The Xbox Wireless Headset is a solid workhorse thanks to a couple of really smart design ideas and better-than-average sound. While it won’t scare any high-end home theater headset rivals, it’s a strong and versatile mid-level pick for day-to-day Xbox use. Fashioned in black molded plastic with just a splash of Xbox green on the cans, the blend of slim, sharp edges on the top band with the not-quite concentric circles of the outer earcups and ear padding create a striking look that’s simultaneously sleek and spacious. Purchasing Guide The Xbox Wireless Headset will be available for $99.99 starting March 16, 2021, at the Microsoft digital store and other retailers, including Amazon. Given their positions and shapes, you’d never mistake one control for another once you know where everything should be, which makes them infinitely more useful than the vast majority of onboard headset controls.The microphone, meanwhile, has some ups and downs. Though it mitigates some softer noises, it failed to keep out many of the incidental sounds that might accidentally disrupt playing, even on the highest of three settings.
These kinds of little touches make the headset feel like a more profound upgrade on console than on PC.Battery life is a bit of a weak spot, though. Clean and clearly laid out, the app allows you to adjust the headset’s levels, either using a series of presets or making your own, though you can’t save custom profiles.
You can also activate auto-mute and mic monitoring, or adjust the microphone indicator lighting.Depending on how you approach it, the app is either anemic or a breath of fresh air.
Even with a few blatant oversights – for example: if there’s an input test on my Elite: Series 2 controller, shouldn’t there be a microphone sound check for the headset? Like many budget and mid-range headsets, it delivers a bass-heavy soundscape that packs a real punch when the grenades go off and things get explosive in, say, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. In Call of Duty, I could discern the directionality of footsteps, and locate an enemy based on the sound of a bullet sailing past my head.
Best Xbox Series X/S Gaming Headsets 2021
However, taking full advantage of these consoles’ next-level audio experience requires proper hardware, which brings us to the best Xbox Series X/S headsets. Its intuitive controls, namely the rotating ear cup dials for volume and game/chat balance, make it easy to use during gaming sessions as well. The price isn’t too shabby at $100, which makes it affordable for most people, including budget gamers. It also boasts Windows Sonic support for Xbox and Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing for PC for immersive gaming audio no matter which platform you’re on.
For extreme comfort, it offers a great fit, even with glasses on, and comes with a pair of Aerofit cooling-gel infused ear cushions that will let you wear it for hours. It doesn’t come with Dolby Atmos for Headphones out of the box, but you’re welcome to activate it through an Xbox or Microsoft Store App (for a fee, of course).
This has the longest battery life we’ve seen on an Xbox headset that delivers great sound performance, lasting up to 24 hours, which makes it ideal for those who tend to game for long stretches. Thanks to its adjustable ski goggle suspension headband and soft ear cups swaddled in breathable fabric, it makes those long gaming sessions comfortable and sweat-free.
Of course, we can’t forget about its multi-device connectivity either – if you have both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, as well as a Nintendo Switch and a Google Stadia Controller, this is the headset you want. Not to mention, detaching the mic will let it pass for a pair of regular headphones if you want to game on the train, at a cafe, or at an airport. And, as this is a pair of Audeze headphones, you’re also getting that audiophile-level sound performance that’s incredibly balanced. The battery life and range could be better here, and again, the fit isn’t ideal, but if you have discerning sound sensibilities, you’ll want this one.
You’re getting a lot for that steep price tag, with multiple connectivity options (and thus, compatibility with multiple devices), Dolby Atmos support, a sleek and incredibly lightweight design, extreme comfort, and fantastic sound quality. We only wish it had a longer battery life and a more robust wireless connection, but with everything else you’re getting, these are small compromises.
Xbox Wireless Headset Review-IGN – Jioforme
The Xbox Wireless Headset is a solid flagship product, thanks to some very smart design ideas and above-average sound. It won’t scare your high-end home theater headset rivals, but it’s a powerful and versatile mid-level choice for everyday use on the Xbox. Made of black molded plastic that just splashes Xbox Green on the can, it blends the slim, sharp edges of the top band with the non-concentric outer earcups and earpads, while at the same time being smooth and spacious. The adjustable top band (hard plastic with a steel inner frame) looks narrow, but it’s tuned to fit my wide head. Its padding creates a seal that is relatively small but still provides a noticeable passive noise canceling effect. The biggest advantage of the Xbox wireless headset is its simple yet elegant earcup control.
The headset delivers sound from the last paired device, so you’ll have to pair it every time you switch devices, which is a simple process.That said, using the Xbox wireless protocol on the console has some small benefits, but there are some additional benefits. These kinds of small touches make the headset feel like a deeper upgrade on the console than on the PC.
Many headsets we have tested, such as the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen2 and Razer Nari Ultimate, can take up to 20 hours. Even with some blatant oversights, for example, if you have an input test on your Elite: Series 2 controller, shouldn’t you do a microphone sound check on your headset? Xbox wireless headsets provide bass that can stay crisp over its full range. Like many low-priced and mid-range headsets, when grenades disappear and things explode, for example, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War offers a heavy bass soundscape packed with real punches.
Fusor also allows you to properly separate channels so you can dig into individual parts of the song in your mix. Using my favorite Dolby Atmos out of the three, the headset provides powerful and convenient positional audio. Call of Duty was able to identify the direction of footsteps and find enemies based on the sound of bullets passing through their heads.
When listening to music on Spotify, I found that songs like Dua Lipa’s “Love Again” were a bit compressed.
This type of mild hearing impairment is not uncommon in gaming headsets, especially in this price range.
Xbox’s new Wireless Headset earns glowing reviews: ‘A new standard has been set’
Microsoft first announced the Xbox Wireless Headset a month ago, promising to deliver “best-in-class audio and chat performance, outstanding design and comfort, and unique experiences that are tailored for each gamer”. IGN calls the headset “a solid workhorse, thanks to a couple of really smart design ideas and better than average sound,” but adds that its microphone and battery life are “underwhelming”. “But its ability to pair to your Xbox and phone at the same time really puts it over the edge, turning Microsoft’s headset into a device that makes it easy to take calls or catch up on podcasts while you grind out some Gears of War.”
Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Headset is a mic-drop moment
Next to the Series X, it looks the part with a touch of glossy green detailing around the ear cup dials, covered in matte black plastic. The little holes in the recessed areas between the faux leather ear pads and the dials seem to be there just for cosmetic reasons, but it looks fantastic nevertheless. And while I wish this model had a bungee-style headband and swiveling ear cups like most SteelSeries headsets, not having these features didn’t equate to comfort issues here.
In addition to how the headset looks, its functionality is similar to the Surface Headphones, with twistable dials on the outside of each ear cup for adjusting elements of the audio.
The left dial acts as a chat and game audio mixer, so you can tune your playmates down a bit during a dialogue-heavy cutscene or vice versa. Most gaming headsets require days of continued use to fully learn their respective button layouts, but this one’s dead simple.
During my tests, I listened to Spotify, and the music sounded good enough to stick with this headset instead of automatically reaching for my Sony 1000XM3s. The soundtrack and all of the various hellish sound effects have an adequate amount of crunch and punch, and I was head-banging to the music while I played. When there’s a lot happening in the mid and high frequencies, the sound can lack clarity if you’re listening closely.
Microsoft claims 15 hours per charge, and both times I ran the non-replaceable battery down during testing, it lasted for about that long.
There are three levels (low, medium, and high), and Microsoft says each step up will increase how aggressively the mic mutes things that aren’t your voice. Two other small but cool features in the Xbox Accessories app let you tweak how bright the mute light is, making it easier to see in your peripheral vision.
Up until now, the $150 Razer Kaira Pro was the Xbox-specific headset I told people to get because it’s comfortable, and it supports Bluetooth in addition to the Xbox Wireless protocol. Microsoft’s new Xbox Wireless headset is well ahead of that model in terms of design, ease of use, and functionality — all in a more affordable package. If Microsoft is to be judged compared to Sony on how well it designed a headset to accompany its latest consoles — as it inevitably will be — this one handily edges out the Pulse 3D even though they’re the same price. Sony’s model is comfortable and looks equally dashing next to the console it was made for, and it has a 3.5mm headphone jack and 3D Audio support in its court.
Victrix Gambit Wireless Headset Review – IGN
Victrix’s Gambit wireless headset gets you tournament-ready with a lightweight design and long battery life. Sure, they are a bit chunkier than many contemporary headphones – both those designed for gaming or otherwise – but the subdued black colorway and vegan leather earcups add a touch of sophistication.
They are also Dolby Atmos-certified, enabling you to take full advantage of immersive 360-degree audio in supported games and apps.
It’s extremely bendable from the base to the tip of the microphone, making it easy to position for optimal speaking distance from your mouth.
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