Audio gear is important when it comes to gaming and entertainment. It’s one of the things that help you immerse yourself in what you play and watch on screen. Headphones are one of these audio gear, and it’s essential to have when you want to have a gaming setup.
Not only are headphones very popular when you are gaming or just looking for good headphones, but there are many of them out there. Although the headphone market has an extensive list to choose from, Razer headphones are always the ones standing out.
Razer is the world’s leader when it comes to anything gaming-related. From their premium gaming peripherals to their systems, they have been one of the top companies in the industry.
The Nari and the Nari Essential are a few headphones made by Razer. Made under the Razer Nari Series of headphones, both have similarities and differences. Let’s see whether the Nari or the Nari Essential is a better choice.
Main Differences
Unlike what you might expect from the name, the Razer Nari is the better gaming headset compared to the Razer Nari Essential.
In comparison, the Razer Nari has better speakers, better battery life, and additional RGB lighting.
Comparison – Razer Nari vs Nari Essential
Razer Nari | Razer Nari Essential | |
 |  | |
Headset Type | over-ear headset | over-ear headset |
Ear Cushion | fabric for heat dissipation / synthetic leather / memory foam | fabric for heat dissipation / synthetic leather / memory foam |
7.1 Sourround Sound Speaker | ||
Speaker Frequency | 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz | 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz |
Driver Unit Size | 50 mm | 40 mm |
Impendance | 32 Ohms | 32 Ohms |
Microphone Type | Retractable unidirectional microphone | Unidirectional flip microphone |
Microphone Frequency | 100 Hz to 6,500 Hz | 100 Hz to 6,500 Hz |
Removable Microphone | Retractable | |
Wind Noise Reduction | ||
Mute Function | ||
Control Panel | placed on device | placed on device |
RGB Lighting | Razer Chroma | |
3.5 mm Connection | ||
USB Connection | ||
Wireless Connection | ||
Battery Runtime | up to 14 hours with Razer Chroma / up to 20 hours without Razer Chroma | up to 16 hours |
Changeable Cable | without cable connection | without cable connection |
Cable Length | without cable connection | without cable connection |
Windows | ||
macOS | ||
Nintendo Switch | ||
PlayStation | ||
Xbox | ||
Mobile Device | ||
Dimensions | 7.29" x 8.63" x 3.94"/ 18.5 x 21.9 x 10.0 cm | 7.29" x 8.63" x 3.94"/ 18.5 x 21.9 x 10.0 cm |
Weight | 0.95 lbs / 0.433 kg | 0.95 lbs / 0.433 kg |
Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
Razer Nari | Razer Nari Essential |
| | |
Headset Type over-ear headset | Headset Type over-ear headset |
Ear Cushion fabric for heat dissipation / synthetic leather / memory foam | Ear Cushion fabric for heat dissipation / synthetic leather / memory foam |
7.1 Sourround Sound Speaker | 7.1 Sourround Sound Speaker |
Speaker Frequency 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz | Speaker Frequency 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz |
Driver Unit Size 50 mm | Driver Unit Size 40 mm |
Impendance 32 Ohms | Impendance 32 Ohms |
Microphone Type Retractable unidirectional microphone | Microphone Type Unidirectional flip microphone |
Microphone Frequency 100 Hz to 6,500 Hz | Microphone Frequency 100 Hz to 6,500 Hz |
Removable Microphone Retractable | Removable Microphone |
Wind Noise Reduction | Wind Noise Reduction |
Mute Function | Mute Function |
Control Panel placed on device | Control Panel placed on device |
RGB Lighting Razer Chroma | RGB Lighting |
3.5 mm Connection | 3.5 mm Connection |
USB Connection | USB Connection |
Wireless Connection | Wireless Connection |
Battery Runtime up to 14 hours with Razer Chroma / up to 20 hours without Razer Chroma | Battery Runtime up to 16 hours |
Changeable Cable without cable connection | Changeable Cable without cable connection |
Cable Length without cable connection | Cable Length without cable connection |
Windows | Windows |
macOS | macOS |
Nintendo Switch | Nintendo Switch |
PlayStation | PlayStation |
Xbox | Xbox |
Mobile Device | Mobile Device |
Dimensions 7.29" x 8.63" x 3.94"/ 18.5 x 21.9 x 10.0 cm | Dimensions 7.29" x 8.63" x 3.94"/ 18.5 x 21.9 x 10.0 cm |
Weight 0.95 lbs / 0.433 kg | Weight 0.95 lbs / 0.433 kg |
Warranty 2 years | Warranty 2 years |
Connectivity
You can’t use headphones unless they’re connected to your phone or your PC. The Razer Nari and Razer Nari Essential have to stick under these rules, but these two are ahead of the other?
Compatibility
Headphones are compatible with different devices, some are compatible with XBOX, and some are not. Both the Nari and Nari Essential have this problem. The Nari and the Nari Essential are compatible with PC and Playstation Consoles, but only the Nari is compatible with XBOX consoles.
Wired or Wireless?
The Nari and the Nari Essential are wireless headphones that connect to your device using a 2.5Ghz USB Transceiver. Sadly they don’t have Bluetooth built-in, so you can’t connect them through your phone wirelessly. The Nari, however, can be used through a wired connection using a 1.5m detachable 3.5mm Analog Cable that could be connected with most devices.
Battery Life
Since both the Nari and Nari Essential can be connected wirelessly, they have their own batteries inside, which have their own battery lives. The Nari Essential’s battery life is shorter, only at 16hrs of battery life, compared to the Nari’s 20hrs of battery life.
Range
Wireless headphones have specific ranges they can operate while connected to a device. The Nari and the Nari Essential have a range of 12 meters which is pretty far, making sure that you can still connect with your computer even if you need to step away from your PC.
Sound quality
Headphones are made to have excellent sound quality that gives you a great experience and immersion. Some headphones have better sound quality than others. Let’s compare whether the Nari or the Nari Essential is better.
The Nari has bigger drivers than that of the Nari Essential. At 50mm, the Nari offers louder sound and better bass than the Nari Essentials 40mm drivers.
Noise Canceling
Noise is something you can’t avoid if you’re playing games, communicating with friends, and watching your favorite shows or movies. Noise Canceling offers a way to lessen the noise so you can enjoy and immerse yourself in your entertainment.
The Nari Essential are Over-Ear headphones that provide Passive Noise Cancelling by creating a seal around your ears that reduces sound from leaking out and noise from getting in. Sadly the Nari doesn’t have this feature built-in.
Frequency Ranges
Frequency Ranges determine how the bass and treble sound, the higher and lower the headphones’ frequency range, the better they sound. Sadly not all headphones have the same frequencies.
Both the Nari and the Nari Essential have the same frequencies, at 20Hz – 20000Hz. The 20Hz range gives you deeper and fuller bass, while the 20000Hz provides crisp and clear trebles. These headphones offer fantastic sound quality.
Surround Sound
Surround sound gives you better immersion than just the regular Stereo Driver. The Nari and the Nari Essential have traditional Stereo Drivers that have different channels for the left and right sides. Still, they are compatible with Razer’s THX Spatial Audio (sold separately), which offers 7.1 Surround Sound that you can completely customize to your liking.
Microphone
Headphones in the market usually come with microphones built-in. Some are bad, and some are amazing, but does the Nari and the Nari Essential have good quality microphones?
The Nari and the Nari Essential have built-in boom microphones that have good quality. You also don’t have to worry about the mics being in the way.
The Nari and Nari Essentials microphones are flexible. The Naris’ microphone is retractable, while the Nari Essential does not.
Frequency Range
The Frequency Range for microphones is different from headphones. For headphones, frequency ranges are the sound that they can push out, while for microphones, it’s the range where the mic can pick up the sound.
The Nari and the Nari Essential have the same frequency ranges. At 100Hz up to 6500Hz, these microphones offer good quality microphones.
Noise Canceling
Noise Canceling is a good thing for a microphone to have. It helps in reducing the noise that the microphone might pick up. The Nari and the Nari Essential don’t have Noise Canceling and Wind Noise Reduction built-in.
Comfort
Headphones usually stay on your head for long periods of time, some even for a few hours. Comfort is the one thing people typically look at when buying headphones. Let’s see if the Nari and the Nari Essential are comfortable.
Materials
Materials are significant factors that make headphones comfortable—having quality materials give a more comfortable and premium feel on headphones. Razer has done an excellent job, with only using premium materials for their products.
The Nari and Nari Essential are made from the same materials. The earcups are made from Memory Foam, Leatherette, and Heat-Transfer Fabric, making the earcups very comfortable.
Weight
Despite their size, the Nari and the Nari Essential are not that heavy. Weighing at 430g, the Nari and the Nari Essential are pretty light and won’t cause fatigue, even after extended use.
Adjustability
Although comfort is a big deal for headphones, you can’t use them properly if they can’t fit on your head. The Nari and the Nari Essential have Self-Adjusting Headbands that ensure that these headphones can fit your head size. The Nari also has Swivel Earcups that give you a better fit.
Controls
Controls are handy to have on your headphones. They can help you eliminate the need to change settings on your pc by just pressing a button or scrolling wheels on your headphones. Let’s see if the Nari and the Nari Essential have similar controls or outshine the other.
The Nari and the Nari Essential do have controls built-in. The Nari and the Nari Essential have their controls on the earcups, like the Mute and Power Button, even a Volume Wheel. The Nari also has a Game/Chat Balance control, while the Nari Essential does not.
Price
Razer is known to have high prices for its products because of its premium feel. The Nari and Nari Essential fall into this rule.
The Nari Essential is much cheaper than the Nari. At $99.99 on Razers webpage, the Nari Essential is more budget-friendly than the Nari that costs $219.99.
Conclusion – Razer Nari vs Nari Essential
The Nari and the Nari Essential are great headphones that have great quality. But the Razer Nari Essential wins the comparison.
The Nari has the same quality but has more features and compatibility than the Nari Essential, but the price gap is enormous. If you need a pair of headphones with good sound quality at $100, the Nari Essential is the headphone to choose.
