Gaming Headsets · owner-verdict comparison

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro vs Arctis Nova 5: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Arctis Nova 5: 63% of 71 owners recommend it, vs 50% of 458 for the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro

50%of 458 owners recommend
50% recommend · 15% neutral · 35% don't
Owners praise
  • Best-in-class microphone quality
  • Very comfortable and lightweight
  • Great sound and gaming immersion
Owners complain about
  • Hinges crack, build feels cheap
  • Buggy Razer Synapse software
  • White noise or static hiss
Full owner report →

Arctis Nova 5

63%of 71 owners recommend
63% recommend · 19% neutral · 18% don't
Full owner report →

What Razer BlackShark V2 Pro owners say

“The mic upgrade is so impressive.”
— @iSpenC on YouTube
“the difference in the mic quality of the 2020 version vs the 2023 version us huuuuuuge”
— @kurtramos59 on YouTube
“The hinge on my headset just exploded yesterday good shit... The right hinge in particular”
— @marcellszabo4000 on YouTube

What Arctis Nova 5 owners say

“I doubt there is anything better for the price. I mean, they don’t sound like my $300 Audeze Maxwell’s but wouldn’t expect that for the cost difference. I like them enough”
— genxdud3 on Reddit
“been using this for awhile, sound are pretty details.”
— Kiryoxe on Reddit
“Yup, same issue Made a post about it yesterday and there’s been plenty of complaints on this sub. Wish SteelSeries would address it as there’s clearly an issue with the Nova 5.”
— WorthyJoker on Reddit