The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Marshall Major IV headphones are a better choice if you prioritize long battery life and wireless charging, as well as enjoying music due to their higher music listening score. However, they are not suited for use during exercise and are not optimized for TV and video because of their average scores in these areas. Alternatively, the Razer Kraken scores higher for gaming and provides a better surround sound experience, making it a solid pick for gamers, but it does not offer wireless connectivity and is heavier, which might be less comfortable for long sessions. Neither option has active noise canceling, so if you need to block out ambient noise, you may want to consider other models. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Marshall Major IV
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Razer Kraken
Good for music
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.6/10
7.1/10
The Razer Kraken is good for music, while the Marshall Major IV is only fair.
Gaming
5.4/10
8.3/10
The Razer Kraken is very good for gaming, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.1/10
4.7/10
The Marshall Major IV is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
TV and Video
5.7/10
7.4/10
The Razer Kraken is good for TV and video, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.6/10
6.5/10
The Razer Kraken is only fair for noise reduction, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Battery
80.0 Hours
N/A
The Marshall Major IV has 80 hours of battery life. The Razer Kraken does not have a battery.
Cost
$100
$50
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Marshall Major IV has a price of $100 and the Razer Kraken costs $50.
"The Marshall Major IV shares quite a bit in common with its predecessor, but a key upgrade appears to be softer ear cushions. They make upgrading worth it. As a set of basic wired or wireless headphones the Major IV ticks most boxes by remaining easy to use, and fairly comfortable (at least, as on-ear headphones go)."
"Generally the Kraken is a very comfortable headset and there’s nothing that really identifies it as anything else. All in, the Kraken performed exactly as I’d expect a premium, designated gaming headset to perform: performing well in game audio, though not quite with the same quality of those headsets further up the price scale."
Get a great deal on the Marshall Major IV or the Razer Kraken
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.