We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-25 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a low-latency gaming headset with a detachable boom mic, surround sound and a 70-hour battery, choose Razer BlackShark V3; if you need open-ear headphones that survive full underwater swimming with built-in MP3 playback, choose CXK Bone Conduction Headphones.
• Razer BlackShark V3 — biggest strength: 50mm Gen-2 drivers, 7.1 surround sound and a detachable HyperClear cardioid mic over 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.3 or USB, with up to 70 hours of battery.
• Razer BlackShark V3 — biggest trade-off: It's a closed over-ear gaming headset with no headphone jack, so it depends on a dongle, Bluetooth or USB, and it is not built for water.
• CXK Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing with a triple-seal design rated for immersion up to 2 meters for 2 hours, plus MP3 mode with built-in storage for up to 8,000 songs.
• CXK Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest trade-off: Only up to 12 hours of playtime, no active noise cancelling, and Bluetooth can't connect underwater — you must switch to MP3 mode first.
• Who each pick is for: Razer for PC, console and mobile gamers who want competitive audio and voice chat; CXK for swimmers, cyclists and runners who want music while staying aware of their surroundings.
This is a gaming-first headset, and the spec sheet reads like one. The 50mm TriForce Gen-2 dynamic drivers are tuned for clarity and positional accuracy, and Razer pairs them with 7.1 surround sound so the game's sound design spreads out around you. If you play anything where a footstep behind you matters, that combination is the whole point of the product. Frequency range runs 20 Hz to 28 kHz with 32 ohm impedance and 106 dB sensitivity, so it should drive easily from a dongle, a phone or a console.
The mic is the other half of the story. It's a detachable 9.9mm HyperClear cardioid unit, and the unidirectional pickup pattern is designed to grab your voice and reject room noise. Because it detaches, the headset can pull double duty as a plain pair of wireless headphones when you're not on comms. Connectivity is genuinely flexible: 2.4 GHz via the included USB dongle, Bluetooth 5.3 with SmartSwitch dual wireless, or straight USB Type A for non-stop use. Note there's no 3.5mm jack at all, so wired listening means USB.
At 270g with plush oval PU earcups, it's built for long sessions, and the 70-hour battery average means charging is a weekly chore rather than a nightly one. Controls run through the app, and noise control is sound isolation rather than active cancelling.
CXK Bone Conduction Headphones: Who It's For
The CXK pair is a completely different animal. It's an open-ear, wrap-around bone conduction headset with a titanium alloy frame, plastic and silicone build, and soft silicone pads on the earcups. Nothing goes inside your ear canal, so air keeps circulating and you keep hearing traffic, your lane neighbours and your surroundings. That's the core appeal, and it's why this style shows up with cyclists and runners.
The headline feature is the IPX8 rating with a triple-seal design: immersion up to 2 meters deep for 2 hours, per the manufacturer. That means actual swimming, not just sweat resistance. Here's the catch you need to understand before buying — Bluetooth doesn't transmit underwater, so you double-click the power button to switch into MP3 mode first. The built-in memory holds up to 8,000 songs and supports WMA, FLAC, WAV and MP3, with MP3 recommended for maximum compatibility.
The transducer is a 12mm CXK PulseCraft bone conduction driver, with 32 ohm impedance, 105 dB sensitivity and a 20 Hz frequency response. Two microphones with AI noise-cancelling algorithms handle calls on land. Battery is up to 12 hours with a 1.5-hour magnetic charge. The Boean app adds custom EQ modes and an AI music generation feature. Bluetooth 6.0 is claimed with a 33-foot range.
Buy it if you swim, row, surf, cycle or run outdoors and want music without blocking your ears. Skip it if you need serious bass for gaming or movies, want noise cancelling, or expect to stream Bluetooth audio in the water.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for competitive gaming audio → Razer BlackShark V3. 50mm Gen-2 drivers plus 7.1 surround sound are purpose-built for positional cues.
• Best for battery life → Razer BlackShark V3. Up to 70 hours versus up to 12 hours is not close.
• Best for swimming → CXK Bone Conduction Headphones. IPX8 with a 2-meter, 2-hour immersion rating is the deciding spec here.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → CXK Bone Conduction Headphones. Open-ear design lets ambient sound in by default.
• Best for phone-free listening → CXK Bone Conduction Headphones. Built-in storage for up to 8,000 songs means no handset required.
• Best for connection flexibility → Razer BlackShark V3. 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.3 and USB Type A, with no reliance on one method.
• Best for multi-hour comfort while active → CXK Bone Conduction Headphones. At roughly 1.06 ounces with an adjustable headband, it's a different weight class entirely.
If I were buying for myself and my priority were gaming, I'd take the Razer BlackShark V3 X HyperSpeed. The 50mm Gen-2 drivers, 7.1 surround sound, detachable cardioid mic and up-to-70-hour battery form a coherent package aimed squarely at PC and console play, and the three connection modes mean it adapts to almost any setup. I'd only steer you to the CXK Bone Conduction Headphones if swimming or open-ear outdoor training is the actual job — in that case, the IPX8 rating and MP3 mode are things the Razer simply cannot do, and no amount of gaming pedigree substitutes for them. Pick the one that matches where you'll wear them most.
how to headphones work
A conventional headphone like the Razer BlackShark V3 pushes air with dynamic drivers — here 50mm units — so sound reaches your ear through the air. Bone conduction headphones like the CXK instead use a transducer, a 12mm PulseCraft driver in this case, to send vibrations through your cheekbones to the inner ear, bypassing the eardrum and leaving your ear canal open.
how to headphones on iphone
The Razer BlackShark V3 connects to a phone over Bluetooth 5.3 or via its 2.4 GHz USB dongle, and it has no headphone jack at all, so an iPhone needs Bluetooth or an adapter for the dongle. The CXK pairs over Bluetooth 6.0 within a 33-foot range; for swimming you double-click the power button to enter MP3 mode instead.
how to headphones noise cancelling
Neither of these is an active noise-cancelling product. The Razer BlackShark V3 relies on sound isolation from its closed over-ear PU earcups, while the CXK has no noise control at all and is deliberately open so you can hear your surroundings. If active cancelling is a must-have, both are the wrong shape.
how to headphones
Pick by where you'll wear them. For gaming, voice chat and long battery life, the Razer BlackShark V3 with its 2.4 GHz low-latency link is the fit. For swimming, cycling and running with awareness of traffic, the CXK's IPX8 body and open-ear fit are the fit. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
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See also: Generic Bone Conduction Headphones vs Opinta Swimming Headphones, Qyzue Bone Conduction Headphones vs Rinsmola Earbuds, flymory Bone Conduction Headphones vs AYI Professional Swim Headphones