Corsair recently rebranded a portion of its business, spinning off gaming-focused products and services into Corsair Gaming. With the change comes a new line of peripherals including keyboards, headsets, mice, and more.
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I got a chance to review the new H2100 wireless gaming headset, a product that also comes in a wired variant (H1500). The H2100 offers 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound and comes with a USB charging cable, wireless USB adapter, and an extending cable and base for the USB adapter. The wired version will cost you $79.99, while the wireless product is priced at $99.99- I can only speak for the latter.
The H2100 does exactly what you'd expect it to, perhaps without exceeding those expectations in any area. Setting up the headset is simple- just plug in the wireless adapter, download the software it instructs you to, and link the headset to the receiver by holding down the power button. The software provides a control panel for the headset to adjust the sound source type (2.0 stereo, 5.1 surround, and 7.1 surround), as well as the volume and balance levels.
Once the H2100 is connected and you're sure the computer is using it as the sound device, you're good to go. The build quality on the headset is decent, though perhaps not what you'd hope for at the price point. The faux leather band feels nice and the ear cushions are comfortable, but the plastic and power button feel a little cheap.
Nobody wants a heavy headset, but the light plastic doesn't seem particularly high quality in your hands. The ear phones swivel and turn to be easily adjustable, but it feels as if a wrong turn or momentary rough handling could cause some damage. They'll likely be fine and no damage has occurred, but it's more about how everything feels a bit more loose than it could. It's certainly possible to do worse for the value, though, as the better materials will most often come with much more expensive products.
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The H2100 is comfortable to wear- I only wish I could do so without glasses. That's hardly the product's fault, but it doesn't avoid the pressing squeeze of my glasses' arms on the side of my head, a consideration for some potential consumers. I wore the H2100 without my eyewear for an extended period to test the general comfort, and nobody else should have a problem with how it feels.
The sound quality is perhaps more impressive. The 7.1 is suitably immersive in games, and the creepy sound effects of The Forest coming from all directions kept me on edge. Dialogue is clear, and everything comes through without sounding tinny. The bass is probably what could use most improvement, and it's more obvious listening to music- a slight buzzing rumble occasionally seeps into songs at certain notes, but is generally not noticeable and the quality is good. A weird occurrence with the wireless model is the sound of dead air when nothing is playing, which can be somewhat irritating between songs or while something is loading.
A scrolling bar on the left side under the power button changes the volume, and it's satisfying to roll. It's worth noting that switching from my laptop's mic to the H2100's built-in one resulted in a sharp drop in audio quality, according to those on the other end of my Skype call. I tested it as many ways as I could, and it seemed almost certain the mic was to blame for the quality drop. Your mileage could vary depending on settings, but my experience had me staying with my laptop's mic.
Still, the headset performs admirably while gaming in terms of audio, which is its primary focus. The battery life is perhaps the best aspect-the H2100 stays powered for many hours of use, usually only requiring a charge after somewhere between 6 and 8 hours if not longer. A simple cable charges the headset, pulsing orange during charge and glowing green when complete. It shares port type with the PlayStation 4's controller, meaning you can use a controller wire to charge the headset. As a side note, the headset sadly isn't compatible with the console-the signal constantly switches on and off, likely because there's no software running on the PS4.
Overall, the wireless H2100 is a solid product that does what you'll need it to well. The sound quality is above average, and the build quality is overall good, even if it could feel a bit sturdier. The options and accessories get the job done, and given the H2100's price point (you may even want to go for the cheaper wired version, which I understand eliminates the dead air noise) I would recommend it to gamers looking for good value.
