The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you play a lot of games or spend a lot of time in front of your computer, the Razer Kraken V3 is suitable with its good sound and build quality, and boom mic for clear communication, but these are cabled and may not be as convenient for on-the-go usage. Conversely, the Sony WH-CH520 is much more portable, offers wireless connectivity with a long battery life, and is a better value if you're on a budget, making it ideal for a variety of uses such as calls, music, and TV, although they may not be as well-suited for high-intensity gaming due to the integrated microphone and less focused gaming features. 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 V3
The Razer Kraken V3 has no clear advantages over the Sony WH-CH520.
Advantages of the Sony WH-CH520
Very good for gaming
Very good for TV and video
Very good for air travel
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
7.3/10
8.8/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the Razer Kraken V3 is good.
Phone Calls
5.0/10
6.7/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the Razer Kraken V3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7/10
8.0/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken V3 is poor.
TV and Video
7.0/10
8.2/10
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Razer Kraken V3 is good.
Noise Reduction
6.0/10
4.6/10
The Razer Kraken V3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
N/A
52.0 Hours
The Razer Kraken V3 does not have a battery. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$70
$40
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Razer Kraken V3 has a price of $70 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $40.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.0/10
The Razer Kraken V3 has very good build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
"This Razer Kraken V3 is a great headset for gamers who want comfort, surround sound, and software customization for a reasonable price. It's primarily a headset for PC gamers since THX Spatial audio is only supported on Windows. If you want something more multifaceted for multiple systems, this won't be an ideal headset for you. Luckily, there are plenty of competent Kraken V3 alternatives available to you."
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Get a great deal on the Razer Kraken V3 or the Sony WH-CH520
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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
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.