The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE are decent wireless gaming headphones. They have an understated and premium design that's a lot less flashy than many other gaming headsets, with subtle RGB Corsair logos on each ear cup. They feel quite well-built but unfortunately aren't the most comfortable and likely can cause some fatigue after long gaming marathons. On the upside, their wireless latency is great with their included USB dongle, and they can even be used wired by plugging them into the controller of either a PS4 or Xbox One. Their microphone performance is very good, though transmitted speech may lack some detail.
Note: We reviewed the SE variant, though we expect the Corsair VIrtuoso RGB Wireless' performance to be very similar. The Corsair Virtuoso SE has more customization options for their RGB side-lighting, brushed metal aluminum on their ear cups, and a slightly larger microphone.
Our Verdict
The Corsair Virtuoso are okay for neutral sound. They have a warm and somewhat uneven sound profile, which doesn't sound very neutral. They're also prone to inconsistent audio delivery, and their passive soundstage can be perceived as unnatural and as if coming from inside your head. Luckily, their companion software offers a graphic EQ and presets to help tweak their sound to your liking.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Graphic EQ and presets available.
- Prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
- Disappointing passive soundstage.
The Corsair Virtuoso are sub-par for commute and travel. They don't isolate background noise well, especially the low rumbles of engines, and may not be the most comfortable for people with moderately large heads. Like most gaming headphones, they are also quite large which can make them less portable, though they do feature a removable microphone and have swiveling ear cups, which allow them to fold flat.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
- No music or call-related controls.
The Corsair Virtuoso are middling for sports and fitness. They aren't very portable due to their bulky design, and despite being fairly tight, they don't stay on the head too well while you're moving. Their over-ear design also isn't the most breathable and can trap heat in the ear cups, causing you to sweat. Although we don't currently test for this, they don't have an IP rating for water resistance, either.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Tight fit may not be the most comfortable for everyone.
- No music or call-related controls.
The Corsair Virtuoso are alright for office use. While they don't leak much audio, meaning you can crank up your music without bothering your co-workers, they aren't the most comfortable and may cause fatigue after a full workday. They also struggle to cut down ambient chatter around you. Unfortunately, they don't support Bluetooth, but you can use them wired with their 1/8" TRRS cable or USB-C cable.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
The Corsair Virtuoso are decent for wireless gaming. They have low latency when using their USB dongle and offer over 13 hours of continuous playback time. Their microphone is also very good, and your teammates should have no problem hearing and understanding you. Unfortunately, they aren't the most comfortable and can cause you discomfort during longer gaming marathons.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Very good microphone performance.
- Graphic EQ and presets available.
- Tight fit may not be the most comfortable for everyone.
- Disappointing passive soundstage.
- No channel mixing.
The Corsair Virtuoso are decent for wired gaming. They have low audio latency and are fully compatible with PC, PS4, and Xbox One consoles using their 1/8" TRRS cable. They have decent customization options via their companion software and can also be used wired while charging, which is good as they take about four hours to charge.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Very good microphone performance.
- Graphic EQ and presets available.
- Tight fit may not be the most comfortable for everyone.
- Disappointing passive soundstage.
- No channel mixing.
The Corsair Virtuoso are decent for phone calls. Their boom microphone records and transmits speech very well and does a very good job at separating your speech from background noise, like subway trains. Unfortunately, they aren't the most portable, so they may not be great for taking phone calls on-the-go.
- Premium, durable look and feel.
- Very good microphone performance.
- Tight fit may not be the most comfortable for everyone.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 17, 2022: Retested 'App Support'. Updated the result for 'MacOS' from 'No' to 'Yes'.
- Updated Oct 19, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Jun 11, 2021: Changed USB Audio results for clarity.
- Updated Mar 18, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE comes in one color variant: 'Black'. These headphones also come in a pared-down variant called the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless, which doesn't have 7.1 surround support, and lacks a brushed aluminum finish on their ear cups. They also have a smaller microphone and don't come with a carrying pouch, either.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB are decent gaming headphones with a premium look and feel, and impressive microphone performance. They can be used wired and wirelessly, have over 13 hours of continuous playback time, and are compatible with Corsair iCUE software, so you're able to customize them to your liking. Unfortunately, they have an uneven sound profile as well as a tight and heavy fit, which some users may find fatiguing over time. See our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best PS4 headsets, and the best wireless gaming headsets.
The Logitech G PRO X WIRELESS LIGHTSPEED Gaming Headset are better gaming headphones than the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE. The Logitech are more comfortable, have lower wireless latency, have a longer continuous battery life, and have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their boom mic also has a significantly better performance. However, you can use the Corsair wired.
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE and the Corsair VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT are similarly performing headphones. While both headphones have a comfortable, well-built design and a similarly warm default sound profile, the XT support Bluetooth so you can listen to audio on your phone while gaming. They also have a better overall performing boom mic and a longer continuous battery life.
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE are somewhat better for wireless gaming than the Corsair HS80 RGB WIRELESS. The Virtuoso have much lower latency via non-Bluetooth wireless and also come with a 1/8" TRRS cable for an analog connection. Their boom mic is detachable and has a somewhat better noise handling performance, and they also do a better job of passively isolating you from sounds like ambient conversation. However, the HS80 have a ski-band headband design that should make them much more comfortable for most, and they have a slightly better mic recording quality.
The Corsair Void PRO RGB Wireless and the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless are similarly performing gaming headphones and depending on your usage, you may prefer one over the other. The Void are a bit more comfortable due to being less tight on the head. However, they are quite a bit bulkier, they also don't feel as well-built and don't isolate sound as well. The microphone on the Virtuoso has significantly better recording quality, though it doesn't handle very loud environments quite as well. Unlike the Virtuoso, the Void can only be used wirelessly, and can't be used with the Xbox One at all.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
