Corsair Void Elite review: budget gaming headsets grew up

The Corsair Void RGB gaming headset offers an intriguing proposition for those seeking a decent set of cans with 7.1 surround sound and a mic for under $100. There are plenty of options for those after a pair of cheap gaming headphones in this day and age, but if you’re looking for a trusted name behind your audio, this Corsair set certainly has a few tricks up its sleeve to get you interested. Released alongside a USB version and a Surround Sound focused set, you’ll want to make sure you’re truly after wireless audio, as Corsair seem to have split its latest range by function. The result is a fair audio experience for the price, but without the flexibility some may take for granted from Corsair’s more premium offerings.

Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the Corsair Void headset may not be the smooth matte finish or the sheer width of the headband, it will be the depth of these cups. If your head comes up slightly larger than most, you’ll be grateful to finally find a cheap set of headphones that run a little wider and leave extra room for your ears to nestle into. 

That said, such a design also leaves those with a smaller, or even average, noggin a little wary of extra space. While large cups at once create an incredibly comfortable fit with absolutely no threat of ear pinching over long sessions, they also leave a little too much room between the set and the head. The result is a slightly wobbly overall feel without that snug clip snapping the cups into place. You won’t be worried about them flying off your head during particularly dramatic movement, but there’s still a sense that they’re a little larger than necessary. A hook design holding the cups to the headband does keep them firmly in place at the sacrifice of a little extra flexibility in shape. 

While that wide-set design may leave you concerned about the stability of the Void headset, it certainly works wonders for comfort. With a heavily padded set of cups and an equally cushioned headband, this headset is in it for the long haul. After a serious session on The Witcher 3, I was barely aware of the cups covering my ears, and the telltale throbbing of a tight headband over the crown was nowhere to be felt.

Features

There have been some tradeoffs in the latest installment of the Void Elite headphones. While you’re picking up a set of wireless 7.1 surround sound cans for an incredible price, you’re sacrificing some of the functional flexibility others may take for granted in lesser sets. When it says wireless on the box, it means it. There are no USB or 3.5mm connections available here, so you’re limited to PC and PS4 use only. That said, these headphones have been built with a 50mm Neodymium driver for max power and do well on their promise of high-quality audio. They also come with an advertised 16-hour battery life. We found that level of juice to be pretty fair, with the headphones surviving several long stints before needing to refresh. 

The specs inside these cans make for an incredibly well rounded audio experience that, while becoming a little busy during higher action scenes, offers an incredible prospect at such a low price point. These technical benefits work in tandem with a comfort-first design and highly sensitive mic to push a good set of cans into a great set of gaming headphones. Plus, that 7.1 surround sound (PC only) is nothing to be sniffed at, and with a quick double-tap of a dial along the right-hand side of the headphones, such a feature is easily toggled in-game. It’s a shame that this action doesn’t incur a short tone or light flash to let you know your mode as there’s little feedback to determine quickly whether 7.1 is enabled or not. You can, however, toggle this option from the iCue software - an extensive program that offers EQ presets and RGB settings at the touch of a button. 

Performance

Overall, the Corsair Void Elite gaming headset offers a high quality of audio for your cash. A quick test in Journey revealed just how powerful this headset can be with a clear soundscape at its disposal, especially one that revels in the higher ranges. Everyday listeners will certainly be more than happy with the sound you’ll hear pumping from these cans, but if you’re used to playing games with a more crowded, action-packed soundscape you might want to fiddle with the EQ wherever possible. 

These headphones thrive in the mids. That means you’re getting a gorgeously round sound profile during slower scenes - footsteps crunching through the long grasses of Horizon Zero Dawn or the clangs of monsters lurking throughout Raccoon City. The Corsair Void Elite headphones bring fantastic audio quality to these moments, with a full tone worthy of far more expensive cans and a spatial 7.1 surround precision that thrives in clear conditions. 

It’s when things get more complicated that such clarity struggles. During bigger soundscape situations, audio can feel muddy and, especially with 7.1 surround sound toggled, it can often feel like different ranges and sounds are aggressively competing for your attention rather than existing in harmony. The result is a fairly overcrowded mid-range, with fairly weak bass tones failing to punctuate high-octane scenes. That said, for the price you’re paying, you’ll struggle to find the same overall quality of audio in many other headsets on the market right now. Dialogue never felt tinny, and the balance between higher and lower frequencies was generally well-matched, aside from particularly hefty scenes. 

That 7.1 surround sound is a feature we were particularly excited to test out on a set of headphones coming in well under $100. Previously widely considered a premium feature, we’re seeing more and more cheap gaming headsets utilizing 7.1 surround sound in their standard offerings. Picking up a wireless headset with this feature at such a low price is definitely a proposition worth considering. 

In practice, you’ll only find 7.1 surround sound on PC - but that’s a trade-off many headsets make. On a test with Interrogation, an indie puzzle game built around directional audio, the Void Elites held their own. You’ll certainly pick up on left and right positioning, and while you’ll find far more sophisticated directional audio on more premium models (like on the Corsair Virtuoso headset we also reviewed), the 7.1 in these cans certainly doesn’t fade into the background.

You’ll find a good set of headphones in the Corsair Void Elites, despite a few struggles during more crowded moments. You’ll be using an amazing microphone attached to the left cup, though. Over Discord voice chat, audio pickup was incredibly precise and even fairly excluding of less ambient background noise - a feature rarely spotted in this price range. Plus, flick the mic upwards and you’ll instantly disconnect the audio - a surprisingly helpful feature when it came to jumping in and out of conversations online. 

Overall - should you buy?

The Corsair Void Elite wireless headphones certainly have a lot to offer, and at a price point as low as this you'll want to listen to their proposition. If you're looking for a cheap headset but don't want to miss out on 7.1 surround sound and high quality audio, you'll do well to pick up these particular cans. Audiophiles won't be too impressed with some muddling in the mid-ranges, but for general play sound quality lives up to the brand's trusted name. You're also picking up an excellent mic punching well above its price, and a nicely comfortable - if a little large for most - can and headband design that will endure through long play sessions with ease. If you're looking for a great set of wireless headphones with gaming features worthy of an RGB-heavy desk space, you'll find an excellent set of features and specs in the Void Elites. 

Want to consider some other options? We've got you covered with a neat roundup of the best gaming headsets. If you're after something a little more specific, we're sure you'll find something to suit your needs with the following guides to the very best PS4 headsets | PC headsets | Xbox One headsets | Nintendo Switch headsets.