Review on 🎧 Corsair HS45-7.1 Virtual Surround Sound Gaming Headset with USB DAC - Discord Certified for PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch - Carbon by Imran Roach

This was a replacement for an aging pair of Hyper X Cloud Stinger headphones with a broken microphone. My little brother has benefited a lot from it and likes it a lot. Build Quality/Comfort: They're light but don't feel flimsy, although they do creak a bit when flexed. They are very comfortable thanks to the soft sponge padding, which is stiffer on the ear cups to prevent the drivers from pressing against the ears. The headband can be adjusted relatively well for different head sizes and is securely fixed. After 6 months of daily driving, neither the upholstery nor the adjustment mechanisms showed any significant wear. Aesthetics: This headset looks good but doesn't overplay. The all-black design and the lack of RGB lighting make for a nice understated look. Sound: The sound quality is as expected for a gaming headset at this price point. Certainly not the worst I've heard, but not fantastic either. The sound is very flat and a bit muffled, but can offer a better soundstage when the other option is headphones, and delivers more detail than laptop speakers. The included USB DAC is nothing special, but might be a better alternative than the built-in one. the sound of some computers, especially those with poor or no front panel sound. Microphone: The microphone does its job well enough and maintains acceptable quality as long as you don't eat the microphone. The stem is quite flexible but also holds its position well, it is not foldable but can be removed if you intend to use the headphones outside of games. Features: There is a dedicated microphone mute button and a master volume control which are nice features. The audio cable is long enough to connect to a laptop or the front of a desktop, but not long enough to run very far under or around a table to reach other headphone/USB ports. The cable isn't braided but feels great and doesn't kink or tangle easily. iCUE configuration options are limited, but you can manage and change the built-in EQ presets, as well as add your own. These profiles can be switched automatically when other Corsair peripherals are connected and a profile switch button is assigned. Otherwise the profiles have to be switched manually from iCUE. Conclusion: This is a decent entry-level headset from a well-known brand. However, if you're on an extra budget I'd probably pick something better, especially if you can buy decent headphones and an external mic. For example, the Monoprice Modern Retro and Antlion Modmic headphones are around $75, or $100 if you upgrade your headphones with Brainwavz earpads. In general, I think audio hardware should be handled by audio companies, but if you need a one-stop solution for gaming, you can certainly do worse.