The new HS80s are the newest jewel in the Corsair lineup, which were announced last month by. They have finally arrived in Argentina and we were able to test them to tell you how the new “high-end” stand out that the brand of gaming peripherals has to offer you.
Design and Materials
Corsair is famous for maintaining its minimalist profile when creating headphones, but saving on materials. While other brands applied to gaming abuse RGB, Corsair has opted for discreet lighting in the openwork logo on the headphones, something similar to what we saw in the previous high-end ones, the Virtuosos (read our review here).
The Corsair HS80, with a design that moves away from the classic rounded model, feels strong to the touch, they are not headphones that seem to break with any movement – they can feel a little heavy at first, but nothing that is not perfectly bearable. More than anything because of the system that the headband does not rest on your head, but rather an elastic fabric band that will cushion movements.
They are made of hard plastic with aluminum details, and have a foldable omnidirectional microphone that unfortunately cannot be removed but it does retract into your head when you’re not using it – and it will automatically mute itself when you do, changing the color of its built-in LED to Red. This is a clear message that, unlike the Virtuoso, these HS80 are designed and specifically for gaming or communication.
As it is omnidirectional, it is a very good team if you are thinking of playing multiplayer (not so much so that it is your tool when streaming). Either way, the microphone’s sound clarity is among the best gear we’ve tested lately.
These headsets have volume and mute controls directly on the ear cup, which makes handling while gaming much more comfortable. In addition, its buttons are metallic and are distinguished by touch with a pattern so as not to confuse and immediately detect that we are touching.
As for another crucial piece of equipment, the knitted cloth material (not faux leather) on the ear cushions is comfortable and doesn’t overheat your ears when used during extended gaming sessions. Yes, they do not stick to you, they do not feel annoying as it usually does with a team of this size.
Characteristics
Speaking of its exclusively technical characteristics, the HS80, as we told you, are specifically designed for gaming. Its rechargeable battery has a durability of up to 20 hours (approximately 16 lasted us) but it depends on the load and the mode of use. Recharging them takes just over 1 hour and so those long nights of Lost Ark they won’t be any problem. You will even be able to connect them via USB and continue playing while they charge.
The equipment promises 18 meters of autonomy with respect to the sound source… But the reality is that as it is a device designed exclusively for gaming, there is not much chance that you will get so far away from your PC or console. If you want to go do a quick pichín before continuing, you will be able to do it without taking them off and without them being disconnected from the system, but please… mute the mic.
One of the great features of the HS80 is its 2.4hz Corsair SlipStream technology., which allows you to connect it with total ease not only to the computer, but also to your PlayStation 5 (or PS4). Corsair’s proprietary Slipstream system ensures a connection up to 3 times faster and with less latency and loss than, for example, other Wi-Fi or Bluetooth systems. The connection is simple, you need a USB port to connect the dongle (like a flash drive) and you don’t have to do anything else.
Sound
Yes, we already told you everything about its connection, materials, looks and more, but this is a headset, and despite the fact that at this level of equipment, the sound is always excellent, we are going to be a little more specific. The HS80s have 50mm drivers with frequencies ranging from 20K to 40K Hz – depending on whether they’re plugged in with the cable (which is included for use without Slipstream and for charging via USB-C to USB-A) or in your wireless mode-
They come with two Audio Softwares and not all functions of both can be used simultaneously. In addition to the well-known Corsair ICue (to link it with the PC and manage the light and sound modes), lThe headphones give us a Dolby Atmos license, to ensure the immersive gaming experience like few computers can reproduce.
Combining and customizing the sound profiles we can have game sessions with truly remarkable audio. Playing FPS’s or Survival Horror with these headphones you can take advantage of its 3D sound and a great positioning system. What makes the immersive sensation is of a high level, giving each game a plus and why not, in addition to realism, an advantage of being able to know exactly where each sound that surrounds us comes from.
If we have to perhaps look for a brand, we can say that they are not for listening to music, they are not calibrated for that, but you already knew that. The same with noise cancellation, which in this case does not play a role within the virtues of the HS80. It does not come with Bluetooth mode or 3.5mm cable connection, everything goes through the decision not to compromise sound quality.
Conclusions
The Corsair HS80 are an excellent and premium option to increase the quality of your gaming, especially if your thing is FPS and multiplayer games or why not… scares in the world of terror. The sound quality in the bass and distant noises is realistic. They feel and sound quality.
We do not recommend them if you are looking for a multipurpose peripheral that you can use for music and take them everywhere, since they are not made for that. But when it comes to gaming, Dolby Atmos and 3D spatial sound profiles will completely change the way you experience the experience.
Right now you can find the HS80 at official Corsair resellers in Argentina, at a price that starts at $23,000 pesos.