HS-450
A comfortable gaming headset
Creative's HS-450 headset sits in the middle of the market, between the premium Fatal1ty unit and cheaper models like the HS-350. The headset has some stiff competition from the Sennheiser PC30 but the HS-450 offers a few advantages like larger ear-cups and an in-line volume control. Sound quality is decent and they're comfortable enough for long gaming sessions or voice conferencing.
Pros
- Balanced sound, comfortable velour ear-pads, decent price
Cons
- High clamping force, poor isolation, weak treble
Bottom Line
Creative’s latest mid-range headset performs quite well considering its price. It’s nothing ground-breaking but it is a solid option for anyone looking for a versatile gaming or VoIP headset.
-
Where to buy
Priced from: $ 27.23
Selling at 8 stores
- $31.00 - Skycomp Technology
- $30.88 - Topbuy.com.au
- $35.38 - mwave
It's a typical over-the-head model, with ear-pieces that sit on top of the user's ears. Because the headphones aren't sealed, a lot of sound leaks out. If you play games or talk with your friends at high volumes, people nearby may be able to listen in. The headphones are well-built without being particularly heavy. Lightweight plastic is the main component, but they're not as flimsy as some other models we've tested. The ear-cups have plenty of foam padding and are lined with soft velour. This material is usually only found on more expensive headphones, so it was a pleasant surprise to find here.
When putting them on the high clamping force was instantly noticeable. Obviously adjusted for smaller heads, this can easily be remedied by bending the headband or extending it. The headphones are quite versatile and can be adjusted to suit all kinds of heads. They're comfortable, so wearing them for extended periods of time doesn't cause noticeable discomfort.
Sound quality is quite good; it's more than acceptable considering the budget price point. This headset delivers a warm sound, with a significant amount of bass. It does an acceptable job at reproducing music. For testing purposes, we listened to music and streaming Internet radio through the analog ports of a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1.
Bass is one of the more noticeable elements of the headphones. When listening to bass-heavy tracks, there's sometimes a pervasive low-frequency muddiness that overwhelms other notes. However this is only a problem at higher volumes and doesn't affect most music.
Mid-range is surprisingly even as well. Cheaper headphones are usually biased toward mid-range frequencies, giving the audio a bloated feel. Thankfully, this isn't the case here; the headphones sounded balanced throughout testing. Explosions during movies and PC gaming were loud and clear without being too overpowering.
Higher treble frequencies are the weakest link. When playing PC games and listening to music, it felt as if there was an artificial cap upon the higher frequencies, with sounds often lacking crispness and clarity. If you're intending to listen to music with strong vocal components like jazz or opera this headset isn't the best choice.
The microphone isn't fantastic but suffices for Internet chatting and simple voice recording when quality isn't of high importance. The microphone can be swivelled out of the way, and it has limited range for inward adjustment. However, its rubber casing causes it to slowly return to its original position, which may be annoying.
At 2.5 metres in length, the headphone cord can stretch to the rear of a PC and still leave room for movement. However, the in-line volume control is quite heavy and puts strain upon one side of the headphones. Thankfully a clip is built in so the volume control can be attached to clothing.
If you need an affordable headset that's comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time, the HS-450 will suit. Voice communication is easily handled, as is gaming and most music. However, anyone looking for exceptionally crisp or clear audio should consider other options.
Most Popular
Best Deals on PCWorld
- GamesView all »
-
-
Dell Alienware M17x Laptop
$2123.99 -
Dell Alienware M17x Laptop
$1869.00 -
Dell Alienware M14x Laptop
$1699.00 -
Dell Alienware X51 Desktop
$1613.99 -
Dell Alienware M18x Laptop
$3299.00 -
Dell Alienware X51 Desktop
$1498.98 -
Dell Alienware Aurora ALX R4 D...
$3498.98 -
Dell Alienware M17x Laptop
$2378.99 -
Dell Alienware Aurora ALX R4 D...
$5998.98 -
Dell Alienware M18x Laptop
$3143.99 -
Dell Alienware M14x Laptop
$1954.00 -
Dell Alienware Aurora R4 Deskt...
$2698.99 -
Dell Alienware X51 Desktop
$1448.98 -
Dell Alienware Aurora ALX R4 D...
$4498.99 -
Dell Alienware M14x Laptop
$1799.00 -
Dell Alienware M18x Laptop
$3654.00
-
- Software and ServicesView all »
-
-
LogMeIn LogMeIn for iPad/iPhon...
$0.00 -
LogMeIn Join.me
$149.00 -
LogMeIn Ignition for Android
$29.99 -
LogMeIn Hamachi
$19.00 -
LogMeIn Pro
$87.90 -
LogMeIn Central
$376.00 -
Bitdefender Total Security 201...
$104.95 -
LogMeIn Free
$0.00 -
LogMeIn Ignition for Windows
$48.00 -
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 201...
$59.95 -
Bitdefender Sphere
$99.95 -
Bitdefender Internet Security ...
$89.95
-
- PC ComponentsView all »
-
-
Seagate CONSTELLATION ES 3TB,7...
$430.79 -
LaCie Biggest F800 1TB
$1599.00 -
Asus GTX680-DC2T-2GD5 GTX680 2...
$611.00 -
Seagate Freeagent GoFlex Home ...
$168.50 -
LaCie 3TB SAS 12big Rack FC8 ...
$695.00 -
Intel Hp Envy H8-1420a (h3v92a...
$1199.95 -
AMD PCIe FirePro V3750 256MB
$194.00 -
Toshiba Stor.e Canvio 1TB 2.5 ...
$100.04 -
HP 500GB SATA 7200RPM SFF 2.5 ...
$448.94 -
Buffalo MiniStation 2.5 1TB US...
$139.99 -
Verbatim 2.5 StorenGo Super Sp...
$105.50 -
Western Digital 500GB Hard Dri...
$169.00 -
Western Digital WDBKXH5000ABK-...
$99.60 -
Western Digital WDBAAG0010HCH ...
$155.10 -
Freecom 500GB Mobile Drive XXS...
$85.21 -
AMD PCIe FirePro V3750 256mb
$160.00
-
- Desktop PCsView all »
-
-
Dell Vostro 470 Desktop
$1798.99 -
Dell Desktop OptiPlex 9020 AIO
$2199.00 -
Dell XPS One 2710 (Touch) Desk...
$2378.98 -
Dell Desktop OptiPlex 9020 Sma...
$1899.00 -
Dell Desktop OptiPlex 3010 Min...
$1248.99 -
Dell Precision Desktop T7600
$3499.00 -
Dell Inspiron One 2330 (Touch)...
$1098.99 -
Dell Desktop OptiPlex 9010 All...
$1849.00 -
Dell Alienware X51 Desktop
$1448.98 -
Dell Inspiron One 2020 (Non-To...
$798.98 -
Dell Inspiron 660 Mini Tower D...
$698.99 -
Dell Desktop OptiPlex 9010 USF...
$1199.00 -
Dell XPS One 2710 (Touch) Desk...
$2698.98 -
Dell OptiPlex 9010 Desktop
$899.00 -
Dell Inspiron 660s Slim Tower ...
$998.99 -
Dell Precision Desktop T5600
$4998.99
-
- NotebooksView all »
-
-
Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edit...
$998.99 -
Dell Laptop Latitude E5430
$1629.00 -
Dell Laptop Latitude E6430
$1599.00 -
Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edit...
$1298.99 -
Dell XPS 15 Laptop
$1698.98 -
Dell Vostro 2520 Laptop
$449.00 -
Dell Vostro 2520 Laptop
$849.00 -
Dell Laptop Latitude E6330
$1899.00 -
Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edit...
$999.00 -
Dell Laptop Latitude E6530
$2599.00 -
Dell Laptop Precision M6700
$1999.00 -
Dell Vostro 3560 Laptop
$719.00 -
Dell Inspiron 15 (Touch) Lapto...
$678.99 -
Dell Laptop Latitude E6230
$1449.00 -
Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop
$598.99 -
Dell Laptop Latitude E6430s
$1349.00
-
















Be the first to comment.