Oh hey, Razer Refreshed the Kraken 7.1 V2 with New Colors!
I just noticed that the Kraken 7.1 V2 now comes in Gunmetal Gray and "Mercury White" color schemes.
Yes, I sometimes randomly look up headphones just to see if new models are coming out.
Best Buy has a listing for the Gunmetal version, but it looks like they won't be stocking it until later in the month. Also, it appears that they now come with oval ear cushions by default.
Hmm.
I haven't yet had the chance to try out the oval Kraken ear cushions. But I think the current V2 round ear cushions are some of the comfiest circular pads on the market, thanks to their nice padding and "inmold channels" for glasses comfort. So I've always been intrigued by the oval ones, and whether they were actually better, or just bigger.
I really like that both Razer's Kraken V2 and Man O' War headsets use easily removable pads with simple pop-off mechanisms, rather than making the user stretch out the edge of the pad. So it's not that hard to switch between pad types if you pick up different ones.
The only flaw in Logitech's otherwise-excellent G433 is that the pads are too hard to swap.
The color refresh isn't that surprising. The non-USB stereo Kraken Pro V2 got new colors just a few months after its launch.
But the switch to oval pads as the default at a big retailer like Best Buy is a surprise. Razer has long been one of the last gaming companies trying to extol the virtues of the tighter-sealing circular pads, and most of their other models still use circular pads by default.
At least for now.
I don't know if I'll be picking up one of these since I already own and enjoy a 7.1 V2. I think it's a bit strange how similar the Gunmetal color looks to the default Black model, but I think the white one looks pretty cool.
I also would love an easy way to get just the oval pads at retail without having to wait for shipping, because I'm often impatient and don't like to wait for shipping.
If you want a bass-focused gaming headset for a fair price and don't mind the non-detachable cable, the Kraken Pro V2/Kraken 7.1 V2 is probably the best choice right now. Razer's newer 50mm drivers are a dramatic step up over their earlier headset models, delivering clarity and detail that I wasn't expecting them to have.
