CONCLUSION

   If you plan on using a USB headset with the Sound Blaster Katana V2X I strongly suggest installing their SXFI app via your smartphone (more on that here). With that out of the way just how does the Katana V2X compared to the Katana V2 model? The good news is that even though they have 36WRMS difference the end result doesn’t change that much. Allow me to elaborate on that a bit. With the Katana V2 model I hardly ever went over 15 in volume while gaming, watching movies and listening to music which is still nothing compared to the maximum of 50 that this soundbar has. Well with the Katana V2X that 15 translates to roughly 23 which is almost half its maximum volume. Yes, I do expect some people to go even higher and the V2 model clearly holds the advantage but I seriously doubt anyone can use it at maximum volume, at least not under normal scenarios (if you are 5+ meters away I guess anything’s possible). As for the sub I really don’t know what to say about it, I do realize that some people had issues with the previous ones due to their thickness and even length (still they weren’t large, on the contrary a lot smaller compared to the subs I have for my 5.1/7.1 surround systems) but this is quite taller than the others so that may also create issues for some buyers. That being said it does work almost the same as the V2 model so no issues here when it comes to performance. One of the things that the Katana V2X has different than the V2 model is start up time so whereas the V2 requires 12-13 seconds to turn on the V2X requires 7-8 seconds. Not a great difference I know but I was somewhat curious as to the why that is (lower tri-amp output?). Last but not least the color of the soundbar may also matter to some people. The dark gray/black of the Katana V2 is great but some may prefer the gunmetal gray/silver of the new one so it’s good to have variety.

   Retailing for USD279.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 309.99Euros inside the EU (Creative.de) the Sound Blaster Katana V2X by Creative lands very close to its more powerful brother the Katana V2. In the end it all comes down to the power output and the subwoofer so if you have room for the larger one, I do suggest going for the Katana V2 instead. If not however the Katana V2X is still a great gaming soundbar that has almost nothing to be jealous of its larger brother and that’s also why it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality
- Audio Clarity & Crispness
- 90WRMS Output (180W PMPO)
- Wired & Wireless Use
- 24bit/96KHz USB Audio Card
- Dual Beamforming Microphones
- RGB Lighting System
- General Connectivity
- Headphone Out with Super XFi
- Smaller Sub (Compared To The V2)
- Available Modes

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- No USB Audio Player
- Creative SXFI App (MS Store/Android/iOS Only)