Image rights: Razer.Razer doesn’t just make gaming products
— at least not anymore. The Opus is a pair
of noise–cancelling headphones meant more
for your daily commute than your daily
deathmatch. For $199, you get a stylish pair
of headphones that will cancel out external
noise, with quality features that will appeal
to fans of the brand and newcomers alike.
Aesthetically, they’re subdued, with a
pleasing monochromatic design that sports
a pair of tasteful Razer logos on either side of
the headband. You get a hard case and all the
cables you need, with USB–C for charging.
The button layout is simple, with power
and ANC toggle on the left side and volume
controls and a button for Siri on the right.
Even on the subway, the active noise
cancellation works like a charm. It doesn’t
negate the sound of a train speeding down
the rails,but it’s good enough to comfortablyRazer Opus
High–end ANC headphones without the high–end price tag
$199.99 From Razer, razer.com
Features THX certified, ANC, quick attention mode, auto–pause/auto–play, up to 25 hours battery lifeRAZER OPUS
Great noise cancelling
Nicely balanced sound
USB–C port
Battery life is average
EXCELLENTblunt the noise. It’s able to do this thanks
to four mics located on the outside, which
intelligently cancel outside noises so you can
focus on your podcast or music.
They sound great too, thanks to their THX
certiĽcation, with a balanced audio no
matter what kind of music you’re listening
to. The Opus app lets you choose from
several presets to tailor them to your needs.
The real standout feature is the on–head
detection, which works brilliantly. Take
them oļ and your music stops, put them
back on and it resumes. You’ll wonder how
you ever lived without this feature.
They’re not quite as comfy to wear as the
competing Bose QC35 II headphones, but
those are twice the price.
THE BOTTOM LINE. Razer’s understated
design hides a powerhouse performance at
a price few can compete with. BILL THOMASHybrid ANC means the
noise is cancelled from
your ears, but the
headphones don’t totally
prevent others from
hearing your sounds.
Reviews
44 SEP 2020 maclife.com