Playstation headphones Vs Xbox One Headset and their top alternative
Headphones are used not just to listen to music, but also to enjoy the audio effects that come with computer games. Top quality headphones that are designed for gaming comes with surround sound, excellent noise isolation feature and high volumes to liven up the game for users. Some of these headphones tend to be proprietary and come from the maker of gaming consoles such as playstation and Xbox, while others are more generic.
Below is the review of two proprietary headphones, one for Playstation and the other for Xbox. The third headphone is a generic one that compares well with the other two in terms of design and performance.
PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset
The PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset is a popular headphone model that comes with the right features to make gaming more interesting and lively for users. Priced at around $100, these headphones combine quality with good construction to bring out a useful product. In general, $100 is considered to be on the low-end for gaming headphones because they need to reproduce sound with the same quality as it is heard in speakers. However, the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset does not compromise on any aspect to keep its price low.
The design of these headphones is fairly simple, without any surprises except for the bright blue colour on the inside of the headband. This blue colour adds a touch of funkiness to the phone and in the process, enhances its attractiveness. The material used for these headphones is plastic and faux leather, which is what is expected for this price. This material makes these headphones reasonably sturdy, but it may not hold up with frequent travel because the hinges on the foldable part of the ear cups are weak and shaky. However, this does not mean that these headphones are of poor quality, rather it is meant that they will last longer with reasonable care.
The sound is reasonably good, though not stellar. It comes with 7.1 surround system that allows players to identify the direction of the sound. Another salient feature of these headphones is its planned game-specific profiles that have been created by its developers. This feature allows users to choose a particular profile for each game, so that it is personal and customized to meet the needs of different users. Also, the battery life last longer because these headphones can be charged even when they are in use.
One downside to these headphones is their poor midrange sound that tends to sound flat and boring. Other than this fault, the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset is a good bet for those gamers who are on a tight budget.
Xbox One Stereo Headset
Xbox One Stereo Headset from Microsoft comes with a neat matte finish and glossy black color that is in tune with its Xbox theme. The branding comes on the outer side of the left ear cup, and this branding is also in black and not the green one that is a part of Xbox’s theme. Hence, it looks neat and stylish, and gives an overall classy look.
These headphones also come with microphones and inline controls that do not jut out when worn. It is rather concealed in a such a way that others will not even know what the users are doing, and for the users, it means lesser mouth breathers when they are talking with Xbox Live.
Other than the microphones, innovation can also be seen in the design of ear cups. These cups have foam cushioning around them and are insulated to ensure that sound leakages are at a minimum. Also, the headphones can be used with other devices too such as laptops and MP3 players.
In terms of performance, these headphones are good. The sound quality is best when used with Xbox One, and diminishes with other devices. From a gaming perspective, it is super as it can capture many of the finer details in each note. The equalization and balance between the two sides is remarkable, and it gives users a fresh and lively sound that goes well with the spirit of any game. One downside is that the high notes are not as crisp as it should be, and the lower notes tend to falter out a little bit. Otherwise, it is a good choice for gaming enthusiasts.
Top alternative headset - Logitech Wireless Gaming G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound
Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound is a good alternative for both the above headphones, though it is more expensive when compared to the above models. It is priced at $160, but its features make it worth the price.
The most salient feature of these headphones is that they do not have a cable running from the ear cups. Rather, it connects wirelessly through a USB transmitter, which means, users can use it for taking calls, listening to music and speaking into Skype even when they are on the move.
As for the design, there is nothing flashy except for the red piping on the ear cups. Otherwise, it is a black-colored headphone that sits comfortably over the users’ ears. The left ear cup comes with a slew of controls such as a volume wheel, mute button for the mic, Dolby digital switch, customizable buttons, power switch and a microphone that can be flipped down when needed. Such a design gives a greater degree of control to users. The performance of these headphones is also impressive. It has an amazing amount of gaming power for a wireless headset, and it sounds good on other devices too.
When compared to the other two headphones, the Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound is an excellent alternative because of its superior sound quality, functional design and the convenience of going wireless when needed. These features make it one of the best gaming headphones available in the market, and eclipses the other two with its sheer functionality and flexibility choices.