From PC World: When Alienware stepped back into peripherals last year with its AW568 keyboard and Elite Gaming Mouse, I figured a headset was sure to follow. It took about six months longer than I expected, but sure enough I was right: Alienware unveiled the AW988 wireless headset on Wednesday. Just be prepared to pay a premium for the privilege.
The AW988 is Alienware's first headset since 2009's Alienware TactX. Nine years is a long time in any industry, but in gaming headsets? A veritable eternity. HyperX didn't even exist at the time. Astro had just hit it big with the A40. Wireless was basically nonexistent.
And it was a lot less crowded. Nowadays the gaming headset market is overflowing with options. So what is Alienware doing to stand out?
Well, as I said the AW988 is wireless. That's a start. It utilizes the 2.4GHz band, same as most wireless headsets. It's a safer bet than 5GHz, which has range issues—exactly what you don't want from an untethered device. The USB dongle also slots into the headset when not in use, which is a favorite premium feature of mine. I can't tell you how many wireless headset dongles I've lost over the years.
You're also competing with some very comfortable headsets in the current market. We haven't tested the AW988, but Alienware says that weight was a major focus. The device uses "light-weight composites and reinforced alloys" according to this spec sheet, which I'm reading as, "it's mostly plastic." It looks like there's a soft-touch coating though, which while somewhat scratch-prone should lend it a high-end feel. Earcups and the headband are both sports mesh, and the earcups rotate flat.
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