How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want an open-back, wired headset that keeps your ears cool and lets you hear the room around you, choose Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK; if you need a wireless, multi-platform headset with a long battery life and a boom mic you can pop off, choose Razer BlackShark V3. That's the short version. The longer version matters most if you're shopping a wireless headset for toddlers — and yes, I'll get into why the "for toddlers" framing changes which of these two makes sense.
• Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK — biggest strength: open-back design plus 45 mm drivers and a sub-220 g build, so you get an expansive soundstage and very little clamp fatigue over long sessions.
• Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK — biggest trade-off: it's fully wired (3.5 mm only) and open-back, so it leaks sound both ways and gives you no isolation at all.
• Razer BlackShark V3 — biggest strength: 2.4 GHz HyperSpeed wireless plus Bluetooth 5.3 and a detachable cardioid mic, so it works across PS5, PC, Mac, Switch and phone without a cable.
• Razer BlackShark V3 — biggest trade-off: it's a closed-back wireless set with an app-driven control scheme, and the listed package weight (730 g) is far heavier than the headset's own 270 g figure, which tells you the box includes a dongle, cable and adapter.
• Pick the Audio-Technica if you play at a desk, want positional audio, and don't mind a cable.
• Pick the Razer if you move between devices and want one headset that just connects.
This is a specialist's headset. The whole design revolves around one idea: an open-back enclosure. Instead of sealing your ears off, the cups let air and ambient sound pass through, which is exactly why the sound field feels wide and why you can pick out an approaching opponent by direction rather than by volume. The 45 mm dynamic drivers cover a 10 Hz to 35,000 Hz range, and at 45 ohm impedance they're easy enough to drive from a controller or a PC jack without extra gear.
Who should buy it: desk players, PC and console gamers who want clean positional cues, and anyone who needs to stay aware of what's happening in the room. Who should skip it: commuters, noisy households, and anyone who wants wireless freedom. Open-back means everyone nearby hears your game, and you hear them. If you're picturing a waterproof headphone for toddlers to wear in the bath or the pool, this isn't it — nothing in the spec sheet claims water resistance, and the open-back design is the opposite of what you'd want around a small child splashing.
Razer BlackShark V3: Who It's For
The Razer BlackShark V3 X HyperSpeed is the generalist. It connects over 2.4 GHz wireless via a USB-C dongle, over Bluetooth 5.3, and it's built to work across PS5, PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch and smartphones. That single feature is the reason most people will look at it: one headset, every device you own, no cable swapping.
Audio comes from 50 mm Gen-2 TriForce drivers, with an impedance of 32 ohm and a 20 Hz to 28 kHz frequency range — a narrower top end than the Audio-Technica on paper, but the tuning is aimed at clarity and positional cues rather than outright extension. On PS5 you get an expanded soundstage for competitive play, and on PC you can unlock 7.1.4 surround sound. The detachable HyperClear cardioid mic uses a unidirectional pattern, which is the practical way to keep your voice forward and background noise back.
The 70-hour battery figure is the headline for anyone tired of charging. At 270 g with plush earcups, it's light for a wireless closed-back set. Controls run through the Razer app rather than onboard dials, so expect to spend a few minutes setting it up. Who should buy it: multi-device players, PS5 owners, and anyone who wants wireless freedom plus a mic they can remove for music and calls. Who should skip it: purists who want an analog 3.5 mm connection with zero latency and zero charging.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for positional audio and soundstage → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (open-back, 45 mm drivers, 10 Hz–35 kHz).
• Best for wireless freedom and device hopping → Razer BlackShark V3 (2.4 GHz HyperSpeed plus Bluetooth 5.3).
• Best for long sessions without ear heat → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (under 220 g, open-back airflow).
• Best for travel and shared living spaces → Razer BlackShark V3 (closed-back, sound isolation, no cable to snag).
• Best for a clean desk setup → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (3.0 m PC cable, onboard volume and mute).
• Best for console plus phone plus PC in one → Razer BlackShark V3 (PS5, PC, Mac, Switch, smartphone).
• Best for replacing worn parts instead of the whole headset → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (detachable earpads and headpad).
• Best for a removable mic you can pocket → Razer BlackShark V3 (detachable HyperClear cardioid).
In my opinion, the Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK is the better buy for a desk-bound player who wants to hear footsteps and stay aware of the room — the open-back design and 220 g weight are things you feel every single session, and the wired 3.5 mm connection means no charging, no dongle, no app. I'd pick the Razer BlackShark V3 instead if one headset has to cover a PS5, a PC and a phone, because HyperSpeed wireless plus Bluetooth 5.3 plus a 70-hour battery is a genuinely different level of convenience. And to close the loop on the toddler question: neither is a wireless headset for toddlers in any real sense. Both are adult-sized, and nothing in either spec sheet promises the water resistance a small child would need.
FAQ
Yes. Razer lists PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch and smartphone alongside PS5, and it connects over 2.4 GHz via USB-C dongle or Bluetooth 5.3.
The Razer BlackShark V3, by design — it's closed-back with sound isolation. The Audio-Technica is open-back with no noise control at all, so it blocks nothing and leaks sound both ways.
I wouldn't. Both list Adult as the age range and neither claims water resistance, so a waterproof headphone for toddlers is a different product category entirely. Check the current price on Amazon for either one if you're buying for yourself.
• PowerLocus Kids Headphones Over-Ear vs GWCASE Hard Shell Headphone
• JLab Fit Sport 3 vs Ogogrs Bone Conduction Headphones
• vinamass Kids or Lemin 5.3: which is better
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.