Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 review - Iteration over innovation

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 is the latest console-focused headset from the boutique gaming manufacturer. Armed with the same 50mm TriForce Titanium drivers and HyperSense haptics as the original model, this minor revision, which features the brand’s Hyperspeed low latency wireless connectivity, makes for a solid product but doesn’t address our issues with the first Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation.  

If you’re after one of the best PS5 headsets in 2023, then the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 could be worth considering. However, it’s a little too expensive and lacking in wow factor to wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wanting a truly premium audio experience on the PS5.  

Price and Availability

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 was released in March 2023 and is currently available in the US, the UK, and Australia for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$369. It’s exactly the same price as the standard Razer Kaira Pro PlayStation model from 2022; a move that makes sense since this version effectively replaces its predecessor. It’s worth noting that, while no price increase has happened, you’re paying a platform premium compared to the Razer Kaira Pro for Xbox and PC, which sells for  $149 / £149 / AU$259, a noticeable mark-up that’s hard to ignore.  

Design and Features

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed’s new addition to the established Razer Kaira Pro includes the Hyperspeed 2.4 GHz low latency dongle. It’s curved in such a way that you can slot it into the front of your PS5 console without obscuring the USB-A port to keep your controller charging or at the expense of your connection to the best PS5 external hard drives, if you’re lucky enough to have one.

Returning from the base Kaira Pro for PS5 model is the dual connectivity between the 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth connection. There are also dedicated volume and microphone-monitoring scroll wheels on the rear of the left and right cups, respectively. Little has changed with the "HyperClear Supercardioid Mic", which is detachable and comes on a flexy arm, as the brand has been doing for many years now. 

The earcups are plush and feature a leatherette feel as opposed to the mesh that could be found on the Xbox variant. You’ll note that the branding is spot on here, with the blue, black and white finish complimenting the PS5 well, meaning it will slot into your setup as easily as Sony’s Pulse 3D headset does.

You won’t be shocked to hear that the Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm audio drivers power the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 headset. These are drivers that have appeared in over half a dozen headsets since their introduction in 2020. It’s a case of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. That’s been the approach with the HyperSense haptics, which first appeared in the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense and the Razer Kraken V3 Pro in late 2021. Tried-and-true really is the name of the game here; nothing is new or exciting, but that’s not necessarily a problem. 

Performance

What’s good about returning internals in hardware like this is that you know exactly what you’re getting with the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5.he Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers may be a fair few years old. However, they still do a great job of bringing out the distinction between the lows, mids, and highs, just as they did back in 2020 when replacing the original TriForce drivers. 

The width of the 50mm drivers means that everything from the rumble of the micromachines in Hot Wheels Unleashed boosting around the orange plastic tracks, to the agonized screaming of Necromorphs mid-dismemberment in the Dead Space remake hits with the weight you would hope to hear on the platform. Thanks to the PS5 3D audio being available through every headset, the TriForce Titanium drivers do an excellent job of bringing the surround sound out in full force. They make listening to music nice, too. While no rival to some of the best headphones, spinning Cannibal Corpse’s Kill or Become and Vulvodynia’s Flesh Tailor hit with the right amount of weight in the bass and the drums. 

What’s disappointed me as a fan and long-time user of the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense is how the haptics have translated here, going from wired to wireless. Regardless of which of the best PS5 games I was playing with the highest of the three settings and the volume dialed all the way up, the in-ear feedback didn’t quite live up to the intensity I was hoping for. Moments in UFC 4, such as a brutal double-leg takedown or that round-finishing spinning elbow, lacked the weight that a heavy strike should have. 

While they work a good portion of the time, things are inconsistent with the haptics in Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5. There were times when the HyperSense and the 3D Audio, combined with the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller for a truly unrivalled experience. One such moment occurred when I took a tight corner in Hot Wheels Unleashed and felt the throaty roar of the engine mid-drift through the gamepad and headset at max volume. It was a truly immersive experience, but one that stood out more as an exception to the rule rather than the status quo. 

The microphone and battery life have seen no improvement over the Razer Kaira Pro's base model. While Razer claims that you can expect around 30 hours of playback in total regardless of connectivity method, that’s only if you disable the RGB lighting and the HyperSense haptics entirely. The company suggests up to 11 hours with these features enabled, and that’s slightly more generous than I found in my experience. For the first few charges, I noticed around 10 hours, but I was charging this headset up between uses far more than with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ or the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition that I use on rotation. 

The microphone on the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 is not great. It didn’t really matter which tweaks I made through the console’s settings or when plugged into my PC; things just sounded shrill and tinny. While completely serviceable for playing some of the best FPS games online with friends, this isn’t something that you’ll want to rely on as a replacement for one of the best microphones for streaming. It will get the job done, but I’ve heard better from cheaper gaming headsets. 

Should you buy the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5?

Buy it if…  

You want a stable wireless connection

The Hyperspeed 2.4 GHz dongle included with the new Razer Kaira Pro for PS5 works incredibly well and takes up little space on the console’s front ports.

You’re after strong audio performance

While the TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers are nothing new, they sound great at delivering distinctive audio when playing games or listening to music. 

You want total immersion

While the wireless HyperSense in-ear haptics can be a little hit-and-miss, when they work alongside the 3D Audio and the DualSense controller, it truly feels awesome. 

Don’t buy it if…  

You want a PS5 headset with leading battery life

There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll be charging the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 up a fair amount if you want to use the RGB and haptics regularly.

You already own the Razer Kaira Pro for PS5

There’s very little that separates this from the original version, so it isn’t worth upgrading if you have the first version. 

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