Gadgetory

hey this is Dimitri with Harbor Canucks and today we're checking out a wireless solution for your gaming needs and I'm going to say this would be a truly cross-platform audio solution between consoles PCs Macs or any other device that outputs audio the H wireless from SteelSeries looks very promising especially since the main hub has a pretty versatile input-output option so let's see whether this $300 price tag can be justified for that cross-platform gamer so let's start off with the headset it's just under 300 gram so it's pretty lightweight but putting them on and they have a very snug fit the clamping force is really tight in the beginning so wearing them for the extended periods of time was very uncomfortable but after three weeks the headbands did low slump a little bit and the memory foam padding absorbed most of the clamping force and now I could say this the padding is definitely one of the best the headband could be slightly wider but once broken in I really got used to the snug fit the headset feels really solid and that's something I was expecting for the $300 joints don't crack and the headband expands with tight control now knowing steel series of course we have a retractable low profile microphone that's flexible and the ester is quite a bit of noise but for in-game it would be totally acceptable not over $300 I was expecting something of a higher quality on the right ear Cup we have a share pass-through port so a friend can join in if playing in split-screen for example but connecting an analog cable in here to your phone you have yourself a wired headset although you have to disconnect it from the hub for to work in Wired mode there's also a chat port that allows connectivity to your xbox 360 controller right now Xbox one is not yet supported below that is a multi functioning button that powers on the headset and is used to mute the microphone in which case the mic LED will line up in red on the same ear cup we also have a dial that can control the volume and use to navigate the menu on Hub so a lot of fun Nalini built into the h wireless and placement of these dials and buttons is very convenient now when it comes to battery SteelSeries opted for a removable battery inside the left ear cup that holds 1,000 milliamps hours of charge and you have two batteries so one is always charging inside the base station and you swap is needed I definitely think this is a more preferred approach over needing to recharge the headset itself and I got a few days worth of charge between batteries swamps so this dual battery configuration means you never have to worry about overnight charging and you will always have power removing the cover on the right ear cup reveals a mini USB port that is used to upgrade the firmware on the headset so now let's take a look at the H wireless hub and one thing to mention the headset only communicates to the hub so you won't be able to wirelessly connect this directly to your phone but the Bluetooth connection would have made this a really multifunctional headset the hub is fairly compact and stylish with glossy sides and matte top with the battery compartment easily accessible on the side the front has a pretty bright o LED display with a navigation wheel and a small back button and the rear we get all the necessary ports with an analogue in chat out DC for power mini USB for audio input optical in and out I'm still series also includes all types of power adapters depending on your region that is very appreciated and all of the cables that you could possibly need to get you started on any type of configuration so an analog cable Xbox chat cable that's connected directly to controller mobile cable with a ninety degree connector mini USB cable and a single optical cable and setting it up on our desk it is very low profile complements the space very well so now let's take a look at how to set up your H wireless I plugged the USB into our motherboard and using the front wheel to select my source s PC choose the correct input select your USB output for the microphone and you are ready to roll the front displays your source headphone icon to indicate the headset is connected the battery level of your headset the Dolby icon whether or not the surround sound is turned on and finally there's the level for the charging battery inside the station using the front wheel you can all the volume and navigate through the extensive many of this receiver where you can enable Dolby Surround choose an equalizer preset or create your own live mix which will lower end game volume during chat while chat minx I will allow you to balance game versus chat sound you can switch between sources on-the-fly so in this case using an analog in and the mobile cable connected to my phone I can switch between PC and auxiliary inputs directly from the headset using the volume dial so there are plenty of customizable features that allows the H Wireless to be a true cross-platform solution and as for actual audio considering this is a wireless setup it's actually pretty decent for gaming the bass response is powerful enough to deliver pleasant explosions and gunfire under a balanced preset bass bleed is just slight but still serious drivers are able to deliver forward mid-range without drown down details it's a dark sounding signature without much Sparkle on the high end so choosing the performance preset will bring up the footsteps and tiny details that otherwise would be muted there's also a first headset where I use the Dolby Surround hearing game is that actually expands the soundstage improving directionality and your surrounding awareness with just a slight compromise and slight compression of the details so your mid-range is like distant and therefore muted gaming with Easter was enjoyable with excellent isolation keeping the sound in allowing you to really crank up the volume to about 100% it was plenty loud at 100% but I would have preferred to have a little extra power especially when using optical cable from the motherboard the audio output at a hundred percent was noticeably quieter so I did opt out for USB instead during testing the range on the H Wireless was pretty great too I walked away from the office with multiple walls across and did not lose signal but given these would be ideal for a console gamer who can sit on the couch you know probably within three meters you gain the convenience of losing the wires and enjoying the gameplay so the final verdict with the H Wireless is this a cross-platform audio solution that is extremely convenient with appropriate inputs and outputs to set this when your PC Xbox Playstation Mac or any other audio source that has optical or analog the premium build quality and memory foam padding are excellent with a retractable low profile microphone and within reach volume dial and power button on the headset itself the share port is thoughtful especially for on the couch gaming with a friend and a pretty immersive audio quality for a wireless headset with great range I also love the dual battery system that lets you gain without interruption now on the other hand the clamping force is definitely too tight in the beginning and even after a few weeks of breaking them in also the microphone quality is disappointing especially at this price point but I can say the price may be justified if you plan on using this for multiple systems for gaming I do think the H Wireless has potential within the gaming community particularly because of its versatility and actually very capable on equality for your gaming needs and we're giving you the hurrah Canucks damn gonna award of course $300 could be spent on better wired non gaming headphones to give you better audio quality so it's really up to you whether you can utilize the full functionality of the H Wireless for your gaming needs in which case the price can be justified but what do you guys think given you had such a budget would you consider Wireless or stick to wired headphones for gaming let us know in the comments below thanks guys for watching this review don't forget to subscribe for more gaming stuff and we'll see you in the next one