Creative Katana V2 makes the gaming soundbar sound more compelling

If you game on desktop and console, the Katana V2 seems to be a very convenient option.

by Justin Choo

If you’ve always toyed with the idea of a soundbar for your computer, now’s a good time to revisit that thought. The 5.1-channel Katana V2 is an update on the groundbreaking original and features more audio goodies for gamers who prefer all their eggs in one basket: consoles and desktops in a single station.

The new form factor looks slimmer, and Creative adds that the Katana V2 delivers 68 per cent more power over the original, and with improved audio dynamics to boot. Each of its five drivers is individually powered by a proprietary multi-core DSP controller and also feature improved fabric dome tweeters.

Also, good news if you need to put on headphones at night; the new V2 also features Creative’s Super X-Fi Headphone Holography tech, which ensures that you don’t lose that sense of immersion and impact. What’s great is that while a compatible headphone is recommended for optimum results, the tech still works on normal headphones.

Powered by the Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip, the system is able to recreate a holographic audio experience customised according to how you hear and perceive sound and improves the level of realism and immersion. FPS gamers will also appreciate modes like SXFI BATTLE Mode, which enhances audio cues for directionality and distance so you have a better sense of the action happening around them, and Scout Mode, which focuses on sound detection so you can pick up opponents earlier.

But the Katana V2 is more than just a gaming experience. It also has an integrated Dolby Audio decoder so you can Netflix and chill, right after you turn off those gazillion gamer-approved RGBs, which thankfully, is an option (there’s a time and a place). Alternatively, you can opt to have them react intuitively reactive to the playback content – some people just want to watch the world burn, but we’re not here to judge.

Like all stuff Creative makes, the last thing you need to worry about is connectivity. The Katana V2 has a comprehensive array of options with HDMI ARC for your TV, USB for your computer, optical for your console, Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connections and a trusty ol’ 3.5mm Auxilliary for everything else under the sun. There’s also an SXFI-out port for certified Super X-Fi gear like the SXFI Air Gamer .

The Sound Blaster Katana V2 is available now and is priced at $479.