Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset Review

A new generation of consoles means a new generation of official accessories. We've seen it from Sony's side with the PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset, but now Microsoft is getting in on the action. The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset has a simple name and a simple principle: it's a gaming headset that uses Xbox Wireless.

However, many gaming headsets use Xbox Wireless. Is this one somehow a better buy?

Who is the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset for?

Players

who own Xbox consoles, duh.

People who need a helmet

that works wirelessly across multiple platforms.

What does the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset look like?

When the mic is hot, a white light shines at its end.

If gaming headsets that use

Xbox Wireless

have one thing in common is that aside from being easy to use with an Xbox, they are a pain to use on other platforms like PC. In this regard, the Xbox Wireless Headset might be the best headset to use this connection method, for several reasons.

It's a

wireless gaming headset

designed for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's a bit heavy for an all-plastic headset at 310g, but it's not so heavy that it's a problem. The Xbox Wireless Headset is quite comfortable, but it doesn't necessarily start out that way. The ear cushions are thick and covered in soft leatherette, making it a

decent joint

, but the headband is very tight. The first time I used it, the tension gave me a slight headache after an hour or two. is loose, or my head got used to it, and the discomfort is gone - whatever, expect a break-in period if you have a slightly larger noggin.

The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset feels pretty tight at first.

However, getting used to using the headset does not require the same adjustment period as wearing it. If your Xbox Wireless dongle or Xbox is turned on, the headset will pair automatically without issue. It also has a multitude of on-board controls, which are very easy to master.

The circular side panels of the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset function as buttons to control game/chat balance and headset volume, and the headset also features buttons to pair and mute the microphone along the bottom edge of the left headset. Everything is pretty well spaced out and the two buttons are very different, so it's unlikely you'll accidentally click the wrong one.

microphone

isn't very adjustable, but it picks up sound cleanly without any fiddling.

Like pretty much every other gaming headset that uses Xbox Wireless, this one works with an app that lets you tweak a few settings and get an accurate battery reading.

Plus, if you're playing on PC, this headset

supports an application

.The

Xbox Accessories app

is intended to help with settings for using the Xbox Controller with a PC, but it also offers a limited set of features for the Xbox Wireless Headset. You can use the app to switch between EQ presets, adjust the mic monitoring volume and even check battery level. The game/chat balance function doesn't work very well on PC, but this headset still provides a much better experience than others

Xbox oriented gaming headsets

as the

Razer Kaira Wireless

and

LucidSound LS50X

How does the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset connect?

You must purchase one of these dongles separately to use the Xbox Wireless Headset on PC.

Like other Xbox Wireless devices, the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset is designed primarily to connect to Xbox consoles without a dongle via the Xbox Wireless Connection standard. All you have to do is connect to your console and you go for the errands like plugging in a controller. However, if you're a PC gamer and have decided this headset is for you, you'll need to purchase an Xbox Wireless Adapter, which costs around $25.C It's been the status quo for a long time now, but it's still ridiculous to have to spend so much money just to let your headset work wirelessly on your computer.

However, this Xbox gaming headset is a bit less crippled by its connection method than most, offering a few alternative options if you don't want to pay the dongle toll. For starters, the headset supports wired audio through its USB-C port, so you can plug it into your PC to charge and continue using. The headset also supports

Bluetooth connections

, using firmware 4.2—it only supports the

SBC codec

, so you won't get high-quality sound on any platform, but it will do in a pinch.

How is the battery?

These are fairly easy to use commands.

According to Microsoft, the Xbox Wireless Headset can last up to 15 hours on a single charge, but in our testing it far exceeds that. At a constant output of around 75 dB (SPL), this headset lasted 19 hours and 18 minutes, which isn't the longest battery life on the market, but nothing to sneeze at. However, it's one of the few gaming headsets that can pass wired audio through its cable USB-C charging. take on your PC.

How is gaming with the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset?

Just as the name suggests, it is designed for Xbox.

Connection flaws aside, the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset offers a pretty solid experience. Once you break the headset down enough, it's comfortable enough for long gaming sessions, though still quite tight. The big button Headphone volume control makes adjusting your sound on the fly a breeze, ideal if you're doing something you can't pause.

The headset handles the mix of orchestral music and hectic sound in the game of

Final Fantasy XIV

on PC without any problems, and everything is the same when clearly playing a shooter like

Apex Legends

.The headset doesn't offer much in the way of bells and whistles, but it does support Windows Sonic

surround sound

, which both here and elsewhere.

How does the Xbox Wireless Headset sound?

An extra bass boost is typical of gaming headsets, but this one (cyan) is quite intense.

The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset offers fairly average sound for a

gaming headset

, with largely accurate high-end sound and dramatically boosted bass and mids. The increased midrange output means that no one's voice will struggle to be heard, but high-pitched sounds may are sometimes quite difficult to hear in bass-heavy moments.

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset Review

In the classic King Crimson

21st Century Schizoid Man

the

bass guitar and saxophone

which plays when the song changes to a faster tempo almost completely drowns out the guitar, which isn't exactly a background instrument. In songs with less prominent low-end sounds, you shouldn't have as much of a problem though.

Stake,

frequency responses

as it does

to scold

explosions and gunfire considerably louder than they otherwise would be. The higher-pitched and piercing elements of these sounds should still come through clearly. This increased mid-range response should ensure that dialogue or players via voice chat don't totally get lost amid the din of battle. restless.

Nothing remarkable here.

This helmet offers

insulation

About average insulation for a gaming headset. Not amazing, but probably not really necessary either. Attenuation like this should help

roar

refrigerator or the heavy footsteps of an upstairs neighbour, but not much more than that.

How's the mic?

The large discs on the sides of the headset are analog, not digital, so they don't interact with your operating system's volume control.

The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset actually has a

microphone for a gaming headset

.It still attenuates the bass sound, but not as much as most gaming headset microphones.You should have no trouble making a call loud and clear, no matter how deep your voice.Hear for yourself- same:

https://www.soundguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Xbox-Wireless-Headset-mic-sample.mp3

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