- Manufacturer: Roccat
- Supported platforms: Xbox, PC, Switch, Mobile, PS4/5
- Connection type: 3.5mm analogue jack
- Reviewed on: Xbox, PC, Switch
- Supplied by: Roccat
[su_accordion]
[su_spoiler title=”About” style=”fancy”]
SUPREME CROSS-PLATFORM STEREO SOUND
With the ROCCAT® Elo X Cross-Platform Stereo Gaming Headset experience a weightless, dynamic fit with a self-adjusting metal headband and superior memory foam ear cushions. Precision-tuned 50mm drivers produce pitch-perfect sound while a detachable noise-cancelling microphone ensures crystal-clear chat. Finally, the 3.5mm jack lets players go from PC to game console to mobile easily.
DYNAMIC FIT
Gamers come in all shapes and sizes but the Elo X ensures a perfect fit no matter what. A self-adjusting metal headband and rotating ear cup hinges for added flexibility create a weightless fit unique to you.
SUPERIOR COMFORT
Superior memory foam ear cushioning featuring Turtle Beach’s proprietary ProSpecs™ Glasses Relief System features dual-foam ear cushions, with softer foam in the section that rests against your glasses, alleviating pressure and allowing gamers with glasses to play in comfort.
SUPREME STEREO SOUND
Precision-tuned 50mm neodymium drivers provide you with pitch-perfect stereo sound to help you seek out your opponents with ease. From crisp highs to rumbling lows, every crucial sound is covered to ensure you’ll hear everything but miss nothing.
CRYSTAL-CLEAR COMMUNICATION
TruSpeak™ microphone technology ensures your voice sounds the same in the digital world as it does in the real world. Say goodbye to static and crackle with crystal-clear communication with your teammates that sounds completely natural. The mic is also detachable for added convenience.
CROSS-PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY
Any device, anytime, anywhere. Enjoy the Elo X’s supreme stereo sound while gaming on your PC or game console or connect it to your mobile device so you can play on the go thanks to a versatile 3.5mm jack and PC splitter. With truly impressive comfort and cross-platform compatibility, you can gear up with a headset equipped for every situation.
[/su_spoiler]
[/su_accordion]
The ELO X Stereo is the budget-friendly version of three new entries to Roccat’s new ELO X lineup.
In order to keep the costs down, the Elo X Stereo doesn’t have RGB, wireless functionality or a separate DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter) like its higher-end counterparts. Having said that, that does not mean the ELO X is bad, necessarily, as budget-friendly headsets can sometimes be the most surprising.
The ELO X Stereo is fitted with 50mm drivers in place of the 40mm drivers often fitted in a budget headset. These larger drivers pack a decent punch, and the sound stage, while not amazingly wide, is good enough for its given purpose and especially given that the ELO X Stereo is designed to be used on everything from consoles to mobile phones.
The audio tuning of the drivers is quite sharp in the highs. This is refreshing compared to the common over-the-top bass boost, and I imagine this is to try and replicate the superhuman hearing mode that Roccat’s parent company Turtle beach has been using for years. It’s a great concept for a gaming headset but in practice, with games having such diverse audio and profiles, I’d much prefer a flatter EQ.
In terms of build and design, the ELO X is a bit of a mixed bag. The design is fairly nice with large black oval cups emblazoned with the Roccat logos; a text logo on one side and the graphic logo on the other, both in a muted silver. The headband is less traditional, opting for a large set of metal frames arching above the actual head cushion which is held in place by two extending straps.
This has been seen before, and it’s a kind of auto-adjusting headband that will nearly always sit comfortably and snug on anyone’s head with no adjustment. My main issue with the ELO X Stereo is that the headband, when paired with the lightweight black plastic construction, causes the band to creak and the resulting noise echoes into the cups with even with the slightest of head movements. This caused a few moments where the noises would break my concentration and pull my focus. Me being me, after I’d heard it, I couldn’t un-hear it, and I found I was actively listening for the creaks.
Comfort-wise, the ELO is pretty good. The headband does what it’s supposed to do and always sits perfectly, but the cups are slightly on the sweaty side for my liking. I find it the same with all leatherette cups, it’s just down to personal taste. The cups are deep and plush enough to be comfortable and keep my ears off the drivers while providing a decent amount of isolation.
Possibly my most appreciated feature is the swivelling forks, I love headsets to have swivelling cups. It allows for a better fit and also usually means the clamping force will be perfect (it is). An added bonus to that, especially for a multiplatform headset like the ELO X, is that you can just pop them off and turn the cups to be flat rather than sticking up which makes them super comfortable to just pop off and leave around your neck.
Feature-wise, on the cups you will find a spring-loaded mute button that will toggle in and out to activate and deactivate the mic, and above it, sitting nicely on the left cup you will find a volume control wheel. These are always hit or miss for me. This particular one could do with being slightly more proud of the housing but it works fine, and on a headset in this price range that is aimed at stereo multi platform play it’s perfectly fine.
The cable pops out of the left cup and ends in a standard 3.5 mm audio jack. It is unremovable and unbraided, instead opting for a rubberized finish. It feels sturdy and well supported at each end leading me to be confident it will last a fair while.
Lastly the microphone. I love the shape, and the mic housing itself has an angled shape to it. This means that you have more natural control over the mic’s position as you are less reliant on the neck’s movement or flexibility for angling the mic towards your mouth. Functionally it will not be competing with high-end headsets that have software support but for general use, especially between platforms, the voice clarity is clear enough.
The microphone is also removable, which is a huge pro for me. Any headset that aims at Switch or mobile gaming in my opinion needs a removable mic. There is no part of me that wants to take my Switch out on the train and be sat there with a mic on. Aesthetics aside, it also makes storing and transporting your headset much easier.
SUMMARY
Overall, the ELO X Stereo is a capable budget headset. It’s not without some issues, but for a headset with 50mm drivers, good non-bass boosted audio and a decent mic it’s very competitive in the sub-£40 price range. Further to that, it’s far more comfortable than most budget headsets I have used.
It has earned its place in my daily use cycle, and the comfort, audio and removable mic paired with half-decent looks make it ideal for using out and about. Whether I’m playing Pokemon Sword in the park or watching YouTube and playing CoD mobile on the train, the ELO X Stereo is my new goto headset.
I can also not stress enough how much I value swivelling ear cups on headsets.