At first blush, the Alienware Pro Wireless Headset looks like it’s the over-ear solution I’ve been looking for. It’s functional, surprisingly comfortable, has decent audio quality, a removable mic, and, perhaps most surprinsgly, doesn’t look like it’s made for #gamers despite the fact that it comes from Alienware.
And I do like the headset quite a bit, but there are a few little things that fell short in my testing that make it clear this is a device that is only about 90 per cent of the way there. It’s a solid 90 per cent, don’t get me wrong, but some little annoyances do hold the device back somewhat.
Is it still the best gaming headset I’ve used to date? Yeah, I’d say so, but I’m more conflicted than I wanted to be.
Part of this, I think, is because the device is being sold as Alienware’s attempt at making something that can cater to its core ‘gamer’ demographic, but can also be worn on your way to work, or on a video call, without looking like you’re a Twitch streamer on the loose. Instead, the Pro headset looks subdued and minimal. It’s the kind of move I’ve wanted gaming peripheral makers to adopt for years, and I’m glad at least one of them is trying to class it up a bit.
However, it’s actual performance is only ‘mostly’ there for that general use case. It works great plugged into a PC, and though the feedback I got from my friends over Discord was that it’s mic was pretty average, that was being compared to a ~AU$200 stand-alone microphone that I usually use. There’s no way for a detachable boom-mic to compare with something like that, and in actuality, it’s pretty good for what it is.
The bigger issue, as far as I am concerned, is how well it handles the extremes of music, but we’ll get to that further down.
Alienware Pro At A Glance
- Brand: Alienware
- Model: Pro Wireless Gaming Headset
- Drivers: 50mm Graphene-Coated Drivers
- Battery Life: 75 hours via Bluetooth, 70 hours per 2.4ghz, 35 hours with ANC
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4ghz USB-C dongle, USB-C wired
- Weight: 315g
- Noise Cancellation: Hybrid ANC, combining feedback, feedforward, and AI-
- Price: US$229.99 / AU$399
A Headset for Gamers and Grown Ups
It isn’t hard to see how minimal these headphones are. While the set comes in black or white, we tested the white variant, and it’s difficult to actually see the little Alienware logo on the side of each can, lending it the kind of design language Apple fanboys go nuts for.
Interestingly, Alienware avoided adding any touch-sensitive sections to the sides of the cans as is the rage today, instead opting for tactile buttons and a volume wheel to deliver proper feedback to the user on what they’re doing. This was on the advice from a team of esport athletes that gave feedback during the product’s design process – essentially, when you’re in a high-stakes game of League of Legends, DOTA, or Apex Legends, the last thing you want to do is deal with a touchpad to shift the volume.
While I’m no esports professional, even I appreciated that when I brushed the side of the headset it didn’t skip a song I was enjoying, or start calling someone by accident.
Beyond the look, I’m happy to report that the Alienware Pro is one of the more comfortable headsets I’ve worn. The cushions on the cans and strap are firm but don’t end up hurting your ears over time, and the headset is light enough that you barely notice you’re wearing them. I happily wore them throughout the past few weeks for extended periods of work, commuting, and gaming, and didn’t have an issue with them being or becoming uncomfortable.
And while the claims of a 35 to 75 hour battery life sound pretty crazy, I’m happy to report that I charged the unit once when I received it, and haven’t had to charge them again. I still haven’t received a low battery notification, despite using them almost every day, which is a testament to the fact that, yeah, the battery life is pretty damn good.
How’s the Sound Quality?
When it came to gaming, and even the handling of voices, like a call or a podcast, the Alienware Pro sounds great. At regular volumes the 50mm drivers deliver a crisp, deep soundscape that honestly sounds surprisingly good.
The issue comes when that volume is turned up about 6-7 notches above zero, where the bass is completely overwhelmed by the mids and highs of the drivers, and you suddenly lose access to the whole bottom-end of a song.
Granted, that’s pretty loud, but it’s such a sudden shift in bass levels between those volume notches that I continually ran into that I had to mention it. I grew up losing myself to very heavy music, and I tend to turn the volume up when I find myself really, really into what I’m listening to: which, in this case, suddenly makes what I’m listening to sound worse.
It isn’t an issue I have with my Marshall ANC Monitor II headset, which is comparably priced (though is made by a company that has essentially ruled the guitar amp world for decades, and it has an awful microphone), nor does it happen with my in-ear Pixel Buds, despite them having far smaller drivers.
If you keep the volume in check, every type of music I tested sounded really good: the chugging of Gojira’s Flying Whales was sufficiently heavy, and the synths on Pertubator’s Venger was epic and driving, while still trance-inducing.
Alienware says the two 50mm drivers are graphene coated, which should deliver less distortion and maintain sound clarity due to the material’s strength and light weight. I don’t have the knowledge to disprove that, but the sound is very clear from my testing, so take that for what you will.
The active noise cancelling works great, and the ‘transparency mode’, which essentially allows you to better hear your surroundings, is a welcome addition. I almost exclusively use my headphones in ANC mode, and it did a fantastic job of silencing the world around me to help me focus, whether that be on work, or on getting home after a long day.
How Good is it for Gaming?
I mentioned at the top of the review that this is Alienware’s attempt at making something that doesn’t only market itself to RGB-mad gamers, but from the first day I wore the Pro people in my office noted that I was wearing a ‘gaming headset’. I guess it still looks like a gaming headset to normies, but this is by far the least cringe-inducing pro-gamer peripheral I’ve used.
But, how does it perform in a lobby? I tested the Pro with a group of friends that I regularly game with, and they definitely noticed the drop in mic quality from using a stand-alone solution. They ranked it above some of the other attached mics I’ve used, though, and could hear and understand me clearly once I fiddled with the noise gate a bit.
The sound quality is great, and, again, as long as you don’t turn the volume up too high everything comes out nice and clean. Plus, the Pro has AI-enhanced noise cancelling technology in play when you’re talking with your teammates, so that the headset can filter out background noise and only deliver your voice over the mic, but that seems way more useful to an esports champ playing in a noisy stadium than me sitting in a room on my own talking shit with some friends. Still, it’s a nice feature if your dog starts barking or something.
One thing I really do appreciate is the addition of a USB-C 2.4ghz wireless dongle (as well as a USB-C to USB-A adapter) to cut out any Bluetooth interference, which can be a lifesaver if you’re playing something competitive and the signal from your headset interrupts your mouse or something. It’s a standard inclusion for a gaming headset, but it’s a standard for a reason and I’m thankful it’s here.
Do We Recommend the Alienware Pro?
Ultimately, yes. I think Alienware nailed the gap between gamer and commuter in the Pro headset, and I could see myself using them as a daily driver from now on. The price isn’t extreme, and what you’re getting for that price is actually good value. Just keep the volume at a reasonable level and you won’t run into some of the bass-related issues I found.
I don’t want to harp on the gamer aesthetic too much more, but I’m much more likely to buy and use something if it can serve as an everyday item and a specialised product, and the Pro achieves that in spades.
DISCLOSURE: The author of this article, Dean Blake, was provided the product by Alienware for the purposes of this review. All opinions expressed are those of the author. For more information on our independence, testing and review guidelines, you can read our full editorial policies here.
