Microsoft’s entry into the gaming headset market is not perfect, but it is a very powerful product in terms of price.
The design team behind the new product Official Xbox wireless headset There are usually two tasks: First, make a first-class Xbox headset for less than $100. However, the second point is equally important. It usually must be a sturdy, high-quality multi-purpose headset to be used with your PC, phone or other audio technology that may be used. This is not a complete home run, but it is definitely a good attempt and a real contender for one of the best headphones on the market in its price range.
Therefore, this is: the first complete official Xbox high-end wireless headset product, using a relatively inconspicuous but beautiful-looking headset design. It’s slender, in a smooth black, with only a few green Xbox brand highlights. Like the Xbox controller, the box can be opened on a hinge in quite a few demo theaters-but you will also find that the box is surprisingly empty, with only headphones, a short USB-C charging cable, and thin instruction of. As an official headset, there is no need for a dongle or transfer cable, nor any other junk-this is an all-in-one experience.
Before introducing its performance, please briefly introduce the design: very good. The Microsoft technical design team seems to be going well recently-I think Series X and S have inherited things like Xbox One X and Surface laptops very well. These lovely technologies are all in pursuit of this high-quality feeling. Apple The performance is very good, and this headset has this feeling. It weighs only 300 grams, is light, and can be worn for a long time, but it is also strong enough that you can see it used and abused by a teenager obsessed with Fortnite, spared it, throw it all over the bedroom , Knocking on the floor without thinking. It is sturdy but obviously invincible, and angry people may want to avoid sticking it to the wall with considerable force, no matter how hard you are beaten.
For my money, the most important part of all headphones is the soft part-the part that is in contact with your body. The earmuffs and internal headband are made of soft foam with an artificial leather covering-equivalent to a headphone course of this level. It is very comfortable and prevents sweating in warm conditions-although as usual, I am worried about how long artificial leather will last after a few hours of use? In other headsets of other brands with similar settings, I have seen that the leather actually disintegrates after heavy use.
However, I am usually impressed with the design of the headset. Frankly speaking, my head is fat, but now I also have fixed hair-for me this is an African, so it is not just hanging, it can also stretch up and down in all directions. Anyway, I mean-tight, inflexible headphones are now a tough requirement for me. Indeed, the PS5 pulse headset is not ideal for me at the moment. But this headset? It’s ok! Even the current condition of my hair is very comfortable. Microsoft’s design team did a great job.
In addition to comfort, another key part of the headset design is the intuitiveness of its use. I am happy to report to you again, the solution provided here is very elegant. Each ear cup of a headset has a rotatable circular cover. The one on the left allows you to balance game and chat audio, while the one on the right is a simple volume dial. There is a cute affirmative “notch” at the end of the volume dial to tell you that you have reached the maximum volume or are in a silent state, while the balance dial puts the gap in the middle, so you can easily 50/game and chat audio Between 50. This is borrowed from Microsoft’s premium Surface brand headphones, and the quality is as good here and there.
The microphones are permanently fixed on the headset. If you want to use these microphones for non-gaming purposes, that would be a shame. Although this roughly small microphone is relatively discrete compared to some options, there is always a microphone protruding from the left. The mute button is invisible but easy to reach-if you hold the headset with your left hand while holding the headset on your head, your thumb will naturally hover over the mute. There is a light hidden at the top of the microphone, which is just enough to remind you in the surrounding field of vision whether you are alive or muted.
On the back of the headset is a small green sync button-press and hold this button to turn the headset on or off, and you can also use the exact same method as a normal controller to sync to the Xbox. Everything is easy to use; comfort comes first, which is very useful for long gaming sessions, but also for mixed media use other than Xbox or PC.
In terms of technology, the headset supports the current Xbox ecosystem, including the One console, the new Series X and S, and Bluetooth that is displayed simultaneously with mobile phones and PCs. Connecting it directly to the PC via USB-C also makes it a beautiful wired headset. If you want to perform wireless PC operation, you can connect to the PC wirelessly via Bluetooth (version 4.2) or the same dongle used by the Xbox controller. Dual connection is the coolest technical trick for this device to play-through it, you can answer the phone in the headset while playing the game, while still hearing the game audio.
This is achieved by using two wireless protocols. Xbox wireless device, used to connect to a console or PC like a controller, and a standard Bluetooth protocol. This means you can mix it up; you can connect it to Xbox to get game audio, and then connect it to a PC for Hangouts in Discord while playing games. Of course, the more obvious case use is to synchronize its Bluetooth to your mobile phone, and then the ringtone will ring and you can answer it in the headset during playback. In this case, the volume control on the headset will only affect the Xbox audio-otherwise, you must adjust the volume on the connected phone or other device itself. This is a bit trivial, but it is also a good trade-off for the very useful two-device function.
The battery life seems to be good, although I am still in the early stages to give this accessory a proper depth beating. Microsoft said that this headset will run for 15 hours, and has a fast charging function, just plug it in for 30 minutes to provide you with 4 hours of battery life, and full charge in 3 hours. With a long enough cable, you can also use and charge the headset at the same time in exchange for charging speed-a popular and essential quality of life feature.
So far so good, right? Therefore, the biggest problem left is the sound itself. The crucial aspect is…fortunately, even though it is also supported by the smart software used by Microsoft. The audio performance of this headset is actually better than the price I expected, and I want to say that it is more valuable than its official PS5 competitor Sony’s Pulse 3D headset. As an original Bluetooth headset, it is suitable for casual listeners, but it may be a bit lacking for audiophiles like music and the like-but it can be said that these people will not listen to anything through a set of $99 headphones, so less attention is paid. They are good enough music tanks, but, by default, the bass is full and heavy, and it has more electronic music than the punk music I initially tried to pass it, and it feels like home.
In Xbox and games, the effect is better. Support for Dolby Atmos, DTS Headone: X and Windows Sonic can provide depth and virtual surround effects in various Xbox games. However, the basic features you will be more inclined to use are the main headset options, which are folded into the standard Xbox accessory app, where you can also perform operations such as adjusting the controller. In this app, you have access to an actually incredible amount of customization, which is usually reserved for high-end, more expensive headsets-which in turn allows you to customize the game sound effects to your liking.
After syncing, the Xbox Accessories app will provide many options, from small but useful ones (such as controlling the brightness of the mute light) to fine-tuning the automatic mute mode (except to kill the headset), especially if you want to broadcast to the world. However, the main reason you skipped to the app was to adjust the EQ settings to suit the song. There are a series of basic presets, bass enhancement and the ability to create your own new presets. Don’t expect the enlightening difference that this brings, but for a headset at this price, the result is unexpectedly clear.
In fact, this may be the title here: This is not a revolutionary top-of-the-line headset-but it is not Microsoft’s intention either. This is a headset for everyone, designed for those who want to enhance the gaming experience through the TV speakers and want to increase the volume late at night without affecting their funds. It is not suitable for audiophiles, but as an official brand entry-level Xbox headset, it is really worth the money-and it can provide you with good service outside of games.
Now the stock is limited, but you can buy Xbox wireless headsets directly from the Microsoft Store. You can also find it at Best Buy and Walmart in the United States. In the UK, it is available at retailers such as Amazon, Very and Currys PC World.
Xbox wireless headsets are available now, priced at $99.99/£89.99. Microsoft provides a sample unit of the headset for review.
