Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE Headset Review: Audiophile Gaming Sound
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Editor’s Choice
Tom’s Hardware Verdict
Save for a couple of minor issues, this is one of the strongest and most attractive wireless headset packages to arrive in a while.
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Pros
- +
Grown-up looks
- +
Powerful hi-res audio
- +
Immaculate presentation
- +
Great battery life
Cons
- —
Wireless range depends on house construction
- —
Headband digs in a bit over time
- —
Slightly heavy reverb
Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
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Corsair’s last few headset releases have offered tantalizing low-cost value gaming headsets to thrifty gamers, (such as the Corsair HS35). They were largely successful, too, offering a construction quality standard typical of the California-based manufacturer. But as the fantastically ostentatious naming of this new Virtuoso headset line suggests, it’s not making any compromises this time.
Competing with the best gaming headsets , this is resolutely a high-end offering, with a maximalist spec sheet and a beautiful aesthetic that seems disconnected from the adolescent stylings of most gaming peripherals. It’s almost as though it’s visiting from the audiophile market to remind gamers how high the ceiling goes when it comes to headphones.
It’s priced higher, then, than the recent HS35 and HS70 headsets, but considering what’s on offer here it still seems very reasonable. £150/$180 buys you a Virtuoso RGB Wireless model, and $210/£180 gets you the Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE, which we’re examining in this review. Certainly high-end, but with Steelseries’ Arctis Pro wireless going for $50 more and Razer’s Nari Ultimate carrying an extra $10-$20 on its pricetag at most retailers, it’s still very competitive.
Especially considering the breadth of features: hi-res audio, wireless connectivity, RGB lighting, USB-C charging and a 20-hour battery life are just the highlights on what’s a very impressive overall package.
- Corsair Virtuoso Wireless RGB SE at Best Buy for $191.99
Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Driver Type | 50mm Neodymium |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-40KHz |
| Impedance | 32 Ohms |
| Design Style | Closed-back |
| Battery Life | 20 hours |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Lighting | 16.8 Million RGB, 1 zone |
| Microphone Type | Omnidirectional |
| Weight | 0. 8 pounds (360g) |
The headset itself comes with — don’t laugh — the best travel case I’ve ever seen for a gaming headset, along with a premium braided USB-C charge cable, a 3.5mm adapter cable, the wireless receiver dongle and the detachable mic. Seriously, there’s a magnetic clasp on that travel case and everything. It’s nuts.
Onto the headset itself. Departing from the void aesthetic entirely and carrying very little over from the HS series, the Virtuoso’s a notable departure from older Corsair models. And I love the new look. The SE variant is finished in a combination of gunmetal-tinged aluminum, matte rubberized plastic around the outer edge of each earcup and immaculately stitched leatherette covering the padded headband and contact pads. The aluminum headband has 10 adjustment steps, marked by little ruler inlays on the band itself. There are subtle Corsair text logos inlaid onto the bottom of the headband on each side.
A pair of very flash hinges, finished in a combination of matte and polished metal, connect the headband to the earpieces, which can be rotated to lay the headset out flat for travel or storage.
The adjustment’s pretty much silent — not even the faintest creak.
Right in the middle of each circular brushed metal earcup exterior is an RGB-lit Corsair logo, achieved through tiny, precise perforations in the metal cover. This humble reviewer hasn’t seen RGB lighting implemented in this way before, and, frankly, it’s very impressive. Even someone not usually into gaudy lighting can see the aesthetic appeal here, and you can always turn it off in Corsair’s CUE software anyway if you don’t like it.
On the rear-right of the headset is a power switch and textured metal volume scroll, while the left-hand earcup holds all the inputs: USB-C charging, 3.5mm right at the bottom and a one-way mic input, notched so that you can’t slam it in the wrong way round. There’s a volume control on the right earcup. The earcup’s luxury encompasses every detail, from the weighting of the scroll wheel to the finishing on the power switch. Deep, unusually soft memory foam pads finish the job off around the leatherette contact pads.
That all sounds very decadent, and it is. This is the most impressively built and finished headset I’ve seen in a very long time, and would easily look just as at home or in a plane, a train seat, or around your neck in the street as it would in a gaming environment.
However, it’s not the most comfortable headset I’ve ever tested. The problem doesn’t seem to be weight, since it tops the scales at a pretty sprightly 0.8 pounds. More likely it’s the padding material on the headband underside and perhaps the shape of the headband too, but the end result is a tangible imprint on the top of your head after more than an hour’s use.
That’s really frustrating because in all other aspects the Virtuoso’s comfortable for much longer — there’s no digging in on or around the ears, and although leatherette earcups tend to get sweaty I had no such issues with these.
Audio Performance
The big feature term of audio here is hi-res capability, evident in its 10Hz-40KHz frequency response.
The actual number of hi-res audio sources remains scarce in 2019, as it did when we first started to see headsets boasting this feature several years ago. Music streaming service Tidal offers FLAC streaming and some games feature high definition sound packs(you’ll know them by their enormous download size), but generally you really have to go out and find audio sources that go beyond CD-quality, 44.1KHz 16-bit sound.
But the good news is that even if you are listening to predominantly CD-quality audio or even compressed MP3s, the benefits of a hi-res capable headset shine through.
There definitely is some hardwired EQ going on — this is a gaming headset rather than studio cans, after all — so as you’d expect, the Virtuoso is at its best in-game. Our review sample’s arrival happened to coincide with a glut of loud, bombastic titles, like Borderlands 3 and my annual replaying of Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force. In those gun-centric environments the rumble of grenades and weapons feels tangible, not just audible, but dialogue isn’t buried beneath the mud as it can so easily be by other headsets.
In a musical environment, the Virtuoso remains impressive. Fans of powerful bass would prefer the monstrous low-end response from the Audio-Technica’s ATH-G1, while those of a flatter disposition would pick out Steelseries’ Pro Wireless for its brilliant articulation. The Virtuoso is very much in the highest echelon of gaming headsets, but by striking a middle ground between the two aforementioned extremes, it doesn’t surpass either of those headsets. Still, it’s a wonderful headset for sitting back with and letting Dark Side of the Moon flow over you, on point when tight percussive hits arise and rumbling ominously in the lower synth notes and bass riffs.
Features and Software
Corsair’s rolling out a new wireless tech with these cans called Slipstream, and it boasts 60-foot range on the spec sheet, alongside ultra-low latency. I did experience dropout before the 60 foot mark; although, your own mileage may vary as it mostly depends on the number of walls you pass by, and the construction materials used in the property.
That said, it’s still ample for gaming on consoles when your dongle sits under the TV at the other side of the room.
The Virtuoso also boasts 20 hours of battery life, and that one held up in practice. It’s also quick to charge, thanks to the USB-C connection.
Continuing a theme of attention to detail and all-round excellence, the Virtuoso’s detachable mic is among the best I’ve sampled from gaming headsets. It’s supremely malleable and features a mute switch at the base, which turns the light around the edge of the mic chamber from green to red when muted.
Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE has blown me away with its attention to detail and a design approach that manages to cram premium touches into almost every facet of its figure. It’s a fantastic looking headset, sounds powerful in gaming environments and lives up to its 20-hour battery life.
I do have some reservations in regards to that headband being perhaps a touch to tight after an hour’s use, but that aside, there are just so many good reasons to make this your go-to headset, regardless of cost, it’s hard not to recommend it.
Image Credits: Tom’s Hardware/Corsair
MORE: Gaming Peripheral Reviews
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Corsair Virtuoso Wireless RGB SE: Price Comparison
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Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless Gaming Headset Review: The Edge of Excellence
Tom’s Hardware Verdict
Razer’s latest premium headset juggles multiple devices, sounds excellent and has pretty good active noise canceling.
But its bland plastic shell picks up finger smudges and doesn’t look particularly premium for a $250 device.
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Pros
- +
Excellent audio and comfort
- +
Nice rigid case included
- +
Juggles multi-device audio well
- +
Very good battery life
Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
If you’re going to spend hundreds on a gaming headset, there’s a good chance you might want to use it with more than one device, and for things non-gaming related like work meetings, long-distance travel and your daily commute. It seems many headset makers have realized this lately, with Corsair, Epos, and most recently SteelSeries releasing wireless headsets that can connect to your phone and a PC or console at the same time, while offering up active noise canceling to help shut out the horrors of the world outside your head.
Razer’s Barracuda Pro is the latest offering in this realm of do-it-all audio devices aiming for a spot on our best gaming headsets list. And bucking the trend for a company often known for expensive, RGB-lit hardware, the Barracuda Pro is both understated in its black plastic shell and one of the least expensive options we’ve tested in this gaming headset meets lifestyle audio realm, at $249.99. It also sounds great (thanks to 50mm «bio-cellulose» drivers), was quite comfortable for hours of use in our testing, and includes a nice rigid carrying case for taking the Pro on the go. The company also rates the headset at a solid 40 hours of battery life.
So what’s the downside? Primarily it’s the design and plastic build. There’s also no retractable/removable mic, which may turn off some gamers. Although honestly, the pair of beamforming integrated mics worked fine for me in calls, meetings, and games. If you need premium voice pickup for your gaming and streaming sessions, you might want to consider one of the best gaming microphones we’ve tested.
Still, without a boom mic or any real edginess or excitement in its design, the Barracuda Pro feels more like a lifestyle headset first and a gaming device second — which is fine. But competitors like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro flip that script, and so may be a better fit for some. And while the noise canceling on the Razer headset is good (I found it about on par with my Sennheiser Momentum 3s), Sony and Bose still do a better job of blocking out the hums and drones of the outside world.
- Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless (PC HDR) at Amazon for $184.98
Specs for the Razer Barracuda Pro
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Driver Type | 50mm custom drivers |
| Impedance | 32 Ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20 — 20,000 Hz |
| Design Style | Closed back |
| Microphone Type | Dual integrated beamforming noise canceling |
| Connectivity Options | (Simultaneous) Wireless 2. 4 GHz and Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Cord Length | N/A |
| Weight | 0.75 pounds (340g) |
| Lighting | None |
| Software | Razer Synapse, Razer Audio app |
| Battery Life | Up to 40 hours |
| Price | $250 |
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
While competing headsets tend to mix materials and add interesting design flourishes, the Barracuda Pro is almost entirely plastic, which likely contributes to its light 0.75-pound weight and comfort during hours of listening. But it also looks surprisingly boring for a Razer-designed device and doesn’t particularly feel like a premium headset. The plastic also picks up finger smudges with relative ease, so you’ll want to give it a good wipe down regularly.
But at least the build feels solid.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
For my head at least, the Razer Barracuda Pro was extremely comfortable. I wore it for most of a 13-hour stretch on my first day of testing and had no complaints. The padded leatherette-covered foam ear cushions and headband provided a great balance between comfort and enough clamp from the internal band to keep the headset from moving around on my dome. That said I consider my head medium-large, and the perfect fit for me was with the band not extended at all, so those with small heads may find the Barracuda Pro a looser fit. If possible, you should find a store where you can try a floor model before buying.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In keeping with the design (which honestly feels like a combination of bits of Sony and Bose’s noise-canceling cans), the button layout is also fairly minimal. Aside from the two mic slits in the front, there are just three buttons and a wheel, all at the rear of the earcups.
The right houses just one button for toggling noise canceling–on, off or «ambient,» which actively amplifies the sound around you so you can hold a conversation or order your complicated morning latte. Double pressing this «SmartSwitch» button also switches between Bluetooth or Type-C audio.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The left can has the USB-C charging port at the bottom. The power button behind that does quite a lot, acting as a pause button for media if you short press it (plus accepting or ending a call) and a pairing button if you hold it after turning the headset on. Double pressing the power button rejects or swaps calls, and skips to the next track. Three presses goes to a previous track. While all this functionality packed into a single button is appreciated, and at least some of it is intuitive, I would have preferred to just have a couple more buttons included for media control. The volume wheel is next up (which is plastic and feels a little cheap for a $250 headset), followed by a mic mute button near the top where the band attaches to the cup.
Note that the headset turns itself off after 15 mins without sound running through it (adjustable up to 60 mins in software). But there’s no proximity sensor that pauses audio when you remove the headset (granted, this feature can be tricky to get right).
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
I really like that the Razer Barracuda Pro ships with a rigid carrying case, rather than just a bag (like the $100 pricier SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro). This makes it far easier to travel with the headset. And there’s even an internal compartment for charging cables and the USB-C dongle. This is the best bundled carrying solution I’ve seen from any headset or headphones at anything approaching this price range. Bravo, Razer.
Aside from the carrying case, you get two USB cables, one USB-A to USB-C male for charging and the other USB-A to USB-C female to use for plugging the small USB-C dongle into systems with minimal Type-C ports, or those that only have Type-C ports at the back.
Audio Performance of the Razer Barracuda Pro
I tested Razer’s headset with my phone, my main gaming/work PC, and my Nintendo Switch.
Audio sounded excellent, whether I was connected via Bluetooth or the 2.4 GHz dongle, thanks largely to the headset’s «TriForce Bio-Cellulose 50mm drivers.» In terms of general fidelity and crispness, I didn’t notice a difference between the Barracuda Pro and my Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones.
Bass on the Razer headset was punchy without being overpowering, which I appreciated while listening to Rhys Fulber’s Collapsing Empires album for the first time. It was also great in games, although the company’s Synapse software nudges you to select THX Spatial Audio by default. That’s fine for games, but makes music sound hollow and crunchy. I feel like for long-term use I’d probably leave Spatial Audio off because it didn’t provide enough of an in-game benefit for me to want to deal with remembering to toggle it on and off. I also put the headset’s «Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation» to the test during a walk around my urban neighborhood, while also taking a work call. The headset does a good job blocking out things like engine and machine noise, which helps in the enjoyment of music and in being able to hear people on a call in somewhat noisy environments.
It also cut wind noise, but didn’t mute the blowing sounds completely to my ears — the mics seemed to do a better job there, blocking it from the ears of the other people on my calls.
Overall I would say noise canceling here is quite good, about on par with my Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones. I don’t have a current or recent set of high-end Sony or Bose headphones on hand to make direct comparisons there, but I have owned noise-canceling Sony headphones in the past and I feel like they did a slightly better job blocking exterior noises. But unless you’ve used some of the best noise-canceling cans in the business, you should be happy with the sound-subduing abilities of the Barracuda Pros.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
For those who like to tweak their audio, there’s an equalizer, plus toggles and sliders for adding bass, normalizing sound and prioritizing voice clarity in the company’s Synapse software. But in my time testing, I found the default settings sounded best._1641818016998_1641818029201.jpg)
Microphones on the Razer Barracuda Pro
While the integrated mics may turn off some gamers looking for the best possible reproduction of your voice, I found the pair of beamforming noise-canceling mics to be very good, though not excellent. In calls, video chats and games, my colleagues and friends said I sounded good or had no complaints. And while outdoors the headset did a good job of minimizing wind noise that I could clearly hear on my end with my own ears.
The mics also made some rather loud construction noise going on across the street behind my desk basically disappear in my test recording, although the clicks and thocks from my mechanical keyboard and its Holy Panda X switches were very muted but still somewhat audible at the default settings. Digging into the Settings in Synapse, I noticed there was also a High setting for the mic’s noise canceling, which cut the sound of the switches out completely but left my voice sounding quite compressed. I think I’d live with a little keyboard noise for better overall mic fidelity, but it’s good to have options.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Speaking of options, Synapse also gives you a separate equalizer for the mic, as well as five presets and some other toggles and sliders. Again I thought the default settings were fine. In short, for most people, the mics on the Barracuda pro will be fine, whether you’re gaming or calling or chatting. But if you want the best sound pickup possible you should opt for a dedicated desktop microphone.
Battery Life of the Razer Barracuda Pro
Razer rates the battery life of the Barracuda Pro at 40 hours. That’s not unheard of, but still quite good. I didn’t have enough time with the headset to run it down multiple times. But after 20 hours of heavy mixed use over two days, mostly with noise canceling on, the battery meter dropped just 24%. So either Razer’s longevity rating is quite conservative, or the meter in Synapse needs a charge cycle or two before it’s particularly accurate.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In terms of audio, the Razer Barracuda Pro is a very good headset for its $250 price, with good integrated mics and active noise canceling — although Sony and Bose do this better.
It’s also very comfortable (though that can vary by head size) for long-term wearing and battery life seemed great in my limited time testing. Razer’s 40-hour rating may be quite conservative. And the included rigid zip-up carrying case is better than I’ve seen with some headphones that cost hundreds more.
But for a device from Razer, the overall design is boring and the plastic housing attracts smudges. I would love to see some metal used here, especially at this price. But the only metal used in the headset’s shell is the band. That’s disappointing because while the headset feels solid, most of the competition in this multi-device headset category (save for the Epos h4Pro) looks and feels more premium.
I do like that Razer has minimized its snake logo by making it black on the black earcups. But for a company that I often feel should tone down its design, Razer could have done more to make the Barracuda Pro look and feel exciting — or at least premium. The headset feels more like a Bose or Sony headset, which will be fine for some, but may not appeal to the gamers inclined to opt for this brand over those longer-lived competitors.
If you’re looking for a do-it-all headset for traveling, office work and gaming, the Barracuda Pro is a good option, particularly if you find sound and comfort most important and don’t want to spend more than $250. But serious gamers may want something edgier with a retractable or removable mic, and frequent travelers will find better noise canceling with the best that Sony has to offer on that front.
Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless: Price Comparison
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After a rough start with the Mattel Aquarius as a child, Matt built his first PC in the late 1990s and ventured into mild PC modding in the early 2000s. He’s spent the last 15 years covering emerging technology for Smithsonian, Popular Science, and Consumer Reports, while testing components and PCs for Computer Shopper, PCMag and Digital Trends.
better sound, battery, microphones, noise reduction, budget options
Daniil Bazdyrev
can’t stand traffic noise
Author’s profile
TWS headphones have no wires and are charged from a case.
True wireless earphones are getting more affordable: now even relatively inexpensive models are not so far behind the flagship Apple AirPods Pro. For example, they support active noise cancellation and connect to two sound sources at the same time.
Tech Editors T-Z have already released a selection of budget wireless headphones, but the market has changed in 2022. Therefore, I studied the market for TWS models, tested the most interesting options and ranked the best headphones in the budget segment.
But we do not distort or embellish reviews, and the choice of specific devices for the test does not depend on whether we receive a commission.
Equipment reviews in Tinkoff Magazine are independent. The verdict depends only on how the devices performed during the tests.
For reviews, we either request equipment from the manufacturer for a test, or purchase it ourselves. Our reviews are subjective, but honest and expert — opinions are written by authors who have more than one technical review behind them.
The editorial team of Tinkoff Magazine double-checks the texts, proofreads them and conducts a fact check.
All prices are at the time of publication of the material, but we update them periodically to keep the reviews up to date.
How did we choose TWS headphones? →
From 6000 R
The best of the best — Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 came out in 2021, but managed to noticeably cheaper. So now it’s the best choice in economy class TWS earbuds.
First of all, the Galaxy Buds 2 sound good. Each earbud has two speakers: a tweeter and a woofer. The first is responsible for well-developed mids and highs, and the second is for rich bass. Headphones two or three times more expensive sound better, but for me the difference in price makes up for the shortcomings.
I liked the maximum volume level: the headroom is so huge that it becomes uncomfortable to listen to tracks at maximum.
Active noise cancellation, or ANC, works great.
To combat external sounds, three microphones and machine learning technology are used to help the headphones “recognize” certain noises and more effectively cancel them with the help of AI. In its segment, Galaxy Buds 2 has practically no competitors in terms of noise reduction quality.
More than just AirPods: 8 wireless earphones for every budget
For communication, the Buds 2 are also good. Neural networks cut off unnecessary sounds during conversations and amplify the voice. In windy weather, the interlocutor will still not be very comfortable, but in the office or at home, the speech quality is excellent.
Headphones are compact and comfortable. Headphones without «legs» almost do not protrude from the ears and are easily inserted. The fit is tight, so you can run or ride a bike.
One charge is enough for approximately 7 hours of music at medium volume with noise reduction turned off, and with periodic recharging in the case — for all 29 hours. There is wireless charging, which is rare in the budget segment of headphones.
How much:
- in DNS — 7999R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 6000 R.
From 7000 R
The best earbuds — Huawei Freebuds 4
The earbuds do not have a rubber nozzle that needs to be inserted deep into the ear. Minus — so the headphones freely pass external sounds. Plus, Huawei Freebuds 4 are comfortable to use even all day long.
These are great for running or cycling so you don’t lose touch with your surroundings. But listening to music in the subway and other noisy places is not as comfortable as in vacuum plugs, because the rumble of cars interrupts the tracks.
This problem is partly solved by active noise reduction. It cannot completely remove all external sounds, but turns them into an unintelligible hum that distracts less from the music.
Big and rich sound with deep bass. The frequency balance is set up adequately: vocals are not relegated to the background, highs and mids are in place.
The volume margin is large, so there will be no difficulties with listening to tracks on a noisy bus even with ANC turned off. At maximum power, the sound does not merge into mush, as is often the case in budget models.
/best-headphones-2022/
The best wired and wireless full-size headphones: 6 successful models from 5000 R
Work in headset mode is decent: microphones clearly pick up the user’s voice and cut off unnecessary sounds. Freebuds 4 last 4 hours with ANC turned off. With recharging in the case, you can count on 22 hours of work.
How much:
- in M-video — 7999 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 7300 R.
From 2500 R
The best budget — Honor Choice CE79
Honor Choice developers saved on active noise reduction and high-quality microphones. You can only comfortably talk on the phone in a headset in a quiet room.
But there is no better option at this price — for 2500 R per model this is a great option.
Neutral sound: no excessive bass or screeching highs like double the price models. The bass is felt, the vocals are also in order: it is not relegated to the background and sounds quite natural. The volume level is high, there are no wheezing at maximum power.
Everything is good with ergonomics: the headphones sit comfortably and do not fall out when jogging. With prolonged use, the ears do not get tired, listening to music is comfortable. There are touch pads on the legs for control — but they do not work perfectly, you often have to repeat pressing to make Honor Choice «wake up».
/honor50-review/
Review of Honor 50 — an almost flagship smartphone with Google services
The headset plays music at medium volume for about 6 hours. With a charging case, the total autonomy reaches 24 hours.
How much:
- in M-video — 2499 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 2490 R.
From 6500 R
The best microphones — Xiaomi Buds 3 for each earpiece.
The long stem places the speaking microphones closer to the mouth than the Galaxy Buds 2 or other models in the selection. The speech quality in Xiaomi Buds 3 is the best among the tested devices: even in windy weather and in noisy environments, the headset cuts off unnecessary sounds.
The sound is well balanced: there is no bias towards the bass, the frequencies are evenly distributed. Vocals sound natural, everything is good with mid frequencies too. Is that the volume is not very high — some may not be enough.
The noise cancellation in Xiaomi Buds 3 is one of the best in the collection. The option works in three modes: the first one is balanced, the second one lets some of the noise through, and the third one muffles everything and is useful for the metro or airplane.
/xiaomi12x-review/
Xiaomi 12X is a compact phone for 35,000 R, but with a flagship design.
How did he turn out
The fit is good, the headset fits snugly and does not fall out while walking or running fast. Also, the model received protection according to the IP55 standard — it is not afraid of dust and splashes, you can listen to music in light rain.
Controls are similar to AirPods Pro — you need to squeeze the legs. Switching the track by accidental touch will not work. However, there is not enough haptic feedback, as on an Apple headset: it is not always clear that the desired function has been activated.
At medium volume without ANC, the headphones play music for about 7 hours without recharging. And together with the case, the tracks can be listened to for 32 hours. There is Qi wireless charging.
How much:
- in M-video — 6999 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — from 6490 R.
from 5000 R
. Due to their miniature size, they are almost not felt in the ears, they can be worn all day without discomfort.
I also liked the charging case — it is made of matte plastic and has the shape of a pebble without sharp corners. The cover of the case is well spring-loaded, easy to open with one hand, and the headphones themselves are easily inserted and pulled out.
Headphones play energetically with tangible bass. High and mid frequencies are well balanced and do not tire during long listening, but in comparison with more expensive models, they lack clarity and elaboration. At the same time, even at full volume, the audio remains clear, without unpleasant wheezing.
/airpods3-review/
AirPods 3rd generation review — wireless headphones for 16,490 R
There is good active noise cancellation — although not as powerful as Xiaomi or Samsung. But it will be enough to isolate the sounds of the office or muffle the rumble of the train in the subway. The microphones are decent: the interlocutors did not complain about the voice during telephone conversations.
Without ANC, Realme Buds Air 3 can last up to 7 hours. The case extends the battery life to approximately 30 hours.
How much:
- in DNS — 4999 R;
- other offers on Yandex Market — 3990 R.
How to choose wireless headphones
I have been writing technical reviews for about five years now — I have been testing smartphones, laptops, tablets, audio devices, smart home appliances and other gadgets. During this time, I have tried more than 30 models of wireless headphones from different price segments — I understand how they work and I know what the sound quality depends on.
To select a shortlist of budget wireless headphones, I looked at the reviews of the owners on Yandex Market, and also studied the reviews of new products in specialized publications. In addition, I relied on my own experience: over the past year, I have been able to test most of the current TWS models.
When choosing headphones, I recommend paying attention to the following parameters besides the price.
Sound. Namely, the purity of the sound, the detail of the middle and upper frequencies, the quality of the bass and the volume level. Sound quality is a subjective criterion, which is highly dependent on individual preferences.
Sound quality is affected by many characteristics — sensitivity, frequency range, impedance, and others. However, most headphone manufacturers do not disclose the detailed parameters of the models. In the description of TWS devices, you can find the following information, which can indirectly tell about the sound:
- Driver speaker diameter. The larger this characteristic, the higher the volume and the more powerful the bass in theory. It is recommended to choose models with drivers larger than 10 mm, but there are exceptions.
- Codecs. Sound can be transmitted over Bluetooth in different ways: codecs compress music in different ways and transmit it with different amounts of loss.
The standard codec that the vast majority of phone and headphone models support by default is called SBC. Better ones are AAC and aptX. AAC is most often used to work with iPhones, while aptX and aptX HD are most often used on Android.
Autonomy. Headphone operation time when listening to music at medium volume in different modes. They also take into account the autonomy of the charging case — how many times it can fully charge the headphones and how quickly it does it.
Now manufacturers are aiming for 5-6 hours of headphone autonomy without recharging — and up to 30 hours with the case. It is important to keep in mind that batteries degrade over time — so if battery life is important to you, choose headphones with a larger battery.
Microphones. The quality of the microphones determines how your voice will be heard by interlocutors during telephone conversations or video conferences. To improve the quality of speech, developers install several sensitive microphones and set up the software in such a way that the headphones cut off unnecessary noise.
Comfort. It is important that the headphones fit well: it is difficult to enjoy music or a podcast if something constantly presses, rubs or falls out. At the same time, there can be no universal recommendations here: everyone’s ears are different, and what is convenient for one may be unbearable for another. If possible, try headphones either from friends or in a store.
Noise suppression. It can be either passive or active (ANC). Passive noise cancellation works on headphones with silicone ear cushions — they tightly clog the ear and partially block out external noise.
Active noise cancellation is much more effective and can almost completely hide the rumble of the subway or the rumble of an airplane. It removes external noise with the help of microphones and special software processing. Each headphone has several microphones that pick up noise, and then the program analyzes it and generates a mirror sound wave.
/top-wearable/
«I don’t leave home without these guys»: 20 gadgets you want to carry everywhere with you
Our recommendations
Prices are valid for the Moscow region at the time of publication, but we update them periodically.
The best of the best
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2
Great sound, good battery life, decent microphones and comfortable fit — they fit almost everyone
V DNS — from 7999 R;
on Yandex Market — from 6000 R.
The best earbuds
Huawei Freebuds 4
The best choice for users who cannot tolerate vacuum earplugs
V «M-video» — from 7999 R;
on Yandex Market — from 7300 R.
The best budget
Honor Choice
Simple headphones without active noise reduction, but with good sound, comfortable ergonomics and adequate autonomy
V «M-video» — 9 ;
on Yandex Market — from 2490 R.
The best microphones
Xiaomi Buds 3
Clearly capture the voice, transmit it without distortion and confidently cut off unnecessary sounds and wind noise
V «M-video» — from 6999 R;
on Yandex Market — from 6490 R.
The most comfortable
Realme Buds Air 3
They play well and are confidently kept in the ears, without tiring during prolonged use
In DNS — from 4999 R;
on Yandex Market — from 3990 R.
All our recommendations
In the Technoselection stream. Here, the editorial staff of Tinkoff Magazine tests devices and selects the best ones from them
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Creative Headphones and Headsets Reviews — 28 i2HARD
Reviews and Tests
Creative has released many sound solutions, including headsets and headphones. To enjoy their sound to the fullest, it is worth choosing a model according to reviews.
Creative Live! Mic M3
Inexpensive microphone with high sound quality, stylish design and two modes of operation.
Creative Outlier Air V3 headphones review and testing
Headphones with long autonomy, good sound and functionality, in the original case with wireless charging.
Creative SXFI AIR GAMER
gaming headphones review
Comfortable, good-sounding wireless gaming headphones with a choice of two microphones and Creative’s Super X-FI surround sound technology.
Review of in-ear headphones with LSR-speakers Creative Aurvana Trio LS
In-ear headphones with LSR-speakers and support for Super X-Fi technology.
Creative Aurvana Trio Wireless
Wireless Headset Review
A hybrid tri-speaker system in wireless headphones with a neckband design for quality sound and ease of use.
Creative SFXI Trio
in-ear headphones review and test
Unique atmospheric sound and detailed picture in Creative SXFI Trio miniature headphones
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Creative Aurvana Live! SE
Creative Aurvana Live! SE is nothing more than a special edition of the Aurvana Live!
Creative Outlier Active V2 wireless headset review
Updated Creative Outlier Active — V2 headset. Bluetooth 5.0 and IPX5 while maintaining autonomy of almost 10 hours and a weight of 15 grams.
Comparative review Creative Outlier One and Outlier One Plus
Sports and sound quality — a pair of models for those who love music and an active sports life.
Creative Outlier Gold TWS headphones review
Creative Outlier Gold is an attempt by the legendary manufacturer to make the perfect TWS headphones.
The novelty boasts excellent autonomy and support for Super X-Fi technology.
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Creative SXFI Air is the flagship as it should be, or headphones that can’t leave you indifferent.
Creative SXFI Amp
Headphone Amplifier Review
The Creative SXFI Amp is an amplifier with SuperX-Fi Headphone Holography technology that adjusts headphone surround sound to suit the listener’s anatomy.
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AMD’s revolutionary Ryzen processor technology delivers high levels of performance at a competitive price point. And, while early adopters are still struggling with…
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Creative Outlier Air Sports
TWS headphones review
The first true wireless headset from CREATIVE — Outlier Air.
Creative SXFI Air C Headset Overview
The Creative SXFI Air C is a Super X-Fi Headphone Holography headset with surround sound customizable to the shape of the user’s ears and face.
Creative Sound Blaster H5 TE
Gaming Headset Review
Can good gaming headphones be made even better? Review of Creative Sound Blaster H5 Tournament Edition.
Creative Sound BlasterX H6 Headset Review
Looking for an all-in-one wired gaming headset for PC, MAC or the latest gaming consoles? Pay attention to Creative Sound BlasterX H6.
Review and testing of the Creative Aurvana Trio
in-ear headphones
We are well aware of the attempts of manufacturers to place several speakers in gaming headphones to get surround sound. The results were not very impressive, so massively such …
Creative SOUND BLASTERX H7 TE gaming headset review
Creative SOUND BLASTERX H7 TE is a continuation of the well-known gaming line from Creative.
The Creative Sound BlasterX H5 model is very popular among both gamers and amateurs…
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Technology behind computer components
Review and test of the Intel Core i5-9600k processor: 6-core for overclocking!
What can the 6-core Intel Core i5-9600k offer for overclockers, and to what frequency can this processor be overclocked on a mid-range motherboard? Answers to these and other questions in the material of the I2HARD.ru editorial board.
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Using AMD FreeSync with NVIDIA graphics cards. Miracles, and more!
Headphones review Creative SOUND BLASTERX P5
Creative is well known to many PC users and enthusiasts around the world. The brand gained its popularity largely due to its high-quality sound cards and monitor headphones.…
Creative Sound Blaster E5 review. High-quality USB DAC, ADC and headphone amplifier
The Creative Sound Blaster E5 that we received for review stands out against the background of the previously reviewed compact Sound Blaster E1 amplifier and the intermediate Sound Blaster E3 model.
