer Hammerhead True Wireless
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
ANC Control
Mic Control No
Room Effects
Playback Control
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019's companion app is passable. It's fairly limited in terms of overall functionality, as it only shows the remaining charge and allows you to toggle between their 'Default', 'Bass Boost', and 'Treble Boost' EQ presets. If you're looking for a pair of truly wireless Razer headphones with a graphic EQ, try the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro.
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LEARN ABOUT APP SUPPORT
6.5 Connectivity
Bluetooth Version
Multi-Device Pairing
NFC Pairing
Line Of Sight Range
PC Latency (SBC)
PC Latency (aptX)
PC Latency (aptX HD)
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
iOS Latency
Android Latency
The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless 2019 have acceptable Bluetooth connectivity. They support Bluetooth 5.0, but not NFC or multi-device pairing, so you can't stream music from your phone while remaining connected to your computer. Without using their 'Gaming Mode', latency on PC and iOS devices is quite high, which could be disruptive while streaming videos or movies. They perform better in this respect when it comes to mobile Android devices. They perform significantly better in this regard across most devices when using their 'Gaming Mode'. However, it's worth noting that different apps and devices compensate to varying degrees for latency, so your real-world experience may vary.
Note: Enabling the earbuds' 'Gaming Mode' reduced their latency on PC to 111ms, on Android to 22ms, and on iOS to 6ms.
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LEARN ABOUT BLUETOOTH
0 Connectivity
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
Non-BT Latency
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LEARN ABOUT NON-BLUETOOTH WIRELESS
0 Connectivity
Analog Audio
USB Audio
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
Analog/USB Audio Latency
These headphones are Bluetooth-only and can't be used wired. They come with a USB-C to USB-A cable to charge the carrying case. If you're looking for wired gaming headphones that are still in-ears, check out the Turtle Beach Battle Buds or the Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC.
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LEARN ABOUT WIRED
Connectivity
Analog
Wired USB
Non-BT Wireless
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Connectivity
PS4 Analog
PS4 Wired USB
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
PS5 Analog
PS5 Wired USB
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
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LEARN ABOUT PLAYSTATION COMPATIBILITY
Connectivity
Xbox One Analog
Xbox One Wired USB
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
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LEARN ABOUT XBOX COMPATIBILITY
2.2 Connectivity
Type
USB Input
Line In
Line Out
Optical Input
RCA Input
Dock Charging
Power Supply
The case holds three additional charges and charges via USB-C. It doesn't have any additional inputs.
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LEARN ABOUT BASE/DOCK