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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Razer Kraken is generally more affordable and has higher scores for gaming and calls with a better microphone quality, making it a good choice for gamers or those in frequent video conferences. However, it isn't wireless, which might limit mobility. The Skullcandy Hesh ANC, while a bit pricier, offers wireless connectivity, active noise cancellation for better noise isolation, and is lighter in weight, improving its suitability for commuting or air travel. Additionally, the Skullcandy has better overall sound quality, so those prioritizing audio fidelity and silence from outside noise may prefer it. 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 Razer Kraken
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Gaming
8.3
5.6
The Razer Kraken is very good for gaming, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7
6.0
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
TV and Video
7.4
5.8
The Razer Kraken is good for TV and video, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
8.7
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is very good for noise reduction, while the Razer Kraken is only fair.
Battery
N/A
23.0 Hours
The Razer Kraken does not have a battery. The Skullcandy Hesh ANC has 23 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$135
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Razer Kraken has a price of $50 and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC costs $135.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Razer Kraken has very good build quality, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
7.1
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Kraken to be good for music, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair.
Phone Calls
5.5
5.3
The Razer Kraken and Skullcandy Hesh ANC are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Razer Kraken and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Razer Kraken | Skullcandy Hesh ANC |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $135 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Razer | Skullcandy | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2019 | December 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.4/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 23 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.6 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 322 Grams | 226.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Razer Kraken
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Gamer
Rob Dwiar | March 2019
"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."
Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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Headphonecheck
Maike Paeßens | 2021
"Skullcandy’s Hesh ANC are compact, wireless over-ears for everyday use that are tuned for bass and designed to suppress or amplify ambient noise as required. In addition to Bluetooth 5.0, optional tracking via the Tile app is supported so that these headphones can be found if they get lost."
Get a great deal on the Razer Kraken or the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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.
About Skullcandy
Skullcandy is an American, consumer-oriented, earbuds and headphones manufacturer with 20 years of market experience. They sell a wide variety of, budget-friendly and unique, wired and wireless products that are sure to please the vast majority of users. Among their most popular offerings, the Crusher headphones, includes a pair of actual subwoofers inside the cups which makes the bass extra prominent for a unique and extra fun sound.
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Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
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11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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.
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