Xbox wireless headset reviews: Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset review

Aug 24, 2023 alexxlab

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset review

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

However, a lot of gaming headsets use Xbox Wireless—is this one somehow a better buy?

Editor’s note: This review was updated on January 6, 2022 to include additional alternative recommendations.

Who is the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset for?

Gamers who own Xbox consoles, duh.
People who need a headset that works wirelessly on multiple platforms.

What is the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset like?

When the mic is hot, a white light shines from its tip.

If gaming headsets that use Xbox Wireless have any one thing in common, it’s that, on top of being easy to use with an Xbox, they’re a pain to use on other platforms like PC. In this regard, the Xbox Wireless Headset might be the best headset yet to use this connection method—for a couple reasons.

This is a wireless gaming headset built for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It’s a little on the heavy side for an all-plastic headset at 310g, but it’s not so heavy that it causes problems. The Xbox Wireless Headset is pretty comfortable, but it doesn’t necessarily start out that way. The ear pads are thick, and covered in soft leatherette, which makes for a decent seal, but the headband is very tight. The first time I used it, the tension gave me a slight headache after an hour or two. After a few days of consistent use, it either loosened or my head got used to it, and the discomfort went away—regardless, expect a breaking-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 doesn’t require anywhere near the same adjustment period as wearing it. If you have your Xbox Wireless dongle or Xbox turned on, the headset will automatically pair without issue. It also features a slew of onboard controls, which are very easy to get the hang of.

The circular side panels of the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset function as knobs to control game/chat balance and headphone volume, and the headset also features buttons for pairing and muting the microphone along the bottom edge of the left headphone. It’s all spaced out quite well, and the two buttons feel very different, so you’re unlikely to accidentally click the wrong one. The microphone isn’t very adjustable, but it picks up sound cleanly without any fiddling.

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

Additionally, if you’re playing on PC, this headset supports an app. The Xbox Accessories app is meant to help with settings for using the Xbox controller with a PC, but it also offers a limited array of features for the Xbox Wireless Headset. You can use the app to switch between EQ presets, adjust mic monitoring volume, and even check the battery level. The game/chat balance feature doesn’t work very well on PC, but this headset still offers a far better experience than other Xbox-oriented gaming headsets like the Razer Kaira Wireless and LucidSound LS50X.

How does Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset connect?

You have to buy one of these dongles separately to use the Xbox Wireless Headset on PC.

Like other Xbox Wireless devices, the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset is built primarily to connect to Xbox consoles without a dongle via the Xbox Wireless connection standard. All you have to do is pair with your console, and you’re off to the races—just like hooking up a controller. However, if you’re a PC gamer, and you’ve decided this is the headset for you, you’ll have to buy an Xbox Wireless Adapter, which runs for around $25 USD. This has been the status quo for a long time now, but it’s still ridiculous to need to spend that much more money just to let your headset work wirelessly on your computer.

However, this Xbox gaming headset is a little less hamstrung 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 via its USB-C port, so you can plug it into your PC to charge and continue to use it. The headset also supports Bluetooth connections, using the 4.2 firmware—it only supports the SBC codec, so you won’t high-quality audio on any platform, but it’ll do in a pinch.

How is the battery?

These are pretty easy controls to get used to.

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 consistent output of ~75dB(SPL), this headset lasted 19 hours, 18 minutes—not nearly the longest life on the market, but nothing to sneeze at. However, this is one of the few gaming headsets that can transmit wired audio through its USB-C charging cable, so you keep playing as long as a USB slot is nearby, even if you have to give up the slot the Xbox Wireless adapter was taking on your PC.

How is gaming with the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset?

Just like it says in the name, this is designed for Xbox.

Connection foibles aside, the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset offers a pretty solid experience. Once you’ve sufficiently broken in the headset, it’s comfortable enough for long gaming sessions, though still pretty tight. The headset’s big volume knob makes adjusting your audio on the fly a cinch, which is great if you’re doing something you can’t pause.

The headset handles the mix of orchestral music and hectic in-game sound of Final Fantasy XIV on PC without any issue, and everything comes through similarly clearly playing a shooter like Apex Legends. The headset doesn’t offer much in the way of bells and whistles, but it supports Windows Sonic surround sound, which as well here as anywhere else.

How does the Xbox Wireless Headset sound?

An additional boost in bass is typical of gaming headsets, but this (cyan) is pretty intense.

The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset offers pretty average audio for a gaming headset, with largely accurate high range sound and dramatically boosted bass and mid-range audio. The increased mid-range output means nobody’s voice will struggle to come through, but you may that high-range sounds are occasionally pretty hard to hear in bass-heavy moments.

In the King Crimson classic 21st Century Schizoid Man, the bass guitar and saxophone that plays when the song shifts into a faster tempo almost completely drowns out the guitar, which isn’t exactly a background instrument. In songs with less prominent low-end sound, you shouldn’t have as much issue though.

In game, frequency responses like this make the rumble of explosions and gunfire considerably louder than they otherwise would be. The higher, more piercing elements in those sounds should still come through clearly though. This increased mid-range response should ensure dialogue or players over voice chat don’t get totally lost amid the din of battle. Basically, you shouldn’t have any issues most of the time, but you might find it a little hard to differentiate between sounds when things get really hectic.

Nothing terribly remarkable here.

This headset offers isolation pretty much average isolation for a gaming headset. It’s not incredible, but it also probably doesn’t really need to be. Attenuation like this should help with the whirr of a fridge or an upstairs neighbor’s heavy footfalls, but not much more than that.

How is the microphone?

The large discs on the sides of the headset are analog, not digital, so they don’t interact with your OS-level volume control.

The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset actually features a decently accurate microphone for a gaming headset. It still de-emphasizes bass range sound, but not nearly as much as most gaming headset microphones. You shouldn’t have any trouble coming through loud and clear over a call, regardless of how deep your voice is. Listen for yourself:

How does the microphone sound to you?

1652 votes

Should you buy the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset?

If you’re just gaming on an Xbox, you might like the Xbox Wireless Headset. If you need something for more than one platform, keep looking.

The mic mute button is actually on the microphone, so it’s easy to find without looking.

The Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset is a good gaming headset. Its microphone is solid, it’s well-built, and it’s easy to use. The added bass emphasis is a little much, but still not outside the norm for a gaming headset. It still looks like a gaming headset, but avoids a lot of the gaudier design elements typical of the product category, which means with won’t stick out in a work Zoom call. Additionally, with the integration of the Xbox Accessories App, this is also the best multi-platform gaming headset that uses an Xbox Wireless connection—especially since you can use a USB-C cord instead of the Xbox Wireless dongle.

Xbox Wireless Headset

All prices listed in USD unless otherwise specified. Prices may change over time, and vary by region. Unfortunately, we cannot list Amazon prices on the site, as they vary greatly by currency.

See price at Amazon

See price at Microsoft

See price at Best Buy

What should you get instead?

However, being the best Xbox Wireless gaming headset to work on other platforms isn’t exactly a high bar compared to all the headsets that don’t use that connection standard. There are plenty of wired and wireless headsets that work on Xbox and other platforms without an issue—you just need to be okay with plugging in a cord or a dongle. The Xbox variant of the SteelSeries Arctis 7P, the Arctis 7X, brings a USB-C dongle that works pretty much everywhere, including PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch. The Razer Thresher Ultimate also has a non-Xbox Wireless version, which works a little more smoothly on PC.

On the wired side, pretty much anything that uses 3.5mm will work well across platforms. Headsets like the Razer BlackShark V2 and HyperX Cloud Alpha work everywhere (including Xbox Series X/S) and are better in almost every way—you won’t even need to recharge these ones.

The Kaira Pro will work fine on PC, provided you get an adapter, but it’s really meant for Xbox.

Additionally, while the Xbox Wireless Headset is one of the best multi-platform gaming headsets to use Xbox Wireless, it’s not exactly the best single-platform headset to use Xbox Wireless. The Razer Kaira Pro and SteelSeries Arctis 9 (there’s a specific Xbox version) both offer better audio, microphone, battery life, and Bluetooth experiences, and they’re both very comfortable. The HyperX CloudX Stinger Core also checks most of those boxes (minus the Bluetooth)—plus it’s under $100 USD. Of course, these headsets also require an Xbox Wireless dongle to work wireless on PC, which isn’t great.

If you’re set on the official audio source for your gaming platform, this will do the job just fine—it’s a better gaming headset than the PlayStation 5’s Pulse 3D headset, for whatever that’s worth. However, outside of that example, the Xbox Wireless Headset struggles to keep up with most of the great options out there.

Frequently asked questions

Much like a lot of new-generation gaming gear, the Xbox Wireless Headset has been on sale for a little while, but it sells out very quickly. Unfortunately, SoundGuys doesn’t have any control over availability or insight into when it may come back in stock.

Microsoft Xbox Wireless headset review: mic drop

Microsoft’s new $99 Xbox Wireless headset isn’t perfect, but it’s the best attempt at being an Xbox gaming headset and an everyday set of wireless headphones I’ve tried yet. It’s compatible with the Xbox Wireless protocol, making it easy to pair with any Xbox One or Xbox Series X / S console. It’s also compatible with Bluetooth (version 4.2, SBC codec), and better yet, it can connect through both protocols simultaneously. So you can take a call or have audio from any app come through from a phone, tablet, or a PC mixed in with the sound coming from your Xbox console.

This is far from the first gaming headset to do this, or even do it well. Microsoft’s latest headset just stands out as being particularly impressive for the number of things it gets right for $99. Its design is stellar, a logical fit in the company’s headphone lineup. 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.

9Verge Score

The Good

Excellent design
Easy-to-use dials
Supports concurrent wireless connections
$99 is a great price

The Bad

No multifunction button for controlling Bluetooth devices
No 3.5mm jack
Not compatible with non-Xbox consoles

$100 at Best Buy$100 at GameStop$100 at Amazon

How we rate and review products

Crucially, these are comfortable, even though my head size nearly pushes them to their size limits. The sidearms require two hands to make adjustments, which I like. There’s no worry that they’ll resize just from being moved around. 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. Unlike the company’s more premium headphones, there’s no active noise cancellation here (I’d complain, but they’re $99), though the passive noise isolation is better than average for this price. 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. I appreciate that Microsoft put it front and center. On the other dial is the volume control. Twist to increase or decrease, nice and simple — no buttons necessary.

The green button pulls double duty, serving as the pairing and power button.

There’s an LED on the mic facing your, well, face, indicating when the mic is active.

Over on the right ear cup, there’s a USB-C port for charging. Microsoft includes a USB-C to USB Type-A cable to charge it, but you’ll get all of the same headset features if you plug into a Windows 10 machine with your own USB-C to USB-C cable. That’s not the case when plugged into a MacBook Pro, which won’t work over a wired connection with the headset. You can still connect to a macOS device and use the headset over Bluetooth, though.

There are only two buttons on the headset: one to manually mute the bendable microphone (an LED on the inner section of the boom microphone angled toward your face is illuminated when the mic is hot), and another that serves as the all-in-one pairing and power button, both of which reside on the left ear cup. Most gaming headsets require days of continued use to fully learn their respective button layouts, but this one’s dead simple. I would have taken one more button if it served as a multifunction button to control my device over Bluetooth, but Microsoft has limited the headset to just two buttons. There’s no way to independently control, say, a phone outside of just adjusting the volume.

The sound performance from this headset is better than I expected. 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. People with a knack for stellar audio quality will find quibbles, like that the sound can come off as muddled at times, and the soundstage isn’t as expansive as you’d find in a more expensive set of headphones. But again, these are $99 and meant for gaming first. And for that price, I’m pleased.

Both rotating ear cups have instructions that are simple to digest.

These charge via USB-C, and they also work wired via USB-C to a Windows 10 PC.

Hopping over to gaming, I instantly booted up Doom (2016) on the Series X. 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. It sounded as it was intended to sound, though, again, the same nitpicks apply here as they do for music. When there’s a lot happening in the mid and high frequencies, the sound can lack clarity if you’re listening closely. I didn’t notice that as much in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, for instance. This headset works with the Dolby Atmos (Microsoft is giving buyers a trial of Dolby Atmos with purchase that will last until the end of September) and DTS: X paid apps available for Xbox and PC, which might enhance the sound. But for the purposes of this review, I tested just the out-of-the-box experience.

The battery life and range are competitive with other gaming headsets I’ve tested in this price range. Microsoft claims 15 hours per charge, and both times I ran the non-replaceable battery down during testing, it lasted for about that long. I was able to roam about my studio apartment, straying about 25 feet or so from the Xbox without experiencing any drop-outs. It started cutting out when the signal had to go through multiple walls, but that’s to be expected. As for charge speeds, Microsoft says it can gain four hours of use out of a 30-minute charge, or a full charge in three hours. In case you were wondering, you can use the Xbox Wireless headset while it’s being charged, but obviously, it’ll then take longer to recharge.

The polyurethane leather-covered pads are comfortable and deliver good noise isolation.

A closer look at the left ear cup shows the instructions for the chat / game audio mixer and the pairing button.

To give you a sense of how this headset handles connections, I first paired the Xbox Wireless headset to my PC with Microsoft’s USB Wireless Adapter (not included with this headset, but it operates on the same Xbox Wireless protocol as the consoles) for music and to take some video calls. Pairing the headset required pressing and holding the pair button for four seconds and doing the same to the Wireless Adapter. To use them on the Xbox Series X, I had to run through the same process. Frustratingly, the headset can’t handle juggling between two previously paired devices that use the Xbox Wireless protocol, so I had to manually re-pair it when I wanted to hop between my PC and the Xbox. I don’t want to overblow this issue, though. Microsoft’s pairing process for Xbox accessories is very simple. This won’t be a problem at all if you connect to your PC via Bluetooth (as I imagine most people will) since the headset can connect to both concurrently.

If you’re someone who’s likely to lean heavily on the concurrent wireless connection feature, I like that this headset automatically lowers the audio streaming from the Xbox Wireless protocol device when a call is incoming so you can hear it. You can adjust the volume of just your Bluetooth device with its own controls, but not from the headset itself. Cranking the volume with the dial makes it louder for both devices you’re connected to.

The Xbox Accessories app on PC and Xbox lets you fine-tune adjustments.

The level of customization this headset allows is also impressive for the price. Through the Xbox Accessories app for Windows 10 or Xbox, you can adjust the equalizer (movie, music, game, heavy bass, and speech are the presets, or make your own) and boost the bass. Additionally, there’s an auto-mute feature that can mute noises happening in your surroundings. 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. During a video call, it seemed to work as intended, if not better than I expected. The person on the other end said that my speech wasn’t getting cut off, which is something that can happen with these kinds of features, and that happenings in the background weren’t noticeable. Of course, the effectiveness of this auto-mute feature can vary depending on your household situation. If you’re skeptical, it’s easy enough to just tap the mute button to avoid potential embarrassment.

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. You can also customize the level of mic monitoring or how much outside sound is fed through the mics and then funneled into your ears.

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 it fits my head and can also fit around the Series X, it should fit you fine.

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.

But it’s tough to compete with the Bluetooth support and button-lite design built into Microsoft’s model. I would have loved it if a USB dongle was included for more support with devices, like the Nintendo Switch. But by design, it can’t connect to other gaming consoles. Microsoft is keeping this one in the family. If you’re in the family, though, you’re in for a treat.

Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

Correction: The Xbox Wireless headset can get four hours of use from a 30-minute charge. This review incorrectly stated that a 15-minute charge could get you three hours of use. We regret this error.

Microsoft XBOX Wireless Headset Review – Pricing and Specifications

At last year’s presentations, we again witnessed the relentless competition between the giants Sony and Microsoft, whose game consoles immediately became the objects of comparative tests and parallel reviews. This year, the technological race is reaching a new level: in addition to the consoles themselves, branded gaming peripherals, namely audio headsets, enter the arena of the battle for the heart of gamers. Before the praise for the new Pulse 3D had subsided, engineers from Redmont State showed off their answer to their Japanese counterparts: the XBOX Wireless HeadSet. The Igrorai online store has studied the novelty in detail, and in this review it will tell in detail about what players may be interested in this headset for Xbox.

Strict minimalism and neon accents – design Microsoft XBOX Wireless Headset

The first thing you notice when you first look at the headphones for XBOX Series X|S is how harmoniously their minimalist design blends with the strict lines of the XBOX Series X console. The headset has practically no decorative elements, with the exception of concise green inserts on microphone and ear cups. The outer part of the body is made of dense and slightly rough matte plastic, extremely pleasant to the touch. One of the main advantages of this material is that it practically does not leave fingerprints, so the headset can be freely corrected as many times as you like – even during the hottest gaming battles.

However, this is unlikely to be required. The fact is that this wireless headset for XBOX Series X|S is made in such a way as to ensure a comfortable fit from the very first use – and for the sake of this effect, all elements have been worked out in detail. Firstly, a strong metal headband: it is hidden in a soft braid of polyurethane leather and shock-absorbing foam, and due to the width of the rim, the total mass of the headphones is evenly distributed over the entire area – which is why they are practically not felt on the head. Also, these materials are used for ear cushions, which, due to the properties of this very shock-absorbing foam, fit snugly to the head without excessive pressure.

Ergonomics and controls for XBOX Series X|S headphones: everything for the comfort of gamers

Wires: No more. XBOX Wireless HeadSet offers gamers complete autonomy, so now you can easily pause the game and go to the kitchen for coffee without unnecessary gestures. Or start joyfully jumping around the room, rejoicing at the victory in the match. In addition, you no longer need to worry that your pet will gnaw through the cord and take the life of your favorite device. In general, each gamer has his own list of reasons not to like the abundance of cables around his gaming device – and to love the new product from Microsoft. At the same time, the built-in lithium-ion battery ensures uninterrupted operation up to 15 hours, and a full charge cycle takes about 3 hours.

The controls for this headset were clearly created by an engineer who is familiar with intense virtual battles firsthand: all buttons and knobs are integrated as conveniently as possible, and their location is quickly remembered. The left cup has a power button, a single press of which turns on the audio headset, and holding for a few seconds turns on the XBOX console. A little lower is the microphone off button, the activation and deactivation of which is accompanied by a short light and sound signal. The microphone itself is fixed here: it is located on a flexible rod that allows you to choose the optimal position of the holder – or remove it up if no voice interaction is expected.

The volume control deserves special attention, for which the XBOX One headset has two round knobs integrated into the ear cups. The one on the right is responsible for the overall volume, the left one, in turn, allows you to choose a balance between the sounds of the game and the volume of the game chat. Both knobs are easy to touch, have a smooth action with a soft tactile feedback and are securely locked in their selected positions.

Superior sound quality with minimal latency

The ear pads and volume controls don’t stop talking about sound: it’s time to talk about what’s inside the headphones themselves – and Microsoft has something to surprise gamers with. The main feature of the XBOX Wireless HeadSet is the sound source positioning module, as well as support for Dolby Atmos, Windows Sonic and DTS Headphone:X. This combination brings game special effects (and, in principle, the whole ambient) to a new level, allowing you to feel the whole volume of locations and the events taking place on them. For example, in Battlefield you can now easily determine from which side the enemy is sneaking up and at what approximate distance to the player he is – and in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, enjoy the distant singing of birds and the splashing of coastal waves (after the voices subside in the head of the main character, which now also quite tangibly will be heard from different sides). The beauty of this innovation is that it will be possible to enjoy special effects not only in games: 3D surround sound is available when watching movies and listening to music – while using additional adapters or a base station is not necessary.

Important: The first time you connect your XBOX Wireless HeadSet to your game console or computer, it automatically activates a six-month Dolby Atmos license – which you will need to purchase separately after that period. The same goes for DTS:X system support.

Dialogue without extraneous noise

There are two microphones in the XBOX Wireless HeadSet, and both are equipped with voice isolation technology, which allows you to achieve the absence of extraneous noise when talking with teammates. For added convenience, there is a configurable automatic microphone mute function for prolonged silence.

Detailed sound settings for any purpose

The proprietary XBOX Accessories app allows you to adjust all audio controls, including multi-level EQ, bass level, auto-mute threshold, as well as the brightness of the indicator lights and microphone monitoring levels. Well, if there is no desire to understand all the intricacies of the settings, then you can always use ready-made presets, which are provided in the program in sufficient quantities. In case you are planning to buy an XBOX Wireless HeadSet for use with a PC and not a console, this application, along with all its features, is also available in the Microsoft Store.

Universal soldier XBOX Wireless HeadSet from the world of audio headsets: both in the game and beyond

In fact, these headphones can be connected to any device that supports Bluetooth 4.2 technology, whether it is an XBOX game console, PC or smartphone. Pairing occurs automatically: to do this, you need to activate Bluetooth on the selected device and hold down the green button on the headset for four seconds (aka the power button). All! Microsoft Headphones are ready to use.

For those who do not want to be distracted by important calls during their gaming sessions, there is one extremely useful feature that allows you to use two devices in parallel. Thus, the simultaneous connection of the Xbox headset to both the gaming platform and the phone makes it possible to receive calls and chat on the phone without interrupting virtual accomplishments – and the volume control on the left earpiece will help you choose the optimal volume balance between the voice of the interlocutor and the game ambient.

Great choice for games, movies and music

Microsoft presented a headset that is amazing for the money, without focusing on excessive exclusivity: despite using the proprietary Xbox Wireless protocol, the headphones work great with XBOX consoles and other devices. The only drawback with a stretch can be called the lack of connectivity to the Nintendo Switch or Sony PlayStation – but this is already due to the limitations of the consoles themselves, and not the XBOX Wireless HeadSet.

Otherwise, the new headset for XBOX One offers players excellent visual and technical performance, support for advanced technologies and high sound quality, as well as convenience in everyday use. Therefore, if you want to buy high-quality and stylish headphones that can be used not only in tandem with a game console, we strongly recommend that you take a closer look at this new product.

Xbox Wireless Headset – freedom from wires!

Consoles

Author: Evgeny Oshkin • 15 Mar 2021 @ 14:00

Our testing

Hello! I decided to write a short review of the new, and most importantly, the Xbox Wireless Headset. I have already tested it for several days in games, music and movies.

Briefly about the testing itself.

Tested on: Xbox Series X console, also connected the headset to my iPhone X.
Launched games: Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, Ori and the Will of Wisps, Medium and Little Nightmares II.
What music services did you use: Spotify and Yandex.Music.

I will not focus too much on the technical characteristics (although I will still present all the data in a small plate). I want to tell more about my feelings – I think that it will be much more interesting.

Let’s start with the design

The first thing that catches your eye is their size, and they are not small. But as soon as you take them in your hands, you are very surprised at their weight – they are very light and do not cause any discomfort during long-term use, but more on that later.

The second is a combination of colors. Matte black plastic (and this is very convenient – there are no fingerprints left on the headset after long gaming runs) in combination with green inserts looks cool, and the Xbox logo perfectly complements the overall picture.

The third is tactile sensations, the headset is pleasant to the touch – an important role in this is played by polyurethane inserts with shock-absorbing foam. By the way, in my case, ear pads of this size perfectly cover the auricles and do not put excessive pressure on them. I think that readers who use full-size headsets often and for a long time will understand me – the small size of the ear pads often causes painful discomfort. With the Xbox Wireless Headset, I had no such problems, even after very long gaming sessions.

Let’s continue – ergonomics

Now you can forget about the wires. At all. Pause the game and just go somewhere? No problem. Just relax and enjoy the game.

Another interesting solution is volume control and chat mixer, everything is intuitive. On the sides of the headphones there are two large round knobs with green inserts – the right one is responsible for the overall volume, and the left one is for the balance between the volume of the game chat with the team and the sounds of the game – a convenient and useful feature. Moreover, these two controls have a very pleasant tactile feedback and this solution is much more convenient than the traditional volume buttons: firstly, you don’t have to look for them by touch, and secondly, the headset does not strive to fly off your head, as is usually the case when pressing the volume buttons.

The headset power button is located on the left side and holding it for 1-2 seconds turns on not only the headset itself, but also launches the Xbox console – I definitely did not expect this😉.

Separately, I want to mention the physical microphone mute key – it has a very convenient location – you definitely won’t have to look for a long time. Moreover, when the microphone is turned off or on, the headset signals various sound alerts and not only – thanks to the light indication, you can be sure that the microphone is turned off.

By the way, another interesting observation: the length of the headset microphone in no way interferes with eating and drinking while playing (I confess that sometimes I still sin, but I try to do it rarely).

Sound, chips and experience

Let’s start with the sound. I want to say right away that I’m definitely not an expert in the field of sound, but I liked the sound quality – very rich and thick bass (as I like), nicely pronounced mids and highs. Again, do not forget about the Xbox Accessories app – it will help you fine-tune your headset, for example, choose something from ready-made presets ( Game, Music, Movie ) or customize everything to your liking, down to the brightness of the microphone indicator.

Further – the noise reduction system works simply at the highest level: we put on the headset, turn it on and completely immerse ourselves in the game – no external noise distracts us.

We continue – microphones. There are two of them to more accurately cut off speech from unnecessary noise. And the microphones are automatically turned off when we are silent – nothing extraneous will definitely seep into the team chat. If desired, this feature can be disabled in the settings.

Connects to an Xbox Wireless headset, allowing you to enjoy surround sound technologies such as Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. this is an important part of success.

The headphones can also be paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth – and that’s where the fun begins. Nobody forbids connecting the Xbox Wireless Headset to both the console and the smartphone at the same time – which I did. The coolest thing is that when someone calls, we just answer and continue playing, because we hear both the sounds of the game and the caller at the same time. And thanks to the chat mixer control, you can adjust the optimal volume level for playing and calling.

In general, this device gives me only positive emotions when using it, and most importantly, my ears in the Xbox Wireless Headset just rest😊.

As promised – a small plate with characteristics (taken from the official site).

What’s in the box	Xbox Wireless Headset USB-C Charging Cable (35.5 cm long)
System Requirements	devices running Windows 10* .
Materials	Headband: Inner metal frame with cushioning foam. Ear pads: Oval design with PU leather and cushioning foam.
Microphones	Microphone design: flexible boom with two microphones and LED illumination when the microphone is on.
Speakers	Speaker size: 40 mm Speaker material: paper composite diaphragm and neodymium magnet Speaker impedance: 32 ohm Speaker bandwidth: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Controls	Buttons: Power/Connect, Mute, Game/Chat Balance (Left), Volume (Right).
Bluetooth	Bluetooth version: 4.2 (A2DP, HFP, HSP) Code: SBC
Elements of power	A located inside LETIIONAL ACCOUNES charging cycle. A 30 minute charge provides approximately 4 hours of battery life, and a full charge cycle is approximately 3 hours when the headset is not in use.**
Weight	312g
Virtual Surround Sound	Supports surround sound technologies such as Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone: X on Series X\|S and Xbox One consoles .**
Xbox Accessories app	Adjust EQ settings, bass boost, auto mute, LED brightness, and microphone monitoring.***

*Some voice chat modes on supported consoles require Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Live Gold (subscription sold separately). Use with Windows 10 requires Bluetooth 4.2+, an Xbox Wireless Adapter, or a compatible USB-C cable.