Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset Review

The moment I start looking for a headset, I usually bypass anything less than $100, because the typical pricepoint that equates a high level of performance with an outstanding in-game experience is at least $100. At least. That doesnt seem to be the case anymore. Corsair has done some great work in appealing to a gamer with not-so-deep pockets that still yearns for a high-quality sound experience. At $49.99 shipped in there different colors, the HS50 STEREO is sure to find itself under many Christmas trees with the recipients being thrilled at the experience theyll have and the giver being excited about the price.

Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset Features

Comfort

The Corsair HS50 STEREO is an exceedingly comfortable headset. One of the most important things about a gaming bender is having a headset that doesnt hurt after a couple hours of wear. The memory foam on the headband really held up well to a 5+ hour binge-gaming session with no hints at becoming uncomfortable or causing pain. This is a huge deal, because the last thing I want to do is have to stop gameplay due to my headset ruining the experience.

The HS50 STEREO headset is shockingly light for having such a sturdy aluminum alloy structure. The memory foam cushion on the headband protects from a lot of pressure and really does a great job of spreading the weight evenly and making it very easy to keep playing for long periods of time.

The soft, memory foam covered ear cups fully and comfortably cover around the ear with a soft, leather feel; the pressure was the right balance of tightness and comfort, ensuring that you get a truly enjoyable, long-lasting, comfy gaming spree without feeling like your head is in a vice. I am a woman, so headsets that are big and clunky really dont allow me to play for as long as I like. Im happy to report that the HS50 STEREO truly held up to long-term play.

Sound Quality

There is a Sony PS4 limitation that really messed with the sound quality when I first gave this headset a try. In order to avoid the issues I was having, go into your Audio Device Settings and change the sound output from Chat Audio (the default setting) to All Audio. All Audio will mute the TV and will pipe the game sound and the chat audio through the headset, allowing you to take full advantage of the custom-tuned 50mm neodymium drivers and truly enjoy the sound experience. All I can say is WOW. It still boggles my mind that the HS50 STEREO is only $49.99. A huge plus to the sound quality is that – if youre like me and you like the sound bumping – you can crank it up and get a vast majority of the ambient sound cancelled out. It completely changes the gaming experience from a few people talking in your ear to being fully immersed into whatever action is on-screen.

The Corsair HS50 STEREO definitely delivers in performance. Dont let the limitation of the gaming hardware deter you: make the change in settings and enjoy.

Features

Heavy breathers rejoice! Thanks do the flexible removable microphone feature, I was able to place the microphone in the right spot that fit for me so that those on the other end of the chat didnt feel like they were talking to some creeper breathing hard into the mic. I was able to easily place the mic wherever I wanted it and it stayed until or unless I adjusted it. It was very easy to move and the stability of that placement meant that I wasnt constantly tinkering with it: it was set it and forget it. The microphone on the Corsair HS50 is Discord Certificated, so this headset model has the Discord ‘good to go’ approval after being tested by their staff.

The controls being on the outside of the earpiece was a welcome addition. Being able to reach up and push a button to mute/unmute or turn a dial to volume up and down made it very easy to operate without having to fidget with the cord, trying to find the mute button.

Other Hardware

I tested this headset on the PS4, but since I often listen to music, play games, and watch movies on my iPad Pro, I decided to plug the Corsair HS50 STEREO into the iPad and give it a go. I was not disappointed. There was no degradation in quality going from a console to a tablet. I was able to get a very nice range of sound while either watching Netflix or playing a game I frequent on my iPad.

I wasnt playing with anyone else while on my iPad, so there was no need for the microphone. The beauty here is versatility: the microphone is fully detachable, which means I can not only use the HS50 STEREO to enhance social gaming through the PSN, but I can also be the Lone Gamer and remove the mic and use the headset strictly for the audio experience.

In other words, this is not solely a console headset, which gives the purchaser even more bang for their buck. The Corsair HS50 is compatible with PC, XBox One, PS4 and the Nintendo Switch among others. Corsair does include the y-adapter cable (female 4-pole 3.5mm to dual male 3-pole for PC use).

Final Thoughts

I definitely recommend the Corsair HS50 STEREO headset for both the casual and hardcore gamer looking for a solid gaming headset for under $50. At the $49.99 price point, there really is no better headset to grab this holiday season and you can sleep easy knowing that is is backed by a 2-year warranty. Not only will you stretch your gift dollars even farther, but the gaming experience is deeply enhanced the outstanding quality sound put out by this headset.

The Corsair HS50 can be found right now at Amazon for $49.99 shipped in Carbon (part number CA-9011170-NA), Blue (part number CA-9011172-NA) or Green (part number CA-9011171-NA). The Corsair HS50 model that we used in this review was the blue model as you can see the subtle blue right around the outside of each ear cup.

Legit Bottom Line: For a pair of budget gaming headphones, the Corsiar HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset delivers good audio quality and a microphone that is certified by Discord!