The Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS are mid-range wireless gaming headphones. They offer connection options via Bluetooth or their wireless USB dongle, allowing for use on PCs and PlayStation consoles. They also have a flexible boom mic, which you can adjust to sit close to your mouth during team play or flip up and out of the way during solo gaming. They also feature some subtle RGB integration, which you can sync up with the iCUE desktop app for color customization, as well as integration with the rest of your RGB ecosystem via the 'Mural' feature.
Our Verdict
The Corsair HS80 MAX are reasonable for neutral sound. They're gaming headphones with a pretty warm sound profile. They deliver extra boom, but vocals and instruments are really veiled and lacking in detail. Additionally, the headphones have inconsistent audio delivery, and if you have thick hair or wear glasses, you may especially notice a drop in bass. Luckily, you can adjust their sound to your liking using their companion software's graphic EQ and presets.
- Graphic EQ and presets available via companion software.
- Not the most immersive soundstage.
The Corsair HS80 MAX are okay for commuting and travel. If their gamer look isn't an issue for you, their long battery life will last several long flights without needing a recharge, and their comfortable fit means you won't find them fatiguing, either. However, they can't isolate you from the deep rumble of bus and plane engines or the chatter of nearby passengers. They're also quite bulky, and their mic doesn't detach, making them more cumbersome to use during your daily commute.
- Comfortable fit.
- Long continuous battery life (with RGB lighting off).
- Poor noise isolation.
- Leak audio at high volumes.
The Corsair HS80 MAX are gaming headphones, so they aren't the best choice for sports and fitness. Their bulky design is unstable during intense movement, meaning they're not suited for runs outdoors or heavy workouts. Their microphone also doesn't detach, so you risk it flipping down with more dynamic movement and damaging it. They lack an IP rating for water resistance, too, but that's to be expected from gaming headphones. On the upside, they're comfortable and have lots of warm bass to complement your workout jams.
- Comfortable fit.
- Not the most stable fit.
The Corsair HS80 MAX are okay for the office if you don't mind their gamer-centric design. They have a comfortable fit and are well-built. If you turn off their RGB lighting, they'll also last over 60 hours, so you don't need to recharge them every day. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device pairing, and you can't use their wireless dongle and Bluetooth at the same time. They also struggle to block out background noise and leak audio at high volumes.
- Comfortable fit.
- Long continuous battery life (with RGB lighting off).
- Poor noise isolation.
- Leak audio at high volumes.
- No multi-device pairing support.
The Corsair HS80 MAX are decent for wireless gaming. Their wireless USB dongle offers an exceptionally low-latency connection for gaming on PCs and PlayStation consoles. Using the dongle also allows you to access their companion software, which allows you to adjust their sound to your liking. Their Bluetooth connection performs well with mobile devices, making them well-suited for gaming at home and on the go. However, you can't use both connections simultaneously, so you'll need to commit to receiving audio from one device at a time. Their soundstage isn't very open or natural sounding, either. On the upside, if you like to game with others, their boom microphone offers very good overall performance, so teammates and enemies alike will hear you clearly.
- Graphic EQ and presets available via companion software.
- Very good overall microphone performance.
- Long continuous battery life (with RGB lighting off).
- Not the most immersive soundstage.
- No multi-device pairing support.
The Corsair HS80 MAX are wireless headphones and can't be used for wired gaming.
The Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS are decent for phone calls. These gaming headphones have a boom mic, ensuring your voice is clear and easy to understand. That said, the mic has slight trouble separating speech from loud background noise, so it can be more challenging to follow your voice if you're taking calls in a busy office. This won't be a problem in quieter spaces, though. Unfortunately, the headphones don't block out much background sound, so it can be hard to hear your conversations clearly if a lot is going on around you.
- Very good overall microphone performance.
- Comfortable fit.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Leak audio at high volumes.
Changelog
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Updated May 16, 2025:
We specified the types of wireless dongle connections these headphones support in the Non-Bluetooth Wireless section of this review.
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Updated May 09, 2025:
We've updated the Bluetooth test box to indicate that these headphones can stay connected to two audio sources simultaneously, though you can't play back audio from both at the same time.
- Updated Feb 22, 2024: We've updated this review to note that a retest confirmed that the headphones can't connect to a Bluetooth device and a PC with the wireless dongle simultaneously.
- Updated Sep 28, 2023: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS come in two color variants: 'Steel Gray' and 'White'. We tested the 'Steel Gray' variant, and you can see its label here. We expect our results to be valid for the other variants as well.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Corsair HS80 MAX are wireless RGB gaming headphones and are a step up from their sibling, the Corsair HS80 RGB Wireless. While both models look and perform similarly, the MAX support Bluetooth and have a longer continuous playback time. Unfortunately, unlike more premium headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless, you can't use the Bluetooth connection and their wireless USB dongle simultaneously, which is a little disappointing if you want to receive audio from your phone while gaming on PC.
If you're still shopping around for gaming headphones, check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best wireless gaming headsets, and the best headsets for PS5.
The Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS are a step up from the Corsair HS80 RGB WIRELESS. While both headphones look and perform very similarly, there are a couple of key differences. The MAX support Bluetooth, which is nice if you want to game on your Nintendo Switch or smartphone. They also have a longer continuous battery life. However, only the RGB model supports audio and mic over USB.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless are somewhat better gaming headphones than the Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS. The SteelSeries' companion software offers more robust controls like a parametric EQ and surround sound support. They also support simultaneous Bluetooth and wireless dongle connectivity, which is great if you want to stay continuously connected to two consoles. They even support analog, which is handy to virtually eliminate latency from your setup. However, the Corsair are better built, and their mic has a better recording quality. They also last longer continuously and have customizable RGB lighting.
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless 2023 have a slight edge over the Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS. The Razer have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their overall microphone performance is better. You can also use their dongle and Bluetooth connections simultaneously, which is good if you want to receive audio from your phone while staying connected to your PC. The Corsair are better built, though.
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Test Results
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