Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset ReviewReview of the Corsair HS70 Pro wireless gaming headset, a mid-range headset that doesn't look out of place in the office or when gaming.
The CORSAIR HS70 PRO WIRELESS Gaming Headset stands out with its memory foam ear pads, custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drivers, and low-latency 2.4GHz Wireless, offering a unique blend of comfort and quality.
As someone who found themselves working from home due to the pandemic, I was in need of a versatile headset for both professional and gaming use. The CORSAIR WIRELESS Gaming Headset caught my attention, and I decided to give it a try.
I decided on the Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset as a mid-range headset that doesn't look out of place in the office or out of place in gaming. I didn't want any RGB lighting that other gaming headsets offered, but I wanted wireless. My previous two headsets used in the office were wired, and I didn't want to be tethered to my home office desk. In wireless technology, there are Bluetooth and proprietary Wireless technologies. While I would have liked a Bluetooth headset as they are compatible with anything Bluetooth enabled, like a phone, at the time, Bluetooth headsets did not have as good battery life, audio quality, or range. The Corsair HS70 is proprietary Wireless only. On balance, I chose the HS70 for the features vs. cost.
The headset has an over-ear design, meaning your entire ear sits inside the foam cup. This is much more comfortable than on-ear when the headset squishes your ear. They are comfortable to wear for long Zoom meetings and hours of continual gaming. The sound quality is also really good, and the surround sound 7.1 makes gaming all the more atmospheric, especially in games like Alien Isolation, where sound is a key factor in detecting the Alien and staying safe. The headset is also nicely bassy, with explosions pumping your brain, and the music sounds both bassy and crisp.
The CORSAIR WIRELESS Gaming Headset exudes a sense of premium quality. Its construction, featuring a blend of metal, high-quality plastic, and PU leather, speaks to its durability and comfort. The headband, adorned with cross-hatch stitching, adds a touch of elegance. The black mesh on the ear cups, subtly displaying the Corsair logo, further enhances its aesthetic appeal.
On each ear cup, there are hand controls. The power button is on the right-hand side; on the left is a nice mechanical volume dial, mute button, micro USB charging port and a detachable microphone. As with most, if not all, headsets, the headband is adjustable to suit most head sizes.
The detachable microphone is a thoughtful addition to the CORSAIR WIRELESS Gaming Headset. As a gamer who prefers not to use voice chat, I appreciate the option to unplug the microphone and use the headset solely for audio. When I need to use it for work, I simply plug it back in, and it's ready for my meetings. The microphone's noise-cancelling feature ensures clear communication, and its flexible arm maintains the position I set it to without any slippage.
The headset has a USB dongle and a wireless transmitter. You can only connect these headphones to devices that support USB audio, so mobile phones and tablets are out. Still, consoles and desktop PC/Macs work well. The adaptor works on USB2 and USB3 ports as well as USB hubs.
In terms of range, they quote "Up to 40ft", which is 12 metres or thereabouts, but realistically, it is far less than this. The signal certainly does not penetrate walls, so even though it is less than 5 metres from the transmitter, it loses signal as soon as a wall gets in the way. Moving within the room or maintaining line of sight, I could get around 8m, which is still far away. The sound is either high quality when it does have a signal or non-existent when out of range. There is no "fuzzy" reception. The headphones automatically reconnect and continue playing when they come back into range.
All the settings and EQ presets are handled with the optional Corsair iCUE software package. You don't need this to be installed, as Windows can handle most settings, but I recommend installing iCUE. I use this for three main things: the voice prompts on mute/unmute, the battery level and enabling surround. Without the software installed, mute and unmute are done by a two-tone beep notification, which can be difficult to hear depending on what you are listening to. iCUE replaces the beeps with a voice prompt "Mic On" or "Mic Off".
The software also allows you to create multiple EQ profiles, use customisable presets, configure an auto shut down, control sidetone (allowing you to hear your voice in the headset), and, more importantly, it lets you activate the impressive 7.1 virtual surround sound feature, which works very well by the way.
In an iCue version update in early 2021, Corsair added Mic Feedback, which means you can hear your voice in the headset when you speak. They added "Mic Feedback On" and "Mic Feedback Off" to the voice prompt. When muting and unmuting, you now hear "Mic On, Mic Feedback On" and "Mic Off, Mic Feedback Off". This isn't very pleasant to have to listen to, especially on a group Teams or Zoom call. If you don't want the mic feedback enabled, you can turn it off, preventing the voice notification. Simply "mute" Sidetone from the iCUE software. It is the right-hand slider in the screenshot above. Now we're back to just "Mic On".
After five months of daily use, I am pleased with this headset. My only criticism is that it is a "gaming" headset that is not certified for Teams or Zoom, so things like the mute button on the headset do not reflect into the mute button on Teams - you end up double muted. However, The headset is certified for Discord, the main voice chat application for gamers.
