Head-to-head · Best Gaming Headsets

Audeze Maxwell 2 vs Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.1 vs 3.7). Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless is best for: long gaming session enthusiasts. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Gaming Headsets

Audeze Maxwell 2

3.7

1 source$329as of Oct 22

90mm planar magnetic drivers and 80-hour battery life give the Audeze Maxwell 2 the audio detail and separation competitive FPS players want. Reviewers also found it extremely heavy and short on sub-bass, which hurts for immersive gaming and music. TechteamGB called it 'utter disappointment' over poor microphone quality, while Sidegrade praised the gaming performance but described it as a sidegrade from the original Maxwell. Analytical listeners and competitive gamers get the most out of it; everyone else may be put off by the weight and the bass limitations.

Strengths

— Excellent detail and sound separation for competitive FPS gaming
— 80-hour battery life
— Replaceable faceplates and improved headband design

Watch-outs

— Incredibly heavy at 562-574 grams
— Limited sub-bass and bass quantity

$329 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Gaming Headsets

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless

4.1

2 sources$219.99as of Oct 11

Razer's BlackShark V3 Pro is a wireless gaming headset built around 50mm drivers, active noise cancelling and a 70-hour battery on the 2.4GHz link. Tom's Hardware rated it three and a half out of five; Gaming Respawn's Peter Keen found the stock sound bad enough to need EQ work before he liked it, then praised the comfort and the build. The frame is roomy enough that smaller heads may swim in it, and at $249 it is priced against headsets that need less fiddling.

Strengths

— Exceptional comfort with breathable flowknit memory foam cushions
— 70 hours battery life on PC and 48 hours on Xbox/PlayStation
— 10ms wireless latency for fast-paced gaming

Watch-outs

— Default EQ profile is poor enough that the headset needs tuning in Razer's app before it sounds right
— Microphone still passes plosives, and the noise cancelling is mild rather than isolating

$219.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Audeze Maxwell 2

The Audeze Maxwell 2 uses 90mm planar magnetic drivers, against 50mm drivers in the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless, and its battery is rated up to 80 hours to the Razer's 70 hours on PC. At 562-574 grams it is the heaviest headset on this page, well above the 320g Fractal Scape. It costs about twice as much as the Scape and is short on sub-bass.

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless

The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless includes active noise cancelling, which the Fractal Scape does not have, and its 70-hour PC battery rating sits between the Scape's 50 hours and the Audeze Maxwell 2's 80 hours. At 357g it is heavier than the Scape (320g) and the Logitech G733 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset (278g). Its default EQ needs tuning in Razer's app, where the Scape's sound is tuned out of the box.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Audeze Maxwell 2	Razer BlackShark V3 Pro Wireless
Connectivity	USB-C wireless dongle, USB-C wired, 3.5mm wired, Bluetooth	2.4GHz HyperSpeed, Bluetooth 5.3, Wired
Driver Size	90mm planar magnetic	50mm
Battery Life	Up to 80 hours	70 hours (PC) / 48 hours (Xbox/PlayStation)
Microphone	Detachable boom mic with AI noise reduction	12mm detachable, flexible
Compatibility	PC, Mac, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile devices	PC, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, Bluetooth devices
Audio Features	10 Hz - 50 kHz	Active Noise Cancelling, Simultaneous Wireless Audio, Ambient Mode, EQ presets
Weight	562-574 grams	357g

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