Post by KostaAndreadis @ 01:06pm 17/02/21 | 0 Comments
And it look pretty cool too, with the new Xbox Wireless Headset set to launch on March 16 for the very reasonable $149.95 AUD. Microsoft is touting sound quality, comfort, customisation, affordability, and the recent launch of its next-gen consoles as the driver for its creation.
On that note, both the Xbox Series X and S feature custom audio hardware as a part of their makeup to ensure a cleaner signal for processing and surround goodness. Which also means low latency for headsets, and lossless audio capabilities. The Xbox Wireless Headset will support multiple devices, including PC, with its surround/spatial support covering Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone: X out of the box -- very cool.
And it looks sleek too.
“We spent a lot of time in the audio testing chambers trying to characterize and understand how the headset reproduces audio in different room environments. It goes in your living room, game room, and dorm room and we want it to sound the best for all types of audio.” said Erik Garcia, Project Architect and Lead. “In the same way, the team studied gameplay to ensure great sounding chat with a sensitive mic to prevent background noise.”
As per the announcement, Microsoft is aiming for "best-in-class audio and chat performance, outstanding design and comfort" with "innovations not previously found in this price range". One of these features looks to be an auto-mute function that mutes the microphone when you aren't talking, and a light indicator to highlight when your voice is being picked up. The cups themselves also double as volume dials.
And the mic retracts, which is always a welcome touch.
In addition to Xbox Series X and S, the Xbox Wireless Headset is also compatible with Xbox One and Windows 10 for full customisation via software settings for equaliser, mic sensitivity, and more. The headset also, surprisingly, supports Bluetooth for mobile devices -- so it can double as a pair of Xbox-branded music headphones. Battery life is rated at around 15-hours.
GAME TRIVIA - Did You Know?
Prior to the release of the Xbox 360 the developers behind Gears of War, a true next-gen showcase for the console, showed Microsoft how the game could look if the system had double the memory capacity (RAM). From this the decision was made to up the memory of the Xbox 360 ahead of its launch -- which helped developers deliver groundbreaking visuals.