I’ve used plenty of gaming headsets in all my years as a gamer. And as someone who now reviews them for a living, I’ve tested the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s with a lot of confidence that I say the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is one of the most comfortable pair of gaming cans I’ve ever tested — with powerful performance to back it up.
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is the brand’s flagship set of cans, and it’s worth the price of admission. Featuring 50mm drivers, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset delivers crisp and textured sound in almost every genre. There’s a detachable mic with AI noise cancelling that works well, and the headset has highly effective active noise cancellation and reliable battery life. Really, it’s the only headset you need as it’s also compatible with a range of consoles and devices.
To find out why it’s one of the best wireless gaming headsets, read my full Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review.
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? The clue is in the name — it’s a wireless (and Alienware’s flagship) gaming headset for PlayStation, PC and other devices
- Who is it for? For serious gamers who want best-in-class audio quality as well as comfort
- How much does it cost? The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset retails for $229 / £224, but it’s worth every cent
- What do we like? The cloud-like ear cushions for all-day comfort, detailed sound profile, highly effective ANC, long battery life and more
- What don’t we like? There’s no Xbox version, and the headset costs a premium
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: Specs
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Specs |
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset |
|---|---|
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Price |
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Colors |
Lunar Light, Dark Side of the Moon |
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Platforms |
PC, macOS, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch |
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Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3, 2.4GHz dongle, USB-C wired |
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Battery |
Rechargeable |
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Battery life (2.4GHz, ANC off) |
70 hours |
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Battery life (2.4GHz, ANC on) |
35 hours |
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Battery life (Bluetooth) |
Up to 75 hours |
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Frequency response |
20-40,000Hz |
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Drivers |
50mm Graphene-Coated |
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Multipoint connectivity |
No |
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Paired devices max |
1 |
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Microphone |
Unidirectional, detachable |
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Weight |
11.11oz |
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: The ups
From its exceptionally comfortable ear cushions and fit to its detailed sound quality and effective ANC, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is a winner on most fronts.
Exceptionally comfortable
No gaming headset — or headphones, for that matter — is worth the money if it isn’t comfortable. It is, then, a good thing that the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is extremely comfortable. Weighing just 11.11oz, it never feels too heavy or like it’s weighing you down, even when worn for long periods of time. It’s lighter than both the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249, 12.9oz) and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless ($350, 11.9oz), and it feels like the perfect weight to me.
I’m no stranger to gaming cans. I review them for a living and use them in my downtime, so when I say the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s ear cushions are some of the comfiest I’ve tested, I really mean it. These leatherette-covered memory foam cushions are so soft, it feels like my ears are resting against clouds. They offer a plush, relaxed fit that is spacious enough for my ears but tight enough to provide passive noise cancellation.
I could wear this headset all day long, and I’d be a happy camper — and I did! I wore the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for just under seven hours, and not once did my ears feel suffocated or too hot. The memory foam headband even relieved some pressure on the top of my head, too.
Minimalist, sleek design
Unlike most other gaming headsets I’ve tested, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset doesn’t necessarily look like it’s designed for gamers. Instead, it looks like a regular pair of wireless headphones, akin to the Sony WH-1000XM6, really. This is to say that the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset sports a minimalist, sleek design that’s nowhere near as bulky as its competitors, such as the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro or the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 ($299) — and I love it.
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is available in two colors: Dark Side of the Moon (as a huge Pink Floyd fan, I approve of this name for “black”) and Lunar Light (white). I tested the latter, and although I usually prefer darker colors, even I can’t resist the Lunar Light’s charm. Branding is subtle, with the Alienware logo gracing each earcup, and there’s no garish RGB lighting, so you can use this headset even as a regular pair of headphones when you’re out and about (also thanks to the detachable microphone).
Controls are well laid out, as they’re equally distributed across both earcups. Each button gives good tactile feedback when pressed, and the volume wheel can be moved easily, but not so easily that you knock it by mistake. I much prefer the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s control scheme over the cluttered ones found on headsets like the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 ($99) and the Cooler Master CH351 ($89).
Crystal clear, detailed sound
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset sounds phenomenal in most video games, period. It’s fitted with 50mm Graphene-Coated drivers, designed to deliver clear, accurate sound, great directional audio and reduced distortion — and it works as intended. You can use the headset wirelessly via Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz dongle.
I tested the headset by playing a few games on my PS5 Slim: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ghost of Yotei and Cyberpunk 2077. In all three games, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset delivered crisp, detailed sound with no latency issues or distortion. The headset has a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz, so I was able to hear every sound in a game, from soft, easily-missable footsteps to loud explosions.
Ghost of Yotei
I recently finished Ghost of Yotei and was wearing the headset at the moment I earned the Platinum trophy for obtaining 100% of the trophies, so that is something I’ll always remember! Ghost of Yotei is a stunning game, not just in terms of graphics. It features beautiful music and a variety of sounds, and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset made everything sound just as the producers intended: detailed, textured and multilayered.
When my character, Atsu, was playing the shamisen, I could hear every note plucked on the three-stringed instrument. Even when there were other sounds in the background, such as the sound of enemies and explosions while playing the shamisen next to an occupied camp, I could still hear my instrument. Playing the shamisen summons the companion wolf, and I could hear the wolf snarling as it ran to my aid. Every sound was well-balanced.
Combat in Ghost of Yotei sounded just as amazing. Every time I swung my heavy odachi (a massive katana, basically), I could hear it cut through the air, and when my katana or other weapon sliced an enemy, I could hear their bloody gushing and splattering. Directional audio worked extremely well in Ghost of Yotei, as I could gauge an enemy’s position depending on which earcup I was hearing them through.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of my favorite games of all time, and one I’ve spent over 150 hours playing, so I’m very familiar with the different sounds as well as the powerful soundtrack. Because nearly every cutscene and battle is soundtracked by operatic power ballads, it’s all too easy for a gaming headset to get overwhelmed and sound muddy. Not the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset, though.
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset makes every aspect of Expedition 33 sound cinematic and ensures you hear every note and instrument in the orchestral OST — even when you’re in the middle of a heated battle. I was also able to hear the loud explosions made by my magical attacks and my swords slashing enemies. It never felt like one musical element was overpowering another, making the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset second only to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, in my opinion.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 features a fair bit of stealthy gameplay where enemies will gun you down if you’re detected… or you have a giant, mechanical, terrifying robot actively hunting you and who, upon detection, will insta-kill you. This is where being able to hear soft footsteps comes in clutch, and I was able to hear every sign of movement through the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset.
If I hid behind a door and tried to gauge where my enemies were positioned, I was able to do so easily. Directional audio, again, worked really well here as I could hear NPCs chattering through either earcup, which helped me move stealthily through a heavily-occupied base.
When I was running and hiding from the aforementioned robot hunter in the Phantom Liberty DLC, I could tell exactly which direction Cerberus was about to emerge from. When my character came to a stationary stop while hiding behind boxes and pillars, I could hear the tremble in their voice and breathing, which made an already scary mission even scarier!
Because the game features a pumping techno, synthwave soundtrack, it proved to be a great test for the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset — and one it aced. The electronic instruments sounded powerful and in harmony, but they never once overpowered the sound of combat or foot chases. I could still hear my V’s footsteps thudding on the ground as she ran away from cops, or when she fired gunshots at enemies. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
Great noise cancellation
While active noise cancellation (ANC) is a prominent feature on most wireless headphones, it’s hard to come by on gaming headsets. The very expensive Audeze Maxwell ($299) doesn’t feature ANC, and while the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless does, its ANC isn’t nearly as effective as advertised.
But the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset? It’s got ANC, and outstanding, highly effective ANC at that. A button on the left earcup lets you enable and disable ANC, and I strongly recommend using it if you want to be fully immersed in a game and not be disturbed by external sounds. My neighbors have been hammering their walls, ruining my immersion when I’m sobbing over Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Scenarios like these are where the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s ANC comes in clutch. With it turned on, I couldn’t hear my neighbors drilling and hammering. When I used the headset while working, the loud clicking and clacking of my 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard was muted, too, while my partner had to wave to grab my attention. Overall, I’ve been highly impressed by the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s ANC, and it’s second only to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro.
Good microphone for online gaming
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset utilizes a unidirectional, detachable microphone that features two mics for “AI-powered” noise cancellation. As is the nature of unidirectional mics, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s mic picks up sound only from the direction of the user’s mouth. It transmits loud and clear audio.
If you need a headset for gaming online or recording voice memos, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s mic excels here. I recorded myself with nothing else playing in the background, and as you can hear in the clip above, my voice sounds textured and clear.
Next, I played an episode of Broadchurch at 60% volume on my phone and simultaneously recorded myself talking on my laptop, as in the clip above. My voice is still loud and clear, and even though you can hear something playing in the background, it’s not discernible and doesn’t hinder the mic’s performance.
Multi-platform compatibility
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is the only set of cans you need if you own multiple gaming consoles… as long as an Xbox isn’t part of your ecosystem (more on that soon). This headset is compatible with PC, macOS, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck. While I primarily tested the headset with my PS5 Slim, it worked just as well when connected wirelessly to my MacBook Pro M1, Switch 2 and OG Switch.
Long, reliable battery life
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset wins big in the battery department. On a single charge, Alienware claims that the headset can last up to 75 hours over Bluetooth. When using the 2.4GHz dongle, the battery life is rated at 70 hours with ANC off and 35 hours with ANC on. These figures are similar to the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro’s, which is rated at 70 hours (PC, 2.4GHz), and better than the pricier SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless’, rated at just 22 hours.
Battery life will, of course, depend on the usage conditions and headset settings. I used the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset with the 2.4GHz dongle and ANC on, and it died after nearly 34 hours — which aligns with the brand’s claims.
If you run out of charge, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset features fast charging, so a quick 15-minute charge tops it up for another six hours.
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: The downs
Anything wrong with the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset? Well, you’ll be paying a premium for premium features, and Xbox users might feel left out.
Steep price (that’s worth paying)
There’s no beating around the bush: the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset’s premium gaming features come at a steep price. It’s Alienware Pro’s flagship headset, and it sits alongside the brand’s mouse and keyboard — a complete package for those who want all their gear made by a specific manufacturer.
All three devices in the Alienware Pro Wireless lineup cost a premium. A $149 mouse, a $199 keyboard and a $229 headset. The Pro Wireless Gaming Headset retails for $229 / £224, but you can often find it on sale for $199 / £199 at Amazon. Though it’s expensive, it’s still cheaper than the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249), the Audeze Maxwell ($299) and definitely the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless ($350).
Having tested the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset, I believe it’s worth the money. It still comes in cheaper than many other premium gaming cans, so it’s a fantastic way of elevating your gaming experience without burning as big a hole in your pocket as you would if you bought any of the other headsets mentioned above.
No Xbox version
Unfortunately, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset isn’t compatible with Xbox consoles, so if you own an Xbox Series X or a Series S, you’ll need to consider alternatives. Fortunately, there’s no dearth of these in the market today. I’d recommend the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, whose price is in the same ballpark as the Pro Wireless. If you can stretch your budget, you won’t go amiss with the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 or the Audeze Maxwell.
Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset review: Verdict
If you want gaming cans that won’t let you down regardless of the game you’re playing, and you want to be able to wear them for hours and hours, I can’t recommend the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset enough. It’s packed with powerful 50mm drivers that make games — especially story-driven RPGs — sound extremely immersive, a fantastic mic that makes you sound loud and clear and effective ANC that excels at making you feel like the main character.
All of the headset’s premium gaming features come at a price, though, and you’re looking at an expenditure of nearly $230. But is it worth the money? I certainly think so! The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is for gamers who want best-in-class sound and comfort, and for those who don’t want to spend even more on the likes of the Audeze Maxwell.
Me? I’d buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for the plush, soft ear cushions alone — it feels like my ears are resting on clouds!
