Corsair HS55 Wireless Core Best Review
CORSAIR HS55 WIRELESS CORE: ONE-MINUTE REVIEW
With the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core, Corsair seems to be throwing away its hat in the multifaceted and travel-friendly gaming headset.
But, whereas the likes of the Steel Series Arctic Nova Pro Wireless and Arctis Nova 7 are loaded to the brim with all the items you could need from a PC gaming headset that you can make use of anywhere and with anything, the brand scales it back to something simple and much more affordable.
It may not be the item of gaming headset legend, but the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core still has all the creating of an on-the-go gaming headset. It’s got a lightweight design that smartly flattens for storage It has a good enough 24-hour battery life and fast charging. And, it has an on-the-fly EQ preset guide that lets you cycle through 4 of the most essential sound presets in the gaming headset scene.
So, while we have been harmed by the Arctic Nova Pro’s brimming cup of features and additional, we also admire what Corsair is trying to do here, which is to provide gamers with a great wireless gaming headset option that costs less yet still comes with all the basics. We only hoped its sound quality was as good as that of the wired Corsair HS65 Surround.
CORSAIR HS55 WIRELESS CORE: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
- How much does it cost? $99 (£99, AU$169)
- Where is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia
The Corsair HS55 Wireless Core will provide you again $99 (£99, AU$169). While that sounds like a lot to spend on a gaming headset, even a Wi-Fi one, it is additionally fair to point out that it is extra affordable.
The Steel Series Arctis Nova 7, which we’re in the process of reviewing, will cost you twice as much as a great deal for very comparable aspects and a pair of smaller drivers. Meanwhile, the Razer Barracuda will set you back $60/£60 more, and again, for largely the same specs and features.
Still, is its rate tag truthful for its feature set and level of performance? It may want to be a little cheaper, perhaps. But, additionally considering that Wi-Fi gaming headsets still aren’t cheap, we can say that this charge tag also isn’t surprising.
If you do prefer something greater affordable, you can go for a wired option. Both the Corsair HS65 Surround ($79 / £79 / AU$129) and the Corsair HS55 Stereo ($59 / £49 / AU$89) are terrific for budget-gamers.
CORSAIR HS55 WIRELESS CORE: DESIGN
- Lightweight, elegant design
- On-the-fly sound preset control
- 2.4GHz wireless transmitter still not USB-C
Although it isn’t the sturdiest and premium-made gaming headset we’ve tested, the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core is still designed to be travel-friendly. It’s light-weight at 266g (that’s much less than 0.60 lbs.), comes with ear foams that are gentle and plush, has clamping power that allows it to remain in place even when you’re shifting through a crowd, and many boast rotating ear cups. So you can fold the whole thing flat for storage in your weekender or laptop bag.
Naturally, all these things also help make this gaming headset a comfortable one. The plush leatherette ear foams feel luxurious in opposition to our ears and do not get too warm even after an hour or so of wear. Although there is a tad more clamping force than necessary, which means potential you would possibly have to break it in a little earlier than use.
The construction is remarkably solid overall despite the fact that it’s usually made of smooth matte plastic, which is fantastic to the touch. We don’t presume to know just how sturdy it is, although we can safely speculate that it will crack without problems if it falls from a larger floor or under the weight of a gaming PC.
There are three buttons here, with the Bluetooth and power buttons on the right ear cup and the mic mute button on the left ear cup next to the volume dial, which you can additionally press to cycle through the aforementioned sound presets. The preference of including a mic mute button looks bizarre as the mic boom itself is a flip-to-mute one, and it feels a lot greater convenient to flip it up and down.
The buttons have some resistance to them when pressed, however that’s actually neither accurate nor bad, simply a matter of preference. We just want we didn’t have to press and hold the power button to turn it on and off – even though even that is general with most gaming headsets.
Disappointingly, Corsair still went with a USB-A 2.4GHz wireless transmitter, alternatively of a USB-C. At least, Bluetooth connectivity so you can apply it with your smartphone or Nintendo Switch.
CORSAIR HS55 WIRELESS CORE: PERFORMANCE
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity with a 50-foot range
- Good spatial audio and first-rate sound quality
- On-the-fly sound presets rather than app support
One of the things the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core does go above and beyond with is its 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity. It gives a 50-foot (or 15-meter) range, which is incredible for a mid-range gaming headset considering that others begin to smash up as quickly as you step into the next room. .
We additionally recognize the attempt to supply digital surround sound. Although this headset sounds extra intimate as an alternative than expansive like a desirable surround sound, it’s excellent in terms of spatial audio. You can hear the exclusive individual factors around you, whether it’s the wind going from right to left or a battle going on around you. Still, don’t expect a huge soundstage, as it doesn’t feel very spacious, limiting its immersiveness.
We additionally appreciate the strive to supply digital surround sound. Though this headset sounds more intimate instead than expansive like a perfect surround sound, it’s excellent in terms of spatial audio. You can hear the different individual factors around you, whether it’s the wind going from proper to left or a battle going on around you. Still, don’t expect a wide soundstage, as it doesn’t feel very spacious, limiting its immersive ness.
The sound first-rate is excellent overall, although not quite as prosperous and as full as we hoped. At default, there’re masses of bass here, although perhaps not enough low bass extension to supply that rumble you choose from games and movies. There’s first-rate high end as well, however it’s a little rolled off so it doesn’t sound as crisp and detailed. The mid-range sounds a little recessed, especially affecting the dialogue, which isn’t as crisp and clear .While you can still hear what the characters are speaking, it sounds a little empty.
Funny enough, the cheaper 3.5 mm Corsair HS65 Surround can provide more rumble, a clearer sound, and a lot greater punch usually, it’s the other way around, and the one with the digital connection sounds superior, even if its 2.4GHz wireless. So, this doesn’t make a lot of sense. We can only presume that Corsair likely used cheaper drivers, so they can match all the other features in the Corsair HS55 Wireless without it costing a lot more – it’s only $20 more than the HS65 – or they tuned it a little dissimilarly.
Unlike the H65, the HS55 Wireless additionally does not have app support. We tried to use it with the Corsair iCue software, and all it authorized us to do was to link it with the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi transmitter, which was moot as they’re already linked. This means that you won’t be getting perfect EQ privileges here.
You can, however, cycle through 4 different sound profiles on-the-fly by pressing the volume button. You have common, bass boost, cinema, and FPS competition reachable to you. These profiles aren’t very audibly different from one another, however the bass improvement does provide you that great rumble that’s missing at default while the FPS competition very barely makes the individual elements sound crisper.
When it comes to the mic, there’s no background noise controller , The person on the other end will hear you clicking away at your keyboard. However, your voice will come through loud and clear and dominant, albeit slightly compressed, so as long as the background noise isn’t very loud, it shouldn’t be diverting.
There’s up to 24 hours of battery life here, which is better, if not amazing. Luckily, it does have speedy charging, and 15 minutes have to get you up to six hours of gameplay.
Buy it if…
You prefer a gaming headset to tour withies Wi-Fi connectivity, on-the-fly sound preset control, light-weight design, and more enable the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core to be a great travel partner for gamers.
You’re a minimalist The Corsair HS55 Wireless Core has the fundamentals down. More than that, it works fantastically with not just gaming PCs and PS4/PS5, however with Macs and mobile devices as well.
You’re looking for an inexpensive wireless gaming headsets would possibly now not be as cheap as the wired ones, but it is fairly affordable for a Wi-Fi headset.
Others with comparable specs and features value a lot more.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re a maximalist
If you need the whole caboodle, you should look elsewhere and be created to pay a lot more.
You’re on a great tight budget
If you prefer something cheap, there are other options, including the Corsair HS65, which provides superb sound quality.
