Xbox 360 Wireless Headset Review

Communication has always been one of the major selling points of Microsoft’s online gaming service Xbox Live.  Speaking, and more recently seeing (with the help of the Vision camera), your buddies over the internet has been an obsession with gamers and really adds to the feel that is Xbox Live.  With the launch of the Xbox 360 we all got an updated version of both the controller and the headset used to speak into, which looked very similar to the Halo 2 special edition headset available for the original Xbox.  The great thing was that the controllers were wireless, however unfortunately the headset was not, instead it was attached to the controller via a small 6 inch cord that had a habit of getting tangled up in the way of things.  Everyone was sitting around on the edge of their seats waiting for the announcement of a wireless headset and it finally came early this year.  8 months later and the first official gaming wireless headset hits store shelves with an astounding thud.  It’s not that the concept is not fantastic, even the product is a good one; it’s just hard to sell a 60 dollar headset to the general gaming public.  Well we finally got one in at the offices and after using it for a couple of weeks I am thoroughly convinced that it is a large improvement over the initial wired headset. 

Wireless Headset Features:

• Experience enhanced clarity and performance without wires to tie you down.
  
• Embrace the stylish, ergonomic design that fits comfortably on either ear, with two sizes of removable ear grips for a perfectly snug fit.
  
• The headset utilizes the same 2.4 GHz radio technology employed by the award-winning Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for clear communications within a range of up to 30 feet.
  
• Take command of the situation and communicate with superior audio quality over Xbox Live.
  
• Up to eight hours of battery life per charge, with an AC wall adapter for quick, convenient recharging.
  
• Outfit your teammates (or rivals) with up to four Wireless Controllers and Wireless Headsets simultaneously per Xbox 360 console.
  
• Supports Voice Command for select games.
  
• Conveniently located Power On/Off, Volume, and Mute Controls are right where you need them.

All of these fancy terms don’t mean much unless the product works as it should.  Luckily the Microsoft Wireless Headset for the Xbox 360 does just that.  Although the small round ear-fitting design (see picture) is not the most comfortable design out there (I wish they would have gone with the half circle clip that fits just over your ear), there are 2 sizes for those with big or small ears.  The sound quality is good overall and although some users are reporting feedback and over-sensitive microphones, the test product we had here worked just fine in all games under all different settings.

People, like me, who buy this product, will buy it for the convenience of not having to deal with wires anymore, and for that alone it is worth the purchase.  I cannot get over how much easier it is to get up for a drink, go to the bathroom, or do any one of the things that used to cause so much trouble when gaming online because you had to carry the controller around everywhere with you.  Syncing the headset to the Xbox 360 is done with the push of a button; just make sure you fully charge it with the included plug before using it.  The power button is on the back along with volume controls and a mute button, the only thing on the inside is some LED’s that show connection and power status.

While the buttons may be sort of small for people with big hands they are actually quite a good fit for average sized gamers such as myself.  All of the controls are just a touch away and actually work much better than I ever imagined they would, having only previously seen photos of the hardware.

My final verdict for the official Xbox Live Wireless Headset is that it’s a buy if you game online a lot and are constantly annoyed by that cable going from your controller to your headset; it is even a great product for the occasional Live user.  Some small gripes keep it from being the perfect piece of hardware but one can only complain about small details so much.  Problems with connectivity and comfort seem to be a user based problem as I had no such problems and have only gotten good things out of this unit since the day I received it.  At the end of the day it works as described and is currently the best headset available on the Xbox 360, and because of first party issues it will probably be the only one out there for the time being.

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