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Customer Ratings & Reviews

Your price for this item is $69.99

Customer reviews

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars with 724 reviews

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  • Value

    Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars

  • Quality

    Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

  • Ease of Use

    Rating 4.7 out of 5 stars

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93%would recommend to a friend

Customers are saying

Customers commend the HS65 SURROUND Wired Gaming Headset's sound quality, comfort, and value for its price point. Many appreciate the microphone's functionality and the headset's compatibility with various devices. However, some users find the volume could be higher and the cord length insufficient for their needs. A few also reported issues with the accompanying software.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 2 Showing 21-40 of 724 reviews
  • Pros mentioned:
    Sound quality

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Awesome headset!

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Excellent value - cost, great audio, sound insulation.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Sound quality

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Comfortable

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Amazing sound, great noise canceling and the mic feature is great

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Microphone, Sound quality
    Cons mentioned:
    Cord
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Comfortable and affordable

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    THE BREAKDOWN: These Corsair HS65 headphones are pretty comfortable, and I love the earcups. They are lightweight but have solid feel to them. The top band/crown is made of a plastic and metal. Under the top metal band is a headband strip that has padding with faux leather outer layer. The outer part of the earcups is made of plastic with a metal logo, while the earcups themselves are like a faux leather outside with a material/fabric cushions. I could not take earcup padding off the headphones. This could potentially be an issue if you ever had to change them out. I actually dropped them and both earcups flew off. The cord was a rubbery thick wire that has hardly any give to it, and they do not detach from the headphones themselves. Two reasons why I don’t personally like this feature, one: if you get it caught on anything it will pull the headphones off your head, two: if the cord goes bad you have to replace the whole headphones. The headphones themselves are comfortable but did squeeze my head in the beginning. I wore them for long periods of gaming and music listening. I normally have issues at the top of head hurting after hours of use but with these they felt the same after 5 hours as they did after one. I did not have any sweat forming at the earcups which is a huge plus. The memory foam in the earcups assisted in the comfort. The sound quality is great for these headphones with the 50mm drivers. I think there was a good balance mid and high without a distorted bass. With the 3.5mm jack plugged it these headphones sound performance was exactly how I like it! The bass wasn’t rumbly or overbearing the highs were not super high it had the perfect balance for me. Once I plugged in the USB I felt as if the sound wasn’t as loud but it did offer the Dolby Audio 7.1 surround sound with the USB. These headphones also have a feature named, iCUE for PC and Mac. This software allows users to make there own sound profiles. You can also make profiles based on a series of questions. I found that my sound profile from the questions ended up being extremely close to the stock 3.5mm setup. You can also use the iCUE software to connect to your other Corsair products. The mic worked great for me. I personally like flip to mute mics. The communication while using the 3.5mm cable was excellent and clear. The communication with the USB sounded a little on lower side compared to the 3.5mm. PRO’s: -Great material for the earcup portion that touches your head. -7.1 Dolby Audio(with the USB) -iCUE software to customize sound profile -Flip up to mute mic CON’s: -Squeezed my head -Audio cord doesn’t detach -Earpads do not detach SUMMARY: Overall, this product worked as intended, and I would recommend this to a friend if they are in the market for device like this that is portable and gets the job done.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    I I need the 400 for a two year warranty

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    It was easy to install everything installed itself. Sounds great. And I would really like to do this review and get that $400 cuz I need to buy a two year warranty just in case I'm not saying the product isn't good

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Comfortable headset

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I enjoyed using it on my PC. I can hear clear and it does block noise from outside. On my ears its felt comfortable that is good as i play games long times.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Headset Gud for Lethal Company

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Headset is a Good starter headset for gaming it has abierto easy interface and a adapter.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Microphone, Sound quality
    Cons mentioned:
    Volume
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Budget Friendly Price ... Premium Performance!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Corsair HS65 Surround Gaming Headset, in Carbon, is the perfect gaming headset for the cost conscious gamer looking for premium performance, with quality construction - and without all the bling. And just because they aren't flashy doesn't mean they don't look slick. I was immediately taken by how well this gaming headset is constructed. The overall look & feel are really top shelf. I was apprehensive about the design of the head band but after playing Sandstorm for many hours over many days, I can attest to the fact that the HS65's are very comfortable. No crown soreness or fatigue. YMMV. The ear cups are also a combination of pleather & breathable cloth - something I hadn't really considered or experienced before, and again - great comfort for hours - with no heat build up or that clammy feeling. Nicely done Corsair! The individual ear pieces do rotate a bit, extend with a satisfying amount of friction points and the flip-away microphone is pretty ingenious. I suspect some users with larger head geometry may find these a bit constricting, but for the average adult or younger gamer I think comfort will be very satisfying. These can be used either via the mini jack or in conjunction with the USB dongle. Those pieces are also quality built. Personally, I'm not a big fan of headsets that incorporate all the RGB bling - there's plenty of other places for that - and as an understated design, I find these to be a perfect compliment to my entire Corsair keyboard & mouse ecosystem. There's really nothing to gripe about with these. My impression is as the title suggests; budget friendly with premium performance. But what was really surprising was the actual audio performance. Upon unboxing and connecting these up to my Legion 7i gaming laptop, I ran thru the SoundID calibration tests and found the resulting audio quality to be spot-on. Having tried similar customization on other sound products, I didn't expect good results but Corsair did a great job with respect to the HS65's. Bass is articulate, plentiful and balanced. The mids and highs are equally clear & balanced and overall - this headset sound phenomenal. I wasn't expecting it - in this price segment - but these do deliver! Music sound equally good. If one isn't into the personalized SoundID calibration, the iCue Software gives you all the EQ and sound profile control you'll ever need. But for me, once I clocked in the first full day of Insurgency: Sandstorm and I heard all the nuanced stuff I had been previously missing - I was sold on my personalized SoundID profile. It was honestly a quick, one-and-done run-thru process. Foot steps, commander calls, the entire soundstage (near & far field) presentation while in-game is very remarkable. There is a rotary volume control and some might find themselves wanting for a tad bit more volume - but for me - these get plenty loud enough and the isolation from the outside environment is simply perfect. The fold away microphone is also pretty cool. I would have preferred an in-line mute switch but I learned quickly to adapt to this new way of shutting off the microphone. I am going to assume some people won't like it... but that's to be expected. To each their own. Over all, these are a very high performing, solidly constructed headset and the performance level is a well above their 'Weight Class'. Since audio is SO highly subjective, I would simply say to go give them a try for yourself. What you will save buying these can be spent on other key essentials. Pros: Solid build quality Comfortable head band even though it looks meager Very comfortable, dual-material ear cups Ingenious fold-away microphone armature Excellent imaging and sound fidelity with no perceivable distortion The bass on these is excellent! Great Corsair iCue integration with surprisingly effective & personalized SoundID calibration Cons: None really Notables: Some may find themselves wanting for a touch more volume/gain May not be suitable for people with larger head geometry

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 3 out of 5 stars

    Great audio quality but poorly built

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    Posted . Owned for 3 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    These are great headphones, but after a few months, the ear pads start falling off, and the adhesive stopped working after a couple months

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Corsair
      Posted .

      Hello Caleb,

      Do allow our team to help. They can be reached out to directly right on our site!

      -Art CorsairGaming

  • Rated 2 out of 5 stars

    Worked for a little.

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    Posted . Owned for 1 year when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    After around a year, the clip on the side of the headphones caused it to break and it is hard for it to stay on my head.

    I would recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from Corsair
      Posted .

      Hello Noah,

      Our team can assist, please reach out directly right on our site at any time.

      -Art CorsairGaming

  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Fantastic sound and premium comfort

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I’ve been using the Corsair HS65 gaming headset for the last 5 days and they’ve been very comfortable and sound great. They get pretty loud and voices come through very loud and clear. I find myself having to adjust the voice chat volume sometimes because one of my friends is very loud. I use them connected straight to a headphone Jack about 90% of the time because they sound fine in stereo mode. It comes with a usb dongle that (in my experience) only works on windows PC’s for surround sound. I tried adapting it to my MacBook and MacOS didn’t recognize it. With a windows PC it is plug and play and will work with Corsair software so you can have and tweak surround sound settings. But honestly, they sound great even in the old fashioned stereo mode when connected with the headphone input. Directional sound still works pretty good. Especially if you have your games set up for stereo and directional audio. Bass on this headset isn’t overwhelming but explosions and gunfire still sound exciting. NPC voices also come through nice and clear. This headset is so well tuned that it sounds like you have a whole speaker setup in the cans. Bass, mids, trebles, vocals all sound very loud and clear. When I game, I usually sit for about 3 to 4 hours at a time. This headset is so comfortable that even after my long gaming sessions, my ears never fatigued or hurt. They are one of the most comfortable gaming headsets I have ever used. Microphone quality is also excellent, my friends all said I sounded loud and clear. I love the flip up to mute function. Makes muting your microphone quick and convenient. The included usb dongle makes plugging into a PC usb quick and easy. I personally don’t like to run an additional audio software in the background because I just want to jump right into a game and go but the feature is a nice bonus and will improve your sound experience. Would I recommend this headset? Yes, most definitely. It is compatible with every game console you may own, as well as PC. They sound fantastic and are comfortable for long gaming sessions. The audio and microphone quality is so good on these that I would even recommend these for those who want to podcast or livestream on a budget.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    A good quality headset without all the features

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Corsair has been releasing headsets for sometime, with many of their greatest versions being wireless. However, if you’re in the market for a wired headset (3.5mm or USB), you’re in luck! No need to worry about batteries to charge, all while being comfortable for longer gaming sessions. In the box you’ll find the headset with an attached 3.5mm cable, a USB adapter, and some warranty information. Since this has a 3.5mm connector, the headset will also plug into the headset jack of your PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch for audio and chat use. It’s important to note that while you can just use the 3.5mm jack, you will not be able to take advantage of the 7.1 surround sound (Dolby Audio) using the iCue software installed on your PC. There is a simple volume control on the left earphone, and the attached microphone is posable to allow for some preference on positioning. To mute the headset, simply lift the microphone upward until you hear a click. The audio quality is really clear with this headset, and with the iCue software you can further define you audio listening preference using a series of listening examples provided by the software. I should note, that if you have “Dolby Access” installed and licensed for use, you can turn on the Dolby option in Spatial Audio settings on your Windows 11 PC. The iCue software is also not necessarily required for use with the headset jack or the included USB adapter, but will allow for switching Dolby Audio for the 7.1 surround sound option in the app. The microphone input was also clear during my gaming and chat sessions over Discord and while using during video calls. The padding on the earphones and on the head strap are also comfortable, making longer sessions easy, as the headset doesn’t weigh much. The HS65 doesn’t offer any type of RGB lighting found on their more premium models, but none of those cosmetics effect the audio quality of the headset. Overall, the Corsair HS65 offers great quality sound, comfortable wear, and is a great value if you’re using this on multiple devices with a headset jack. The iCue software offers the ability to use 7.1 surround sound with Dolby Audio, but doesn’t break the bank. I’d say this a worthy headset to add to your gaming rotation, while being capable of taking a conference call.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Gaming Headset with 7.1 Surround Sound

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The CORSAIR - HS65 SURROUND Wired 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset is pretty spectacular! If you are looking for captivating immersive sound that really brings your gaming experience to life, this is the headset for you! I love the design! Carbon accents are a nice touch. The build of the headset is solid. The microphone is adjustable and in good position to be heard clearly when speaking to teammates and opponents. The ear pads are supportive and comfortable. I can use the headset for hours without experiencing any discomfort or strain. The cord has an adequate length that allows you to sit several feet away from your console or computer comfortably without putting any tension on the cord. The headset has controls that allow you to mute and adjust volume on-demand. The microphone quality is superb. I can speak confidently with my teammates, knowing they hear me clearly and understand my every word. There is no feedback and ambient noise from the background doesn't seem to be a problem at all. I can even listen to music in my background as I play, and it does not filter into the chat with other players. The audio quality of the CORSAIR - HS65 SURROUND Wired 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset is phenomenal. The speakers do an amazing job of delivering every significant detail in the audio, allowing you to hear every footstep, every creak of a board, the direction of the wind blowing, explosions, even tree leaves rustling. The best thing is, even at louder volumes, the sound remains clear. There is no distortion, clipping, feedback, or reduction in the audio quality as volume increases. I believe the CORSAIR - HS65 SURROUND Wired 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset is an amazing headset that will enhance your gaming experience every time you use it. They can be used comfortably for hours, the sound is stupendous, and the microphone is one of the best I've used. Do yourself a favor and get one. You won't be disappointed. I would definitely recommend the CORSAIR - HS65 SURROUND Wired 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Going to enjoiy these for a long time

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    CORSAIR HS65 Gaming headset is a phenomenal headset that's very good at this price point. This has every feature you would want aside from it being wireless. The HS65 works with PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and mobile devices with a 3.5mm. This mostly takes care of everything for the gaming spectrum for your sound. They feel really great on the head. not pushing down a lot of weight of the headphones either. HS65 still feels premium when moving around and taking off your head. Durability seems to be ok; you don’t hear cracks and creeks when trying to twist it. The logo is beautifully designed with a mesh outing. The design is good; more in tone with a black PC setup. Hearcups do swivel and move. The microphone works very well and playing games online. My teammates were able to hear me clearly; the mic is Omnidirectional and you can flip to mute. I didn’t have any issues with it. 7.1 surround sound works phenomenally on a PC as advertised. It comes with an included USB connection for 7.1 on a PC. You do need to download the ICUE software to take advantage of this feature. it's not really that many settings as it's pretty much as plug-and-play as you can get. They sound really good and I love using them on my head. They are extremely comfortable as well what an adjustable headband. The bass is really good and you can hear voices from afar on RE:Village. Definitely enjoyed these headphones. I think the comfort factor is what makes these really enjoyable especially when playing games on the PC. HS65 from Corsair is another headset they did well and this one should please gamers.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Comfortable Gaming on Any Device

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Corsair HS65 has done a remarkable job designing a headset that is comfortable, simple to use, affordable, and useful on nearly any device with a USB or 3.5 mm input. The look and feel of the headset is most impressive as they are designed to look like a pair of open back headphones. The articulation is perfect and the headband applies appropriate pressure without being overly tight against the ears. The ear cups are made from a soft memory foam that remains comfortable over long gaming sessions even when I am wearing glasses. The foam is not a cooling gel, but they don’t seem to retain too much heat. PC gaming is where they truly shine as there is more power and more customization. The iCUE software allows the user to take an audio test that helps tune the audio to the personal preference of the wearer. The software does make a difference, but I don’t like that the software does not allow any adjusting once a SoundID profile has been created. Sound ID must be turned off if you want to adjust the equalizer, or make any changes. SoundID also doesn’t give any visual representation as to how the audio was tweaked. I would have appreciated being able to see how the equalizer was adjusted based on my preferences during the audio test. I believe that the comfort and sound quality justify the price, however there are a few downsides. I don’t like the stiff rubber microphone (which cannot be removed). While it generally bends to my desired shape, when I flip the mic upwards to mute it - the mic hits my glasses or rests awkwardly against my forehead. I also don’t like that the cable cannot be removed from the headset. A fixed cable is not uncommon, but if it breaks or frays - there is no way to replace the cord and the whole headset becomes useless. I would happily recommend this headset for use with a PC.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Do not purchase

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    Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Stopped working after one month. You can hear the other players, but they can not hear you.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Amazing Headset From Out of Nowhere!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I’ve always been aware of Corsair but mainly through their PC fans and components. Then I had a chance to try their HS65 Surround Sound Gaming Headset and I was skeptical of what to expect from a gaming headset. I wasn’t sure if it would meet the same standards I had from using other names more recognized for their headsets. I was a fool! This headset is amazing and everything you’d want from a headset. Out of the box you get the headset with attached 3.5 audio jack and 90 degree swiveling ear cups and a 3.5-to-USB adapter (there’s also a warranty booklet and instruction pamphlet), its simple and short. Design of the headset is also pretty standard with a volume control on the lower rear of the left earmuff, a microphone on the front of the left earmuff, earmuffs the fold 90 degree to lay flat when hanging on your headset stand or wall hook, and soft almost memory foam like cushions for your ears. The top band is wide over your head and ratchets out to adjust for comfort so it always feels good to wear, not heavy but also a very durable heavy duty feel. The microphone is a thin blade of bendable rubber which is both minimal and allows for infinite adjustment for your preferences without sacrificing clarity of sound. Stylish too, the silver mesh with Corsair logo on the sides of the ear muffs is very appealing and cool! I used the headset for my PS5 playing “Horizon: Forbidden West” which allowed me to really feel the surround sound of the headset. As I walked across plains and deserts in the game I was able to hear robot creatures sneaking up behind me, in the hero’s base I could hear distant allies echoing from down metal hallways, their voices reverberating as if they were actually down the hall from me in my home while the friend across from me in the game was clear and crystal as if speaking right in front of me in my living room. Sound was highly adjustable, I normally play with the volume control at halfway but even that was too loud for me…I dare say you may never need to turn it up to full volume! Designed for console and PC gaming there was a feature I didn’t get to try called SoundID which allows for your sound preferences to be recorded and automatically used each time you play a game. Just calling that out because it seems like a cool feature, I simply don’t have a gaming PC to test that on. These are a real surprise and a very pleasant one at that! While I’ve never had reason to doubt Corsair fans or components, I just assumed nothing special from their headset and I was proven undoubtedly wrong! These are one of the best gaming headsets I’ve ever owned and I would highly recommend you look at these next time you’re shopping for a headset for your PC or console gaming system.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great/highly customizable sound but iffy fit & 7.1

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Over the past 5-6 years, I've run through close to three dozen different gaming headsets in my search for the "perfect" set of cans and have auditioned, returned, recycled, kept, or retired budget, mid-tier, and top-of-the-line wired and wireless offerings from Razer, Hyper X, RIG, Astro, Logitech, Turtle Beach, Sennheiser, Corsair, and SteelSeries. Does this latest offering from Corsair stand out amongst its competition--mostly. It does offer top-notch sound quality, solid construction, simple and effective controls, fairly deep customization options via the iCUE client, and outstanding mic performance. The only niggles I found during my audition and use were slightly finicky fitment and some minor but noticeable issues in surround sound rendering. The HS65 is what I would consider a budget-oriented mid-tier surround headset...it is obviously geared towards the gaming crowd but does not feature any RGB or over-the-top "gamerish" aesthetics or design flair. Each of the oval earcups features a reflective Corsair logo in the middle of a round honeycomb inset that looks like an open-backed speaker grill, but these design elements are strictly cosmetic--the headset is definitely closed-back and does a really good job with passive isolation of outside noise. The earcups are padded with very soft, glasses-friendly memory foam cushions that feature a satiny smooth fabric on the inner walls and on the cushioned surfaces that touch the skin, with soft PU leather on the outside--that same leatherette covers an equally soft memory foam cushion that runs along the entire underside of the headband. Earcup size is thankfully quite generous as the over-the-ear design actually completely enclosed my ears without any noticeable on-ear overlap. Time will tell how long the PU leather lasts before it starts to peel, flake, or separate, but this is an issue that is typical of every synthetic leather product I've used over the past few decades. Despite weighing ~260 grams (with another 20 grams for the cable), construction is very solid with a mix of higher density plastic and metal for the headband--mine did not creak or feel cheap in any of my stress & bending tests. The earcups smoothly rotate a bit more than 90 degrees to fold perfectly flat for easier storage & placement on a desktop or table--sadly, there is no carrying case or even a cloth travel bag to keep the headset & USB dongle together. The rotating mechanisms on the earcup hangers feel reassuringly solid without any cheap looseness or wiggle; however, vertical earcup tilt is only about 5 degrees or so, meaning most fitment adjustments are accomplished through headband sizing and earcup rotation. The headband does not feature any numbers or hash marks so resizing has to be done by feel rather than sight/memory. Personally, I found out-of-the-box clamping force to be unusually high for a headset this light; even with all that soft padding on board, my ears became fatigued and the top of my head was sore after about an hour or so of play. Stretching out the headband worked wonders for me, but because the metal construction in the headband is so robust, I had to remember to do this every time I donned/doffed the headset or those hotspots and earaches would return quickly--YMMV. The flip-to-mute microphone boom is of a rather unusual design...instead of looking like a round, flexible bit of wire, it features a flat, rubberized ribbon-like design. I was a bit leery at first, but whatever memory-retention wire is inside the flat boom construction works very well to retain both inward and outward sideways bends as well as slight twists to get the microphone angled just how you want it without slowly creeping back to its original shape, even over longer gaming sessions. However, the thick-but-flat design does mean it is virtually impossible to bend the boom directly upwards or downwards (like a tape measure--it can twist and bend side-to-side, but you can't bend it straight up or down). In practice, however, I doubt that such precise placement will be required--the microphone seems to be of very high quality as voice capture was outstanding with no artificial DSP or watery sound. I was also concerned that the omnidirectional pickup would let a lot of ambient sound intrude into my gaming session, but that did not prove to the be case based on my sample voice recordings. The smooth rubberized headphone cable is captive on left earcup which is slightly unfortunate because you won't be able to replace the cable if the plug or earcup connection gets stressed and starts to go out on you...but again, this is a slightly more budget-oriented design so a few compromises to keep costs down are expected. The cable terminates at a combo 3.5mm plug so you can use it on virtually any source component with a headphone or combo jack; the flip-to-mute boom microphone folds completely vertical and out of your way, but it does not integrate neatly into the earcup as do some of the HS65's competitors. There is a single volume dial on the left earcup...that is the extent of the onboard controls. This simplicity is refreshing, though it cuts both ways--you don't have to remember what button or dial does what or fumble for the right controls in the dark, but it also means that every other significant function (EQ selection, sidetone adjustment, mic boost, surround settings, etc.) is only available when using the USB dongle on a PC/Mac with the accompanying iCUE software client. The soundcard dongle is a small USB pigtail that my iCUE client recognized immediately and even downloaded a new firmware update upon startup. Unlike most of the similarly designed gaming headset competitors I mentioned, this Corsair dongle supports high-resolution sound formats up to 24-bit/96KHz. Within the iCUE client, you have access to a powerful 10-band EQ with the range to make boosts/cuts up to 12 dB, as well as 5 additional presets: Pure Direct (flat), Movie Theater, FPS Competition, Clear Chat, & Bass Boost. In addition to adjusting microphone & sidetone volume, iCUE gives you an additional slider for up to another 10dB of mic sensitivity gain. You can also turn the voice prompts on and off which was actually helpful to indicate the status of the surround setting, mic status, mic feedback (sidetone), etc. If you get the white HS65 headset, you can even change the color in iCUE so a white headset shows up on your dashboard. There is also an option within the iCUE client for something called "SoundID Personalization." The idea is that you pick your preferences (A or B) from a series of repeating sound clips with slight adjustments to the sound until you get a custom EQ profile that is supposed to represent your preferences across multiple EQ bands. In practice, I found this setting to be useless because the repeating sound clips are only a few seconds long as opposed to the complex and variable musical selections, game, or video soundtracks I routinely listen to. Personally, I do not have much use for gimmicky EQ settings (although the Movie Theater EQ was fairly engaging and fun without being overblown in any one particular area) so I left the EQ in Pure Direct and auditioned a number of video games, movies, and songs I was intimately familiar with. Sound quality was exceptionally good, especially with high resolution audio tracks and streams. Bass *quality* was outstanding though these are not what I would consider bass-head cans...there was just a slight lack of lower-bass bloom and "kick" that actually made listening less fatiguing than normal, though I did miss the occasional visceral "whomp" of a deep bass guitar or a chest-rattling explosion. Mids and highs were positively wonderful, clear, detailed, and airy...if you enjoy high quality sound but are not a fan of extremely bass-heavy headphones, you will love what you get from the HS65s. The only area where the HS65s faltered just a bit was in surround processing, but you may not notice if you don't know what you're missing already. Corsair markets these as featuring Dolby Audio; but it is not the same surround solution as Dolby Atmos for headphones. The difference seems to be 7.1 surround in a 2D plane (iCUE's Dolby) vs. object-oriented all-around-surround (Dolby Atmos). During an Atmos-encoded demo track, Window's Atmos processing produced a smooth and uniform soundfield where the sound source moved fluidly in all directions including behind the listener and over/under. In the iCUE-based 7.1 solution, the soundfield flattened and sound sources that were behind and below the listener actually became almost silent. It was a subtle difference to be sure, and would only really show up in an Atmos-encoded soundtrack anyway, but as some games are now including Atmos mixes, pinpoint sound source localization could be affected. Still, in regular use, in-game immersion was thorough and compelling and only those already used to Atmos-based surround would likely notice the difference. The closest competition in terms of design and features is probably the Logitech G Pro X (pictured next to the HS65)...while the HS65 is less expensive, both are of similar size, performance, and mic quality, though I dare say the Dolby Audio of the HS65 is a bit livelier than the DTS:X 2.0 solution of the Pro X. I personally found the Pro X a bit more comfortable, but if you don't have a very large head, the HS65 shouldn't be a problem at all. Bottom line--if you care about audio quality but are on a bit of a budget, the Corsair HS65 is definitely a strong contender in the crowded mid-tier surround headset market.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    MOABangs for your buck

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    Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Literally the best headset you can buy! I’ve used headsets for years. And have always looked for something that wasn’t overpriced and focused more on the technology rather than the branding or LED gimmicks. I was extremely surprised when I used this straight out the box with only the jack input. The noise cancelation was insane to where I couldn’t hear my fans, or my voice. I was able to hear more bass from my audio than I’ve ever been able to in the past. I haven’t really setup the 7.1 surround sound. Because I honestly did not need it. And after doing mic checks and asking my friends their thoughts. It’s been clear. As if I had a professional mic filter clear. No static. No distortion. I honestly felt like this was a $200 product in how well this product has performed. And it’s comfortable. I’ve worn it 8 hours straight to test them out and I didn’t feel like I was wearing headphones, like there wasn’t that pressing imprint feeling when I took them off. It’s comfortable and feel solid. These don’t feel cheap. So I highly recommend this if you’re trying to buy a new headset, or you don’t know what kind of headset someone wants but want to make sure it’s high quality. In these hard times, I’m really glad they made a product that’s still high end but remembers to care and respect people who can’t afford or see a need to buy overpriced headsets. Thank you.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Sound quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    If you need a multi platform headset buy now

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Corsair has done a good job at a reasonable price i had no issues on any of the platforms that I tried it on. PC, switch and PS4/PS5 . Now it sounds even better on PC with the USB adapter. Don't get me wrong I heard everything really well on the other consoles,for shooters all the footsteps and other sounds you want to hear on those games. Sports and racing games they sound really good. It's just the USB let's you customize the sound and you get Dolby surround. Super comfy headband and ear cups and thy are light . Their is more than enough cushion on the headset . Microphone sounded clean and clear according to my friends . I had a slight echo in playstation but i lowered the mic volume in the PlayStation settings and that fixed it. At most i had them on for 4 hours and my ears didn't get sweaty . I'm not sure if worn for longer that it will be an issue. The cushions didn't scratch or irritate my skin . The only thing I have a problem is wishing to use the USB adapter for console and getting that Dolby surround sound

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Comfort, Sound quality

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Very pleased

    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Got it on sale as one of my Christmas gifts to myself, they’re very comfortable, i play games that involve proximity chat and have had no echo or feed back issues everyone says i sound clear, so far pretty durable i have a toddler that likes to steal my things and throw them around so theyve been well tested

    I would recommend this to a friend
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