The Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless gaming headset is a decent gaming headphone at $150, but it could be even better at a lower price. The sound quality is excellent, that is the most essential feature a gaming headset can provide. However, the device’s physical design falls short, from its snug fit to its non-removable mic to its weirdly shaped ear cushions. The HS80 is priced similarly to medium-range wireless gaming headphones, but it looks and feels much less expensive.
Nonetheless, there is no doubting that the HS80 ends up getting more things right than wrong. There is plenty of equalization options, strong wireless connectivity, a good battery life, and then a surprisingly decent mic quality, furthermore to wonderful gaming sound and adequate music sound. It is compatible with both Computer and PlayStation, as well as the controls are simple to grasp in either case.
Although the HS80 isn’t among the best gaming headphones, it’s worth considering if you’re looking for wireless gaming headsets for under $150.
What you will see here?
Pricing
When launched Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless gaming headset costs $150 but as time passed its price decreased. Now it cost around $140 and £140 in US and UK respectively. For this price, it is not a great deal as it does not look as expensive as it asks for.
Comfort
If somehow the Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless gaming headset were far comfier, its questionable look would be less of a problem. Nevertheless, Corsair has recently released much more comfy headphones than this.
The asymmetrical ear cushions didn’t fit well over your ears, but that wasn’t the only issue. The bigger problem though is that the elastic headband, which was brilliantly designed in headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis 7P/7X, didn’t work well on the HS80. An elastic headband is assumed to provide a secure, comfortable fit. However, no matter how you place the HS80 on your head, it felt way too tight around your ears, especially when you are wearing glasses. It was never unbearably uncomfortable, but you couldn’t stand wearing this for more than 60 minutes at a time.
Design
The Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless gaming headset is among the unlikelier Corsair headsets seen recently. Corsair’s greater headsets typically have spherical earcups, detachable mics, as well as notched headbands, but the HS80 does not. Rather, the earcups are shaped like rounded trapezoids, the microphone is a simple wham design, and the headband is stretchy.
None of these options is particularly advantageous to the headset. The earcups and headband aren’t particularly comfortable. And the non-detachable mic is an ugly mess, not to acknowledge something typically reserved for much cheaper ones.
The HS80 isn’t a pretty peripheral, what with its asymmetrical ear cups as well as protruding mic. It is, however, fairly simple to use. All of it actually occurs on the left earcup: a volume dial, a USB-C charging port, a power button, and the above-mentioned mic.
Performance
The excellent thing is that, despite a few design flaws, the Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless is doing exactly the right thing to do. I suppose you put the headset through its paces with gameplay, such as Age of Empires IV, Cyberpunk 2077, etc. Each game will sound fantastic thanks to the HS80’s robust equalization options as well as powerful 50 mm drivers.
The peripheral is sufficient in terms of music. The bass here on HS80 isn’t as powerful as it is on numerous gaming headsets, and there isn’t a clear distinction between vocals, bass, and treble in the soundtrack.
However, the FPS Boost mode inside the Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) software improves the sound of most music significantly.
Features
The Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless may not have many unique features, but it does include a software suite as a USB headset from Corsair. The iCUE software is somewhat complicated, but it allows you to do a lot with it, including customizing the HS80’s RGB earcup lighting, adjusting equalization levels, and creating profiles for specific games and apps. There are a plethora of equalization options available, ranging from improving FPS gameplay to attempting to make video calls sound crystal clear, and they all function properly well.
Aside from that, there’s the mic, which, despite its unassuming appearance, performs admirably. You can also set up a Dolby profile for surround sound on Windows, but it’s a bit more complex if you want surround sound on the PS4 or PS5. Talking of PlayStation, switching between PC and console is simple, but there’s no doubting that the HS80’s choices are far more extensive on PC.
There’s also the matter of the battery life, which Corsair estimates to be around 20 hours. This places it in the middle of the bunch, given that some gaming headphones can last for dozens of hours while everyone else may last only 15 or so.
Conclusion
Each decent gaming headset must meet two requirements: it has to provide outstanding sound and be comfy. One of those boxes is checked by the Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless. The HS80, with its drivers and microphone, is an excellent buddy for PC as well as PlayStation gaming in both multiplayer and single modes. However, its design needs some work, especially since it is difficult to wear for long durations.
