It’s my opinion that if you spend $150 on a gaming headset, you should get one that is versatile enough to also work as your regular daily headphones. Audiophiles will want to buy dedicated headphones for specific situations, but I don’t think that applies to most of us. I want the headphones I buy to work when I’m gaming at home or listening to music on the go. Razer is now offering something like that with its Kaira Pro headset, and it mostly nailed what anyone should want in an all-around headset with a couple of exceptions.
The Razer Kaira Pro is available now for $150. It’s supports both Bluetooth and Xbox’s wireless standard, which means it works with anything that supports Bluetooth audio in addition to the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. And in designing the Kaira, Razer predicted that people might want to take it with them. To facilitate that use case, the Kaira has a built-in internal microphone that you can use to take calls on the go. For better sound during gaming, however, you can use the detachable boom mic.
To me, all of these features are exactly what I want from a headset. In fact, these features are the reasons I’ve chosen the HyperX Cloud Mix as my daily driver. So for me, the question is whether or not the Kaira Pro can match or surpass the Cloud Mix.
Let’s see how they compare.
Razer Kaira Pro vs. HyperX Cloud Mix
The Razer and HyperX diverge in a few key areas. They feel and fit slightly differently. They also vary slightly in connectivity.
Razer’s Kaira Pro is nice to wear. It has an even distribution of weight, which makes it seem light on your head. It’s also flexible, which does two things. It prevents it from squeezing around your ears, and it makes it really easy to put the headset around your neck when you’re not using it. I have a big neck, and I find most headphones are too uncomfortable to wear like that. But the Kaira Pro doesn’t dig into my neck when I’m not using it.
But I think the Kaira Pro doesn’t fit quite as secure as the Cloud Mix. It tends to slide around my head. It’s not a constant problem, but it is if I’m doing chores or something like that.
Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, the Kaira Pro has the advantage for compatibility. It includes Microsoft’s proprietary wireless. This enables it to work with Xbox One and Xbox Series X. HyperX’s Cloud Mix only uses Bluetooth for wireless. If you want to use it with Xbox or Switch, you’ll have to attach the included 3.5mm cable. Neither headset works wireless with the PS5 at the moment because it does not support Bluetooth audio devices.
But the HyperX Cloud Mix beats the Kaira Pro in terms of latency over Bluetooth. Razer’s headset uses the basic AAC codec. Everything works with AAC, but it is a laggy standard. HyperX, meanwhile, included Qulacomm’s aptX codec, which is high quality and speedy. This is crucial so that audio doesn’t fall out of sync with on-screen action in video or games.
Battery
The final piece for me is battery life. The Kaira Pro gets around 20 hours when you turn off the RGB lighting. HyperX’s Cloud Mix gets about the same. That said, the USB charging port on the Kaira Pro is difficult to access with most cables. You almost have to use the cable that comes with it in order to charge it. That defeats the purpose of using USB, and it means you may have to hunt for the perfect cable if yours breaks.
Conclusion
I like the Razer Kaira Pro a lot. It really delivers on the versatility required for all-around use as a daily driver. I wish it had Qualcomm’s aptX codec or something equivalent. Because of that, I will likely still reach for the Cloud Mix headset more often when I’m gaming on PC or watching video on a tablet. But that just comes down to how I use my headsets.
If you’re someone who games primarily on Xbox, the Kaira Pro is likely for you. You’ll get a great gaming headset that can then transform into your daily headphones. This all-in-one solution makes sense because who wants to keep track of multiple pairs of single-purpose audio devices. At $150, the Kaira Pro connects to Xbox and anything with a Bluetooth connection.
And to me, that’s worth the price.
