Corsair HS80 Max Wireless review: a solid mid-tier gaming headset

A quick glance over at our best gaming headsets guide is enough to tell you that this is a fiercely competitive market, and the Corsair HS80 Max Wireless is the latest pair to take a tilt at appealing to gamers interested in high-quality audio at a reasonable price point.

This Corsair HS80 Max Wireless review, based on several weeks of detailed testing, will explain everything you need to know about these headphones: from their design and comfort, to the all-important audio fidelity, and the bonus features that you get on top.

If you're looking to enhance your gaming setup even further, then we've got plenty of buying advice to share – be sure to also check out our lists of the best gaming monitors, the best gaming laptops, and the best gaming chairs you can currently buy.

Corsair HS80 Max Wireless review: Price & Availability

The Corsair HS80 Max Wireless headphones are available to buy now, and at the time of writing will set you back £170 / $180.

Check the widgets embedded on this page for the lowest prices currently offered online. If you're in the UK, you can pick up this headset from retailers such as Amazon and Currys.

Corsair HS80 Max Wireless review: Design & Setup

There's a certain angular awkwardness about these headphones, and for me they're not all that aesthetically appealing – this is a subjective call though, and you might find them beautiful to gaze upon. They're certainly a bit on the chunky side, but not overly so, and you can get them in a dark grey (as per our review unit) or white.

Comfortable they most definitely are, and there was no sense of needing to take a break even after several hours of gaming. The plush earcups and the soft band that sits between your head and the harder plastic headband, combine to do a good job of cushioning your head and ears – so this is a pair of headphones you can wear for a long time.

On the left earcup there's the mic (which you can't detach), a volume dial, a power button, and a USB-C port that's for charging the headphones (there's no wired mode). Over on the right there's the Bluetooth pairing button, and each earcup has a built-in RGB light in the shape of the Corsair logo.

You get a decent number of options for lighting, via the iCue software that Corsair makes available for all its accessories: from glowing rainbow cycles to static colours.

Connecting via the supplied USB-A 2.4GHz wireless dongle couldn't be any easier, meanwhile, and it takes just a moment to detect and connect to the headphones once it's plugged in.

Corsair HS80 Max Wireless review: Sound & Features

The Corsair HS80 Max Wireless is fitted with 50mm drivers and offers a 20Hz-20kHz frequency response. You get support for surround sound and Dolby Atmos built right in, while the wireless USB-A dongle gives you a very satisfactory range of 50ft (a little over 15 metres).

I tested the headset in a variety of different scenarios, including playing games, watching shows on a streaming platform, and listening to music. Across the board the audio quality impresses, especially in its richness and texture – you really get the sensation that there's depth and heft to the sounds produced by the Corsair HS80 Max Wireless.

Wandering through the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, for example, each individual sound is carefully rendered, from the first hint to the last fading moments. Of course, part of that is down to the sound design in the game – but these headphones do a fine job of putting everything across.

That said, the mid-range nature of this headset is evident at times – it's not up there with the most expensive and most premium models in terms of sound. At times the sound can come across as being a little closed off, without the breadth and spectrum you would get if you spend more money on your hardware.

Battery life is definitely above average, with 130 hours of Bluetooth connectivity, up to 65 hours with the USB dongle, and up to 24 hours with the USB dongle and the RGB lighting enabled. The USB link works with PCs, Macs, PS5s, and PS4s, while Bluetooth will work with anything that indeed supports Bluetooth.

I didn't notice any problems in terms of latency or connectivity, with no delays or drops. Anything I said through the mic seemed to come through crystal clear as well – though it is a little flimsy in terms of its design, and while I would prefer the option to detach it, there's no doubt that it works well for communication.

Corsair HS80 Max Wireless review: verdict

The Corsair HS80 Max Wireless gaming headset justifies its mid-range price with audio quality that doesn't disappoint. No matter what the scenario, it produces sound that's warm and detailed, and the customisable RGB lighting is quite a cool touch that not all headphones at this price point are going to give you.

There's great battery life here and solid build quality, and support for standards like Dolby Atmos (PC) and Tempest 3D Audio (PS5) right out of the box. The companion iCue software is well done, and available on Windows and macOS too, giving you more control over your listening experience.

What you don't get is the sort of premium audio fidelity associated with higher-end headsets – there is a noticeable difference when you switch to something more expensive – and certain advanced features such as dual-stream audio (supporting both wireless connection types at the same time) are missing.

Weighing up all the pros and cons together, the Corsair HS80 Max Wireless certainly gives you value for your hard-earned money, both in terms of the sound quality it produces and the features on offer. It's certainly a worthy contender if you're looking to upgrade your audio experience without breaking the bank.

Also consider

The Logitech Astro A50 X costs substantially more but works flawlessly across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. If you've got a lot of gaming machines to connect to, it's a solid option to consider.

Then there's the Audeze Maxwell Wireless. Again, it's towards the more expensive end of the gaming headset market, but you get top-quality audio in return for your money – and it does a fine job with music and movies, as well as games.