The BlueParrott B450-XT Headset is a mono on-ear headset that can be worn on either ear, thanks to its flippable microphone. Its mic captures natural-sounding speech, even if you're talking in a busy call center. Voices on the other line also sound fairly clear and detailed. It has just about 24 hours of continuous battery life, and you can even pair it with up to two devices at a time. Unfortunately, it isn't the most comfortable headset, especially if you're wearing it for a full 9-5 shift. Some may also find the companion app is a little limiting. However, if you create a free BlueParrott account, you can gain access to features like Walkie Talkie mode which is designed to help improve communication via Microsoft Teams.
Our Verdict
The BlueParrott B450-XT is mediocre for mixed use. As it's designed for use in an office setting, it has mediocre portability and it doesn't isolate against any sound. Its mono-ear design also makes it less than ideal for listening to music, even though it delivers a balanced bass and mid-range. That said, it has a good boom microphone that captures natural-sounding voices, even in noisy environments. However, speech can sound dull and lacking in detail.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Multi-device and NFC pairing.
- Bad noise isolation.
- Fit can put pressure on the ear and become uncomfortable to wear.
The BlueParrott B450-XT is passable for neutral sound. It's not designed for listening to music but it has a surprisingly neutral and balanced bass and mid-range, although its mids are a little underemphasized. However, its treble is lacking, which results in an overall dark and veiled sound. Due to its on-ear fit, it's prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Poor passive soundstage.
The BlueParrott B450-XT is disappointing for commute and travel. It barely isolates against any noise like buses or ambient chatter and it can be hard to take with you on-the-go as it doesn't fold into a smaller form. Some users may also find it to be uncomfortable to wear, especially if you're on a long flight, as it feels a bit tight on the top of the ear. However, it has a long continuous battery life that should last you through multi-hour commutes.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Bad noise isolation.
- Fit can put pressure on the ear and become uncomfortable to wear.
The BlueParrott B450-XT is alright for sports and fitness. While it has a Bluetooth design which reduces the chances of it getting snagged while you're on the move and it has a decently stable fit, it can be fatiguing to wear them for long jogs in the park. Its headband can also put a bit of pressure on the top of your ear, which can be a bit uncomfortable.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Fit can put pressure on the ear and become uncomfortable to wear.
The BlueParrott B450-XT is disappointing for office use. Some may not find it comfortable when worn for long periods. However, it can be used on either ear as the mic is flippable. It also has a long continuous battery life that can easily get you through your shift without dying and it has handy controls for taking phone calls at your desk.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Multi-device and NFC pairing.
- Bad noise isolation.
- Fit can put pressure on the ear and become uncomfortable to wear.
The BlueParrott B450-XT isn't recommended for wireless gaming. This headset is Bluetooth-only and isn't compatible with PS4 or Xbox One. While you can use it with any Bluetooth-enabled PC or mobile device, the latency may be too high for competitive gaming.
The BlueParrott B450-XT is a Bluetooth-only headset that can't be used wired.
The BlueParrott B450-XT is alright for phone calls. Its flippable boom microphone has a decent recording quality, capturing voices that sound natural although thin and lacking detail. It does a better job of separating speech from ambient noise, though, which is handy in crowded environments like a busy street. That said, the headset's noise isolation performance is bad as it lets in most sound. However, some users may prefer this design as it lets you hear your voice as you talk.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Great noise handling mic.
- Bad noise isolation.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The BlueParrott B450-XT is the updated model of the BlueParott B450-XT Classic. While at first glance, the Classic design has a slightly different-looking control scheme, BlueParrott advertises that the newer model has improved comfort and now boasts an IP54 rating, although we don't currently test for this.
If someone comes across a BlueParrott B450-XT Headset that's different from ours, let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The BlueParrott B450-XT is a mono headset. Its flippable boom microphone has a decent recording quality, even in noisy environments, and its continuous battery life is enough to get you through a long shift at the office. Unlike other mono headsets such as the TaoTronics TT-BH041 Bluetooth Headset, it comes with a companion app so that you can button remap. There are also some features available such as Walkie Talkie mode which works with Microsoft Teams Walkie Talkie for push-to-talk communication. If you're looking for more headsets, check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth headsets for phone calls, the best office headphones, and the best earphones with a mic.
The BlueParrott B450-XT Headset is a better headset for phone calls than the Plantronics Voyager 5200 Bluetooth Headset. The BlueParrott has a more balanced sound profile and its boom microphone has a better recording quality. It also has a longer continuous battery life and you can use it while it's charging. However, the Plantronics Voyager is more comfortable and since it's an earbud headset, it's also more portable. Its microphone is better at noise handling, which is handy if you need to take calls on the road from your truck.
The BlueParrott B450-XT Headset is a better headset for making phone calls than the TaoTronics TT-BH041 Bluetooth Headset. The BlueParrott has a better-balanced sound profile as well as a significantly better-performing boom microphone. Even though its continuous battery life isn't as long, the BlueParrott also has a standby mode to help conserve battery life. It has a companion app to give more functionality with Microsoft Teams, and it supports multi-device and NFC pairing. However, the TaoTronics is more comfortable and feels significantly better built.
The BlueParrott B450-XT Headset is a better headset for making phone calls than the Plantronics Voyager Legend Bluetooth Headset. The BlueParrott has a more balanced sound profile and its boom microphone has a significantly better overall performance. Its continuous battery life is longer, it has NFC pairing, and its latency across PC, iOS, and Android is lower too, although some apps and devices seem to compensate for lag differently. However, the Plantronics is significantly more comfortable. As it's a mono in-ear, it's more portable and stable.
The BlueParrott B450-XT Bluetooth Headset is a better headset for making phone calls than the Jabra Steel Bluetooth Headset. The BlueParrott is more comfortable and has better controls. Its sound profile is better-balanced, and its boom microphone does a significantly better job of recording voices, even in noisy environments. The BlueParrott has a longer continuous battery life, and you can still use it while it's charging. However, the Jabra is an earbud, which makes it much more portable than the on-ears BlueParrott.
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