Xbox finally upgrades its wireless headset after 3 years

2 weeks ago

A caller achromatic Xbox headset floating connected a grey background.

Microsoft has announced immoderate upgrades to its Xbox Wireless Headset connected Tuesday, pinch improved audio, amended artillery life, and an upgraded microphone for $110, which is $10 much than its predecessor. And it’s disposable to bargain now.

Xbox calls this a “refresh” successful nan announcement post connected its website, and so it doesn’t alteration up a batch successful position of design. The only important quality is that it nary longer sports a greenish ringing astir nan earcups. Instead, it opts for an all-black look.

The astir pronounced alteration is successful artillery life, pinch nan caller Xbox Wireless Headset touting 20 hours of playtime alternatively of nan past model’s 15. The microphone has besides been upgraded pinch enhanced auto-mute and sound isolation capabilities to destruct inheritance distractions. For nan champion sound, nan institution has besides included Dolby Atmos for spatial sound astatine “no further cost” (great for audio-rich games for illustration Hellblade 2), and Bluetooth 5.3 for much unchangeable connections betwixt devices.

The erstwhile Xbox Wireless Headset, which released successful 2021, is simply a bully affordable headset. It doesn’t person galore of nan precocious abilities you’d spot connected different wireless gaming headsets, but it provides clear sound, allows you to set settings connected nan earcups, and has a retractable mic. Plus, it costs $100, making it much affordable than different great Xbox headsets, moreover ones that are wired only. And pinch Bluetooth, you tin link it to your PC aliases mobile instrumentality if you want.

The caller Xbox Wireless Headset will switch nan 2021 type astatine retailers, and is nan only 1 you tin bargain connected nan Xbox Store. It’s besides priced astatine $110, which isn’t a immense value hike, but isn’t insignificant either. If you want a first-party headset, nan only different prime is nan cheaper, wired Xbox Stereo Headset, which is sold retired astatine nan clip of this writing.

Carli Velocci

Carli is simply a technology, culture, and games editor and journalist. They were nan Gaming Lead and Copy Chief astatine Windows Central…

Some large Xbox games mightiness yet get merchandise dates astatine Gamescom

A masked fig successful Avowed. The disguise looks for illustration it's made of gold, it has glowing reddish eyes, and there's a hood complete its head.

Xbox is taking nan shape astatine Gamescom later this month, bringing 3 large presentations for Avowed, Indiana Jones and nan Great Circle, and Starfield: Shattered Space. These are each games group to travel retired successful 2024, but nary person merchandise dates aliases person been afloat revealed to nan public.

While we sewage nan astir in-depth look MachineGames' upcoming Indiana Jones title and its gameplay during nan company's summertime showcase, we don't person a merchandise day aliases immoderate accusation astir nan larger story, too that it takes spot chronologically betwixt Raiders of nan Lost Arc and The Last Crusade, involves Nazis, and features a mysterious artifact (so, not excessively different from a emblematic Indiana Jones story). We do cognize that nan mostly of nan gameplay will beryllium successful first personification and that location will beryllium puzzles, but small else.

Xbox’s caller transparent controller will return you backmost to nan 2000s

A bluish translucent Xbox controller successful beforehand of a cyber bluish background.

I miss translucent tech products arsenic a industrywide trend, and it seems a batch of different group do too. Case successful constituent is nan caller Sky Cipher Special Edition controller Xbox announced connected Wednesday.

The transparent bluish Xbox Wireless Controller, which will spell connected waste for $70 connected August 13 and is now disposable for preorder, tin show disconnected soul workings like, arsenic Xbox says, nan rumble pack. It besides has metallic D-pad and triggers that should beryllium much durable than plastic, rubber grips connected nan back, and "silver interior parts" that make it look simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic.

I’m yet turning into a Valorant instrumentality acknowledgment to its Xbox port

Key creation for Valorant connected PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Although I've followed and played a spot of Valorant complete nan years arsenic I've covered it, I've ne'er afloat taken nan plunge and gotten into Riot Games' aggravated leader shooter competitively. I simply don't for illustration playing first-person shooters connected PC. I understand that's a somewhat overseas return because utilizing a rodent and keyboard gives players specified precise control, but I grew up playing Call of Duty games connected a console alternatively than a PC. I could return nan clip to really study and get utilized to mouse-and-keyboard controls for a crippled for illustration Valorant, but it's truthful competitive, and due teamwork is specified a captious facet that it is excessively intimidating of a crippled to believe my PC skills in.

That's why I was grateful erstwhile I learned Riot Games was yet bringing Valorant to consoles with immoderate awesome adjustments. Announced astatine Summer Game Fest, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Valorant are connected nan measurement and successful closed beta testing correct now. Riot granted maine entree to nan Xbox beta, and aft playing immoderate much Valorant connected Xbox Series X, I tin show I'm starting to get hooked. Valorant is simply a tightly designed competitory shooter, and nan power tweaks Riot made to make it activity connected a controller consciousness great. I don't person to interest astir competing pinch PC players utilizing a rodent and keyboard either, conscionable players who are already really bully astatine nan crippled pinch a controller.