Alienware’s AW988 is a premium wireless headset for a premium price - gallegossuffected

Alienware

When Alienware stepped back into peripherals last class with its AW568 keyboard and Elite Gaming Mouse, I figured a headset was sure to follow. IT took about hexa months thirster than I prospective, but sure enough I was right: Alienware unveiled the AW988 wireless headset on Wednesday. Just follow prepared to pay a premium for the privilege.

Features and specs

The AW988 is Alienware's first headset since 2009's Alienware TactX. Ball club years is a long time in any industry, but in play headsets? A veritable eternity. HyperX didn't even out live at the time. Astro had just hit it big with the A40. Wireless was essentially wanting.

And it was a lot less crowded. Nowadays the gaming headset market is overflowing with options. So what is Alienware doing to jump?

Alienware

Well, as I same the AW988 is radio set. That's a first. IT utilizes the 2.4GHz band, same as most wireless headsets. It's a safer look than 5GHz, which has range issues—exactly what you don't want from an untethered device. The USB dongle too slots into the headset when not used, which is a favorite premium feature of mine. I can't tell you how many an wireless headset dongles I've lost ended the old age.

You'ray also competing with some very easy headsets in the current grocery store. We oasis't tested the AW988, but Alienware says that weight was a major focus. The device uses "light-weightiness composites and strong alloys" according to this specification sheet, which I'm reading Eastern Samoa, "it's for the most part plastic." It looks like there's a soft-touch coating though, which while somewhat scratch-prone should lend IT a high-oddment feel. Earcups and the headband are some sports mesh, and the earcups rotate flat.

Alienware

At that place's the expected Alienware RGB lighting, which if you're working an Alienware desktop should sync across devices. It's a major barrage fire-killer, though: Alienware boasts 15 hours of battery unlit, but only 9 illuminated. That's a bit of a shame—plane 15 hours isn't top-of-the-line in 2018.

Merely the microphone is the real standout. Like Logitech's G933, Alienware's opted for a design that completely folds up into the side of the headset. While the AW988 still looks decidedly video game-influenced, all sharp angles and bright lights, the fact you can hide the mike makes it at any rate a bit less dorky-looking. Along that line of thinking, you could plug away in a 3.5mm aux cable and wear these roughly outside if you wished-for.

Alienware

As for how it sounds? No idea. Alienware touts a slightly larger audio range than just about headsets, 15Hz to 20KHz, but the demarcation of most human hearing is 20Hz so…that probably won't matter much. There's practical 7.1 support, 40mm drivers, the familiar suspects—merely we won't really know how it sounds until we've had extraordinary hands-on time. Expect that at E3, operating theater maybe sooner.

Arse pedigree

The shocker is the price, though. Headsets have destroyed and down in the last cinque years, to the dot where even a great wireless headset like Logitech's G533 is now in the $150 range. Alienware's listed the AW988 at $229, which puts it in some very exclusive company aboard Astro's A40 and Mixamp jazz group, some Sennheiser headsets, so on.

For that price? The AW988 better sound damned good.

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• Headsets
• Gaming
• Gaming Accessories

Hayden writes some games for PCWorld and doubles as the resident Zork partizan.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/402090/alienwares-aw988-gaming-headset-price-features.html

Posted by: gallegossuffected.blogspot.com

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