Review: Xbox Wireless Headset (2024)

Tired of running your console through your soundbar, or worse, TV speakers? A proper gaming headset offers better directional audio, sound isolation, and a built-in microphone to coordinate with teammates or taunt enemies.

Xbox wants to claim that space on your ears with an updated version of its popular but plainly named Xbox Wireless Headset. Released in late 2024, the new version boasts improved battery life, Dolby Atmos support, and an improved microphone, all for just $110. Keep in mind that some of our favorite gaming headsets don’t have native Xbox Series X/S (7/10, WIRED Review) support, and the official offering starts to look even more appealing.

Connecting and Pairing

The basic-looking Xbox headset won't win any beauty contests, but it functions perfectly. Pairing with an Xbox couldn’t be any simpler. Hold down the big green power button on the left ear, then press the pairing button on the console, and you’re ready to go. It’s the same process for Bluetooth devices, and I had no trouble connecting it to my phone, although I don’t think I’d wear these to listen to a podcast while walking the dog.

If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, the Xbox Accessories app on your console has a bevy of additional audio settings, including an equalizer with presets for different modes. I typically set this to Speech, because I found it helped me hear dialog in busy games, but I think Music sounded the best for most situations. You can adjust mic and light settings in here too, with a surprising level of specificity for a console headset.

I’m a huge fan of the volume knobs on each earcup, both of which have a premium feel. They take up the entire outside panel, so they’re easy to grab and turn mid-game without having to hunt around. The left side adjusts the balance between game audio and communication audio and has an indent in the center for a 50–50 split, and the right side adjusts total volume all the way down to a complete mute, with magnetic stops at each end.

A minor quibble here: The headset doesn’t include a USB-C cable, which you’ll need for charging. We expect most people will have one around at this point, so it’s probably a good way to reduce waste, but it’s worth being aware of, especially for Apple folks who haven’t upgraded yet.

Audio for Gaming

Spatial audio really shines on this updated headset, with full support for Dolby Atmos, as long as you’re connected to an Xbox Series S/X and the game you’re playing supports it.

I spent some time in the recently released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (8/10, WIRED Review), which has an exceptional soundtrack and detailed game audio. The sound isolation on the headset helped make the whoosh of his fists and the crunching of rocks and leaves under my feet feel super real. Even the music felt particularly detailed and nuanced, cutting cleanly through the dialog and game sounds.

The left side knob, which controls the balance of game and communication audio, came in useful while playing Fortnite online. I could turn up the chat if my randomly paired teammates were friendly or mute them completely if I just wanted to focus. Unlike my usual sound bar, the headphones really helped me hear people coming up behind me, or the sounds of fighting coming from over the hill to my left.

I’m less thrilled with the microphone, which my teammates described as “a bit flat” and “less rich” than my usual setup, the admittedly much more expensive SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro (8/10, WIRED Review). Listening back to recordings, I didn’t find it too offensive, but it definitely sounds like a gaming headset. I’m usually a fan of push-to-talk, but I will say I was a fan of the auto-mute when connected to my Xbox. I set it to high and it did a good job of filtering out coughs, dog noises, and other background shuffling.

Comfort and Fit

While a lot of headsets have moved to more breathable mesh-based cups, the Xbox opted for a leather-like material made of polyurethane. While they feel premium, they aren’t that comfortable over a multi-hour gaming session, and I found myself wanting to take them off occasionally to cool down a bit.

It doesn’t help that the band doesn’t quite fit my unusually large dome and is fairly tight thanks to the steel band inside. This is a common problem for me (for reference, I generally wear a 7½ or larger in US hat sizes), but something to be aware of if you also wear an XL bike helmet. As with the ears, I found this to be an issue only after several hours and generally feel fine for a while before needing a break.

The upside to all of this is that the updated model feels particularly premium, especially for just over $100. Where most headsets in that price range might use cheap plastics and rush through QA, the Xbox Wireless Headset has a clean, satiny finish and no mold lines or imperfections, and any moving parts slide smoothly and click satisfyingly.

Conclusion

I spend most of my day sitting at my gaming desktop, and I appreciate having a quality headset that can live permanently with my Xbox Series X for some occasional couch gaming. These perfectly fit the bill for that, despite issues with my oversize noggin. They’d make a great main headset for your casual Xbox enjoyer who just likes to jump on and play for a couple of hours in the evening and wants to ditch the soundbar.

That said, the comfort and fit keep these from being a truly great offering, particularly for more serious gamers who like to play for hours without taking a break. If the Xbox is your main console and you play multiple hours on most days, you might check out some of our other favorite gaming headsets. The newer Arctis headsets have game-specific profiles that enhance the experience, but they’re definitely not as enriching as true directional audio, and the setup and connectivity is less straightforward.

Simplicity is really where the 2024 version of the Xbox Wireless Headset shines. There’s no fiddling about with dongles, navigating apps, or replacing batteries—it just works. Between the near-instant setup, detailed app controls, and effortless directional audio compatibility, you’ve got a headset that basically anyone will be happy to have paired to their Xbox for at least a few hours at a time.