Fractal Scape evaluation: seems nice, sounds even higher

Not many gaming headsets have a Scandinavian minimalist aesthetic, which is why Fractal’s $199.99 Scape caught my eye. Like a lot of Fractal’s PC cases, this headset seems extra refined than you would possibly count on from gaming gear, with clear traces and simplistic coloration schemes that may mix in higher together with your furnishings and desk setup.

I’ve spent the previous couple of weeks utilizing the Scape at work and whereas enjoying video games, and it’s among the many greatest that I’ve ever examined on this worth vary. The match and end are spectacular for a first-gen gadget from an organization with no lineage in audio {hardware}. Its glossy design is available in grey or black, with minimal LEDs that add a refined glow across the backside fringe of the ear cups (these are the primary LEDs in a headset I haven’t needed to right away change off). It has a chunkier model of Apple’s Digital Crown on the again of its left ear cup. The knob controls quantity and could be clicked to pause and resume content material (double- or triple-clicking skips and reverses songs, respectively).

This headset includes a button on its proper ear cup that allows you to toggle between three premade audio equalizer settings. It’s nice to have these controls on the {hardware}, not simply buried inside a companion app. And configuring the Scape feels as elegant as utilizing it. Everything —together with customizing these EQ presets — is dealt with by an internet software referred to as Adjust Pro. It additionally helps you to tweak the mic’s sidetone, modify the headset’s LED lighting (you possibly can go for certainly one of 10 tasteful themes, together with “campfire,” and “northern lights,” set it to a customized coloration and sample, or flip it off), and set up firmware updates when wanted. You may even obtain a conveyable model of the Adjust Pro app that works with out set up or an web connection. It’s all very thoughtfully designed.

I like that Fractal provides you two mic choices. You can use the versatile flip-to-mute growth mic for superior voice high quality, or detach it to allow the Scape’s built-in microphone. Not many headsets permit for this degree of flexibility, however we’re seeing it occasionally with fashions constructed to move as over-ear headphones in public; SteelSeries’ new $600 Arctis Nova Elite wi-fi headset is the newest instance. The recording high quality from the Scape’s growth is serviceable (the built-in mic is much less good, however works in a pinch). Pressing and holding the mute button toggles microphone noise cancellation. I’ve an oscillating fan stepping into my workplace, and the setting largely tuned it out. You can modify the quantity of sidetone within the net app — the upper the worth, the extra you’ll be capable to hear your individual voice (and possibly your respiration, too) by means of the headset, together with extra background noise.

Fractal advertises over 40 hours of battery life with the RGB lights off, or round 24 hours with them on. Even with them on, the headset had no challenge surviving a number of full days of labor, in addition to a weekend filled with gaming, earlier than needing a cost. However, battery life wasn’t a priority throughout most of my testing as a result of the included magnetic charging dock removes nearly the entire friction often concerned in charging a headset. (You can even plug the headset in through the included USB-C cable and preserve utilizing it because it expenses.) The dock additionally serves as a stand to maintain it off your desk, and as an extender for its 2.4GHz audio transmitter.

The dock or simply its transmitter can be utilized with different units; I’ve been plugging it into my Switch 2 dock after work. Or you possibly can toggle the change on the Scape’s left ear cup to change on Bluetooth (it may possibly’t pipe in audio from each 2.4GHz and Bluetooth sources concurrently). It helps multipoint over Bluetooth, letting it join to 2 units, however it may possibly’t play audio from each units concurrently.

The Scape’s connectivity isn’t almost as versatile as some current headsets, together with the $179.99 Astro A20 X, which connects through 2.4GHz to a field that allows you to swap between two wired sources with a button, and in addition has Bluetooth (it may possibly’t combine Bluetooth and its Lightspeed wi-fi, although). SteelSeries’ new $599.99 Nova Elite units a excessive bar, lettings you hear as much as 4 wi-fi audio sources blended collectively: three inputs plugged into its base station’s USB-C and aux ports, and one over Bluetooth, together with three wi-fi sources, plus audio coming by means of its base station’s wired aux port (the corporate’s 2021 Nova Pro Wireless can do three wi-fi sources concurrently). I’d like to see Fractal develop the variety of units you possibly can take heed to without delay within the subsequent model of its headset.

Fractal’s headset delivers higher sound high quality than I used to be anticipating for its worth. Songs and video games come by means of with heat and a excessive degree of element. It’s surprisingly aggressive to Sony’s $349.99 InZone H9 II, and it handily beats the Astro A20 X . The huge distinction is that the H9 II has energetic noise cancellation, whereas the Scape doesn’t. It’d be nice to have ANC right here, however I wouldn’t pay the additional $200 simply to get ANC, particularly because it’d imply giving up the Scape’s glossy design, intelligent charging dock, and straightforward customization.

The Scape stands out as a great-looking, great-sounding headset that’s almost easy to customise. While it lacks some options in comparison with its pricier competitors (concurrent multi-source audio, ear cups that lie flat, and ANC would all be good), Fractal’s first headset leaves little else to be desired at this worth.

Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge