Microsoft and Bang & Olufsen have revealed the Beoplay Portal wireless headphones for Xbox that cost $ 499, which happens to be the same price as a Xbox Series X.
These new high-end headsets are the first product in the Designed for Xbox Limited Series program, which Microsoft says “It communicates how closely we have worked with our partners on each product to test quality, performance, security, and protection with all Xbox hardware experiences.”.
Bang & Olufsen headphones come in Black Anthracite, Gray Mist, and Navy Brass and are now available for pre-order in the United States and Canada. The black headphones are available for purchase from yesterday, March 30, 2021, while the gray and navy variants will ship in May. The Beoplay Portal headphones will be launched globally from April 29, 2021, including our territory.
While they offer a “sophisticated aesthetics and can be used in any situation”, they also offer easy access to gaming features such as custom game / chat balance, mute and volume on the headset or from the Bang & Olufsen audio app.
They are made to easily connect to your Xbox Series X / S or Xbox One with Xbox 2.4HGz lossless wireless connectivity but are also compatible with gaming PCs and mobile devices with Bluetooth 5.1 and aptX Adaptive.
A full charge takes 3 hours, and Beoplay Portal offers “12 hours of battery life when used on Xbox Wireless, Bluetooth and with active noise cancellation, and 24 hours when only using Bluetooth and active noise cancellation.”.
Its virtual articulated arm provides “Reliable microphone performance without the intrusive design of a physical articulating boom” which can amplify your voice while canceling background noise.
The Bang & Olufsen app mentioned above is available on iOS and Android phones and allows the user to “Quickly switch between preset game modes such as RPG or FPS, adjust Active Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Mic Monitoring, Mic Tone, and Game / Chat Balance.”.
When it comes to design, Beoplay Portal “combines the values of Scandinavian design with the world of games.”. Designed by Jakob Wagner in association with the Bang & Olufsen design team, these on-ear headphones feature leather ear cushions for excellent sound isolation and fully immersive audio.
They also have calfskin on the outer headband with bamboo fiber fabric on the inner band, and the cushions on the top of the headband help prevent fatigue and headaches from long-term wear.
These more expensive headsets give Xbox fans a new option alongside the more affordable Xbox Wireless Headphones that were recently revealed.