Xbox Stereo Headset Adds Back Cords, Trims Back Price

There are already several Xbox headsets offered through the Designed for Xbox program, and Microsoft even has its own offering in the Xbox Wireless Headset. Unfortunately, many of those headsets can be costly purchases, including the Xbox Wireless Headset, which clocks in at $99.99. Today, Microsoft announced an alternative to the Xbox Wireless Headset with the Xbox Stereo Headset, an entry-level headset with a significantly lower price.

At first blush, the Xbox Stereo Headset seems to have a lot in common with the Xbox Wireless Headset, with Microsoft saying that the two accessories share many design elements. Indeed, looking at the two headsets side-by-side, there are a lot of design similarities. The biggest difference between the two, it seems, is the fact that the Xbox Stereo Headset is wired, so it plugs into your Xbox controller or any device with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

This, obviously, not only helps keeps costs down, but it also means that you don't have to deal with batteries, whether they're rechargeable or single-use. The Xbox Stereo Headset comes in at $59.99, making it $40 less than the Xbox Wireless Headset and pricing it well in the entry-level range.

Microsoft says that it's outfitted the Xbox Stereo Headset with "ultra-soft large earcups" for extended play sessions despite that entry-level designation. We're also told that the Xbox Stereo Headset offers "clear microphone performance" for voice chat and that it will support spatial sound technology like Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone: X.

In the end, Microsoft positions this as a headset for those who are new to gaming and don't want to spend a ton on accessories, those who have a wireless headset already and want a wired backup, or those who split their time between console and PC and want a wired headset for the latter platform. The Xbox Stereo Headset is up for pre-order today from the Microsoft Store and will begin shipping out on September 21st.