The Impossible Quest

I'm currently replaying The Witcher 3 for like the jillionth time.  I do love some Geralt and friends, but I thought I would write about a somewhat gaming related goal that seems to be virtually impossible for me to accomplish--finding a good set of headphones/a headset.  Just this week the headset I had been using for work (the mic on my work provided laptop has never worked, so I've had to resort to using a headset for distance learning...good times) decided to bite the dust.  It wasn't anything fancy, a Logitech headset I had bought years ago when I was dedicated to World of Warcraft raiding, but it did leave me in a bit of a lurch with no headset to use (and, I needed to find one because there was always the possibility that we could end up back in distance learning).

Finding good headphones/a good headset that works for me has always been a chore.  I have found that I absolutely cannot wear the kind that fit in your ears--they either hurt or they don't fit and are constantly falling out.  I would prefer the in-ear kind for some activities--like exercising.  I've tried buying the kind that come with different sizes of plastic covers to accommodate different size ears, but to no avail!  I have a rather embarrassing drawer full of rejects and shudder to think of how much I've spent trying to find a pair that works.

Since the stylishly minimal in-ear headphones are out, my only other options are the larger kind that fit over your ears.  One of my general struggles with this style of headphones (which I prefer for gaming) is that they also tend to make my ears hurt--especially when wearing them for a sustained period (like the duration of a World of Warcraft raid).  They're also a bit bulky which makes you look like a goober (I run with a pair of this type of headphone and look like a goober).  Thanks to the popularity of streaming, wearing a large set of headphones while gaming has become cool, so I shrugged off this concern.

I briefly had thoughts about buying another cheap Logitech headset, but decided that I would rather spend a little bit more for something a bit higher quality.  Another one of my unspoken,  headphone/set prerequisites is that they had to be budget friendly.  I would love to just throw cash around all willy-nilly for computer peripherals, but I'm too frugal for that.  So, no expensive headsets for me.

I think I've finally found, "the one!"  I spent a few frantic moments Googling headsets and came across favorable reviews for the Razer Kraken X headset.  When I first saw the "Razer" I immediately assumed it would be way out of my decidedly cheap price range.  But, good news, it's a budget-friendly product.  I also Googled some prices for a Logitech headset similar to the one I had been using and found that the price difference (*if you can find the Razer headset on sale) wasn't drastically different.  I also have a preference for wired products--yeah, I know, it's weird--but I get tired of having to remember to charge things or replace batteries and the wired versions are usually cheaper.  

So here's my enthusiastic plug for my new headset.

Pros:

+ Fits well and doesn't hurt my ears!  This is my #1 requirement and I am finding that I can wear this headset for a sustained period without beginning to feel like my ears are being squashed.  The headphones are the kind that surround your ears (in a pleasantly noise cancelling kind of way--although I don't think they're truly noise cancelling) with a soft, pleather covered foam.  They fit my small ears perfectly and do not put any pressure on them.

+ Small, unobtrusive mic.  I'm used to my Logitech headset which had a mic that was a straight, long plastic bar that could be raised and lowered like a gate.  Using it could be a bit obnoxious because I like to move it out of my face when not in use.  The mic on the Kraken X can easily be positioned by simply bending the flexible wire.

+ Good sound quality.  I've been using the Kraken X while playing The Witcher 3 and I am discovering a world filled with layers of sound.  I've never paid a lot of attention to they many conversations occurring in the background between the NPC's who populate the world, but now I an hear them all.  The prostitutes in Novigrad are very direct in their business dealings.  That's one thing I've discovered.  One of the nice features of the headphones is that they come with the option to download a Razer app that includes 7.1 surround sound.

+ Very light for their size.  The headphones themselves are rather large, but they weigh much less than I expected.

+ Sparkly!  Since it's a Razer product you get some nice, shiny lights.  Unfortunately, you can't really do much with those lights--you can choose between a static setting or a "breathing" one.

+ Volume control and mute buttons located on the ear cups.  It's nice not to have to tab out of a game to raise or lower the volume.

Cons:

- You have to use Razer's third party software.  I already had a Razer mouse, so was already using it, but I also had to download the app for 7.1 surround sound.  The download itself was very fast.  Then I had to enter in an activation code that came packaged with my headset.  If you don't want to deal with third-party software, try a different headset.

- Will the flexible mic last?  I have concerns about bending that wire aside and if it will impact the life span of the mic.  I'm going to make it a goal not to mess with it too much.

Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and would recommend it to other gamers out there who are looking for a budget friendly headset that still has a "gaming" feel.  If you're someone with a small head and smaller ears who has struggled to find a headset that works for you, the Kraken X seems to be the solution.  I paid $49.99 for it (although it was on sale at a different store for $39.99--that Prime shipping tho) and feel like it was money well spent.  (Here's a link to it on Amazon:  Razer Kraken X USB).