In this day and age, it’s hard to find a pair of gaming headphones that check all the right boxes. It seems one pair has the best sound quality, while another offers top build quality, or functionality, or style. Obtaining all of these in one set can seem impossible when looking for a new pair. The HS70 Pro headphones sport a polished aesthetic similar to the Corsair HS60 Pro. Sometimes polish can misguide users into thinking they are receiving a quality product rather than the bare minimum. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with the majority of affordable headphones. We’ve been waiting for a pair to break this stereotype. Everyone wants to root for an underdog and the HS70 Pro Wireless may be the way to go. I’ll test if the HS70 Pro Wireless set themselves apart from the pack and manage to check all the boxes at an affordable price.
Company Overview
Corsair are one of the leading manufactures of high-performance gear and technology for gamers. The brand was founded in 1994 by Andy Paul, Don Leiberman, and John Beekley and grew into one of the largest developers in the gaming industry today. The company covers just about everything from gaming hardware, streaming gear, PC components, and even gaming PCs. The company has even expanded out to actively try and promote gaming around the world. The company built an esports center at Cal Berkeley available to anyone eager to step into pro gaming. Corsair has massively supported the gaming community. They’ve donated over 1,000 pairs of headphones to schools with underprivileged students. On top of this, the Taiwan team sent keyboards, headphones, and mice to 18 primary and secondary schools throughout the region.
Technical Specifications
Form: Over-ear, wireless Drivers: Custom 50mm Neodymium dynamic drivers Impedance: 32 Ohms @ 1kHz Sensitivity: 111DBb (±3dB) Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz Connector: USB Type A Battery Life: 16 hours Wireless Range: 40 foot range of wireless connection Compatibility: PS4, PC
Packaging and Accessories
The packaging is a typical box for Corsair with yellow and black colors on the outside. I did notice some wear and tear on the box which may be a handling or packaging issue. This had me worried the experience would be similar to my last review of the Corsair RGB Elite Wireless, which wasn’t a professional package. The headphones are supported by a plastic mold with a safety belt that prevents the headphones from shuffling around. The headphones come out of the mold with ease and aren’t squished in. They are also covered with a plastic film to prevent scratching which is a must if plastic is used rather than foam for protection. I am always looking for proper padding to protect against damage when shipping, however, this doesn’t appear to be Corsair’s style. Overall, the packaging was an improvement from previous Corsair products, but still feel there’s more that can be done. I never feel confident about using plastic as protection when shipping but regardless, the headphones arrived in perfect condition.
In the box:
Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Wireless USB Bluetooth Connector Microphone Foam Windscreen Micro USB Charging Cable Detachable Microphone
Design
The headband is crossed with quilted stitching that gives it a professional appeal, and that’s about the most standout part of the headphone’s style. The rest of the colors are basic black and could have been touched with more coloration. Still, the headphones appear sleek and stylish. The ear cups are oval-shaped and blend nicely with the headband. The entire headset flows together and is really smooth in appearance and nothing comes across as bulky. Even with the microphone attached, the headphones still pull off an orderly design.
Functionality
The younger brother, the HS60 Pro are a wired headset, so a lot has been done with the HS70 Pro Wireless in terms of functionality to step them up from the previous version. Along the bottom of the left ear cup, there is a volume dial, mute button, detachable mic slot, and the Micro USB connector to charge the headphones. On the right ear cup is the power button that turns the headphones on and off. A voice lets you know the headphones have been powered on or off. The headphones support a 16hr battery life. Control simplicity is an important factor when it comes to wireless headphones. The HS70 Pro Wireless controls are easily understood, intuitive to locate, and not overcrowded with options.
Comfort
The headband is aesthetically pleasing but didn’t really enhance my comfort experience. The padding for the headband is stiff and tightly compacted due to the stitching, and it feels like a hard material on top of my head. This may be partially due to the aluminum band that makes up the headband. It’s so sturdy that it prevents the headband from completely molding over your head, instead only the center point of the headband rests directly on top. Because the headband rests on one central point, it causes an ache in the area that takes all the pressure. Discomfort only occurred after long hours of use and didn’t persist after readjusting the headphones. Despite this, the headphones still don’t feel heavy on my head but they could create a better fit on my head. The headband has strong resistance which forces the ear cups inward. This creates a tight seal around my ears but there is constant pressure from the ear cups. The seal is so tight it makes the earcups hardly breathable, and after long sessions of gameplay, the ear cups get very humid. The ear cups are properly cushioned with plush memory foam. They fit the entirety of my ear within the ear cups, and there is even some wiggle room. It would be nice to see the same cushion on the headband, as I feel they were close to nailing comfort.
Build Quality
The headband is very durable and shows great resistance when stretched out but is still bendable. The aluminum yolks that connect the headband with the ear cups are also top quality and I’m not worried about breaking them. On top of this, the hinges on the headband are metal which are of a quality that I haven’t found on other pairs of headphones. The outside of the ear cups are a metal grill that displays the Corsair logo. Around this grill is a plastic edging that doesn’t feel cheap, and almost has me questioning if it is metal as well. Unfortunately, the detachable microphone is short and feels rather cheap. It allows movement in every direction but is only 5.5 inches in length. It isn’t long enough to be placed directly in front of my mouth and hangs to the left. Overall, the build quality for the HS70 Pro Wireless exceeds my expectations. It feels like I received a quality product and everything seems sturdy and ready for years of use.
Mic Quality
The substandard microphone build quality led me to wonder if the HS70 Pro Wireless are true to their claims of “reducing ambient noise” from the microphone. When using the mic in-game with friends, they mentioned that there was a subtle humming that came through whenever I spoke. This was the case when no background noise was present in my room, and although it isn’t terrible, it’s not what I hoped for. You can hear what I’m talking about in the recordings here: I realized I was using the microphone without the foam windscreen. While I hoped applying the windscreen would fix the issue, it didn’t. The humming still occurs with the windscreen in place, however, my voice is a lot clearer. Recording with foam windscreen attached:
Connectivity
It feels that Bluetooth wireless is the new wave for headphones. It eliminates the use of a cord which can sometimes yank the headphones off your head. However, I am always skeptical about wireless headphones connection quality but was proven wrong in my last review. The HS70 Pro Wireless connects through the included USB Bluetooth adapter to the Sony PS4/PS5 and PC, but will not work on the Xbox One. The connections are made instantly and you are notified by a voice telling you that headphones are on and have connected. The HS70 Pro Wireless are advertised to support a 40ft connection range, but I found lots of latency issues. Even when walking to another room, not even 10ft from my computer, the audio would cut in and out. This wasn’t a battery issue as the headphones were fully charged and I can attribute it to walls or distance breaking up the connection. The audio would sometimes drop out when used on my PS4 if I was seated ten feet or further from the console and Bluetooth adapter. The closer you are positioned to the console the better and the connection will hold. When seated at my desk beside my PC there never was any latency or audio dropouts and the connection worked fine.
Sound Quality
The HS70 Pro Wireless are equipped with 50mm neodymium dynamic drivers and 7.1 surround sound. The sound can be adjusted with the iCUE software on PC, but I was content with the volume levels of the lows, mids, and highs and didn’t feel the need to adjust them.
PC
I find the HS70 Pro Wireless have an even keel of sound all around. When testing the headphones in CS:GO and PUBG on PC, I was really impressed. The bass was definitely present and didn’t drown out the rest of the frequency range. The 7.1 surround sound was distinct and useful in telling where footsteps, reload sounds, or shots in the distance were coming from. Explosions didn’t drown out the mids and the highs, and even when situations got chaotic, I was aware of my surroundings. I sometimes would play background music while gaming casually and noticed the headphones did a great job of separating sounds. Even with music playing, the mids and lows were audibly clear, footsteps were still detectable, and the bass in the music didn’t drown anything out.
PS4
The sound quality for the PS4 needs to be assessed on its own since it doesn’t support 7.1 surround sound. I tried it out by playing the Last of Us Remastered, as the game has a great soundtrack and mixture of audio cues. Even without the support of 7.1 surround on the PS4, the HS70 Pro Wireless still offer great sound. My immersion was strong, and the lows in the soundtrack didn’t drown out other audio. Instead it blended nicely with environmental sounds. As for the highs and mids, movement from enemies was detectable but not clear in what direction it was coming from. The mids could be higher in the mix as sounds of water or picking up items felt quiet at times.
Comparison
The HS70 Pro Wireless are the second set of Corsair headphones I have reviewed. Previously, I tested the Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless and was left unimpressed. The design for the HS70 Pro Wireless are a clear-cut winner. They come across as more professional and sleek than the Void RGB Elite Wireless, which have a much more exotic design. The same goes for comfort. The HS70 Pro Wireless are lighter at 330g compared to the 390g of the Void RGB Elite Wireless. Although lighter, they sit more sturdily on my head, and the ear cups create a stronger seal. This was an area the Void RGB Elite Wireless lacked, as the headphones felt they could slide off and didn’t offer a complete seal around my ears. The Void RGB Elite Wireless win for connectivity. I never experienced any latency or drop-out issues with them on PC or PS4. I was expecting the same performance from the HS70 Pro Wireless and was surprised that they cut out far more frequently. The most important factor is sound quality, and the HS70 Pro Wireless are the superior choice. I was surprised because both headsets offer very similar audio technical specifications with 50mm neodymium drivers and 7.1 surround sound. At the end of the day, the HS70 Pro Wireless were much more clear in sound direction, audio cues, and overall immersive experience. Overall, the HS70 Pro Wireless are a better option than the Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless. The HS70 Pro have better build, comfort, and sound quality. The only area the Void RGB Elite Wireless win is connectivity, which isn’t as important of a factor, as the HS70 Pro work fine if you don’t move too far away.
Where to Buy
Conclusion
Are the Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless an underdog in the pack of low-budget gaming headphones? The answer is yes. Do they check off all the boxes for a perfect pair of gaming heapdhones? Sadly, the answer is no. For a fairly low price, the HS70 Pro Wireless offer good build quality. Nothing feels cheap about the HS70 Pro Wireless other than the detachable microphone. They really set the standard for high build quality in low-budget headphones, and are durable enough for long term use to support years of gaming. Whether you’re a professional or casual gamer, the sound quality will meet your needs. The audio cues are direct and crisp and the 7.1 surround sound gives a clear direction of where sounds are coming from. The exception is on PS4 where the 7.1 surround sound isn’t supported and this slightly takes away from directional cues. The quality of the microphone should be improved in future models. It doesn’t reduce ambient noise and has a constant background hum. Connectivity should also be improved, as the HS70 Pro have latency and drop-out issues when 10ft or further from their USB Bluetooth connector.
