Razer Hammerhead True Wireless X

This compact pair of earbuds and their charging case weighs a total of 53 grams, of which 43 grams are accounted for by the case. One earbud weighs only five grams, which encourages a comfortable fit, especially as the earbuds do not fit “tightly” in the ear canal like classic in-ears but “loosely” in the ear cup, making the system a thoroughly recommended alternative for pressure-sensitive ears. Due to their design, the shielding from the outside world is also significantly lower than with in-ears so that there is more safety outdoors, as the environment is not completely blocked out even at higher volume levels. At the same time, these earphones offer sufficient support, especially with the enclosed silicone attachments, to be able to break into a run on the go. However, their compatibility with hats is limited due to the height of the housing, as the design does not fit flat to the ears but protrudes slightly.

With a runtime of six hours and 15 minutes at a higher volume, the Hammerhead True Wireless X delivered respectable results in our battery test, although the listening time is reduced to a good five hours with illuminated touch surfaces. Since these earbuds can be fully charged three times in the case and once more with a capacity for just under 90 minutes, the total runtime without light is over 26 hours, while a good 21 hours can be achieved with visual effects. It seems impractical that these earpieces do not have a charging indicator, which means that it is not clear whether the batteries are being charged and when the process is complete, which, according to our tests, takes a little more than 60 minutes. The case, on the other hand, can be powered via the existing USB-C port and has an LED that signals that the battery reserve has been restored after one hour and 45 minutes. A corresponding USB-C to USB-A charging cable is included.

Operation

Pairing the earbuds, which can also be used in single mode on one side, can be done directly by opening the case, which switches the system on and automatically puts it into pairing mode. It is also possible to quickly connect Android devices via Fast Pair. Switching off is done by putting it back into the charger or via a timer that can be set up via the app, and the headphones can be switched on again afterwards by briefly holding the touch surfaces. However, manual switch-off via the touch-sensitive housing surfaces is not supported.

If a wireless connection is established, a tap controls playback; this can be done on both sides and is also used to answer and end phone calls. A double-tap, on the other hand, skips forward to the next track, while a triple-tap skips back. Volume control is also possible, with a tap plus a subsequent hold reducing the level on the left side and increasing it on the right. The gaming mode can also be switched on and off on both sides by double-tapping plus holding. Overall, the remote responds reliably, even if the playback control initially seems to take a little getting used to, as the start/stop function responds to a short hold rather than a tap, which has the advantage in everyday use that accidental pausing or starting of playback is avoided. It is also a good solution that the assignment of the touch control can be adjusted quite freely within the app, which, for example, offers the option of selecting activation voice assistants if desired. Another positive aspect is that both sides of a phone call are reproduced cleanly and clearly, resulting in excellent speech intelligibility.

App connectivity

The free Razer Audio app for Android and iOS devices provides access to a ten-band equaliser that allows for extensive sound customisation. However, custom settings cannot yet be saved as a pre-set, which would be a desirable update making it possible to switch between different custom EQ settings. In addition, a small selection of pre-configured settings is also available; here, all sound changes are permanent and thus active independently of the app. As well as the assignment of touch controls, it is also possible to specify whether the touch-sensitive earpiece surfaces are illuminated with the Razer logo, which lights up either statically or in waves fading in and out. The intensity of the lighting effect can also be controlled.

The gaming mode can also be activated and deactivated via the app, and according to the manufacturer, this optimises the synchronicity of picture and sound through a reduced latency of 60 milliseconds, which also benefits video clips and films. However, compared to the standard wireless connection, the range is halved from ten to about five metres, especially since Bluetooth dropouts can occur at a shorter distance in gaming mode. Other features of the app include a battery level indicator for both earpieces, the selection of multilingual voice prompts and firmware updates for the earbuds.

Sound

Earbud systems, particularly in the lower and mid-price segments, often sound treble-heavy and have a slim low-frequency presentation that has presence primarily in the upper bass range, which can be attributed in part to the design and their “loose” fit. This is not the case with the Hammerhead True Wireless X. On the contrary, these headphones are surprisingly powerful and, thanks to their full, assertive sound, they are also ideally suited for outdoor activities and offer powerful listening pleasure for bass-oriented productions. Although the basic tuning is not aimed at an ultra-deep and powerful bass, it is based on a quite rich bass reproduction with depth that neither booms nor drones, but sounds well defined. The warmly perceived midrange is also pleasing, clear, tidy and playful, and reproduces both instruments and vocals with energy and body. All the more so as voices are easy to understand and there is no tendency to sibilance. One thing that is missing is a certain effervescence in the upper registers, which only show a slight sharpness at high volume levels, but otherwise, seem a little more restrained. In terms of audio codecs, the earbuds support Bluetooth standard SBC as well as the higher-quality AAC format, while aptX has been omitted.