Microsoft has announced some upgrades to its Xbox Wireless Headset on Tuesday, with improved audio, better battery life, and an upgraded microphone for $110, which is $10 more than its predecessor. And it’s available to buy now.
Xbox calls this a “refresh” in the announcement post on its website, and indeed it doesn’t change up a lot in terms of design. The only significant difference is that it no longer sports a green ring around the earcups. Instead, it opts for an all-black look.
The most pronounced change is in battery life, with the new Xbox Wireless Headset touting 20 hours of playtime instead of the last model’s 15. The microphone has also been upgraded with enhanced auto-mute and voice isolation capabilities to eliminate background distractions. For the best sound, the company has also included Dolby Atmos for spatial sound at “no additional cost” (great for audio-rich games like Hellblade 2), and Bluetooth 5.3 for more stable connections between devices.
The previous Xbox Wireless Headset, which released in 2021, is a good affordable headset. It doesn’t have many of the advanced abilities you’d see on other wireless gaming headsets, but it provides clear sound, allows you to adjust settings on the earcups, and has a retractable mic. Plus, it cost $100, making it more affordable than other great Xbox headsets, even ones that are wired only. And with Bluetooth, you can connect it to your PC or mobile device if you want.
The new Xbox Wireless Headset will replace the 2021 version at retailers, and is the only one you can buy on the Xbox Store. It’s also priced at $110, which isn’t a huge price hike, but isn’t insignificant either. If you want a first-party headset, the only other choice is the cheaper, wired Xbox Stereo Headset, which is sold out at the time of this writing.
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