The HS70 is a wired gaming headset with Bluetooth.
Josh Goldman / CNET
The Corsair HS70 Bluetooth is a wired headset for gaming. At first glance, that doesn’t make much sense, with Bluetooth as part of its name and all. The tricky part is that the wireless part is not intended for gaming. While that may be a negative for some, it turns out to be incredibly useful if you’re looking for a gaming headset that can be used for more than just pinpointing a sniper’s location.
The HS70’s Bluetooth is primarily for connecting to a phone or tablet to use for voice chat, or for phone calls, listening to music, or whatever you use Bluetooth headphones for, but not for gaming. Well, not gaming where no delay or sound quality is important. For that, the HS70 has both USB and 3.5 mm connections.
The design of the HS70 does not stand out as a “gaming” headset.
Josh Goldman / CNET
The best sound you will get from the HS70 is to use the USB-C to USB-A cable on your computer. It supports Windows Sonic for Headphones, giving you excellent spatial audio while gaming. You can also use the company’s iCue app for Windows or MacOS to access EQ presets or adjust microphone and sidetone levels. For console gaming there is a 3.5mm input and an included directional cable that can be used with Xbox or PlayStation controllers or directly to a Nintendo Switch
When using one of the wired connections, you can connect wirelessly to your phone at the same time. For Switch users, this is important as most multiplayer games use chat support requires you to do this through the Nintendo appIt’s great for me because it’s an easy setup so I don’t miss important calls, texts and notifications while playing full screen on my PC: just plug in the USB cable, turn on the headset and I am fully connected.
The controls on the HS70 are easy to find without taking the headset off.
Josh Goldman / CNET
What’s also nice is that it doesn’t necessarily look like a gaming headset. Like many people, I’ve spent part of the past year on video chats in the past year working from homeAside from the removable microphone, the HS70 looks like a fairly normal over-ear pair of headphones. It’s actually a bit disappointing that there isn’t a built-in microphone either, so you didn’t have to use the removable microphone.
The headset is comfortable enough for all-day use (although it can get warm after a while). With the mute button I can quickly block background noises. And again I can keep an eye on my phone wirelessly while working wired. Plus, I can easily get up and walk away from my desk without having to disconnect from streaming music on my phone.
The Corsair HS70 Bluetooth retails for $ 80 £ 100 AU $ 199), which is a fair price for what you get. Which again is not a wireless gaming headset, but a wired gaming headset with bluetooth. On the other hand, if you want a wireless gaming headset, here are some of the best options for PS5 and Xbox