As Razer proudly states on the box of their new Blackshark V3 Pro, the Blackshark series as a whole is a huge success. "#1 PC Gaming Headset" it says, with Circana cited as the source, and that's probably accurate. Razer has actually managed to establish itself as a solid go-to for many consumers who want something that works, but without involving those typical high-end extra accessories that make, for example, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless just that bit more expensive.
At first glance, the V3 Pro is cut from roughly the same cloth as its predecessor, and that is broadly meant as a compliment. It weighs 367 grams, which is solidly distributed across the entire frame, and thanks to fairly solid memory foam on each ear cup, they are also quite comfortable. I have stated several times that I prefer headsets with a soft band across the top, as the pressure on the top of the head is distributed more evenly. The Blackshark V3 Pro does not have this, but that said, the comfort is reliable, if not impressive at times.
There is the option of dual connection via Bluetooth 5.3 and the included dongle, however it should be noted that this does not have its own male USB, but a female port that requires you to use a cable (one is included). This is not a significant issue, but it does mean that the 2.4 GHz connection now requires two components instead of one.
Unfortunately, there is no way to replace the batteries quickly. For some strange reason, SteelSeries stands alone here in giving the user the option of always having access to a fresh battery. On the other hand, it lasts about 60-70 hours, provided you don't use one of the new features, but basically the battery life is perfectly fine.
The microphone is Razer's Hyperclear Full Band 12 mm microphone. It's still inserted with a jack in one ear cup, which is still a rather poor solution. Yes, you have the freedom to remove it when you are not using it, but where on earth do you store it? Why can't it be inside the ear cup or simply flipped up along the frame when not in use? For me, this is a misunderstanding of user freedom, and the components that make up the headset's essential functionality should all be able to be in the same place, within the same frame, whether they are in use or not. However, there is nothing to complain about in terms of quality, as this is one of the best microphones on the market today, isolating external noise while providing a smooth sound without peaks and poor frequency handling.
So far, it's a bit of a mixed bag, and it actually stays that way. The new standout feature is active noise cancellation, or "hybrid ANC", because the effect is achieved through a combination of microphones outside and inside the ear cups. The effect is fine, there is definitely a reduction in ambient noise, but since the cups themselves are covered in mesh and do not seem to be designed to really block noise through passive reduction, the effect of the active noise cancellation is a little more subdued than one might otherwise expect.
However, the sound is sublime, it really is. They promise latency of less than 10ms, which is obviously important, but these new 50mm TriForce Bio-Cellulose drivers, which run at 12-28,000Hz, sound better than... well, almost anything else. Razer has long been a leader in terms of its own proprietary drivers, and here they prove that they can do something very special on that front. It's optimal when this "aural" sound is also allowed to prove itself positionally, as in competitive gaming, but they really come into their own in all kinds of gaming experiences.
The Blackshark V3 Pro is worth recommending for the simple reason that it sounds so exceptional, but at the same time, it's frustrating that with this detachable microphone, the lack of a comfortable headband, and a price that is close to kissing SteelSeries' Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, where you could argue that you get more "product" for your money, there are still some rough edges to smooth out before Razer deserves the marketing they've put on the box, at least in my opinion.