From beautifully designed and purposefully built bodies, through to award-winning acoustics and drivers, Razer peripherals have truly become iconic for gamers all around the world. Like the Razer Kaira Pro before it, the Razer Kaira X for Xbox Series X/S once again showcases the manufacturer’s peripheral prowess. 

In order to stay “with the times”, the Razer Kaira X for Xbox one-ups its premium predecessor with an all-new, yet budget-friendly, design process. In so doing, it cleverly surpasses the likes of competitor mid-tier offerings in remarkable ways. Microsoft’s current console generation comes with its own unique take on gaming periphery, allowing gamers a much wider array of options to choose from. Following this mantra, Razer have built the Razer Kaira X for Xbox from the ground up; starting with the presentation. 

As is the case with all of Razer’s current products, prospective owners are met with some wonderfully green packaging – and not in terms of colour. Razer packaging has, in recent years, turned into a standard for climate sustainability: recycled cardboard cutouts line the box and keep the headset in place, while soft and degradable baggies keep all of the included accessories (as well as the headset) clean and dry. Opening these, however, is where the true treat lies; revealing a bold and colourful headset unlike any other Razer product. In short: the Razer Kaira X for Xbox comes in four different colours, apart from the standard black and green Razer aesthetic. These colours, all meant to mimic the official Xbox controller colours, are striking and, truthfully, much less tacky than they may seem at a passing glance. 

This review is of the Pulse Red variant, which is pretty much one of the most beautiful versions out of the lot (slight bias here as Red is the Vamers colour). Other variants include Shock Blue, White (not too dissimilar to the PlayStation-exclusive model), Razer’s stock Black, and Electric Shock (which is just a tad more shocking than Xbox green). By design, Razer headsets have always been comfortable to hold and wear, and the Razer Kaira X for Xbox is no different. The red hardbody is made of a hard and textured plastic that feels surprisingly soft to the touch, yet sturdier than a well-built keyboard. It features Razer’s signature memory foam ear cushions, and even comes with a spot of memory foam on the bottom part of the headband for added comfort. The rest of the headset still features the usual silicone rings around the cushions, and a volume rocker and mute switch for the mic on the left ear cup. 

As is the case with its kin, the Razer Kaira X for Xbox does not feature any kind of metal reinforcement. While cutting down on costs (versus the Kaira Pro), it may feel quite a bit less premium and weighty for users familiar with some of the other models, but any new user would be hard pressed to spot the difference. Where costs have absolutely not been cut, however, is in the technology driving the headset. The Razer Kaira X for Xbox boasts the same iconic 50mm Razer TriForce drivers in each ear cup. As always, sound quality is exceptional, with Razer’s signature THX tweaking and mastering for both stereo and surround sound playback. 

From Forza Horizon 5, Deathloop, and even Gears of War: Tactics, imaging is always on-point. Cars purr beautifully in-ear, while the memory foam ear cushions passively work to block out most low-level sounds; bullets fly through the air and gunshots sound deafening while the headset sits comfortably, and hulking soldiers furiously make their way across battlefields as their chainsaw guns and grenades do what they do best. What surprised the most about the Razer Kaira X for Xbox, however, is in the low-level sound category, where ambiance and world-building-focused sounds absolutely shone. Playing titles like Monster Hunter: Rise and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla felt breathtaking, to say the least, regardless of the closed-back nature of the headset. As usual, Windows Sonic surround sound virtualisation only increases the level of immersion.

Similarly, Razer also included their more premium mic technology. The Razer Kaira X for Xbox features Razer’s signature HyperClear Cardioid pickup pattern with active cancellation from the back and sides, voice isolation technology, and even comes with supported mic monitoring capabilities. The latter is especially great for players who like to finetune their vocal performances while furiously gunning down enemies in multiplayer titles like Halo: Infinite. Better still, there is also automatic clipping protection – making it a perfect headset for saving the ears of those who may play with children who are still coming to terms with online gaming.

The financial-conscious buyer will also notice how the Razer Kaira X for Xbox was most definitely designed with the wallet in mind. As such, users will find that the headset comes exclusively hardwired. This means neither the mic nor the analogue lead can be removed, but it also means no losing accessories or needing to fuss over battery life and insufficient wireless performance. Of course, having a non-detachable mic does mean it can get in the way while enjoying some gaming time alone. Even so, the wired nature of the headset also means this entry-level device features the most gamer-friendly cross platform compatibility. While designed with Xbox Series X/S in mind, the 3.5mm audio connection allows for compatibility with PC (Microsoft Windows, MacOS, and Linux), as well as PlayStation, Nintendo, and pretty much any other device featuring a headphone jack — Steamdeck and Android gamers rejoice! 

Unlike the manufacturer’s premium offerings, the Razer Kaira X for Xbox knows exactly what kind of audience it is targeting. It may not defy any expectations, yet it offers an array of features above and beyond its superior cost to entry (~ZAR R1,200 / AUS $89). In so doing, it allows gamers from pretty much any financial field to experience high fidelity gaming audio. The included 3-metre long cable, unparalleled mic capabilities, and award-winning soundstage and mixing from THX, makes it one of the best bang-for-buck headsets of 2023. 

Verdict:

EXCEPTIONAL

PROSCONS
Genuine premium look and feelHardwired only
Unsurpassed cross platform compatibility (thanks to its wired nature)
Premium gaming audio fidelity at a fraction of the cost

Headset provided by Razer for review purposes.

Learn more about our review methodology here.

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Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.