The new Corsair HS70 Bluetooth Gaming headphones comes close to solving a very elitist problem of mine — a single headset for all my devices. As a tech reviewer, I usually have a variety of devices on my desk at any time and I hate having to swap headphones because of different formats. But because there are so many different wired and wireless connections to deal with, that’s often impossible.
The Corsair HS70 doesn’t solve the problem of swapping cables. But with a USB, 3.5mm and Bluetooth connectivity, at least I don’t have to change the actual headset. And that’s great because the HS70 are extremely comfortable and sound fantastic so I get a consisten experience. And it costs a very reasonable $169 here in Australia, which is a lot of bang for your buck.
Corsair HS70 Bluetooth Gaming Headset Review
Corsair went with a minimalistic matte black design with a standard headband and over ear cup design. A steel frame holds the large and comfortable memory foam ear cups with metal hangers. These offer a limited range of motion. These hangers disappear into a plush headband with memory foam and black stitching.
I’d have loved some contrasting color here to give the headset some more style. The headband is comfortable with a strong but not oppressive clamping force that works well for several hours. I didn’t have any problems with temple pressure even though I also wear glasses.
The ear cups engulf your ears for a solid sound seal and they are comfortable for hours of use. The stylish mesh finish on the outside looks like open-back headphones but these are just for show. Being a wireless headset, you do get a bunch of controls on the headset.
On the right earcup is a lone Multifunction button to turn on the Bluetooth as well as manage phone calls and playback. The left ear cup has a port for the detachable microphone marked by a bold yellow ring so you won’t miss it. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone port, the USB-C port for power and connection to PC/ Mac and PlayStation 4. Finally, the volume dial and a mic mute button.
Connect to anything
The HS70 comes bundled with some very premium feeling braided cords in the box; a 1.8m USB and a 1.5m 3.5mm audio cable. The 3.5mm cable is not bidirectional and if you reverse the connectors, the sound gets all screwy. Not sure why Corsair did this but at least they marked the end that goes into the headphones with a lighter grey color and a headphone icon.
Using the USB connection gives you acces to the full breadth of the HS70’s capabilities. The Corsair iCUE software opens up EQ’s and microphone controls that boost the overall sound. This only works on PC though and the headset doesn’t have on board memory to save profiles for use with other devices which is a bummer.
The HS70 also work with the Playstation 4 via USB which is really nice but Xbox and Nintendo Switch owners will have to stick with the 3.5mm connection. Fortunately, the HS70 still sounds fantastic with this wired connection with minimal loss in sound quality. Other headsets sound noticeably weaker with anything other than a powered connection.
Lastly is the Bluetooth connectivity and this is what makes the HS70 stand tall above the competition. Not only does it give you an extra way to connect to devices but it also works simultaneously with any of the wired connections. So, you can stay connected to your PC or Playstation and your smartphone to receive calls or Discord chat.
The connection is pretty rock solid and has great range. I was able to go about 30 feet from my devices before the connection started dropping. Unfortunately, the audio quality via Bluetooth just isn’t as powerful as the wired modes. It doesn’t sound bad by any means but you will notice the loss of oomph.
Head thumping sound
The HS70 are a great sounding pair of headsets. The 50mm drivers have great dynamic range and an overall profile that is a warm and fullbodied. It’s rich in midtones and has powerful sub-bass that is clean and only present when needed. The sound stage isn’t as wide as something like the EPOS | SENHEISER GSP370 but it’s still great at accurately pin pointing sound sources in games.
The HS70 also excells with music. The reproduction of different instruments and even the sub-bass is very good. In games, there’s just the right boominess to explosions and bass to make both effects and soundtracks thump excitedly. You can tweak the sound in the iCUE software to dramatic effect. There are some presets already made for you but you can make your own. Just remember, they save to the headphones and will only work while you are connected via USB to the PC.
How about the microphone? Well, the detachable boom microphone on the HS70 sounds absolutely fantastic. It’s one of the best mics on any gaming headset in any price range. Discord certified and does a great job cleaning up ambient noise, leaving a very clean voice output. You can listen to a sample below.
Best of all, it doesn’t need any fiddling in the app to achieve this great output — it just works and I’m all for it. If you are a streamer, this is a very capable mic.
Battery for days
In the interest of science, I put the HS70 through its paces using only the Bluetooth connection to see how long the battery lasts. I was able to get through three full work days before they gave up the ghost. This is impressive and matches Corsairs advertised 30 hours of battery life.
And even better, you can charge them with the same USB-C charger as your phone which alleviates a lot of angst. And since the Bluetooth connection still works while you are charging, you can play without ever losing a beat.
Verdict
The Corsair HS70 Bluetooth are probably the best headsets you can get at the $160 price range. I can’t think of anything else that packs all this connectivity with such excellent sound and quality microphone. End of story. If I had to complain about anything it simply my annoyance with all the cable swapping.
If Corsair could make this a truly wireless headset with a multiplatform dongle like the Steelseries Arctis 7X, then it would be a perfect gaming headset. But even without that, I can only give two thumbs-up as this is a must buy for anyone with a lot of gaming devices.
The Corsair HS70 was provided by Corsair Australia for the purpose of this review.
