Review: Experience Life-like, Natural Acoustics from Razer’s Leviathan V2 Gaming PC Soundbar

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As I’m writing this, Razer’s Leviathan V2 soundbar is sold out everywhere, just a week or so after its launch. And after experiencing it for myself these past few days, I can see why it’s been selling like hot cakes.

While marketed as a PC gaming soundbar, this THX integrated 2.1 audio system puts out enough performance to act as a legitimate TV soundbar for the living room. Now, you can’t actually use it with your TV without some creative hacks because it only has one USB input, but I’m mentioning it because you’re getting that room-scale quality on your desk, which makes for a satisfying experience.

Let’s take a closer look at how Razer’s Leviathan V2 soundbar and subwoofer system bring your games and media to life in a natural and immersive way.

Razer Leviathan V2 Specs and Features

• Frequency response: 45 Hz – 20 kHz

• Full Range Drivers: 2 x 2.0 x 4.0″ / 48 x 95 mm

• Tweeter Drivers: 2 x 0.75″ / 20 mm

• Passive Radiator Drivers: 2 x 1.7 x 5.3″ / 43 x 135 mm

• Down-Firing Subwoofer: 1 x 5.5″ / 140 mm

• Connection types: Bluetooth 5.2 (60ms low latency) and USB audio input to PC

• Razer Chroma RGB (18 zones)

• THX Spatial Audio (PC based via Synapse 3)

• Custom 10-band EQ

• Headphone quick toggle

• Soundbar dimensions: 19.7 x 3.6 x 3.3″ / 500 x 91.3 x 84 mm

• Subwoofer dimensions: 8.67 x 8.67 x 9.5″ / 220 x 220 x 241.5 mm

Pricing:

$249.99 at Razer

$249.99 at Amazon

$249.99 at Best Buy

A Premium Aural Experience for Your Desk

The first thing that I played on the Leviathan V2 was a song that’s been on repeat in my mind lately — INVU by K-pop royalty Taeyon. I wanted to see how the soundbar handled the various elements of this pop ballad.

By the time the chorus hit, I was already thoroughly impressed. First of all, the Leviathan V2 delivers a lot of volume — I’m talking desk-shaking volume if you crank it up. Of course, that’s not where you want speakers to operate normally, but it feels good knowing that the drivers are big enough to produce this much sound.

Setting the volume to a more reasonable personal listening level, the Leviathan V2 faithfully reproduces Taeyon’s pure voice and signature timbre on an expansive soundstage. The stand-alone subwoofer delivers thick, punchy bass that fills the room and adds a feeling of fullness to the overall experience — an important aspect that’s missing from most “gaming PC speakers.”

If you’re familiar with any Razer audio products, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Leviathan V2 by default leans towards having a bass bias, which is great for gaming, but may not be everyone’s preference. Thankfully, the Synapse app offers a customizable 10 channel equalizer with presets so you can fine tune the balance depending on what media you’re enjoying.

This is also where you can activate THX mode with THX Spatial Audio, an exclusive setting that enhances the immersion and impact of movies and games. The directional audio isn’t quite as pronounced compared to headphones or individual speakers placed further apart, but the “3D audio” capability is still impressive, especially for a compact soundbar that’s positioned directly in front of me.

And because the Leviathan V2 has been designed to project audio around you, instead of just straight forward, sitting further away from the soundbar actually improves your perception of the details and acoustics because there’s enough time for the sound waves to “mature.”

So when you’re designing your gaming setup, try to place the Leviathan V2 as far back on the desk as possible, preferably tucked underneath the monitor. The soundbar comes with raised, non-slip feet pre-installed that should allow most monitor stands to fit underneath, and includes angled feet if you prefer to point the front face more upwards.

I feel that the Leviathan V2 has many advantages over headphones, especially for narrative-driven single player games. First and foremost, I no longer feel like my head is in a vacuum. Character dialogue comes from in front of me, like it does in a real-life conversation, and ambient sounds feel more life-like with a perceived depth/distance while still maintaining the tiniest details. Our ears are designed to sense sounds from our environment, and not just a single source point; therefore, the Leviathan V2 is a more natural way to escape into our favorite games and media.

Should You Buy Razer’s Leviathan V2 Soundbar?

If you use your PC or laptop as a multimedia solution as well as a gaming device, the Leviathan V2 offers a premium full-range audio experience that rivals entry-level home theater setups.

Plus, the 18-zone RGB lighting and Razer Chroma connected capabilities add even more fun and personalization to your gaming or music sessions.

The Razer Leviathan V2 gaming PC soundbar retails for $249.99, and will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Razer Store once inventory is replenished. Click the “notify me” button on Razer’s website to receive an email when the Leviathan V2 is back in stock.