Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition review: Time to add the purr-fect flair to your headphones right meow

I have a lot of headphones around the house. I use them every day while I work from home, but I also like to use them just for enjoying music and podcasts around the house. For the most part, I have the headphones I have because I require good sound quality, maybe some Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and comfort. After all, I wear headphones (not earbuds) for several hours at a time — they need to sound good and be comfortable.

But there are times when I want a little something else. I want something cute, with an extra bit of RGB flair, like my mechanical keyboards. Oh, and if I can get it in pink, my absolute favorite color, well then that's even better. That's why when I saw the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition announced at RazerCon 2020, I knew that I had to get my hands on this headset.

Yes, this is the most kawaii set of headphones that I own, and while it isn't perfect, I regret nothing.

It's purrfect in the cute department

Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition review: What I like

I know that this is probably going to sound dumb, but I've been wanting a wireless headset with cat ears on it for years (it became even more popular with the anime, FLCL Progressive). I know that Razer has had the original Kraken headset for a few years now, and they have separate kitty ears for them, but it uses a USB connection, so it's impossible to use with my iPhone. I remember seeing cat headphones from Brookstone a while back, but I thought that the price was a little pricier than I'd like, and it now seems discontinued. So when Razer unveiled the Kraken BT Kitty Edition this year, I was ecstatic — I have several Razer peripherals, and I trust the brand overall. I have a pair of Razer Opus wireless headphones as well, so I'm glad to see Razer coming out with more wireless options.

The Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is made from plastic, but it feels quite hefty and premium, not cheap. The earcups are made with soft, plush leather, and the top of the headband also has leather, so it's very comfortable to wear, even for extended amounts of time. The headband is also fully adjustable to fit your head with nine different adjustment levels.

Even though the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition does not have ANC, I found the sound quality to be pretty good, all things considered. It features custom-tuned 40mm drivers that provide clear trebles and midrange, with deep bass. You can use the free Razer Audio app to change the equalizer settings to Amplified, Enhanced Bass, Enhanced Clarity, Vocal, Default, or Custom — it's up to you. I change the EQ depending on if I'm listening to music or podcasts, but regardless, the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition sounds great for the price.

With the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition, you get two internal beamforming mics, so your voice should sound clear. I don't really use these headphones to make calls or chat, but the audio quality is decent enough if you need to.

Like other wireless headsets, it takes about two hours to charge it up fully from zero to 100%, and Razer includes a matching Quartz micro-USB cable. The headset can last up to 50 hours if you have the RGB lighting off, but where's the fun in that? With RGB lighting, it will last around 20 hours. It automatically shuts off after about 10 minutes of no audio to conserve battery power. I can use this headset for a few days at a time before needing to recharge, and I have the RGB lights on all the time, so I'm impressed. And while you can pair the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition with multiple devices, you can't have simultaneous audio.

The lighting in the cat ears and on the Razer logo on the earcup exterior is powered by Razer's signature Chroma RGB. You have to download the free Razer Chroma RGB app on your iPhone to customize the lighting effects. With the app, you're able to change the lighting effect to sync with audio, breathe, cycle through the spectrum, or be static. All effects, except for spectrum (it goes through all colors), allow you to change the color of lighting used.

Overall, I really am enjoying the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition because the sound quality is great for the price, it's comfy and pink, and it has light up cat ears. It's almost everything I want in a pair of headphones.

Style over substance

Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition review: What I don't like

One of the biggest issues I have with the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is the fact that there is no play/pause button. While there is a scrolling wheel to adjust volume, there are no other buttons besides power. So when I need to pause my audio, I have to do it from my iPhone or connected device. It's a little annoying, to say the least.

I'm also surprised that the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition still uses micro-USB for charging because that's getting a little dated at this point. Especially considering that the Razer Opus is using USB-C, why not go the same route with the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition? And considering that they're still using micro-USB, I'm a little sad that they didn't add a 3.5mm audio jack so you can plug it into your headphone jack on a computer or mic.

While I am a big fan of the cat ears, you won't be able to remove them from this headset like with the original, wired Kraken. It also doesn't come with a carrying case, and the headphones don't fold down, so these aren't very portable.

Lastly, while I personally love Razer's Quartz color collection, I know not everyone is a fan of pink. I hope that Razer releases these headphones in black or Mercury (white) colors in the future. Heck, even some new colors like purple or blue would be nice too.

The competition

While Razer is probably the most well-known commercial brand with cat ear headphones, they aren't the only ones in the market. If you want cat ears on your wireless headphones but don't want to shell out the $100 for the Razer brand, there are alternatives like the Mindkoo Wireless Over-Ear Cat Headphones, which are around $40-$45 and even come in multiple colors.

If you want the cat ears but don't care for flashing LED lights, then the SOMIC Bluetooth Wireless Cat Ear Headset seems like a good option. It even has noise reduction technology if you require it.

Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition review: Should you buy?

You want cat ears

There are a lot of headphones out there, but how many of them have cat ears? If you want to look adorable while listening to your music, podcasts, or playing games, then these are great. Plus they have RGB lighting — who doesn't want glowing ears?

You prefer wireless

The original Razer Kraken headset (with or without cat ears) was only wired via USB. If you've been wanting a wireless Kraken headset, then this one works great overall. It has pretty good sound quality and long-lasting battery, considering the flashy RGB lights.

You like Razer Quartz

Razer's Quartz collection is arguably one of the brand's most popular colors. If you're a fan of light pink colors, then this is definitely a great addition to your setup.

You don't want cat ears

Cat ears aren't for everyone. If you don't care about looking kawaii, then yeah, these aren't for you.

You don't like pink

Unfortunately, Razer has only released the Kraken BT Kitty Edition in Quartz pink so far. So if you aren't a fan of pink and want a different color, you're out of luck right now. It's unknown whether Razer will release these headphones in another colorway. You can get the wired Kraken headset in other colors, but it uses USB only.

You need the best sound quality

The sound quality on the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is pretty good, but it may not be enough for those who want the best. It lacks ANC and there is no way to play/pause audio from the headset. If you are interested in Razer but want better sound quality, then I would recommend the Razer Opus headset instead.

If you're like me and have been wanting a pair of headphones that look cute with pretty good sound quality and is wireless, then the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is for you. But if you prefer having the best sound quality, don't care about looks, and dislike pink, then the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition isn't for you.

The Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is a good pair of headphones if you want cute style and flair with good sound quality. Sure, it won't beat the best noise-canceling headphones or anything like that, but you can improve the audio EQ with Razer's Audio app. And the RGB lighting effects on the ears and Razer logo can be customized to your liking through the Razer Chroma RGB app, which is sure to be a head-turner. It has good battery life ranging between 20-50 hours, and it's pretty darn comfortable to wear, even for extended amounts of time.

But I get it, these headphones aren't for everyone. If you wear headphones for the best sound quality and don't care about flashing lights or cat ears, that's okay. And I know not everyone likes pink (I can't get enough of it, apparently). Hopefully, Razer releases this in other colors in the future. And they should consider adding a play/pause button, standard 3.5mm audio jack, and switch over to USB-C in the next iteration.

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