Razer is known the world over, practically every place where you’ll find hardcore gamers serious about gaming, for its high-quality gaming products which push the mold and strive to give gamers an absolute advantage. The Razer Megalodon is a colossal USB headset which promises 7.1 channel surround sound, and gives you a great deal of control over your audio, whether that may be in the gaming or the media realm. It comes with a gold plated USB connector, a far reaching and sturdy cable, as well as an Audio Processing Unit.
Razer is known for giving its products outrageous names borrowed from some of the deadliest animals. And the Megalodon sponges off what might just have been the biggest (and most menacing) shark to ever swim the seas. The giant megalodon shark is extinct though, so you have to wonder what the folks at Razer were thinking when they gave the headset its name, and if there’s something even better, more evolved, in store.
The Razer Megalodon comes in a package which is almost as amazing as the headset. A superb Kevlar-like case housing the Megalodon and exuding style at the same time, protects the headset and provides a nice, comfortable resting place for when not in use. The Megalodon’s Audio Processing Unit is a great way to control your sound experience, and with the press of a button can take you from 2.0 to 7.1 channel sound configurations. Not only does it have a master volume control for all channels, but you can individually raise or lower the centre, front, side, rear volume and bass levels. The APU’s extra grippy bottom surface keeps it firmly in place during even the most extreme and intense gaming sessions.
The Megalodon looks great, sporting gloss and rubber-like matte elements in just the right places. It makes a perfect fit for long gaming sessions. The classic square look of the Audio Processing Unit with its turntable style volume control in the middle gives a very sophisticated feel. Some might argue that the wires to and from the APU are a bit inconveniently placed, and that it heats up a little with prolonged use. But the pros of the headset significantly outweigh its cons.
The APU lights up magnificently, as do the backs of the ear cups, and only one negative can be drawn on the Megalodon, which is seen throughout the company’s product range. The gloss finish in certain places makes it a huge fingerprint and dust magnet. Thus though the Megalodon has that special Razer persona and charm, in terms of looks it gets 8.0 out of ten.
The Razer Megalodon is easily one of the most comfortable headsets out there and in terms of comfort it scores a cool 9.5 out of ten. You might think that the ear cups will start to hurt a bit after a while like most other headsets. But the Megalodon’s soft yet firm ear cups are amazingly comfortable and never get in the way of a gaming session. Even the padding on the head band has been designed to minimize discomfort.
The Razer Megalodon provides amazing functionality, and before long you’ll be using it for practically every sound need you have. It provides an easy, quick and convenient way to control the intensity of sound as you like it. The headset does little in terms of noise reduction though. But crank up the volume to the higher red levels on the APU and all you’ll hear is exactly what you want. A quick Master Guide consult and you should be able to fine tune the various channels to your liking. The nifty microphone does not get in the way while playing and can be tucked away neatly when not needed. In terms of functionality, the Razer Megalodon gets a very well deserved 9.5 out of ten. What’s great is that the headset needs no install. Just plug it in and let your new sound experience take off.
When we heard the rumour that with the Razer Megalodon you could actually hear practically every tiny sound detail with pristine quality in Counter-Strike, we were skeptical. But a quick jump into the game sorted that out. The headset’s 7.1 channel surround sound will alert you accurately as to which direction an enemy is coming from. And the shotgun shell casings hitting the ground can be heard from a mile away. It won’t suit you to play all games using the Megalodon though. And many don’t support 7.1 channel surround sound. Using the headset’s Maelstrom engine with such games will probably give you a reverb-like distorted effect. But you can just as easily switch to 2.0 channel sound for those that don’t support the surround sound.
The Final Word: The Razer Megalodon is definitely an amazing headset suited for long hours of gaming or other audio activities. It has so many features that once you get a taste of its capabilities you won’t be able to live and game without it. Priced at a steep 150 US dollars, the Megalodon might give you something to think about before buying. But it is every bit worth its high price tag.
Looks: 8.0/10.
Comfort: 9.5/10.
Functionality: 9.5/10.
Overall (not an average): 9.2/10.