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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Razer Kraken V4 — biggest strength: a retractable HyperClear cardioid boom mic plus 7.1 surround sound and a convertible USB-C to USB-A cable that covers PC, Mac, PS5 and Switch-style play. Its biggest trade-off: it's wired and has no active noise cancelling — the cups rely on passive sound isolation only.
• BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise — biggest strength: up to 70 hours of playback, hybrid active noise cancelling with a transparent mode, and a button-driven Bluetooth 6 wireless setup. Its biggest trade-off: it's built for listening and calls rather than competitive gaming, and it charges over 2.5 hours to get there.
• Who Razer Kraken V4 is for: gamers who want one headset that plugs into multiple platforms and a mic that tucks away when it isn't needed.
• Who BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise is for: commuters, students, remote workers and travelers who want quiet, wireless listening and long battery life.
The Kraken V4's headline feature is its mic. Razer uses a retractable HyperClear cardioid microphone with a pickup pattern tuned to favor voice over background noise, and the retractable design means you can pull it close to your mouth for chat or push it back into the earcup when you're just listening. In my opinion, that's the single most useful thing about this headset for anyone who spends their evenings in voice chat: no dangling boom arm catching on your shirt, no separate desk mic to set up.
The audio side is built around Razer's TriForce 40 mm drivers — a three-part driver design meant to keep highs, mids and lows from blurring into each other — paired with 7.1 surround sound for positional cues in games. The hybrid fabric-and-leatherette memory foam cushions are there for long sessions, and the closed over-ear fit does a decent job of passive isolation on its own. There's no active noise cancelling here, which matters if you're buying primarily to block out a bus engine or an open-plan office.
Connectivity is the other reason to pick it. A single convertible USB-C to USB-A cable lets you move the same headset between PC, Mac, PlayStation, Switch-style consoles and handhelds without hunting for a different cable. Controls run through an app rather than on-ear buttons, so if you prefer physical controls within reach, note that difference. It's also wired-only — there's no Bluetooth mode to fall back on, so it stays tethered to whatever it's plugged into. Skip it if you want untethered listening or true noise cancellation; buy it if you want a durable, platform-hopping gaming headset with a genuinely good built-in mic.
The BERIBES WH305B is the opposite kind of product, and that's not a criticism. It's a wireless over-ear headphone with hybrid active noise cancelling and a transparent mode, which means it can either mute the world around you or deliberately let it back in — useful when you're waiting for a train announcement or ordering coffee. The controls are physical push buttons on the earcup, so you're not digging through an app mid-commute.
Battery is where it makes its case. BERIBES rates playback at up to 70 hours and a charge time of around 2.5 hours, which is the kind of figure that turns "did I pack my cable?" into a non-issue for a week of commuting. It's Bluetooth 6 with a stated range of about 10 meters, and there's a 3.5 mm jack as a wired fallback — handy on a plane seatback or a desktop that doesn't do Bluetooth well.
The mic situation is the key difference from the Razer. There's no boom arm here; the built-in mic is designed for calls and voice chat in a pinch, not for the kind of clarity a cardioid boom delivers. In my opinion, that's the honest trade-off: you gain wireless freedom, ANC and battery, and you give up mic quality and low-latency gaming audio. The 40 mm dynamic drivers and 32 ohm impedance are broadly similar on paper to the Razer's, so the real distinction is features and use case, not raw driver size. Skip it if competitive gaming chat is your priority. Buy it if you want one pair of headphones for the commute, the coffee shop and the home desk.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for gaming and voice chat → Razer Kraken V4. The retractable cardioid boom mic and 7.1 surround are built for exactly this.
• Best for battery life → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. Up to 70 hours versus a wired headset that draws power from the source.
• Best for noise cancelling → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. Active noise cancellation with a transparent mode beats the Razer's passive isolation.
• Best for multi-platform flexibility → Razer Kraken V4. The convertible USB-C to USB-A cable covers PC, Mac, PS5 and Switch-style systems.
• Best for physical on-ear controls → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. Push buttons versus app-based control on the Razer.
• Best for long-session comfort in a closed-back fit → tie. Both use 40 mm dynamic drivers and memory foam-style over-ear cushioning; the Razer's hybrid fabric-and-leatherette build is the gaming-tuned version.
• Best for calls on the go → BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise. A built-in mic plus ANC and transparency is the more practical travel setup.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Razer Kraken V4 — but only because my priority is a headset I can game in with a mic that actually sounds like a mic. The retractable cardioid boom, 7.1 surround and one-cable multi-platform setup are a coherent package for that job, and I'd rather have those than ANC I won't use at my desk. If your life is mostly trains, planes and open-plan offices, though, I'd point you the other way: the BERIBES Hybrid Active Noise gives you ANC, a transparent mode and up to 70 hours of wireless playback, which is a far better fit for listening than for shouting callouts. Buy for the job, not for the spec sheet. And check the current price on Amazon before you commit — both are easier to justify at some price points than others.
how to use headphones with mic on pc
Plug the headset into a USB port — the Kraken V4 uses a convertible USB-C to USB-A cable, so either port works — then select it as both the output and input device in your system's sound settings. In-game or in-app, pick the headset's mic as the input and push the boom down toward your mouth for the cardioid pattern to do its job. For a Bluetooth headset like the BERIBES, pair it first, then set it as the input device the same way.
how to connect headphones with mic on pc
For the Razer Kraken V4, connect the USB-C end to the headset and the USB-A end (or the adapter) to your PC — no pairing needed, since it's a wired USB connection. For the BERIBES, open your PC's Bluetooth settings, put the headphones in pairing mode, and select them from the list; the stated Bluetooth range is about 10 meters. If Bluetooth is unreliable on your desktop, the 3.5 mm jack on the BERIBES is the fallback.
how to use headphones with mic on phone
The Kraken V4 works over USB-C on phones that support USB audio, so a single cable gets you sound and mic. The BERIBES connects over Bluetooth instead, which is the simpler path on most phones — pair once, then it reconnects when you turn it on. Either way, check that your phone's input is set to the headset rather than the handset mic.
how to test headphones with mic
Record a short voice memo or use your system's mic test while speaking at normal volume, then play it back and listen for background noise — the Kraken V4's cardioid pickup is designed to favor your voice over room sound, while the BERIBES' built-in mic is tuned for calls rather than studio clarity. For audio, play a track with clear bass and vocals and check for distortion at your usual listening level. If you're testing the BERIBES, toggle ANC and the transparent mode so you know what each setting actually sounds like.
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