Razer’s Nari Essential gaming headset offers solid wireless performance at an affordable price. The $99.99 headset works with PCs and PlayStation 4 consoles and offers a solid, comfortable build and surprisingly strong sound. It also offers simulated 7.1-channel surround sound and plenty of audio balance customization options, but only on PC; when used with a PS4, you’re limited to stereo and standard EQ. Still, the Nari Essential offers excellent value and earns our award for most affordable wireless gaming headset.
The Nari Essential is a great, distinctive Razer headset. The black plastic ear cups are large and round, with Razer logos on the backs. They don’t glow like on the Nari Ultimate, but are simply engraved. The round memory foam ear pads are covered in faux leather on the inside and outside, and a breathable soft fabric on the top where they rest against the ears and sides of the head.
All ports and controls are located at the bottom and back of the left earcup and consist of a power button, a micro USB port for charging, an LED indicator, and a volume wheel. The boom microphone is also located on the left earcup and consists of a cylindrical black capsule attached to a flexible arm that folds up and rests against the side of the earcup when not in use.
The earcups are attached to circular rings that allow them to rotate up and down easily, regardless of the flexibility of the headband. The headband is a two-piece design, with an upper portion consisting of two thin, black aluminum bands and a lower portion consisting of padding attached to a wire suspension. The suspended head padding provides a secure, comfortable fit, and the fabric on the ear pads allows for long listening sessions without getting your ears too warm.
The included USB transmitter is a simple rectangular piece of black plastic that can be mistaken for any flash drive. There are no indicator lights or buttons, just an embossed Razer logo on the top. The Nari Essential works wirelessly with PCs and PlayStation 4 consoles. It does not work with the Xbox One X, nor does it have a wired connection option. Razer says the headset lasts up to 16 hours before needing to be recharged.
When you connect the Nari Essential to your PC, you can use THX Spatial Audio through the Razer Synapse app to get simulated 7.1-channel surround sound through the headset. The app also offers a user-adjustable 10-band EQ, which is useful since the headset sounds very bass-heavy out of the box.
