The Corsair HS70 is a good gaming headset that has great sound for critical listening. The HS70 is the wireless variant of the HS60, and both headsets are quite similar. They have a good build quality and great padding on the ear cups and headband. The detachable boom microphone is decent, and you can use the Corsair iCUE software to customize the sound of your headset. Unfortunately, the HS70 wireless headset can’t be used passively with an audio cable, but their 15-hour battery life should last you more than a normal day of gaming. On the upside, their dongle offers a minimal amount of latency, but since they don’t allow passive playback, they’ll be a bit restrictive for mixed usage.
Update 03/04/2020: Corsair has released a new version of this headset, the HS70 Pro. We expect them to perform similarly, though we haven't tested them. If you've used both and noticed any major differences between the two, please let us know in the discussions.
Our Verdict
Great for neutral listening. They have a deep and powerful bass, a well-balanced mid-range, and a good treble. However, their bass is somewhat boomy and their mid-range is slightly recessed, but this shouldn’t be too noticeable. Also, their treble is a bit uneven, meaning S and T sounds may feel lacking in detail or too sharp for some. You’ll also be able to EQ them to your liking in the Corsair iCUE software.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Comfortable and durable build.
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Poor noise isolation.
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USB dongle required; no passive playback.
Sub-par for commuting. Since their use requires a USB dongle, they won’t be portable enough for commuting. You’d need to travel with a laptop to plug the dongle in and play your music or audio content from there.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Comfortable and durable build.
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Poor noise isolation.
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USB dongle required; no passive playback.
Unsuitable for sports. The only way you could use these headphones for sports is if you work out at home and you’re able to have a computer near your training area. Also, they aren’t the most stable and breathable headphones.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Comfortable and durable build.
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Poor noise isolation.
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USB dongle required; no passive playback.
Decent for the office. They are comfortable and sound great, so you’ll be able to enjoy your music throughout the day, but they also don’t isolate noise well. This means you might be disturbed by ambient noise, and they also leak a bit, so people surrounding you may hear what you’re listening to if you blast your music. On the upside, they have a good battery life and will last you for a full work day.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Comfortable and durable build.
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Poor noise isolation.
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USB dongle required; no passive playback.
Good for wireless gaming. The Corsair HS70 is a wireless variant of the HS60 that offers great sound and minimal latency issues thanks to their USB dongle. The microphone of the HS70 is decent, and players online won’t have any trouble understanding you. Their battery will also last you for long gaming sessions, and you can still use them while charging. They are also compatible with the iCUE software, which lets you EQ them to your liking and enable/disable surround sound.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Comfortable and durable build.
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Poor noise isolation.
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USB dongle required; no passive playback.
The Corsair HS70 are wireless and cannot be used wired.
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Great audio reproduction.
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Comfortable and durable build.
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Poor noise isolation.
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USB dongle required; no passive playback.
- 8.0 Neutral Sound
- 5.4 Commute/Travel
- 6.2 Sports/Fitness
- 6.6 Office
- 7.6 Wireless Gaming
- 6.1 Wired Gaming
- 6.5 Phone Calls
- Updated Sep 28, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS in Bluetooth.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Mar 29, 2021: We have updated 'App Support' and added PS5 and Xbox Series X compatibility.
- Updated Mar 18, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 19, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Feb 17, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Feb 17, 2019: Early access published.
- Updated Feb 15, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Feb 05, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Corsair HS70 SE is an above-average gaming headset that sets itself apart with its great sound and build quality, especially for such an affordable price. Unfortunately, they can't be used passively like most gaming wireless headsets, and there's no way to use them on Xbox One.
See our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best PS4 headsets, and the best gaming headsets.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless and the Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless are gaming headsets with different strengths, and you may prefer either. The HS80 RGB's boom mic has a significantly better recording quality. They have customizable RGB lighting on their ear cups and a stretchy headband design, which some may prefer. They're also a bit more versatile, since you can use them wired with PCs. On the other hand, some users may prefer the HS70's more neutral default sound profile. They also have detachable boom mic and longer continuous battery life.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are slightly better headphones for wireless gaming than the Logitech G733 LIGHTSPEED Wireless. They have a much better build quality and a more neutral sound profile, which some may prefer. They're much less prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery, and have a more immersive soundstage. However, the Logitech have much better companion software, lower latency, and a longer continuous battery life.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha are better gaming headphones than the Corsair HS70 Wireless, though they have different designs. While the Corsair are wireless and can also be used wired, the HyperX are wired only. That being said, the HyperX are more comfortable and feel more durable. Their microphone is also better overall and has a much better recording quality. On the other hand, the Corsair has dedicated companion software that gives you access to a graphic EQ if you want to fine-tune their already well-balanced sound profile.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless is the wireless variant of the Corsair HS60, so these two headsets are very similar. Both have the same durable design, but the HS70 seems to have slightly better audio reproduction. However, the HS60 is more versatile, since they can be used wired with any device, while you’ll need the USB dongle to make the HS70 work, which means you can’t use it with your phone and it doesn’t work with Xbox.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Corsair HS60 PRO SURROUND. The HS70 have a wireless connection that offers lower latency than when using the included USB adapter of the PRO. The HS70 also feel a bit more stable and have a better-balanced sound profile that's much more consistent among various users. On the other hand, the wired connection of the PRO means you don't have to worry about your battery dying in the middle of a gaming session. They're also compatible with a wider range of consoles and devices, as you can simply plug them into the controller of most modern consoles.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better for wireless gaming than the Razer Barracuda X Wireless 2021. The Corsair are better built, and they have better frequency response consistency. Their default sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer, and they have companion software with a graphic EQ to customize their sound. That said, the Razer also let you game with a wired connection, and their mic has a better recording quality.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better for most use cases than the Corsair VOID ELITE. The HS70 are wireless gaming headphones that communicate with a USB-A dongle for low-latency audio. They’re more comfortable, better-built, and provide a more consistent listening experience. They also have a detachable boom mic that reduces their overall size and gives them a more casual look. On the other hand, the VOID have a wired connection that eliminates the worry of running out of battery and a marginally more comprehensive control scheme.
The Corsair Void PRO RGB Wireless and the Corsair HS70 Wireless are two very similar gaming headphones, but the HS70 is slightly better. The biggest difference between both is that the HS70 feels more premium and better-built. The cups are also slightly larger. Although it comes in a few color variants, the HS70 doesn't feature full RGB lighting like the Void PRO, and its microphone doesn't sound as good.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better wireless gaming headphones than the Corsair VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT. The HS70 are more comfortable, have a lower non-Bluetooth wireless latency, and their default sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer. However, the VIRTUOSO have a better overall boom mic performance and a longer continuous battery life. They also support Bluetooth and can be used with an analog connection.
The HyperX Cloud2/Cloud II Wireless are better headphones for wireless gaming than the Corsair HS70 Wireless. The HyperX's boom mic has a much better overall performance. They're more comfortable and have longer continuous battery life. The Corsair work with an app that has a graphic EQ and presets, so you can customize their sound profile.
The Logitech G PRO X WIRELESS LIGHTSPEED Gaming Headset are better gaming headphones than the Corsair HS70 Wireless. The Logitech are more comfortable and have a longer continuous battery life, and their companion app offers more customization features. Their boom mic also delivers a significantly better overall performance. Their wireless latency is a bit lower too, which is great for gaming. However, the Corsair are able to deliver audio more consistently.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are slightly better gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II. The Corsair are wireless, have a better-balanced sound profile out of the box, and have companion software for customization options. On the other hand, the HyperX's wired connection means you don't need to worry about batteries or latency issues and makes them compatible with any console. They also have a much better microphone, are more comfortable, and leak much less audio.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better wireless gaming headphones than the Corsair HS75 XB WIRELESS. The HS70 have a better-balanced sound profile and a more consistent audio delivery across users. Also, they're compatible with the Corsair iCUE app, unlike the HS75 XB, which are compatible with the Dolby Atmos app. However, the HS75 XB have a better microphone recording quality and a longer battery life.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are slightly better wireless gaming headphones than the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless. The HS70 are more comfortable, feel more stable on the head, have a much better-balanced sound profile, are much more consistent among various users and reseats, and have longer battery life. On the other hand, the Virtuoso have a better microphone, wired connectivity options, and block slightly more background noise.
The Corsair HS50 and Corsair HS70 Wireless are very similar headsets, but the HS70 model is wireless, while the HS50 is wired. Both have the same similar build and audio reproduction. However, the HS70 has a small edge over the HS50, since they are compatible with the Corsair iCUE software and offer more freedom thanks to their wireless design. However, the HS50 is more versatile, since it can be used with any console or PC with the 1/8” TRRS connector. This is something you can’t do with the USB dongle-only connection of the HS70. Some also won’t like having to manage a battery life with the HS70.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless and the Corsair HS70 Bluetooth have different strengths and depending on your usage, you may prefer one over the other. The Wireless are better for wireless gaming as they use a wireless USB dongle that has low latency. While their battery life doesn't last as long as the Bluetooth, they have an auto-off timer. However, the Bluetooth are better for wired gaming as they can be used with either their 1/8" TRRS or wired USB dongle cable. Their mic offers a better overall performance, and they support Bluetooth, which makes them a little more versatile.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Wireless. The Corsair are better built and have a more stable fit. Their audio delivery is more consistent, and their bass extends lower, so you can feel the thump and punch from action-packed scenes. The Corsair's boom mic is detachable, and it performs better in noisier environments. The iCUE companion software also makes the Corsair more customizable. That said, the Turtle Beach have a longer continuous battery life and a bit less latency.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless and the Corsair HS60 HAPTIC are two different pairs of gaming headphones, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The HS70 are wireless headphones, while the HS60 HAPTIC are wired. The HS70 have a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box and a more consistent audio delivery. However, the HS60 HAPTIC come with a haptic bass slider, and their microphone has a better overall performance. Too much haptic bass can bleed into the mic though.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless are more versatile wireless gaming headphones than the Corsair HS70 Wireless. While the SteelSeries tend to reproduce audio more inconsistently across different users, they have a much better microphone, their battery lasts 10 hours longer, and they can be used wired. The Corsair might sound better-balanced to more people out-of-the-box, but their lack of wired audio is disappointing.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 is a better gaming headset than the Corsair HS70 Wireless. The SteelSeries is one of the best gaming headsets we’ve reviewed so far, thanks to its great design, features, and sound quality. They also have a very good microphone, and their 24-hour battery life will last you for a while. You can also use them wired, which you can’t do with the Corsair. They outperform the Corsair in pretty much every category but are a bit more expensive. If you have the budget for it, get the SteelSeries since they offer great value.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better wireless gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud Flight. The Corsair look and feel quite a bit better built, and feel more stable on the head. The Corsair sound profile is also a bit better balanced and can be customized with a graphic EQ and presets through the companion software. The headphones are also much more consistent among various users than the HyperX, so you should experience the same sound reproduction every time you wear them. On the other hand, the microphone of the HyperX performs much better overall. The HyperX battery lasts way longer, and they can be used passively to listen to music, making them a better choice for day-to-day use.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are more customizable gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud Stinger S. The Corsair are better-built, and they have a more consistent audio delivery. Also, their companion software gives you access to a graphic EQ and presets, and you can adjust the microphone levels. That said, the HyperX's boom microphone has a better recording quality.
The Logitech G533 Wireless and the Corsair HS70 Wireless are both very good wireless gaming headsets. The Logitech are a more customizable option thanks to their great compatibility with the Logitech G HUB software, but the Corsair have a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box for those who prefer to just plug-and-play.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are slightly better wireless gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless. They're more comfortable and noticeably better-built than the SteelSeries. Also, they perform a lot more consistently across different users. On the other hand, the SteelSeries have lower wireless latency.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless are better gaming headphones than the ROCCAT Elo 7.1 Wireless. The Corsair have a more comfortable fit, feel better-made, and charge substantially faster while offering similar battery life. They also have lower non-Bluetooth wireless latency. However, the ROCCAT offer on-board controls for channel mixing, and have a boom mic that delivers superior recording quality and noise handling capability. Their companion software also has a broader range of customization features.
The Corsair HS70 Wireless and the Beats Solo Pro Wireless are designed for different purposes. The Corsair are wireless gaming headphones that are more comfortable, have a virtual soundstage feature, and their boom mic offers a better overall performance. They also have a longer continuous battery life and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets. However, the Beats are better-suited for casual use. They have an ANC system that's able to significantly block out more ambient noise around you. They also support Bluetooth and have an H1 chip so that you can seamlessly pair them with other Apple devices.
The Logitech G933 Wireless is a better gaming headset than the Corsair HS70 Wireless. It has programmable buttons, and the Logitech Gaming Software offers more options than Corsair iCUE. Also, the Logitech microphone performs better and transmits a more accurate and full-bodied speech. You can also use the Logitech with a wired connection, even if the battery is dead, which you can’t do on the Corsair. On the other hand, the Corsair has better sound quality and a slightly better battery life as well. Some may also find the Corsair to be better-built thanks to the metal grills and hinges and dense cups.
Test Results
The Corsair HS70 look basically the same as their wired variant, the HS60. There are some minor differences, like the white stitching on the HS70’s headband, but other than that, they kept the same straightforward gaming headset design. They don’t come in any flashy color schemes and also don’t have RGB LED lighting. They come in all-black or with white accents, and have premium looking grills on them. The headband hinges are made of metal, and look quite similar to the HyperX Cloud II’s.
The Corsair HS70 SE is made from the same material as the HS60, and the padding is the same on the ear cups and headband. They have a well-padded headband that doesn't feel too tight on the head, and the ear cups are large and will easily fit around most ears. The cups are also well padded, although not as much as the headband. Unfortunately, the swiveling joints/hinges do not have a wide angle of motion, so these headphones will still give you a slight clamping sensation over time. On the upside, they are still comfortable enough to wear for long gaming sessions without much pain, soreness, or fatigue.
The HS70 have a fairly simple gaming control scheme. Most gamers won’t mind the lack of a button for call and music management and should like the available volume wheel and the mic-mute button. Unfortunately, there is no LED to indicate when the mic is muted, and the mic mute button does not provide as much tactile feedback when pressed as that of the HS60. Unfortunately, they don’t have channel mixing like some other gaming headsets. The controls are easy to use and offer decent feedback.
Like most gaming headsets, the HS70 will make your ears fairly warm during long listening sessions and would not be suitable for workouts. They have a closed-back over-ear design that fully encapsulates the ears and obstructs airflow. Unfortunately, they do not come with more breathable pads like the Logitech G433 or the Astro A50. They won't be ideal if you often have long uninterrupted gaming sessions, but they should be okay if you take a couple of breaks from time to time.
Gaming headsets are not usually very portable, and the HS70 are no exception. They have a bulky design, the cups don’t rotate to lay flat, and you can’t fold the headset in a more compact format. Also, they can’t be used without the USB dongle, meaning you’ll always need a PC or console to use them. However, it’s usually rare to be on the move with a gaming headset, so this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
These headphones do not come with a case or pouch.
The Corsair HS70 SE has the same build quality as the HS60. They are well-built gaming headphones with a sturdy and durable design. They have a thick and well-padded headband and metal hinges that feel very durable. The ear cups are dense and have metal grills that make them look somewhat like open headphones, but it's more for aesthetic purposes. The boom mic is detachable, but we had issues with our unit. The mic was hard to plug in and would disconnect, even if it appeared to be correctly plugged-in.
The HS70 are fairly stable, just like the HS60. They are decently tight on the head and apply enough pressure to stay in place during light physical activity. Also, they don’t have a wire, meaning you won’t get your cable stuck on something, which would yank the headphones off. However, since they are not sports-oriented headphones, they will still occasionally slip off if you tilt your head too far back, but it's not a big deal, especially for gaming use.
- Corsair HS70 headphones
- Detachable boom microphone
- USB dongle
- Micro-USB charging cable
- Manuals
The HS70 have a good frequency response consistency. The treble range is quite consistent across multiple re-seats, but have a maximum deviation below 10KHz of about 6dB. In the bass range, the delivery is also quite consistent across re-seats and multiple human subjects. However, we noticed that having glasses could break the seal and caused a drop of about 6dB at 20Hz, which is not that audible.
The Corsair HS70 SE have a very good bass. LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 14Hz, which is excellent. Low-bass, responsible for the thump and rumble common to bass-heavy music and sound effects, is following our neutral target. Mid-bass, responsible for the body of bass guitars and the punch of kick drums, is hyped by less than 3dB, which is good. High-bass, responsible for warmth, is within 2dB. Overall, their bass is deep and punchy but a little hyped, without overdoing it. They have a slightly more accurate bass than the HS60.
The mid-range is great. The response throughout the range is flat and even, but slightly underemphasized. This results in a clear and well-balanced reproduction of vocals and lead instruments.
The Corsair HS70 have a good treble range performance. Low-treble is well-balanced and even. Mid-treble, which is mostly responsible for sharp sounds like S and Ts (sibilances) is rather uneven. There’s a dip around 6KHz that will negatively affect the brightness and detail of some sibilances, while the peak around 9KHz will make those frequencies piercing and sharp.
The imaging is great. Weighted group delay is at 0.51, which is within good limits. The GD graph also shows that almost the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched. This is important for the accurate localization and placement of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.
The Corsair HS70 SE have a decent soundstage. The PRTF graph shows a decent amount of pinna interaction and activation. However, the accuracy of the activation is low. Also, there is a decent notch present around 10KHz. This, and the closed-back design of these headphones, results in a soundstage that may be perceived as relatively large but unnatural.
The Corsair HS70 have a poor isolation performance. These over-ear headphones don't have active noise-cancelation (ANC), and therefore don't provide any isolation in the bass range. This means they will let in all the low rumbling noises of airplane and bus engines. Also, in the mid-range, important for blocking out speech they achieve 2dB of isolation, which is inadequate. In the treble range, occupied by air conditioning noise and sharp sounds like S and Ts, they provide 30dB of isolation, which is good.
The leakage performance of the HS70 is mediocre. The significant portion of their leakage is spread between 400Hz and 3KHz, which is a relatively broad range. This results in a leakage that is fuller sounding than that of in-ears and earbuds. The overall level of the leakage is not very loud, though. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 44dB SPL and peaks at 57dB SPL, which is just above the noise floor of an average office.
The recording quality of HS70's microphone is mediocre. The LFE of 523Hz results in a recorded/transmitted speech that sounds noticeably thin and bright. The HFE of 6.5KHz is above-average and means speech will be intelligible and detailed. The response between the LFE and HFE points is decent, but it'll sound a bit too bright because of the overemphasis in the treble range. If you want gaming headphones with a better recording quality, check out the HyperX Cloud Stinger S.
The boom microphone of the HS70 is good at noise handling. It achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 26dB in our SpNR test. This means it can fully separate speech from ambient noise in most environments. However, they may struggle a little bit in extremely loud places like a subway station.
The 15-hour battery life of the HS70 is good. This should be more than enough for long gaming sessions. Also, you can still use the headset if it’s charging, which is convenient. Unfortunately, this headset doesn’t have passive playback, meaning you can’t use them wired like the HS60. You won’t be able to use them without their USB dongle. On the upside, they turn off automatically after a certain amount of time, which you can modify inside their app, to save some battery. For gaming headphones with a longer continuous battery life, see the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Wireless or the Corsair HS75 XB WIRELESS.
Update 03/29/2021: This companion app now has a macOS open beta available. We have also raised the scoring of this box from 7.0 to 7.5 to better reflect its customization features such as its graphic EQ and presets.
The Corsair Utility Engine (now iCUE) offers different options depending on the headphones. With the HS70, you get a good graphic EQ, as well as mic control and a simple surround sound option. You can also choose between EQ presets or make your own. Note that you can only update the firmware if they are plugged in. If you're looking for a wireless gaming headset with an even broader range of customization options, take a look at the Logitech G733 LIGHTSPEED Wireless, which are compatible with Logitech's G HUB software.
Unlike the Corsair HS70 Bluetooth or Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS, the Corsair HS70 Wireless doesn't support Bluetooth.
These headphones connect to a USB dongle, which allows for good range and limited latency. However, if you're looking for something with even less latency, check out the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless.
You can’t use the HS70 with a wired connection. For a wired version of this headset, look at the Corsair HS60 or at HS50 for a more affordable alternative.
Update 03/29/2021: We have updated these headphones' Xbox Series X compatibility.
These headphones aren't compatible at all with Xbox One or Xbox Series X consoles.