Hello Razer community,
I would like to share my experience with two separate Kraken V4 Pro units and ask whether these issues are related to a specific batch, the wireless implementation, or the product itself.
I consider myself quite knowledgeable about computers and hardware, so I performed extensive troubleshooting before contacting Razer Support.
I purchased my first Kraken V4 Pro approximately four months ago. One of the first things I did was update the firmware. Shortly after, I noticed several issues.
1. Game/Chat Balance Issue
The Game/Chat Balance on the OLED Control Hub does not correctly center the actual audio.
For example, if I lower Chat and increase Game, pressing the Game/Chat dial correctly returns the indicator to the center and shows a 50/50 balance. However, the actual audio remains unbalanced, with Chat still noticeably quieter.
The audio only becomes properly balanced after I rotate the Game/Chat dial slightly left or right again.
So the displayed balance is centered, but the actual audio balance is not.
I tested this with Windows configured as:
Game → Default Device
Chat → Default Communications Device
2. OLED Control Hub – Screensaver & Wake-up Issue
The OLED Control Hub also had several issues.
Changes made through the physical Hub generally synchronized with Synapse immediately, but the screensaver setting did not.
For example, Synapse could show "No Screensaver", while the physical Hub would still have the Razer logo screensaver selected. Changing it directly from the Hub would temporarily fix it, but after restarting the PC or turning the headset off and on, it would return to the Razer logo.
There was also an OLED wake-up problem.
I keep the OLED brightness at the minimum 30% to reduce OLED wear. When the screensaver is disabled and the Hub goes to sleep, the OLED sometimes fails to wake up.
The Hub itself continues working normally:
- Volume works.
- Game/Chat controls work.
- Buttons work.
Only the OLED remains black. After approximately 30 seconds to one minute, it eventually wakes up by itself.
Importantly, this OLED wake-up problem also occurs on my second Kraken V4 Pro.
Troubleshooting the First Unit
I initially suspected that this might be related to Windows, drivers, or Synapse.
During the second month of using the first headset, I completely wiped my system SSD using Samsung Secure Erase and performed a completely clean Windows installation.
The problems remained.
I then tested the headset on a laptop that had never had Razer Synapse installed and had never been connected to any Razer device.
The same problems continued there as well.
At this point, I contacted Razer Support and provided videos demonstrating the issues.
Razer Support ultimately told me that the OLED Control Hub itself was defective and advised me to return the headset to the retailer, Amazon.
I returned the headset.
Second Kraken V4 Pro
I purchased a second brand-new Kraken V4 Pro, again from Amazon Turkey, with Amazon listed as the importer.
Before connecting the new headset to my desktop PC, I completely removed Razer Synapse and the other Razer software, restarted Windows, and then checked Device Manager. I removed all remaining Razer/Kraken-related devices, including the inactive Razer Control Device entries and their associated drivers, and restarted the PC again.
Only after this clean-up did I connect the new headset.
Synapse was not installed.
The second headset was still running the original firmware it came with out of the box. Before performing any firmware update, I immediately tested the Game/Chat Balance.
Windows detected the headset normally, and I configured:
Game → Default Device
Chat → Default Communications Device
I immediately tested the Game/Chat Balance.
Unfortunately, the exact same Game/Chat problem was already present on the second brand-new headset, before any firmware update was performed.
The OLED wake-up issue at 30% brightness was also reproduced.
At this point, I immediately tested the second headset on my laptop as well. Again, the same behavior occurred without Synapse installed.
I then updated the firmware using Razer's official Firmware Updater. After the firmware update was successfully completed, I tested Game/Chat again.
The problem remained exactly the same.
Firmware Update Behavior
The second headset came with older firmware, so I decided to update it using Razer's official Firmware Updater.
The updater first updates the Control Hub/dongle, and then asks you to connect the headset directly via USB for the headset firmware update.
This is where I noticed another reproducible issue.
During the headset firmware update, FirmwareUpdater.exe suddenly closes by itself in the middle of the process.
This exact behavior happened with both Kraken V4 Pro units:
- First headset → Desktop PC → USB-A cable → FirmwareUpdater.exe closed during the update.
- Second headset → Laptop → USB-C cable → FirmwareUpdater.exe closed during the update.
So this was reproduced on two different headsets, two different computers, and different USB connection methods. Running the updater a second time allows the firmware update to complete successfully. After successfully updating the second headset, I tested Game/Chat again. The Game/Chat problem remained.
Control Hub Rotary Knob & HAPTICS
There is also a physical difference I noticed on the second brand-new Control Hub.
The main rotary knob has inconsistent rotational resistance. At certain points during rotation, it becomes noticeably harder to turn.
When it reaches these positions, pressing the knob also feels different: instead of the normal tactile click, the button feels noticeably softer/mushier.
The button still registers the command every time, so it is not completely non-functional. However, the physical resistance and click feedback are noticeably different depending on the knob's rotational position.
Additionally, when haptic is enabled, if I open the Synapse app and go into the headset settings, the vibration suddenly stops. However, when I check it through Synapse, it still shows that haptic vibration is enabled and set to Medium.
If I press the haptic button on the headset itself, I hear a voice prompt saying “Haptic Low,” and the vibration starts working again from that point. This makes me realize that the haptic vibration had actually been turned off, even though Synapse still showed it as enabled and set to Medium.
So it seems that opening the headset settings in Synapse causes the haptic vibration to stop, while Synapse continues to incorrectly display it as enabled.
What makes this particularly strange
At this point, the same main issues have been reproduced across:
Two separate Kraken V4 Pro units
Two different computers
A completely clean Windows installation
A laptop without Synapse
Synapse completely removed
Different USB ports/connections
Before and after firmware updates
The first headset was also used for approximately four months, so these were not problems that appeared immediately after unboxing only.
The second headset reproduced the same problems almost immediately.
Both units were purchased from Amazon Turkey, with Amazon listed as the importer.
My questions
At this point, I would really appreciate some input from Razer staff or other Kraken V4 Pro owners.
1.
Has anyone else experienced a situation where the Game/Chat balance shows 50/50 on the Control Hub but the actual audio remains unbalanced until the dial is moved again?
2.
Could this be related specifically to the wireless Game/Chat implementation?
3.
Could there be a specific production batch or regional batch affected by this issue?
Both of my units were purchased from Amazon Turkey, with Amazon listed as the importer.
4.
Has anyone experienced the same behavior with a Kraken V4 Pro purchased from another retailer/importer?
5.
Is the inconsistent physical resistance/click feeling of the OLED Control Hub rotary knob considered normal? Also has anyone else experienced the same issue with the haptic vibration on their Razer headset?
6.
Has anyone experienced the OLED Control Hub failing to wake from sleep when the brightness is set to the minimum 30%?
7.
Has anyone else experienced FirmwareUpdater.exe unexpectedly closing during the headset firmware update, only for the update to succeed when the updater is run a second time?
At this point, I am trying to determine whether I received two defective units from the same Amazon supply batch, or whether these are more general Kraken V4 Pro issues.
Any feedback from other owners or Razer staff would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.