As gaming peripheral companies try to appeal to several platforms that span mobile, PC and console, you inevitably end up with headsets that offer a mix of connectivity that can often be confusing. However, the HS 70 Bluetooth from Corsair aims to allow you to deal with your smartphone, console and PC easily with just one headset. It even claims to be able to do so simultaneously, giving you the option of linking smartphone-based chat apps via Bluetooth at the same time as being wired up to your gaming machine such as a Nintendo switch or PC.
For Switch owners, that means you can use the HS70 Bluetooth to interact with your friends via your smartphone while at the same time listening to your game’s audio without anyone else in the room hearing a peep. Of course, with Bluetooth support, it’s also perfect for most other devices, but if you prefer a wired experience, perhaps to tap into the 24-bit, 96KHz audio, then you can use the USB-C or 3.5mm minijack cables, both of which are included.
The HS70 is one of the most comfortable headsets out there, with a plush headband cushion and equally well-padded circumaural (around the ear) cushions. It’s maybe not as instantly head-soothing as Corsair’s own Virtuoso, but I actually found the HS70 Bluetooth to be more comfortable to use for long periods with the Virtuoso resulting in a little head ache after an hour or so. The headband is geared towards medium to large heads, with plenty of adjustment, but probably not suited to the small-headed.
As there are no in-line remotes here, all the controls are on the device including an on/off button, mic mute button and a volume wheel. The latter is textured well-placed to find it easily when you’re wearing the headset. The included cables are 1.5m (3.5mm) and 1.8mm (USB) long which isn’t ideal for sitting on a couch opposite your console, but extensions are cheap if you need them and this will likely be fine for laptop or PC users, with most likely opting to make use of the wireless Bluetooth connection anyway, especially as there’s no pesky USB dongle to deal with like the original HS70.
Sound quality from the 50mm drivers is excellent and well-balanced out of the box, although you can tweak the audio via Corsair’s iCUE software using the USB connection or your own equalizer easy enough. The bass was particularly deep, but the mids and highs didn’t seem to suffer with plenty of detail.
I was actually impressed given this is a $100 headset and the microphone impressed for the price as well – you certainly won’t find much better below $100 if at all. Overall the Corsair HS70 Bluetooth offers a very well-rounded package for the price and particularly useful for Nintendo Switch owners. It boasts excellent well-rounded audio, an equally capable microphone and comfort levels are great too.
