Page 4 - Conclusion
With the HS80 Max Wireless, Corsair set this headset as the maximum, top-dog version in the lineup, and it does not take much digging to see why. For one, the HS80 Max Wireless continues the excellent build quality we saw from the HS80 RGB Wireless. Personally, I found the headset comfortable with its memory foam ear cups and suspended headband. Better yet, the wireless functionality has improved in multiple aspects. Its range is excellent, and the battery life is even better. Corsair has added Bluetooth connectivity for more flexibility in using the HS80 Max Wireless. Corsair's iCUE software works well, even if it can be resource-heavy at times. Support for Dolby Atmos is both seamless and a welcome feature. Finally, the microphone performance is quite good for clear communications in games and for casual use. I appreciate the small touches like a swinging arm to mute the microphone and a mic status light to emphasize this. When it comes to the sound quality though, I was a bit less impressed. For one, there was an overall uncomfortable balancing between the three regions with deficiencies found in each frequency range. The bass was diminished in the bottom end, while the trebles lacked a sparkle and brightness, resulting in a dark and dull sound. The HS80 Max struggled with layering in details and cleanness. Its soundstaging was average at best. I feel like a lot of the sound qualities we saw from the last version of the HS80 were present here, which should have been improved upon. At the time of the review, the Corsair HS80 Max Wireless is priced at $180, which represents a $30 increase over the aforementioned RGB Wireless. The notable improvements in the wire-free implementation are great to see, but I think Corsair should have done some rework in the audio department to make this headset a true stand-out.
Corsair provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 6.5/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Corsair HS80 Max Wireless gaming headset may show off its excellent cable-free capabilities, but its audio abilities keep this from a maximum experience.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
