Corsair HS80 MAX headset review: By the numbers

❘ Published: 2023-08-10T13:01:10

The Corsair HS80 MAX provides an ample and comfortable gaming experience, but is it just a by-the-numbers headset, or is it worth the price tag?

Another month heralds yet another refresh to a gaming headset line. This time, Corsair are renewing and improving on their last HS80 headset.

While the HS80 MAX is a fairly by-the-numbers headset, Corsair’s latest efforts did manage to impress us as we delved into using them while playing games on the Steam Deck.

Key specs

Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB-C, 2.4GHz
Driver diameter: 50mm
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20 kHz
Weight: 352g
Compatibility: PC, Mac, Linux, Bluetooth devices, Steam Deck, PS5 & PS4
Features: Flip to mute microphone, Dolby Atmos support
Price: $179.99 (before tax)

In the box: USB-C cable, headset & carry case

Design

A chic white finish with a comfortable-looking grey set of earcups makes the HS80 MAX stand out entirely. The various headsets that we’ve accumulated, all form into a rat king of black plastic. Everything looks unique, but most gaming headsets sport a “gamer” look, which we’re not particularly fans of.

However, the HS80 MAX looks great and fit in well with my home office’s current style. It’s a weird thing to consider about a gaming headset no one will ever really see in that capacity. But, the cleaner aesthetic and bright white colorway impresses.

Once you turn off the RGB – or set it to bright white – it really looks quite professional. Perhaps it is the comforting grey flourishes present throughout the headset.

Well-built

The metal hinges and flexible microphone really bring the HS80 MAX together. At $179.99 (before taxes!), it’s good to know that the headset will withstand our near-constant adjustments, thanks to a rascal of a puppy. Also, it will probably withstand the mouthing, teething, and general gnawing that you can expect with your canine companions.

This headset, and we can’t state this enough, is extremely comfortable. While we aren’t huge fans of the material cushioned cups – sweaty or wet heads be warned – it began to grow on us a little. We’d prefer faux-leather cups, just for cleanliness as well. We don’t think we’ll ever figure out how to wash those material, sweat-soaking cups properly in six months’ time.

Features

Corsair claims the battery life on the HS80 MAX can hit around 65 hours. After over a week of using them, other than giving them a charge out of the box, we haven’t had to connect them back up.

It’s quite the flexible device, offering not only Bluetooth, but 2.4GHz, and you can hook it up to pretty much anything with a USB port. It’s also going to work with your PS5 and PS4 as well.

We were able to use it not only as a Bluetooth headset on something like the Steam Deck but also plug it in and, connect it via a 2.4GHz dongle. It’s the same on PC. As we crept through the beginning act of Baldur’s Gate 3, we would have preferred to have a wired connection on offer too.

Software

The headset does require you to use Corsair’s proprietary software, which is servicable, but yet another application that could potentially impact on your gaming performance. Over on SteamOS, however, we were up and running pretty much straight away. Sure, the firmware might not be up to par, but without any interfering software, we found that the HS80 MAX sounds just as expected.

Audio quality

At $179.99, we’d expect maybe a little more care into the quality of the sound, but it’s not all that bad. It’s a little flat in some areas, but it provides adequate sound to play some video games with. These feel like a premium-built version of a fairly standard-sounding headset.

However, despite the middling sound, the headset kept us engrossed in titles like Baldur’s Gate 3. In games like Dave the Diver, we felt it did an adequate job of lulling us into the relaxation trance of a cozy game.

There’s just nothing standing out on the sound front. Even on a Windows PC, it never really stands out. You can tweak your sound profiles in an equalizer, but it just never really manages to shine.

Dolby Atmos

Being able to use Dolby Atmos properly made for a great afternoon. You need to manage the hassle of the Windows store to access it, but it’s well worth it. The extra oomph from adjusting the equalizer did help mask the mediocre sound.

All of the videos that use it make you wonder if everything doesn’t just naturally support the tech. It is truly immersive, with the only barrier being no access to a VR headset.

Gaming experience

We played a portion of the Modern Warfare 2 (2022) campaign, which felt incredible. Bullets, explosions, foilage noises, it’s just all crystal clear exactly where it is in relation to the world. Multiplayer it doesn’t seem to have much benefit, but at least you hear the whizzing of the sniper shot coming at you.

With regular listening the headset performed just fine, as we’ve said. Games felt as they should, but nothing really striking out within the ears. Comfortable gaming this can do, however. We must have spent an hour fiddling with Baldur’s Gate’s character creator and not once did we ever feel discomfort.

The Verdict: 4/5

The HS80 MAX isn’t revolutionary, or iterative, it is more of the same. However, if you missed out on it last time, then this is the one to look at. It’s a fairly standard listening experience, but within the gaming space, the access to Dolby Atmos really becomes a selling point. The comfortable design and professional look, along with the flexibility, do really snowball into a solid recommendation.

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