BlackShark V3 Pro vs PRO X3 LIGHTSPEED: Most Players Should Get the V3 Pro, Mic and EQ First Means X3

The verdict: BlackShark V3 Pro for most, PRO X3 if mic and EQ come first

Most players should buy the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro (★★★★☆ 4.0). Both are flagship wireless gaming headsets with 50mm drivers, both land in the mid 350g range, and in the US both launched at the same official price. That last point matters, because for the same money the V3 Pro simply does more.

It has four level hybrid active noise cancelling with an ambient mode, it can play 2.4GHz game audio and Bluetooth audio at the same time, and it also works over USB and a 3.5mm cable.

According to a lab review, it is slightly better than Logitech's previous PRO X 2 as gaming headphones, with much better on ear controls. In the November 2026 public pro gear counts it is also the number one headset among VALORANT and CS2 pros.

If you play in a noisy room, take phone calls mid match, or move between PC, PS5 and your phone, this is the easy pick.

The Logitech G PRO X3 LIGHTSPEED (★★★½ 3.5) is the right call for a narrower group.

Pick it if you spend most of your sessions on Discord or in game voice and the mic is the priority, if you like dialing sound in yourself with a 10 band parametric EQ, or if your mouse and keyboard already live in Logitech G HUB.

Just go in knowing the trade offs: there is no ANC, no simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, and because it only shipped about a month ago there are no independent lab measurements yet.

Star ratings: V3 Pro 4.0, PRO X3 3.5

We left the X3's owner reputation unrated because there is only one unsponsored owner post we could find and retail review counts are still at zero, so its overall score is recalculated from the other four criteria.

The V3 Pro's 3.0 for value reflects that it packs the most features in its class but also costs more than Razer's own lower models by a margin some reviewers found hard to justify.

Specs side by side: similar weight, longer feature list on the V3 Pro

On paper the V3 Pro reaches lower and higher, but frequency range is not a sound quality score. The real dividing lines are ANC, simultaneous connections, microphone pickup pattern and how you tune the EQ. The 11g weight gap is small enough that both feel like the same class of headset, and both got heavier than the model they replace.

Features: get the V3 Pro if you need ANC or dual connections

The V3 Pro clearly wins on features. Its hybrid ANC has four strength levels plus an ambient mode, and you can listen to PC game audio through the 2.4GHz dongle while a phone call or music comes in over Bluetooth. One review specifically noted that the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth mixing works well.

On the ear cups you get an ANC button, a connection switch and a roller that balances game and chat volume, so most adjustments never need the app. If one headset has to cover your PC, Mac, PS5 and phone, this is the biggest reason to choose it.

Opinions on the ANC itself are mixed. One review felt the noise cancelling was not especially strong, and another explained that running ANC together with the default low latency mode cuts battery life noticeably. The PRO X3 has neither ANC nor simultaneous audio.

It supports Bluetooth 5.3, but you switch between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz with a button rather than hearing both, so if you usually keep your phone audio in your ears while gaming, the X3 is not the right fit.

Microphone: the X3 has slightly better evidence, but no lab data

For voice chat, the evidence leans slightly toward the X3. Its detachable full band mic records at 48kHz/16bit, and Logitech's BLUE VO!CE filters in G HUB let you shape how you sound. One review went as far as calling it the best headset mic it had evaluated.

The V3 Pro mic splits reviewers, with verdicts ranging from excellent to fine to average. Keep one detail in mind: Logitech moved from a cardioid mic on the PRO X 2 to an omnidirectional mic on the X3, so the strong noise handling the PRO X 2 showed in lab testing should not be assumed for the X3. Nobody has measured the X3 mic under controlled conditions yet.

Weight and comfort: an 11g gap, and clamp force is personal

The weight difference is minor. The V3 Pro weighs 367g and the X3 weighs 356g, and both added weight over their predecessors: the V3 Pro is 47g heavier than the 320g BlackShark V2 Pro, and the X3 is 11g heavier than the PRO X 2.

Razer uses oval cups with dual layer FlowKnit memory foam, while Logitech ships the X3 with leatherette pads and includes a spare set of velour pads in the box. Reviews describe the V3 Pro clamp as on the lighter side but warm on hot days, and praise the X3 build and comfort.

Owner posts are split in both directions, with one person finding the V3 Pro clamp too strong and another finding the X3 painful after an hour with glasses, so fit really comes down to your head shape and whether you wear glasses.

Battery and connection: both say 70 hours, under different conditions

Both headsets are rated for up to 70 hours, but the fine print differs. Razer's 70 hours applies to a PC on 2.4GHz only; with 2.4GHz and Bluetooth running together, its console spec sheet lists 35 hours.

A review also relayed Razer's explanation that the low latency mode is on by default and that pairing it with ANC brings runtime to roughly 30 hours. A full charge takes about four hours, and 15 minutes of charging gives about six hours of use.

The X3 is rated for up to 70 hours, 20 more than the previous generation, but there are no runtime measurements yet. On wireless latency, a lab review puts the V3 Pro on the low side, while the X3 uses Logitech LIGHTSPEED with a rated range of up to 30m.

Footsteps and EQ: no measurement settles which is better

Nobody can honestly tell you which headset makes footsteps easier to hear in VALORANT or CS2. There is no imaging test that measured both under the same conditions, and reviewers liked the gaming performance of each. The real difference is how you tune them.

The V3 Pro leans on Synapse EQ, presets made with pro players and THX Spatial Audio. The X3 gives you a 10 band parametric EQ where you set frequency and width yourself and store the result on the headset.

The X3 review described its default tuning as a little warmer than the PRO X 2 and called the parametric EQ the biggest upgrade. Either way, in game audio settings matter more than the headset for footsteps, so start with our VALORANT HRTF and footsteps settings guide.

Pro usage and popularity: the V3 Pro leads, the X3 is just starting

Popularity is where the V3 Pro pulls far ahead. In the November 2026 public pro gear counts it is the most used headset overall at 17.25 percent, and it leads both VALORANT at 24.11 percent and CS2 at 18.11 percent.

Through the June count the older V2 Pro was on top; by November the V3 Pro had taken over. The X3 is already used by 0.65 percent of tracked pros about a month after launch, but it is not near the top yet.

Two caveats apply: these lists track pro choices rather than sales, and in the League of Legends count the Logitech PRO X 2 is the most used headset.

In the box, warranty and software

Both boxes cover wireless and wired use right away. The V3 Pro comes with the detachable mic, a 2.4GHz dongle that connects to your PC by a USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A cable and a USB-C to 3.5mm cable.

The X3 includes the detachable mic with a foam windscreen, a USB-A LIGHTSPEED receiver with its own 3.5mm port, a USB-A to USB-C cable, a 3.5mm cable, velour ear pads and a soft pouch. Razer offers up to two years of warranty, and Logitech offers a two year limited hardware warranty.

On software, the V3 Pro uses Razer Synapse and the Razer Audio app, while the X3 uses Logitech G HUB and the Logitech G mobile app; downloading community EQ profiles for the X3 requires signing in. THX 7.1.4 spatial audio on the V3 Pro needs Windows 11 23H2 or later.

Buying in the US: close prices, so features decide

Both headsets launched in the US at the same US$249.99, and both are easy to find at major retailers. As of November 10, 2026, the official Razer US store lists the V3 Pro at US$259.99 with a sale price of US$209.99, while the official Logitech G US store lists the X3 at US$249.99.

When the prices are this close, the V3 Pro's extra ANC, dual connections and USB wired mode make it the stronger buy for most people. The X3 earns its place only if the mic and parametric EQ are worth more to you than those features.

Special editions of the V3 Pro are sometimes listed at different prices, and both brands run periodic sales, so check the current price at the retailer before you buy. If you want a lighter BlackShark for less, the 320g BlackShark V2 Pro is still sold at a lower list price.

Prices (as of November 10, 2026)

In the US the two flagships launched at the same price and still sit within about US$50 of each other, which is why features decide this matchup. During the current Razer sale the V3 Pro is actually the cheaper of the two.

The lighter BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) is the one to watch for sales, since its official store price has dropped well below its list price. Prices change often by retailer, color and promotion, so treat this table as a November 10, 2026 snapshot and check the retailer before you buy.

Who should buy which

• BlackShark V3 Pro is for you if you want the headset most VALORANT and CS2 pros use right now
• BlackShark V3 Pro is for you if you take calls or play music from your phone while gaming, or play in loud rooms and on the go
• PRO X3 LIGHTSPEED is for you if you live in Discord or voice chat and like tuning EQ precisely
• PRO X3 LIGHTSPEED is for you if your gear already runs in Logitech G HUB or it sells for less where you shop
• Skip the V3 Pro if you want a lighter headset (the 320g V2 Pro is the alternative) or never use ANC and dual connections
• Skip the X3 if you need ANC or dual connections, want lab data before buying, or already own a PRO X 2

What owners are saying

Early owner feedback is positive on sound and mic for both. A first time V3 Pro buyer reported a clean sound with the default EQ and clear Discord voice, and an X3 owner who received it as a gift noted tighter bass and cooler velour pads. Complaints show up on both sides too.

One person who tried the V3 Pro in a store found the clamp pressed on their cheekbones, while one X3 owner mentioned discomfort with glasses after an hour, sidetone that stays quiet even at maximum, and missing ANC and ambient modes.

These are single posts from Korean gaming communities, so they are examples rather than patterns. Some X3 posts we found were part of sponsored trial programs, so we did not treat post volume as popularity, and a major Japanese price comparison site had no owner reviews for either model yet. For fit and clamp in particular, try one in store if you can or check the return policy before buying.

Coming from a V2 Pro or PRO X 2

Moving from a V2 Pro to a V3 Pro makes sense if you will use ANC and dual connections. Pros are shifting to the V3 Pro, but it is 47g heavier, and one review concluded the 2023 V2 Pro is cheaper with better sound and mic.

If you want ANC, simultaneous Bluetooth and USB wired audio, the V3 Pro is a clear upgrade. PRO X 2 owners should know that reviewers found the X3 shell nearly identical, so unless the new mic, parametric EQ or longer battery matter to you, there is little reason to switch. For a wired budget comparison, see our HyperX Cloud II vs Cloud III breakdown.

How we rated and chose

Stars are a weighted average of performance 35 percent, value 25 percent, owner reputation 20 percent, trend 10 percent and durability and support 10 percent, rounded to the nearest half star.

Performance uses official specs and lab reviews, and any product without lab data is capped at 3.5 no matter how much reviewers liked it.

Value compares price and features within the flagship wireless class, trend looks at public pro gear counts and retail popularity rankings, and durability looks at warranty terms and build quality verdicts. Single owner posts never move a score.

These are the same criteria that made the V3 Pro our premium pick in best gaming headsets, and if you are buying your first headset, the gaming headset buying guide explains what to look for.

Switched headsets? Record before and after and compare

Whether a new headset actually helps is easier to judge from your own gameplay than from a spec sheet.

Record matches on the same map and mode before and after the switch, and you can compare how quickly you turn after hearing footsteps and whether your voice gets buried under game audio in matching scenes. Our before and after gear recording guide walks through the full process.

1. 1Record a baselineWith DOR running, play a few matches of VALORANT in your usual mode on your old headset. DOR detects supported games when they launch and records each full match to My Clips.
2. 2Record the new headset under the same conditionsKeep in game audio settings, mic volume and recording quality (free default is 1080p at 30fps) the same, then play the same number of matches on the new headset.
3. 3Check your voiceDOR captures game audio and your mic on one track, so play back the moments where you speak in both recordings and adjust mic position or volume if your voice gets lost.
4. 4Compare reaction momentsCompare how long it took to turn or aim after hearing footsteps in similar situations, then trim and save the moments you want inside the app. In VALORANT, kills are also saved as automatic highlight clips.

You can then combine the trimmed clips in DOR Studio, add text and export a side by side before and after video. The goal is not to judge the headset's sound from a recording, but to see whether your reactions and communication actually changed.