Alienware - Pro Wireless Over-the-Ear Gaming Headset for Windows, PS5, PS4, Switch and Mobile - Lunar Light

There was a time when Alienware was known for its over-the-top, flashy products with excessive amounts of RGB and bulky designs. With its new Pro gaming headset, its clear the company went back to the drawing board to come up with an accessory that would appeal to almost every gamer or PC user. This Pro headset is lightweight, incredibly comfortable, and delivers very good audio quality and battery life. === DESIGN AND COMFORT === - I'm a big fan of the minimalist design of the Alienware Pro headset, especially since I tend to wear a headset most of the day for both work and gaming. The sleek and slim look of the Pro headset means I can confidently wear it while on video calls and not worry about getting strange looks. - The first thing I noticed was how plush the earcups and headband are. The padding has just the right amount of give without being too soft or firm. The material of the earcups and headband is very soft and smooth. - Compared to other gaming headsets I've used, the Alienware Pro is very lightweight. I've worn it for hours on end and can barely tell it's there. - The clamping force is also nicely balanced and I have not experienced any fatigue or pressure when wearing the headset. - The headband is very easy to adjust for different head sizes. The earcups smoothly glide up and down with minimal resistance. - The microphone attaches to the left earcup. While I'm glad it can be easily removed when not needed, I miss the retractable microphone I had on my previous headset. When the microphone is attached to this headset, it's hard to push or angle it out of your line of sight when not needed. So I usually end up detaching it and leaving it on my desk until needed for gaming or a video call. - The physical controls on the earcups are intuitive and easy to access. The left earcup is where you'll find most of the controls, including the volume dial, microphone mute button, a button to control noise cancellation, the USB-C port, and slot for the microphone attachment. The right earcup has only the power switch and a toggle to move between 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth connections. === AUDIO QUALITY, CONNECTIVITY, AND SOFTWARE === - The Alienware Pro headset can connect to your devices via 2.4 GHz (using the included USB dongle) or Bluetooth. My biggest complaint about this headset is that you can't use both connections simultaneously -- a huge limitation if you want to hear audio (or take calls) from your computer and phone at the same time. My previous headset had this feature and I loved not having to manually swap connections when I received a call on my iPhone while listening to audio on my computer. - You can also use the headset over a wired USB-C connection, which allows for high-res audio. - I'm no audiophile, but this headset sounds excellent to me. It can get incredibly loud without any noticeable distortion. Highs seem very detailed and bass is very deep. However, at higher volumes, the bass tends to fade away and higher frequencies take over. So the sweet spot for volume seems to be right around 40 to 60 percent for a balanced mix of lows and highs. - Games sound incredible with this headset. Playing Alan Wake 2, I can hear footsteps and voices as if they are right behind me. The music and dialog in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle sounds clear, rich, and full. - Microphone quality is mediocre at best. I recorded myself to test, and my voice sounds very flat and robotic, like a cheap call center headset. It's fine for casual use and gaming, but I wouldn't count on this to record your podcasts. - The Alienware Command Center software can be used to change certain settings on the headset such as the noise cancelling transparency level and microphone volume, but it doesn't offer much else besides that. I was hoping there would be some options for audio customizations. === NOISE CANCELLING AND BATTERY LIFE === - The active noise cancelling feature of the Alienware Pro headset gets the job done, but it certainly does not come close to matching the best ANC headphones offered by other mainstream brands. Importantly, it successfully cancels out the fan noise from my PC as well as other low-frequency sounds around my house (such as my air conditioner and tower fan). But it doesn't do as well with higher frequencies such as voices or clicks from my mechanical keyboard. This wouldn't be the headset I would grab to bring on an airplane, but the ANC works well enough for home use. - Battery life on this headset is remarkable. Alienware claims that the headset will last up to 70 hours when connected over the 2.4 GHz connection, and 75 hours when on Bluetooth. This seems accurate to me -- after a full 8 hour day with the headset on and connected to my PC via 2.4 GHz, the battery level reported in the Alienware Command Center was at 87 percent. === OVERALL == I'm very impressed by the Alienware Pro headset. It has a sleek, comfortable design that will appeal to almost anyone. Notable drawbacks include the lack of a simultaneous 2.4 GHz + Bluetooth connection, poor microphone quality, and mediocre noise cancellation. But these things do not detract from the excellent design, audio quality, and battery life of the headset. Hopefully, Alienware will continue this trend with its other gaming accessories: a focus on the basics without the flashy and gimmicky features.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is a top-tier choice for the professional gamer and music enjoyer who wants zero compromise on quality and creature comforts Am a huge fan of the minimalistic styling of these headphones. Matte black, soft touch finish with simple Alienware logos is a far cry from the flashy Alienware designs of the past. The subdued design of these headphones makes clear that they are aimed at both gaming and general usage. They are stylish and can be worn just about anywhere. Memory foam, leatherette earcups are comfortable even for long gaming sessions. Have always been a fan of the comfort of headbands on Alienware headsets. The headband on this is no different. At 315 grams, these headphones are relatively lightweight. Have worn these headphones continuously for over 4 hours comfortably during my testing. To note, earcups are not on a swivel which somewhat limits portability and comfort, especially if wearing the headphones around your neck. Graphene coated 50mm drivers have a frequency response range from 20Hz-40KHz. Headphones sound great out of the box for both gaming and music listening. Active Noise Cancellation is superb and is leaps and bounds above earlier iterations of headphone ANC. There is no feeling of discomfort or pressure on the ears with ANC on. This is the first gaming headset I have reviewed which has ANC, a striking feature which reinforces that these headphones are aimed at both gamers and a general audience seeking high quality sound. Headphones have a decent level of passive noise isolations as well even with ANC off as well. Built-in controls on the headphones include buttons for power, volume, mic, connectivity and noise cancellation modes. These buttons/switches are located on the bottom of the device and have positive tactile response. A large bonus in my book, as I enjoy the convenience of controlling these key functions via physical buttons. Headset connects via Bluetooth 5.3x, or with the included 2.4GHz USB dongle. The dongle connects via both USB-C and USB-A with an included adapter. Backwards compatibility is a huge plus! Battery life is advertised to be 75 hours on Bluetooth and 70 hours on 2.4GHz with ANC off. Dell also claims that the headphones can gain up to 8 hours of playback time with only 15 minutes of fast charging. Of course, these are in perfect conditions with ANC off but is impressive, nonetheless. I am a big fan of the detachable boom mic included with the headset. Microphone quality is strikingly good, and the ability to detach is perfect for storage and using the headphones on the go. Headset also features AI Noise Cancellation to cut down on background noise. Alienware Command Center Software allows for customization of headphones. Great app. If you are looking for top tier headphones which are versatile in and out of the gaming sphere, look no further than the Alienware Pros.

📦 UNBOXING: Inside the box, you’ll find the headset, a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging and wired usage, a 2.4GHz Wireless USB-C dongle, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, a detachable boom microphone, and some documentation. 💪 BUILD: The build of the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset appears to be largely plastic, but it does not feel cheap or flimsy. It has a nearly metallic feel, but couldn’t find any documentation that suggests anything other than plastic. With the Lunar Light model, the outer shell reminds me a lot of the Lunar Light model of their laptops. I used to have an Alienware x14 in this same color, and really enjoyed it, so if you’re already an Alienware laptop user, this will be an aesthetic match. The Alienware logo is prominent on the exterior of each ear cup, which might be a little gaudy for some, but I don’t find it too offensive. On the Lunar Light version, the logo is silver which blends in a bit more with its white exterior. There is no RGB lighting on this headset, and I prefer it this way since I find it to otherwise be a waste of battery. The microphone is detachable from the left side of the headset, which can then fallback to the onboard microphones at the cost of vocal clarity. So if you’re the kind of person who uses an external microphone or if you want to have your face unobstructed during a video call, this is a pleasant feature. And if you want to use it as a portable headphone around the house or out and about, this gives a bit more versatility without making it overtly obvious that you’re wearing a gaming headset. ⚙️ CONTROLS: On the left ear cup, there is the mute button, a volume dial to control your game audio, and an ANC button to toggle between ON/OFF and Transparency modes. If you connect the detachable microphone, you’ll also find that there is an LED indicator on the end of the microphone that glows red to indicate the microphone is muted. In my experience, the LED is far more noticeable in darker lighting conditions than it is in bright daylight conditions. On the right ear cup is the power switch, an LED status indicator, and a wireless switch to use the 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth, and the Bluetooth pairing mode. Overall, these are pretty intuitive controls. However, it should be pointed out that there is no ability to interact with playback over Bluetooth other than the volume dial. Since there isn’t a multifunction button, you can’t play/pause or skip tracks from the headset; you’ll need to do those from your phone. It’s a bit of a strange omission given that most wireless gaming headsets at this price point usually have some capability for this, but Alienware opted not to. It should also be mentioned that you cannot simultaneously pair to the 2.4GHz dongle and a Bluetooth device; it’s one or the other. I personally prefer it this way, but I understand that others may feel differently. ☁️ COMFORT: Comfort on the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is quite good in my experience. The ear pads are plush, oval shaped and don’t apply a ton of pressure on my head, while the headband is also plush and flexible to support larger and smaller head shapes, alike. My ears don’t touch the drivers, so there’s plenty of room for me, so I can use these for hours without any discomfort. And thanks to its 315g weight, it doesn’t apply a whole lot of downward pressure on your scalp, so it shouldn’t create discomfort for those who often find that to be a contentious part of headphone designs. Out of the box, this headset was quite comfortable, and that comfort was consistent as I continued to use it. 🎧 SOUND QUALITY: The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset includes a license to Dolby Atmos for Headphones when the headset is connected. This is especially important because how you set it up in the Dolby Access app can really determine how good your audio experience will be. I configured the headset with a Custom profile with a flat EQ and with “Surround Virtualizer” and “Volume Leveler” both disabled. I like to use this configuration especially for music listening, and since I don’t particularly enjoy virtual surround very much. With this configuration, I would say the bass response is still elevated, but not nearly as much as many other gaming headsets I’ve tested. The midrange response is also respectful without bloat from the bass, delivering plenty of clarity for music and games, alike. The treble leans a bit on the brighter side, but without overdoing it and causing listener’s fatigue. So for those who want something that can function as both a headset for gaming and for music, I do think the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is up to the task. Dolby Atmos for Headphones can help you tailor the experience to your preferences while using the headset in wired USB or 2.4GHz wireless modes. Unfortunately, the experience takes a downturn when used in Bluetooth mode because of a dynamic compressor which constantly changes the volume levels during playback. This makes listening to music a more erratic, distracting listening experience—which is really unfortunate since it could otherwise be a good headphone for portable use. You can get around this by using the wireless dongle or a wired USB connection with mobile devices, but I imagine most folks wouldn’t want to do that. I did report this to Dell, but didn’t receive a response. 🔊 ANC / AMBIENT SOUND: The ANC on the Alienware Pro is decent, but also not a significant improvement from the great passive noise isolation that the headset already provides. When I put the headset on, I do feel a clear and obvious difference in background noise. While the passive noise isolation does a good job attenuating higher frequency noise, the addition of ANC helps also reduce droning noises present in the lower midrange and bass frequencies. This could be especially helpful for tuning out droning noise from an open window, a noisy fan, or an HVAC system. When playing audio even at lower volumes, it’s hard to hear anything outside of the headset thanks to its excellent noise isolation. Once no audio is playing, there is an audible noise floor which thankfully stops after 30 seconds of inactivity. If you’re hoping to use these as ANC headphones to block out noise while studying, doing work, or chores, then these will be reasonably good for that. The Transparency mode is also decent, and uses the onboard microphone to let in outside noise if you need to be aware of your surroundings. 🎙️ MICROPHONE QUALITY: Microphone quality is decent, but not class-leading. In my testing, the detachable microphone sounds notably better than using the integrated microphones, but the integrated microphones are no slouch, either. The detachable microphone focused more on midrange frequencies of speech to ensure that speech clarity is prioritized over fidelity. But it still sounds like an eSports-oriented gaming headset, with a focus on clearly hearing your teammates during competitive games. If you opt to detach the microphone, you can rely on the onboard microphone which will yield more room echo and a more distant sounding voice. So if you are speaking quietly, your audience may find it harder to understand you. But if you speak loud and clear, it’s a pretty decent sounding microphone. Mic noise cancellation seems to be very good in my testing. Even with louder keyboard noises or other background noises, the microphone really did not pick them up. So rest assured your teammates will hear you, and not what’s going on in your home. 💿 SOFTWARE: As with all Alienware products, you can interface with it via the Alienware Command Center, but there’s not much to control here. You can control headset volume and the Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) which has options for “Off”, “On” and “Transparency”. There is also a “Transparency level” slider from 1 to 5 to customize your ambient sound experience. However, it’s worth noting that as of the latest firmware 2.9 (Dongle) and 3.9 (Headset), increasing the Transparency Level might lead to an audible anomaly in one or both ears while ANC is set to “On”. So I recommend using a lower setting if you encounter this issue. I experienced this behavior on two different units, and Dell is investigating a remedy to the issue with no expected fix date. You can also control the microphone volume or mute it entirely, and engage the sidetone with levels from 1 to 5. Sidetone is only engaged whenever you’re using software that is actively using the microphone, so you won’t hear yourself outside of that context. Even so, I do find that the sidetone is quieter than other options on the market, even at max volume. 🔋 BATTERY: Battery life is quite good on the Alienware Pro. Alienware claims up to 75 hours on Bluetooth, 70 hours with the 2.4GHz dongle, and 35 hours on 2.4GHz with ANC. Because the ANC mode isn’t a significant improvement over the passive noise isolation, I think a lot of people could use it without ANC to prioritize battery stamina. And with a quick 15 minute fast charge, you can get up to 8 hours of playback with ANC off. 🧐 CONCLUSION: The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset chooses to provide the essential features in hardware and software without creating a bloated experience. The word “Pro” means something different in the context of this headset because it was designed with input from eSports gamers in competition environments. But for a general purpose gamer, I do feel like it is a bit more barebones in that it doesn’t provide physical controls for toggling sidetone or for music playback. And the Bluetooth mode has some DSP applied to it that makes listening to music an erratic, unpleasant experience. While I do hope that this can be remedied in a future update, in its current state, I think the Alienware Pro needs some refinements in software and firmware to make each of its limited features pleasant and reliable.

Dell’s Alienware line of products has been a staple in the gaming industry for a while. Their popular logo is easily recognizable and is considered a mainstream quality brand. With more brands out with competitive products, there are lots of headsets to choose from. The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is a nice option with features that are convenient for gaming. There are several things that I personally like about this headset and although they don't differentiate much from the competition in terms of aesthetics, they make it up with some nice hardware. With that being said, there are several “nice to have” features that I personally think all headphones should have and this headset hits the nail on the head. One of them is that both the ear muffs and head adjustment band are lined with soft and comfortable leatherette. The headband also does not have the annoying click while adjusting and as it slides and makes it harder for hair to be caught while adjusting them. After wearing them for a week for several gaming sessions, I did not get tired and want to throw them off! A second must have feature, in my opinion, are convenient and useful buttons. Along the sides of the headset are an On/Off button, volume control slider, mic mute slider, mode slider (for switching between bluetooth and wireless) and an On/Off Audio Noise Cancellation button. Now for the audio. The audio quality is just amazing with the 50mm drivers. Like other gaming headsets, you should be able to hear the small details like footsteps, far away shots in shooting games, conversations from NPCs as you walk by them in games like Assassin's Creed, and this headset is no different. Compared to other headphones I’ve used, these do have a good bass response and it helps bring an immersiveness with in-game explosions or just music in general. Another feature I noticed, compared to other headsets, is that the ANC works well. My only gripe though is that with it on and no audio playing, I am still able to hear my keyboard keys as I’m typing and other small noises like mouse clicks. It works well while gaming to completely block out noise but not completely in silence. There are three ANC modes that can be switched with the ANC button on the left ear: Off,On, and Transparency mode to adjust the intensity of ANC. After playing with each, I still felt disappointed in this area. To further adjust the ANC Transparency mode, Alienware’s Command Center will need to be installed through Dell’s website and can also be used to apply firmware upgrades. As for the mic quality, I did like how two microphones were added onto this headset. The second mic helps in noisier environments and using AI Noise Cancellation, can help tune out a friend’s annoying speaker in the background (as long as they have the same headset :) ) to only their voice. I didn’t receive any complaints as I used the mic and while there is slight difference in how your voice sounds, others I gamed with liked it better than my previous headset mic. Lastly, I simply enjoyed having a headset that was reliable and worked well with each of my consoles. I didn’t have any issues setting it up on my Switch through bluetooth nor through using the USB C dongle for my PS5 and PC. It lasted through each of my gaming sessions for over a week (with ANC On) and when it did die, I found that the fast charging the headset advertises really does work. Fast charging it (charging it with my 20W charger) for 15 minutes gave me another hour of use before I ended my session and decided to fully charge them. Overall, the Pro headset is simple and straightforward, a headset geared towards Alienware and gaming fans without any nonchalant gimmicks. The audio truly is fantastic and brings another level of immersion into games. ANC works great as your gaming and your teammates being able to hear you better through the AI Noise Cancellation is also a nice plus. The Pro headset is a great choice for a regular or gaming headset and has strong features against the competition.

With so much competition in this space, Alienware still seems to carve out a reason to buy this pro headset. First and foremost, they stepped up their design game. Everything looks and feels as though real thought were given to quality in form and function. This is apparent with the new ‘grown-up’ design language these bring. Instead of flashy RGB gimmicks or chunky plastic, these have a very smooth form and silhouette. They feel great in the hand and are angled and cushioned in all the right places. This is good, as they cannot fold or collapse down like many other offerings do. - I think of this as a headset you leave at your desk rather than bring with you everywhere (a lack of case included accentuates this.) — Design & Usability: Beyond what I already mentioned above, this headset has a nice soft-touch plastic finish that feels durable, and plenty of vegan leather at the ear cups and wrapping all sides of the headband. While I like it, I do have some concerns on how durable this material will be in time. Other headsets with similar materials have broken down fairly quickly… in ear cups at least. With it also wrapping the headband, I find myself a bit more careful when setting them down on a desk. I’d hate for surface abrasion to accelerate wear on the more taught edges there. Only time will tell, but I find them very comfortable. My last gripe is that these have smelled fairly strongly of foam off-gassing at the ear cups since unboxing them. In a longer listening session this began to bother me bit. The good news is that after about 5 days, it seems to finally be dissipating. An aspect of these I really love are the easy-to-feel-for buttons and controls. The big volume knob is the easiest to find, while other buttons have clear placements and textures that really help you figure them out quickly. The detachable mic is nice as I often don’t need it (like when listening to music, etc.) While gaming, the mic is respectable and easy to bend into the ideal position. The included dongle makes them truly simply to get up and running. Connecting them to my Mac and PC also worked flawlessly. — Sound and ANC By default, the sound seemed perfect for games, leaning a bit more into bass with sharper sounds coming through a bit more easily than expected (which could be seen as a downside, I suppose, but arguably beneficial for hearing key things in an FPS, etc.) You cannot adjust any of the EQ on the headset, but the sound can be tweaked in Alienware’s companion software. The ear cups block out some sound passively, but ANC adds true noise cancellation. I find myself leaving it on most of the time, but unlike other headsets, the baseline white noise generated on these sounds a bit more like a subtle static, with an irregular pattern. It’s not something you’ll hear when you’re listening on them, but when nothing is playing and ANC is on, I notice it more than any other headset own. — Comfort & Color Choice Comfort is key and the way these position the ear cups, seemingly perfectly, along with their less bulky form and soft headband - feel great. After a long session, their lack of ventilation can make them run slightly warm, but not any more than other similar headsets I own. They present like true, higher-end headphones with less of the ‘gamer’ stigma. I got the Dark Side of the Moon model, and unlike the product photos, the actual color looks more like a dark, bluish grey than a black. It gives them a unique appearance, but a subtle one. They can appear more black under many light situations. See my photos for a best attempt at capturing their true color. — Summary I’ve very pleased with this updated design. It feels grown up and well considered in in almost all ways, has great sound, and is dead simple to pair/plug in right out of the box. I have some reservations on the ANC background noise and longevity of the vegan leather material, but as long as that holds up, this may be my new favorite headset for media and gaming. Controls are intuitive and they’re very comfortable. *** The Good Stuff: - Great defaults for gaming, leans into bass - Fantastic, high-style silhouette with soft forms that’s very well executed. - Great interface you can feel for - dial is great for volume and texture on the ANC button is easy to remember - Appreciate understated Alienware branding *** The Less than Good Stuff: - Main concern is that the vegan leather will wear out like it has on my other headsets - some edges are also wrapped, so I’m careful about how I rest these or allow them to sustain abrasion. - Slight background crackle/white noise when ANC is on and nothing is playing (don’t hear this on my other headphones) - Semi-strong off-gassing of ear cups for several days after unboxing - Cannot be flattened or folded for transport - No case or bag included