Corsair HS65 Surround Gaming Headset Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Corsair HS65 Surround Gaming Headset is available now from most major retailers. It’s on Amazon, but the stock looks like it’s dried up at the time of writing. However, prices are typically £79.99 for the black one or £79.99 for the white one. If you’re eager to get one sooner than later though, they do appear to be in stock at both Scan Computers.

Overview

I’m not even surprised that this headset is great, it was almost a sure thing. It’s rare that Corsair puts a poor product to market and frankly, I can’t recall the last one I didn’t like. It’s clear that they listen to their customers and improve on features and designs from previous generations. While the HS65 isn’t truly a completely new headset, it has the DNA of models that came before it and pushes things to the next level. Even as good as it is, I still think there’s room for improvement too. Getting the surround processing on-board rather than software-controlled would be nice. Plus, the implementation of fully modular cables and a removable microphone would be nice too. However, at its current price, all of this may be asking too much, and could see the headsets price creep somewhere above £100.

So while you may not like the iCUE software control, consider the benefits. It keeps the cost of the headset more affordable, and that is a huge benefit right away. Furthermore, the overall features and quality of audio processing provided through iCUE and SoundID are very dramatic. Getting such an advanced EQ set and surround sound processing in this price range is a real treat, and it’s close to matching SXFI processing on my personal headset of choice, the Creative Theatre, which costs twice as much… so the HS65 is really kicking down some doors here, very impressive!

While I don’t have a PS5 here, you can get 3D audio on PlayStation 5 with the HS65 headset, and the 3.5mm jack means I can connect it to my Xbox controller, Nintendo Switch, my crusty old iPod, and a whole range of other legacy devices, which certainly adds to the overall value. However, I must stress that if you’re buying this headset, do for primarily for a PC/Mac desktop experience, as that’s certainly where you’ll find it performs the strongest.

Should I Buy One?

It’s hard to argue with the features and performance of this headset. It has the best surround processing I’ve heard in a long time, and the addition of a powerful EQ and SoundID help push that performance even higher. The microphone sounds superb, the drivers pack a mighty punch, and the overall comfort and build quality are all five-star worthy. Really, it’s as good a headset as you could hope for, and you’ll likely struggle to find more features and better performance until you significantly increase your budget. It’s got a few quirks, but they’re all forgiven given the amazing sound quality and fantastic price.