If you’re been on the fence about whether or not to invest in a gaming headset for your Xbox One, now is perhaps the best time to consider picking one up – with more choice, both in terms of features and price, on the market now, than ever before.
Whether you spend your time gaming solo, online multiplayer, or both – a headset has a lot to offer. We’ve put together a list of 4 reasons why we believe that there has never been a better time to get a headset for your Xbox One console – to help you get off the fence and get a headset – focusing on what they have to offer when it comes to increased immersion, improved connectivity, device compatibility and price point.
- More Immersive
Gaming headsets offer far greater immersion – drowning and blocking out background noise around you, making it easier to focus and engross yourself in what’s happening in-game. With your ears filled with game audio, you’ll find fully immersing yourself into a game is much easier – allowing you to play without any of the usual, everyday distractions going on around you.
Modern Xbox headsets also offer surround sound – whether this is Windows Sonic, Dolby 7.1 or even Dolby Atmos, surround sound can add a lot to immersion, as it can make gauging the location and distance of things going on in the game much easier.
And it’s not just immersion – there are numerous other advantages that Xbox headsets offer when gaming – you’ll find it easier to hear and hear more, giving you an edge during competitive play, communicate better with other players, and game both more often and later, without disturbing everyone else at home.
- Truly Wireless
One of the annoying things about headsets for Xbox One was the lack of direct-connection, true-wireless headsets for the system – with headsets connecting either through the Xbox headset adapter or wirelessly, through a separate base station. This has changed thanks to the introduction of Microsoft’s Integrated Xbox Wireless system – a system which allows devices to interface with the console wirelessly, utilising the same Bluetooth technology that Xbox controllers use.
The introduction of this technology makes using a wireless headset much easier with the Xbox console – with setup and pairing of the device being done automatically by the system. Better yet, and unlike earlier wireless headsets for the console, these new headsets also support voice chat wirelessly – eliminating the need for any cables completely.
If you’re specifically looking for one of these direct-wireless headsets, we’d recommend those from Turtle Beach – such as the Stealth 700 and Stealth 600 – two wireless Xbox One headsets that release this year and retail at just £129.99 and £89.99 respectively.
- Device Compatibility
Modern Xbox headsets are compatible with all sorts of devices – including mobile phones, tablets, PCs and even Playstation consoles – whether these headsets are wired, interfacing via 3.5mm stereo jack, or wireless, connecting via Bluetooth or Microsoft’s direct-wireless technology.
This compatibility can widen the use of an Xbox headset from merely a gaming device – having the potential to make it your go-to, one-stop-shop for all your audio needs – both at home and on the move. If you’re looking for a headset with compatibility and general use in mind – be sure to choose one that offers either a fully-retractable or removable mic.
- Relatively Inexpensive
Gone are the days where your options were to fork out for a high-end, premium headset, or suffer the low-quality and poor-performance of a cheap, generic headset from China – you can now pick up a good quality, cheap Xbox One headset for less than £50 – this includes low-priced models from reputable, rated manufacturers, such as Turtle Beach.
And it’s not just budget headsets that have improved – mid-range headsets have advanced significantly in recent years, with many in the £100 to £150 range being packed-full of features and functions that were until recently reserved for their premium counterparts.
Final Thoughts
Headsets have become an integral part of modern gaming and are here to stay. Sure – your games sound great running through a surround sound home theatre system – but headsets bring something else to the table, offering a distinct and different set of advantages and benefits to gamers. So whether its ease of use, greater immersion or compatibility with other devices that you’re looking for from an Xbox headset, it’s never been a better time to buy.
