![]() Of course, not all PU leather is created equally as I do have two pairs of headphones that have withstood the test of time. One area that I am a little concerned about is the material used to coat the ear cups, polyurethane leather this same material is utilized across a variety of headphones, including my old Polk 4Shot and Polk Melees, both of which deteriorated after about a year’s worth of use. That said, aside from warm ears after my several hour testing sessions, I think most will be comfortable with the materials. They are not quite as “sensationally-invisible” as the wonderful ski-goggle material that dons the headband of the Arctis 9x, nor are the cups as breathable as the aforementioned headset. ![]() Luckily, this headset seems to have been built with every user-type in mind, as I’ve been able to use them in multiple four hour Sea of Thieves sessions with little to no ear or head pain. As someone that has to use glasses for every waking moment, I often find most headphones uncomfortable either from the onset, or after using them for several hours over-the-ear sets tend to be a little bit better in this regard, but there are still several pairs that I own where I use them sparingly. Tackling build quality first, it should be noted that there is a lot that the Xbox Wireless Headset does right. These are not the first headsets to do so, however I found the pairing process across my various Xbox consoles considerably more reliable than the somewhat finicky process on the Steelseries. Even at a price of “just” $100, features mean little if the audio and build quality are subpar and this is where things get a bit more nuanced. ![]() It’s important to note that unlike most headsets on the market, the Xbox Wireless Headset uses the Xbox Wireless protocol so there are no dongles or connections to worry about. Luckily, other functions are just as intuitive: pairing to the Xbox (or PC with the Xbox Wireless Adapter) is simple with a long press to the power button, and the mic has a subtle mute button where it connects to the headset (making a quick mute effortless). The dual-dial system is not unlike that of the Steelseries 9x, albeit the Xbox headset’s solution is arguably a touch more elegant in its inconspicuous design and contextual “click” on the balance dial that signifies the game and chat audio are at equal levels. Microsoft’s hardware engineering team took several cues from their previous entries in the headset market, specifically the most recent Surface Headphones their signature volume dials return, only in the Xbox Wireless Headset, one is used to control the general volume level while the other manages the balance between chat and game audio. If not for the ever-present, but foldable, mic there aren’t any other clear indications that the headphones are intended for gaming as their primary focus. With the exception of the power button and millimeter thick band of Xbox-green on each of the headsets dials, the entire chassis and ear cushions are black. Right out of the box, the headset oozes style while maintaining a simplicity in design that eschews the gaudy bright lights and color accents that mar most gaming headsets. To provide some insight as to why, and perhaps assist in your decision for your next Xbox/PC headset, join me as I cover all the elements that make the Xbox Wireless Headset such an incredible value. ![]() Could a $99 headset promising the combination of features and audio capability compete in a market where gamers often spend double, or more, for the same combination? Well, the Xbox Wireless Headset has been in my possession for nearly a week and in that time I have had the opportunity to put them through the gamut, as well as compare them to a range of other headphones (including the USD 200 SteelSeries Arctis 9X), and my answer is a resounding yes. The headset’s announcement boasted a bevy of hardware and software features previously unheard of at its price point of USD 99, and plenty of gaming pundits, and users alike, were cautiously optimistic. ![]() Little over one month ago, Microsoft officially unveiled their new first-party wireless gaming headphones with the simple moniker, Xbox Wireless Headset. ![]()
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