Microsoft this morning announced a new wireless headset for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, though it’ll also work for Xbox One, and Windows 10 PCs too.
The new headset appears to be packed full of useful features that make it a pretty good choice for gaming audio. Including a chat microphone that knows when to shut you up. Thanks to the dual beamforming microphones and the noise isolation tuning within the headset, the headset knows when you’re talking and when you’re not.
And it uses this to activate an auto-mute feature of the chat microphone so the communication between you and your friends/teammates is clear unless you’re actually speaking to them. The noise isolation also helps by filtering out noise that isn’t your voice, so when you do talk you’re more clear to people on the other end.
The auto-mute is a feature that’s on by default. But Microsoft says it can be turned off if you don’t want to use it. Which can be done through the headset’s companion app you’d install on the Xbox Series X.
You also get mic monitoring so you know how you sound to others. There’s an equalizer too so you can customize the sound profiles of your different games.
The new wireless Xbox headset offers spatial audio
If advanced chat features wasn’t enough, the headset also offers spatial audio. Providing a more realistic and immersive sound experience for games.
Microsoft says the audio is best-in-class. Using technology like Microsoft Sonic, DTS Headphone: X, and Dolby Atmos to deliver the realism. What this translates to for the gamer is being able to better hear specific, and also important, audio elements within games.
Like footsteps in an FPS game, for example.
Dongle-free wireless connections and extreme comfort
In addition to the $100 price point, there’s a lot more to like about this headset. Namely comfort and a dongle-free wireless connection.
The headset uses large, lightweight and “ultra-soft” earcups so you don’t get fatigue during longer gaming sessions. The earcups are made of polyurethane leather that are designed to distribute weight across the ears evenly. Which should help.
You also connect the headset completely dongle-free to your Xbox or PC. Unlike previous Xbox wireless headsets, there’s no dongle that needs to be plugged into the console. As it’s all built into the headset itself this time.
It even connects to smartphones through Bluetooth if you want to use the headset on the go. Microsoft says battery life can last up to 15 hours, but certain factors can change that.
Things like distance from the console, other accessories in use, and more can lessen the amount of time you have to use it. Thankfully you get about 4 hours of use in just a 30-minute charge. So you won’t have to wait long.
You can pick this up through Microsoft starting today. Though the headset is still on pre-order and doesn’t ship till the middle of March. It’s also now available at Amazon.