Corsair VOID v2 Headset Review – A common struggle with choosing headsets is how much they cost. Another struggle is what features that cost includes. The Corsair VOID Wireless v2 Gaming Headset sits in a price range between budget and high-end. Thankfully, though, the features lean closer to those found in high-end headsets. Chiming in at $120, the Corsair VOID Wireless v2 Gaming Headset brings a lot of positive to the table with a couple of drawbacks. With that said, you would be hard-pressed to find a headset that performs so well and feels so natural for a price like this.
Corsair VOID Wireless v2 Gaming Headset Review – A Stellar Over-Ear Headset for Single Player Gamers
Wireless performance
The VOID v2 utilizes both 2.4GHz wireless connections and Bluetooth connections to communicate with devices. Bluetooth works entirely wirelessly using existing Bluetooth hardware in sound devices while the wireless connection requires the use of a USB dongle plugged into the devices. It’s also worth mentioning that alongside the PlayStation hardware, the USB dongle also works with the Nintendo Switch and PCs.
One cool feature with this headset is being able to use the VOID v2 with multiple devices with the push of a button. The only catch is that one device must use the dongle to connect to the headset while another uses Bluetooth. With a press of the power button, the VOID v2 switches to the other established connection. The switch takes a literal second, and it’s a seamless process.
I do have one gripe with the dongle, albeit a rather minor one. In a tech landscape all but converting to the USB-C connection, using a traditional USB for the dongle can limit options. Again a minor gripe, because this specifically affects situations with many peripherals connected to a device. For me, it’s the PS5 Pro. The original PS5 features a traditional USB port on the front, but the Pro does not. This does keep the dongle out of the way, but it can become an issue if you use several dongles or USB devices with your console.
While not gaming, I tend to chat with friends while I walk around the house. So many headsets before the VOID v2 have let me down by causing connection issues when I reached the other side of my house 30 feet away. Yes, this is a specific topic more than an issue. Gaming headsets are designed for gaming, and you can’t do much gaming when there’s a wall between you and the screen. With that said, I am able to walk around my house and still chat with friends without issue. I cannot say that for any other headset I’ve ever owned.
Battery life
Throughout my time in gaming, plenty of headsets have come and gone. The one common gripe I have across the board with wireless headsets is battery life. The VOID v2 promises 70 hours of continuous usage out of a full charge. After years of dealing with headsets with short battery life, it’s easy to be skeptical of a claim like this.
With that said, I haven’t counted the hours I used this headset, but I say with confidence that the VOID v2 just keeps on going. Over long gaming sessions and over several days, I just put it on and use it. I think about its battery life, but it’s more like I keep wondering if the battery will die anytime soon. My current daily headset is the Pulse wireless earbuds, and I have to recharge the earbuds after five hours or so. When using the Pulse, I use just one earbud so I can switch to the other when the battery dies.
There’s no worrying about battery life with the VOID v2. That absolutely changes the game for me. I already juggle charging a phone, tablet, Legion Go, and PS Vita. Having an accessory that just works 95% of the time without needing to babysit its battery almost feels revolutionary in today’s world.
To make a good situation even better, should the battery die on you, just plug it in for 15 minutes and it works again for another six hours. It’s so convenient to plug it in, then put together a snack and come back to a headset that will still work hours later.
Sound quality
There are plenty of headset options out there with varying grades of quality, but good surround sound headsets are not cheap to come by. The VOID v2 isn’t the best I’ve had, but it nonetheless does a pretty good job of simulating surround sound. Corsair promises that the custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drivers in the VOID v2 allow you to pinpoint exact locations of in-game sounds around you. In a lot of ways, this is true. Just after plugging in the dongle for the first time, I experienced the immersive nature of the headset. I had no issues determining where enemies were relative to my position, which includes how close or far away they are.
With that said, I later set up the 3D Audio profile on my PS5. Going through the steps, I faced a handful of audio simulations that specifically had sounds travel from one side of my head to another. Out of all seven rounds of audio simulations, I couldn’t distinctly determine if any of the traveling sounds were vertical. Individual sounds came through in places above and below my ears, but the traveling sounds essentially stayed horizontal around the level of my ears. I do not know if that reflects on the headset or the 3D Audio profile process.
Sounds come in absolutely crystal clear. In particular, soundtracks feel so much more effective, with the intended emotions coming through vividly. The soundtrack for Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has been my obsession for the last few weeks. It was only recently, though, that I listened to it with the VOID v2. Before this, I knew every note by heart, but the headset amplified everything beautifully. On my first use, I listened to the theme song to Clair Obscur for 30 minutes on repeat without realizing it. It’s a gorgeous song, and the VOID v2 channels the elegance of the orchestra and vocals with such clarity that it almost makes the song feel like a brand new experience, even after days of obsessing over it.
Should you need it, the headset features a switch on the underside of the headset to manually adjust the volume. With that said, the maximum volume of the VOID v2 ends up not overly loud. The highest volume is just high enough so that you stay immersed without the volume rattling the device or distorting the sound. Initially, I felt like the volume was a shortcoming, limiting available options. However, said volume does such a great job while paired with noise canceling to keep you immersed in what you’re listening to without overdoing it. In fact, plenty of times my spouse scared the hell out of me just because I couldn’t hear their approach. This is more to the credit of the VOID v2 than to my spouse’s discretion.
Form factor, quality, and overall design
Unlike many headsets with circular shapes, the earpieces on the VOID v2 are shaped like irregular quadrilaterals, with the top angled backward to cover the shape of your ear more organically. With that said, putting on the headset requires a bit more effort than just putting it on over the ear. This creates a more shapely cover over the ear without covering more of the space around your ears.
For additional transparency, I have a helix piercing at the top of my right ear, and it gets aggravated when bumped too hard. For the first couple of times putting on this headset, I ended up irritating that piercing but nothing bad enough to make it bleed or anything. Now, though, I know how to put on the headset to avoid the issue. Once in place, the earpieces never bother my ears. The cushion on the headset utilize memory foam, which keeps the headset contoured to your head instead of placing excess pressure in different spots. With previous over-ear headsets, the pressure from the earpiece alone aggravated my helix piercing. Thanks to the memory foam in the earpiece, it keeps enough space between your ears and the earpieces themselves.
In fact, I wear the VOID v2 for eight-hour sessions sometimes without any issues. I cannot say that for any over-ear headset I’ve ever worn. Other headsets, even the previous Corsair headset that I used from 2010 (which was the Corsair Vengeance 1500 that I loved and regularly used until it fell apart) would bother my ears and head after a couple of hours. This comes down to the level of tension that the headset uses to keep the headset in place. The VOID v2 does a fantastic job of staying in its position without putting pressure on the top of your head or on the sides of your head.
I often forget that I’m using the headset. The lightweight nature of the headset contributes to this. To me, that’s fantastic because I have a large head; for context, my hat size is 8 ΒΌ, which makes XL hats feel unbearably tight. Like I mentioned before, I don’t tend to favor over-ear headsets, but the VOID v2 keeps surprising me. My default mentality with headsets like this is to write them off as not for me. I still do that with the VOID v2 from time to time purely out of habit, but the VOID v2 keeps proving me wrong. It’s a rather cool feeling to be wrong when a great product comes around and shows you a good experience.
While this might be specific to a select few, I spend most of my gaming time with something on in the background while I play. Naturally, I don’t usually wear headsets or, when I do, I only use one earbud. With many other over-ear headsets, I try to do this but end up feeling enough tension around my ear and temple areas to annoy me. With the VOID v2, I can easily rest one side behind or in front of an ear and not feel any discomfort for several hours straight.
The headset on the whole feels like plastic. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Even the piece that goes over your head is a padded piece of plastic. Generally, though, I don’t ever get the feeling that the headset is in any danger of breaking spontaneously. The only part of the headset that might be at risk is the connection the frame makes with the earpieces. With that said, that’s the weakest point on any headset, so this isn’t anything unique to the VOID v2.
Ultimately, the plastic does not feel cheap or flimsy, and it features a smooth finish. After my time with the headset, I am thankful for the construction of this product simply because the plastic frame allows the headset to feel light. I mentioned before that I forget the headset is on my head sometimes, and that’s the mark of a good product. If it contributes to the experience without taking anything away, it’s a product worth your time and money.
Microphone
The VOID v2 features an omni-directional microphone powered by NVIDIA Broadcast technology, designed to ensure that the microphone only picks you up. This is partially true. While background noise gets cut out, other people in my house can still be heard through my microphone.
From what I hear from friends, my voice comes through okay for the most part. However, I occasionally sound robotic to them, but it only lasts a few seconds. Oddly enough, when I’m further from my PS5, my voice comes through without issue. You can use a PC app to update the headset, but it might need another update or two to address the microphone hiccups. With that said, this could be an issue specific to the PS5 Pro, but I can’t test the base PS5.
If I had the choice, I would love a version of the VOID v2 that made the microphone removable. I play enough on my own that the microphone isn’t needed often. With that said, the microphone itself folds up toward the left earpiece in such a way that it almost tucks behind the frame just above the earpiece. This keeps the microphone out of the way quite nicely, which makes for a fair compromise.
Another nice feature is the microphone mutes itself when in the upright position. It’s a simple feature, but it’s a nice touch. This helps save on battery life, even though the battery already lasts a long time
Final words
Unless you are vehemently against over-ear headsets, the Corsair VOID Wireless v2 Gaming Headset is a guaranteed recommendation. Even then, the VOID v2 can easily change your mind. As a fellow over-ear headset despiser, I cannot overstate just how much I enjoy using the VOID v2, even for long game sessions. The lightweight frame combined with the insanely long battery life keeps you in the game without distracting you with the discomfort that comes with tight or heavy headsets.
The shortcomings of the VOID v2 come in the slight limitations of the 3D Audio in that moving sound tends to stay horizontal and not detect anything vertical. Individual sounds still appear from all directions, but moving sounds remain relatively flat. Using this with a console requires the use of a dongle, which might put off some people. Still, being able to swap between a dongle connection and a Bluetooth connection with the press of a button is beyond handy. Finally, the microphone works well most of the time, but you can come through as robotic from time to time.
The last over-ear headset that I stayed dedicated to was the wired Corsair Vengeance 1500, and that released over a decade ago. I’ve been looking for a replacement ever since. As expected, Corsair came through for me again with the Void v2. At long last, I finally have a new daily driver headset in the Corsair VOID Wireless v2 Gaming Headset.
Review unit kindly provided by distributor.