Dan—March 14, 2026
I have a pair of Philips SHP9500's that I've used for YEARS when gaming, and then have had various separate microphones to go with them (since they don't have a built in mic). The biggest issues with that is that, well, I need a separate mic, and that can be a pain depending on what platform I'm playing on, and on top of that, they are open back headphones. EXTREMELY comfortable, and fantastic sound when driven correctly, but they have pretty bad sound bleed, so whatever mic I use usually has to have some pretty serious noise suppression/gating to cut out the bleed. These, however, solve that problem pretty well. First, they're closed back, so they encapsulate the sound a LOT more. This makes them a bit bass-ier (although not by THAT much), but also keeps out the bleed. They also have a built in mic (both within the headset, and with the included detachable mic (don't forget to double check the bag! Thought mine was missing it until I went digging again)). As far as quality goes, they clearly aren't super high end headphones, but to be honest, for most people, I think these would be totally fine, especially as they can be used wirelessly. The mic is also totally fine, even without using the detachable one, and would be totally fine for your normal voice chat during games, or chilling in Discord or something. As previously mentioned, these are wireless, but keep in mind some caveats. If you want/can use the Bluetooth feature, then they're totally wireless, although expect a bit of audio delay, and the overall audio quality will be not as good. However, these also have 2.4ghz wireless, although in a kind of odd way. Instead of a USB dongle like most wireless headphones, these have a module that plugs into the bottom of an Xbox One/Series controller. This allows them to be used wirelessly on an Xbox One/Series console, with controls right there (there's also controls on the headphones themselves). That might make you think that you can't use them wirelessly with other stuff, but that's not the case at all! Turns out, that module has a built in battery, but if you connect it via USB C to your PC or your PS4/PS5, it just acts as a wireless dongle, letting you use the headphones wirelessly with those devices too. A bit of an odd way to do it, but it works totally fine! You can also use these wired via the included 3.5mm cable too. Overall, I actually like these, although with it getting hotter here by the day, not sure how sweaty I'll really want to be (I REALLY like open back headphones due to this), especially as they have fake leather cups, but so far, I'm enjoying them a lot. Read more
Customer—March 3, 2026
I live in headphones. Between video meetings, gaming, music, podcasts, and just zoning out, I'm wearing a headset for a large portion of my day. I picked up the Acer Captain 370 through Amazon Vine because I'm already an Acer fan. I use a Predator laptop, and an Acer-branded gaming headset at this price point seemed worth investigating. After a week of daily use across gaming, Zoom calls, and long listening sessions, I have a lot to say. Some of it surprised me. TLDR: Great sound, surprisingly versatile connectivity, comfortable for all-day wear, and genuinely good value under $20. But there are things the listing doesn't tell you, and if you're a PC gamer buying this because it says Acer, or if you want to use this with BT across multiple devices, maybe read the connectivity section carefully, ➡️ THE ACER BRANDING TELLS ONLY PART OF THE STORY ➜ This headset is manufactured by Shenzhen Jiutong Zhichuang Technology and sold under the Acer Gadget brand, a subsidiary that licenses the Acer name for peripherals, not Acer's main product line. ➜ The same headset (branded differently and with different colors) is also sold here as the Captain 370 headset at around $40. This Acer-branded version is under $20. Same headset, different branding, meaningful price difference. ➜ Info printed on the headset directs you to kowcomms.net for support, not Acer's standard support channels. ➜ None of this makes this headset a bad product. But if you're buying this specifically for Acer brand confidence like me, just FYI. ➡️ BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN: GAMING AESTHETIC, DECENT MATERIALS ➜ The listing calls the color "Black Green" which significantly undersells how striking this actually looks in person. The inside of the earcups is neon green and the headband padding is also neon green. It's a gaming aesthetic for sure. ➜ The Acer branding on the outside of the earcups is fairly understated. It's there, but it doesn't screm "Acer" once it's on my head. ➜ The headset is lightweight and and the earcups are softly padded. Noticeably comfortable for long wear sessions. I've had it on for hours at a stretch with no fatigue. ➜ It is somewhat plasticky looking. This is not a *ose or *ony. But it doesn't feel cheap or flimsy. It feels like an decent gaming headset, which is exactly what it is. ➡️ SOUND QUALITY: THE STANDOUT FEATURE ➜ This is where the Captain 370 genuinely surprised me. The bass is solid and the surround sound is immersive. I've been gaming heavily in Elden Ring and the spatial audio makes a real difference. You can hear directional cues clearly, which is definitely an advantage. ➜ It's also versatile enough for music, podcasts, and video calls without feeling like a gaming only headset. Audio clarity is consistently good across use cases. ➜ For under $20, the sound quality is the headline. I wasn't expecting this. ➡️ CONNECTIVITY: THREE MODES, BUT READ THE FINE PRINT ➜ The listing says "Wired, Wireless" and "Bluetooth." Technically accurate, but it significantly undersells and in some ways misrepresents the full connectivity picture. Here's what you're actually getting: ➜ BLUETOOTH: Works well. Stable connection. I've used it on Zoom calls from my PC without issues. Windows recognize the headset immediately as "Headphones (OHR631)" and "Microphone (OHR631)" with no drivers needed. Also IOS devices iPad and iPhone recognize the headset *(sound not mic of course) as OHR631 also. ➜ BREAKING EXISTING DEVICE BLUETOOTH PAIRING TO PAIR TO ANOTHER DEVICE. Breaking the BT bond is undocumented, and once I paired this to my iPhone, I couldn't break the BT bond to use this headset with my PC for a video call. When I pressed the volume up and volume down buttons simultaneously, the headset chimes a bit and then the blue light starts flashing, indicating that the headset is in pairing mode again. ➜ 3.5mm wired: Universal fallback. Works everywhere. ➜ 2.4GHz wireless via the included Captain 300F Headset Transmitter: this is where it gets interesting, and where the listing leaves buyers confused. ➡️ THE CAPTAIN 300F TRANSMITTER: WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS AND LOOKS ➜ The transmitter is a little device / adapeter with volume up/down buttons, a power/pairing button, and a mic mute button. It has a 3.5mm jack on one end and a USB-C port on the back. It says it transmits at 2402-2480MHz, genuine 2.4GHz wireless. ➜ For console gamers (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch): plug the 3.5mm end into your controller's headphone jack. The controller powers the transmitter, which beams 2.4GHz audio wirelessly to the headset. Low latency, works elegantly, no setup complexity. ➜ For PC gamers like me: connect the transmitter's USB-C port to your PC's USB-A port via the included cable. It works and the 2.4GHz connection is fast and reliable, very low latency. But the transmitter is designed to clip onto a controller, so plugged into a PC it looks bulky and weird. It functions, but it's not the clean dongle setup you'd expect from a PC gaming headset. ➜ The pairing process for 2.4GHz is not intuitive and the quick start guide doesn't cover it. I had to find a setup video on the Gtheos Captain 370 listing to figure it out. Since the other Capitain 370 listed version is the same hardware, I've found all their documentation applies directly. If you buy this headset, looks at the other " Captain 370" listings here and check there for full setup videos. ➡️ MY PC GAMER IRONY ➜ Acer is a PC brand. Anyone seeing "Acer" on a gaming headset will reasonably assume it's optimized for PC. The irony is that console gamers get the better 2.4GHz experience. The transmitter clips cleanly into a controller jack and just works. ➜ PC gamers get the same hardware but the transmitter looks goofy hanging out of a USB port. It functions perfectly well, I tested it, but aesthetically it's not what you'd want for a desktop gaming setup. ➡️ MICROPHONE AND BATTERY ➜ Microphone is decent and functional. Works well for team chat in games and I've used it on Zoom calls over Bluetooth without complaints from the other end. Not studio quality, but entirely appropriate for its intended use. ➜ The listing claims 40 hours of battery life. I haven't fully depleted it yet but battery life has been strong. I haven't had to think about charging it the way I do with cheaper headsets. Charges via USB-C in about 2.5 hours. ➡️ BOTTOM LINE: WHO THIS IS REALLY FOR ➜ Console gamers: this is an excellent deal! The 2.4GHz transmitter works elegantly with a gaming controller, the sound is great, comfort is good for long sessions, and the Acer branding is understated enough that it won't feel out of place in a PlayStation or Xbox setup. ➜ PC gamers: still a good headset at this price, but go in knowing the 2.4GHz setup looks clunky on a desktop, the pairing isn't well documented, and you'll need to find setup videos on the other listing. Bluetooth works fine for PC use including calls. The trade-off is worth it under $20. I bought this because I trust Acer from my overall Predator laptop experience, and I'm glad I did. The product ended up being more interesting and more complicated than I expected. The sound quality alone justifies the price. Overall, a great deal for console gamers, a pretty good deal for PC gamers, unless you're really picky about the look of the peripherals that connect to your rig. Read more
Chris Brundige—March 24, 2026
Finding a wireless headset that actually plays nice with Xbox, PC, and PS5 without a mess of cables is usually a $100+ endeavor. This Acer unit is a surprisingly strong contender in the budget space, especially at the current sale price. It’s a great "best bang for your buck" choice if you want wireless freedom without the premium price tag. The connectivity is the standout feature here. Bluetooth 5.4 provides a stable link, and the rechargeable transmitter is a smart design choice because it doesn't drain your controller's battery. Switching between platforms is relatively painless, though you do have to use the included USB extension for certain consoles. In terms of performance: Sound Quality: The 3D surround sound is decent for the price point. It provides good directional audio, which is essential for tactical shooters or survival games where positional awareness is key. Comfort: The over-ear design and soft headband make it comfortable for longer sessions. It has good sound isolation, so it does a nice job of blocking out background noise while you're focused. Battery Life: The 40-hour rating is legitimately impressive. You can easily get through a full weekend of heavy gaming without having to worry about a charge. Microphone: The noise-canceling mic is clear enough for coordinating with a team. It’s not broadcast-grade, but for standard voice chat, it’s perfectly functional and reliable. If you’re looking for a rugged, multi-platform wireless setup that won't break the bank, this is a very solid pick. Read more
