Hard Stuff: Razer Chimaera review

On first glance, the wireless Chimaera's gloss and flat-black coloring is absolutely gorgeous, but this beauty is tarnished by some quirky design choices. For one, there's no USB connection. Instead, there's a docking station that resembles an upside-down “T” that's powered by an A/C outlet plug. You also have to use RCA cables to connect the docking station to your soundcard or motherboard. If neither of those have RCA inputs—and they probably don't—you'll have to search for a 3.5mm to RCA adapter cable that may or may not have come with your mobo or soundcard, or head to your local electronics store and buy one (they're just a couple bucks). You then rest the headset on top of the docking station to recharge the Chimaera's two included, but tough to install AAA batteries.

Still—once it's functional—the Chimaera sounds wonderful. It's a 2.1 headest, but the bass is punchy, and sword swipes and gunshots seem to come from all directions, despite the lack of any virtual surround software. The mic quality is average, but fine for gaming and Skype. I managed to squeeze out 10 hours of use on a charge, and I successfully walked up three flights of stairs before the 2.4GHz wireless signal began to hiccup. That's respectable, but for 130 bucks, there are better wireless headsets out there (such as the Logitech F540s) that don't require as much setup frustration.

$130 ◆ www.razerzone.com ◆ Category: Dream