Xbox Wireless Headset Review (2024): Pair and Play Leave a comment

Bored with working your console by means of your soundbar, or worse, TV audio system? A correct gaming headset presents higher directional audio, sound isolation, and a built-in microphone to coordinate with teammates or taunt enemies.

Xbox desires to say that house in your ears with an up to date model of its well-liked however plainly named Xbox Wi-fi Headset. Launched in late 2024, the brand new model boasts improved battery life, Dolby Atmos help, and an improved microphone, all for simply $110. Understand that a few of our favourite gaming headsets don’t have native Xbox Collection X/S (7/10, WIRED Assessment) help, and the official providing begins to look much more interesting.

Connecting and Pairing

The essential-looking Xbox headset will not win any magnificence contests, nevertheless it features completely. Pairing with an Xbox couldn’t be any easier. Maintain down the massive inexperienced energy button on the left ear, then press the pairing button on the console, and also you’re able to go. It’s the identical course of for Bluetooth units, and I had no hassle connecting it to my telephone, though I don’t assume I’d put on these to hearken to a podcast whereas strolling the canine.

If you wish to get into the nitty-gritty, the Xbox Accessories app in your console has a bevy of further audio settings, together with an equalizer with presets for various modes. I sometimes set this to Speech, as a result of I discovered it helped me hear dialog in busy video games, however I feel Music sounded the most effective for many conditions. You may modify mic and lightweight settings in right here too, with a stunning degree of specificity for a console headset.

I’m an enormous fan of the amount knobs on every earcup, each of which have a premium really feel. They take up your entire outdoors panel, in order that they’re simple to seize and switch mid-game with out having to hunt round. The left aspect adjusts the steadiness between sport audio and communication audio and has an indent within the heart for a 50–50 break up, and the correct aspect adjusts whole quantity all the best way down to an entire mute, with magnetic stops at every finish.

A minor quibble right here: The headset doesn’t embody a USB-C cable, which you’ll want for charging. We anticipate most individuals may have one round at this level, so it’s most likely a great way to scale back waste, nevertheless it’s price being conscious of, particularly for Apple of us who haven’t upgraded but.

Audio for Gaming

Spatial audio actually shines on this up to date headset, with full help for Dolby Atmos, so long as you’re related to an Xbox Collection S/X and the sport you’re taking part in helps it.

I spent a while within the lately launched Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle (8/10, WIRED Assessment), which has an distinctive soundtrack and detailed sport audio. The sound isolation on the headset helped make the whoosh of his fists and the crunching of rocks and leaves below my toes really feel tremendous actual. Even the music felt notably detailed and nuanced, chopping cleanly by means of the dialog and sport sounds.