This has been a big year for Dell's Alienware brand, which launched a broad lineup of fresh peripherals targeted at pros and e-sports athletes. We saw the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard and Mouse earlier this year, and now, a Pro Wireless Gaming Headset enters the fold. It's a product with great ambitions — the Alienware team hopes it won't just make for an excellent gaming headset, but also makes for a useful pair of over-ear headphones with a subdued design and detachable microphone.

In some ways, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset meets those goals. It's true that this is a lightweight and attractive headset, and I wouldn't mind wearing it out in public. However, it falls short in portability without an easy way to store the headset in a bag for travel or even a daily commute. As such, you'll likely relegate these over-ears to your gaming setup. But that might not be such a bad thing, because this headset is a joy to use for gaming.

About this review: Dell sent us an Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for review. The company had no input in this article, and did not see its contents before publishing.

Pricing, specs, and availability

Dell launched the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset this month, and it joins a new lineup of Alienware Pro accessories. Just like the rest, which launched earlier this year, this headset was designed with insight from the pro e-sports players at Team Liquid. It's priced at $230 and comes in either Lunar Light (White) or Dark Side of the Moon (Black) colorways. This headset is compatible with PC, PlayStation, Switch, Android, and iOS, but Xbox users are left out.

What I like

It's lightweight, breathable, and comfortable — with a subdued design

Compared to the striking Alienware headsets of old, this Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset's design feels simple. That reflective Alienware logo keeps the headset from going unnoticed by fellow gamers in public, but it'll stay relatively under-the-radar with the boom arm microphone detached. The entire thing is mostly made of plastic, and that makes for a lightweight feel. It sits more comfortably on your head than its 315-gram weight would suggest thanks to an impressive weight distribution.

Overall, this headset isn't going to make you feel sweaty after fierce gaming sessions. It has memory foam ear cushions wrapped in a leatherette cover, which is ridiculously comfortable. It's the same kind of material I raved about on the Sonos Ace, so it's nice to see it here on the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset.

This headset has the specs, even if sound quality and ANC performance won't blow you away

On the inside, there are a pair of 5cm drivers with a 40 kHz maximum frequency response, and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset sounds pretty good — for a gaming headset. I won't be ditching my traditional over-ears for music or podcast listening, but this headset sounded fine for both uses. It could pass as a dual-purpose headset if you're not picky with audio. However, the headset sounds best with, well, games. It's easy to get immersed in what you're playing with great spatial reproduction, from things like footsteps all the way to gunshots.

Active noise-canceling was a bit more hit or miss. At times, the ANC felt too intense, causing uncomfortable pressure in my ear canals. I left it switched off most of the time. It's nice that ANC and transparency mode are both here, but I doubt you'll use them much. Microphone quality was very solid, with the unidirectional boom mic picking up voices and attempting to isolate background noise. The detachable form factor is a blessing and a curse, though. There were a few times I wished I had the mic with me, only for me to discover I left it at home.

What I don't like

They're not very portable, and the missing Xbox compatibility is troublesome

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is designed like it's meant to be portable, but there's no way to easily store it. It's not collapsible, and the ear clips don't even flip down to lay flat in a bag. Compared to headphones like the Sonos Ace, Dyson OnTrac, and AirPods Max, this Alienware headset takes up more space and is left unprotected while traveling. That's fine, because it's a gaming headset. But the goals of using this headset for on-the-go gaming and perhaps light music listening are probably out of reach.

It's also unfortunate that the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset isn't compatible with Xbox, because it works with just about everything else — PC, Switch, PlayStation, iOS, and Android. Considering the overlap between PC and Xbox gamers these days, Xbox compatibility would've been a big selling point for versatility.

Should you buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset?

You should buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset if:

• You have a bunch of Alienware accessories (or a gaming laptop, PC) and want to complete the set
• You're looking for a lightweight, comfortable, and refined gaming headset
• A detachable mic is a top priority for you

You should NOT buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset if:

• You're an Xbox gamer
• You want a portable headset
• The value proposition just isn't there for your needs at $230

Put simply, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset isn't a game-changer. It doesn't sound the best, it isn't the most portable, and it doesn't have the niche gaming features offered by other brands. Still, I can't help but enjoy the simplicity and reliability of this headset. I flip it on, plug in the USB-C receiver to (almost) any device, and I'm comfortably gaming for hours on end. If that sounds like something worth $230 to you, pick up the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset.