At a look

Expert’s Rating

Pros

• Great audio efficiency with impartial mid-tones
• Lightweight, comfy design
• Mesh coverings on the earcups reduce sweat
• Flip-to-mute mic

Cons

• The omnidirectional mic will not be removable
• Lacks true simultaneous connectivity for listening to a number of audio sources without delay
• The small RGB mild zones really feel like an afterthought

Our Verdict

The Corsair HS80 Max has virtually all the things you can need in a gaming headset for an pleasing gaming session — clear high-resolution audio, a snug and trendy design, and good cross-platform compatibility. While you may’t take heed to audio sources from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on the similar time, each connection sorts do work at lengthy vary. The headset’s battery life can be very first rate.

Price When Reviewed

179.99

Best Prices Today: Corsair HS80 Max

Too usually I take a look at premium headsets that, though they’ve stellar audio, are heavy and fatiguing, weighed down by an excessive amount of steel and stuffy leatherette material — supplies which have develop into in a approach hallmarks of what constitutes a premium pair of cans. But the Corsair HS80 Max turns the tables on that in no small approach.

Indeed, this headset trades leatherette for a cool mesh material and an excessive amount of steel within the earcups for light-weight however robust plastic ones, each of which make it extremely comfy for lengthy gaming stints.

Yet whereas this headset dares to be completely different, it foregoes not one of the top-quality audio you’d anticipate from a premium gaming headset. At $179.99 it’s additionally cheaper than rivals just like the $249.99 Razer Barracuda Pro and $379.99 SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. Read on to seek out out extra.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best wireless gaming headsets to study competing merchandise.

Corsair HS80 Max: Design and construct

Light and versatile, and with a primarily plastic design that weighs simply 12.4 ounces, I discovered I may put on the HS80 Max all day lengthy with none points. Comfort has been made an apparent precedence — the headset incorporates a floating headband with a protecting that protects the highest of your head from the firmer headband above it.

The HS80 Max’s earcups are on the mushy facet, however they really feel good and ethereal. Their mesh protecting saved my ears cool even throughout lengthy stints gaming. It additionally prevented me sweating, one thing for which I used to be very glad throughout a sizzling spell within the climate.

Even if you’re not sporting them, these cans are remarkably cozy. The cups can swivel 180 levels, which meant I may simply lay them flat on my neck. There’s little or no clamp strain to talk of, so there’s none of that wrestling I usually must do to place my headsets on. One small nit-pick within the design is that the headscarf isn’t vertically adjustable, which might be a difficulty for some customers.

Plastic isn’t at all times implausible relating to headset sturdiness, however the HS80 Max is kind of sturdy. It held up nicely in my testing, seeming impervious to wreck throughout an unintended fall off my desk onto a tiled flooring. It additionally averted being scratched up by the keys in my backpack.

There is one design difficulty you’ll need to be cautious of: The headset has cords that attain up by way of small triangular openings above the earcups and these are dangerously susceptible to unintended snipping or breaking. Ideally, you’re going to need to home this headset in a case.

From a mode perspective, the HS80 Max has a whole lot of swagger. I actually dig the uniquely formed cups that are “ear-shaped” somewhat than spherical or oval. They convey an originality to the look that doesn’t want a lot else to prop it up.

That mentioned, the outside of the earcups in my Steel Gray coloured set look good-looking too, the grey paint job contrasting properly with the black of the inside materials. The plastic has a stain end to it, so it appears to be like altogether premium. The headset’s RGB lighting, nevertheless, looks as if sort of an afterthought. It seems solely within the small Corsair sail logos on every cup.

Corsair HS80 Max: Connectivity and compatibility

I used my evaluate unit principally with my PC and Android telephone, but it surely’ll work simply as nicely with a Mac, iPhone, PS5, PS4, or Nintendo Switch console.

The headset boasts each 2.4GHz wi-fi connectivity in addition to Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. While you could be linked to each without delay, they’ll’t be used concurrently; the headset mechanically paused my in-game audio for incoming cellphone calls and returned once I hung up.

Of course, that meant enjoying my favourite tunes from my smartphone over a couple of rounds of Overwatch 2 was off the desk — one thing I’d actually anticipate a premium headset that prices $179.99 to have the ability to do. Still, a Bluetooth button on the best earcup made it quite simple to change between connectivity modes once I wanted to.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The Bluetooth button additionally doubles as a media controller. Other controls are scarce — the remaining two had been a easy quantity wheel and energy button situated on the left-hand earcup.

Both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have nice vary: In Bluetooth Mode, I received as much as 30 ft away earlier than the sign lower out. But in Wi-Fi Mode you may simply stroll as much as 50 ft away out of your gadget.

To be certain, not each headset provides you such a sign distance to take pleasure in, and I used to be fast to utilize that performance to wander round my work kitchen whereas retaining the newest episode of PCWorld’s The Full Nerd podcast streaming from my laptop computer again at my desk.

The HS80 Max has a really first rate battery life too, however there’s a giant distinction in how lengthy you get in line with how you utilize it. With RGB switched on, my headset lasted a full 18 hours. However, Corsair says it might final for so long as 130 hours with RGB switched off and in Bluetooth Mode.

Corsair HS80 Max: Gaming efficiency

Custom 50mm neodymium drivers within the HS80 Max’s earcups convert electrical alerts to sound, and judging by the crisp, clear audio they ship, they’re extraordinarily well-tuned for gaming. The audio high quality is considerably higher than what you get in some headsets, being a high-resolution sign of 24bit/96kHz.

The headset can comfortably hit very low bass notes and ear-splittingly excessive treble notes. The treble is delivered with the sort of pristine readability that basically reveals up inferior headsets as sounding tinny by comparability. But the mid-tones are by far the place this headset actually shines — these tones sound impartial and heat, which is simply what you need for an immersive gaming expertise.

My playtesting primarily included rounds of Call of Duty Black Ops and CounterStrike 2. In COD: Black Ops the HS80 Max had me chomping on the bit to play after I heard its immersive rendition of the sport’s pre-game soundtrack; it dropped deep digital keyboard notes, and the full-bodied strings sounded emotive and uncooked.

The headset additionally shocked me by accentuating in-game sounds that I hardly ever discover, just like the beeping of timed explosive prices. This introduced a brand new depth to my gameplay.

In CS:2, footfalls had been noticeably simple to listen to even at low volumes, which made it easy to trace each pleasant items and enemies close by. I used to be impressed by how the set dealt with explosions and gunfire too — it delivered these sounds with a smoothness that I may take heed to all day. Indeed, there was no jarring thuds or cracking noises that I’ve a low tolerance for.

For added immersion in CS:2 I used to be very glad for the headset’s Dolby Atmos assist. The HS80 Max comes with a free license for it on PC, which saves you the price of having to buy a license your self. I discovered the encompass sound considerably elevated my directional consciousness and introduced a satisfying cinematic high quality to video games.

The HS80 Max’s microphone is omnidirectional and has handy flip-to-mute performance. I hoped it will even be removable for bus journeys the place I like listening to podcasts and don’t actually need to appear like I’m in full desktop gaming mode — but it surely’s undetachable.

Testing the microphone revealed it may reproduce my voice with satisfactory readability. The mic’s bendable increase finish additionally allowed me to maneuver it the place I may get one of the best illustration of my voice in chats.

Corsair HS80 Max: Software

The HS80 Max is used with Corsair’s iCUE software program app. Here you may tweak EQ settings, personalize RGB lighting, and obtain firmware updates. iCUE additionally has a novel characteristic referred to as Sonarworks SoundID, which lets you calibrate the headset with an audio preset that greatest matches your listening preferences.

For this characteristic to work, you’ll have to first activate SoundID within the iCUE app after which endure a listening to take a look at and full a survey that can ask on your suggestions on completely different listening situations. Once you have got your customized SoundID preset arrange, you may then select to change it on or off everytime you need.

In my view, SoundID works nicely to optimize the headset’s sound in a common sense, however it’s nonetheless fairly generic. So, should you want very particular audio frequencies to be dropped at the fore, equivalent to to emphasise footfalls in FPS video games, you’re greatest off tweaking your EQ settings manually. Still, I applaud Corsair for incorporating a characteristic like this, which simply provides to the extent of personalization you have got at your fingertips.

Should you purchase the Corsair HS80 Max?

After spending 32 hours enjoying with the Corsair HS80 Max I’m left wishing it had solely two options — a removable mic and simultaneous wi-fi audio. Everything else it does beautifully — wonderful high-resolution audio, tons of consolation, and distinctive, enticing styling. At $179.99 it’s not low-cost, however cheaper than some premium rivals, which makes it simpler to suggest as an incredible selection for discerning avid gamers.