TheRetroArcade
Veteran
Posts: 10,067
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
A super solid, no-frills mid-range gaming headset from Corsair that is impressively light. It does what it needs to with no fuss and without needing to shout about it.
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If you skipped buying that coveted stick of RAM or 2 TB SSD this time last year, you must be feeling understandably morose. Most things are getting more and more expensive, but crucially, not all things. Components like headsets and gamepads conform to the fast antiquating dictum that, with time, value will rise while costs decrease.
That's pretty much the case with the Corsair HS35 v3. At the level of raw specs at least, Corsair's new mid-range headset has a touch more to offer than the SteelSeries Arctic Nova 3X, which is our favourite mid-range gaming headset. It came bearing a $90 price tag at launch (though you wouldn't pay full price for it in 2026).
Like the Arctis Nova 3X, the HS35 v3 has 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, and a wired option. It has a detachable mic, and reasonably comfortable memory foam ear cups. Both models have 50mm drivers and a 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response. But the HS35 v3 is 10 grams lighter and $10 cheaper. Shots fired!
Style
Over-ear, closed-back
Driver
50 mm with Waves 3D Audio
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Microphone
Omnidirectional
Battery life
Up to 30 hours
Connection
2.4 GHz wireless (Type-C and Type-A dongle), Bluetooth, USB Type-C cable
Weight
250g
Price
$80 | £70 | AU$99
✅ You just want a performant workhorse: The HS35 v3 has excellent audio both incoming and outgoing.✅ You need something light: This headset is definitely on the lighter end of the spectrum.
❌ You want flair: No RGB, few onboard controls, and a pretty boring plastic form factor don't exactly scream "I'm an apex gamer".❌ You want a huge battery life: 30 hours is fine at this price point, but if you need something closer to 300 hours, look elsewhere.
I enjoyed using the HS35 v3 despite underwhelming first impressions. An obviously plastic frame puts a dampener on appearances but keeps things admirably light: it weighs a pretty astonishing 250 g, which is 50 g lighter than the boastfully light Turtle Beach Atlas Air. The memory foam cups, which pivot 90 degrees, sit comfortably over my oversize egg, while the floating headband keeps plenty of berth between my skull and the plastic solid headband.
On the headband design, the outer plastic headband isn't adjustable on rails like a lot of other headsets. Instead, the inner floating headband connects to three notches: you have to remove the floating band and reapply it according to the size of your head. This would seem to offer fewer gradients of size adjustability, but the floating band is nicely malleable. I found it comfortable, and my 8-year-old son—whose head is, naturally and mercifully, smaller than mine—found it comfortable too. Still, if you have an outlier-sized head, whether small or large, it might be worth trying the set on first.
Despite first impressions I actually came to like how plain the HS35 v3 design is. Corsair has some pretty outré cup designs (take the bulky HS80 RGB as an example) but the HS35 v3 sticks to a conservative oval that won't stand out on public transport or in the office, if you're taking the mixed purpose route. I'll say again, it really is extraordinarily light: I wore it for most of the day and didn't feel too much strain.
Connectivity is mostly a cinch, and I liked that the 2.4 GHz dongle has both a USB-A connector, inside which a USB-C connector is neatly nested. Here's an alert for those hoping to use the HS35 v3 with a console, though: while it supports wired connectivity, it does so with a USB-C to USB-A connector. In other words, no 3.5 mm connectivity here, so you won't be able to connect it straight into a gamepad.
The PC Game...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
PC Gamer's got your back
Our experienced team dedicates many hours to every review, to really get to the heart of what matters most to you. Find out more about how we evaluate games and hardware.
If you skipped buying that coveted stick of RAM or 2 TB SSD this time last year, you must be feeling understandably morose. Most things are getting more and more expensive, but crucially, not all things. Components like headsets and gamepads conform to the fast antiquating dictum that, with time, value will rise while costs decrease.
That's pretty much the case with the Corsair HS35 v3. At the level of raw specs at least, Corsair's new mid-range headset has a touch more to offer than the SteelSeries Arctic Nova 3X, which is our favourite mid-range gaming headset. It came bearing a $90 price tag at launch (though you wouldn't pay full price for it in 2026).
Like the Arctis Nova 3X, the HS35 v3 has 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, and a wired option. It has a detachable mic, and reasonably comfortable memory foam ear cups. Both models have 50mm drivers and a 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response. But the HS35 v3 is 10 grams lighter and $10 cheaper. Shots fired!
Style
Over-ear, closed-back
Driver
50 mm with Waves 3D Audio
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Microphone
Omnidirectional
Battery life
Up to 30 hours
Connection
2.4 GHz wireless (Type-C and Type-A dongle), Bluetooth, USB Type-C cable
Weight
250g
Price
$80 | £70 | AU$99
✅ You just want a performant workhorse: The HS35 v3 has excellent audio both incoming and outgoing.✅ You need something light: This headset is definitely on the lighter end of the spectrum.
❌ You want flair: No RGB, few onboard controls, and a pretty boring plastic form factor don't exactly scream "I'm an apex gamer".❌ You want a huge battery life: 30 hours is fine at this price point, but if you need something closer to 300 hours, look elsewhere.
I enjoyed using the HS35 v3 despite underwhelming first impressions. An obviously plastic frame puts a dampener on appearances but keeps things admirably light: it weighs a pretty astonishing 250 g, which is 50 g lighter than the boastfully light Turtle Beach Atlas Air. The memory foam cups, which pivot 90 degrees, sit comfortably over my oversize egg, while the floating headband keeps plenty of berth between my skull and the plastic solid headband.
On the headband design, the outer plastic headband isn't adjustable on rails like a lot of other headsets. Instead, the inner floating headband connects to three notches: you have to remove the floating band and reapply it according to the size of your head. This would seem to offer fewer gradients of size adjustability, but the floating band is nicely malleable. I found it comfortable, and my 8-year-old son—whose head is, naturally and mercifully, smaller than mine—found it comfortable too. Still, if you have an outlier-sized head, whether small or large, it might be worth trying the set on first.
Despite first impressions I actually came to like how plain the HS35 v3 design is. Corsair has some pretty outré cup designs (take the bulky HS80 RGB as an example) but the HS35 v3 sticks to a conservative oval that won't stand out on public transport or in the office, if you're taking the mixed purpose route. I'll say again, it really is extraordinarily light: I wore it for most of the day and didn't feel too much strain.
Connectivity is mostly a cinch, and I liked that the 2.4 GHz dongle has both a USB-A connector, inside which a USB-C connector is neatly nested. Here's an alert for those hoping to use the HS35 v3 with a console, though: while it supports wired connectivity, it does so with a USB-C to USB-A connector. In other words, no 3.5 mm connectivity here, so you won't be able to connect it straight into a gamepad.
The PC Game...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?