The peripherals from Dell’s gaming division Alienware have never been able to play at the top of the league, despite their mostly good features and unique design. This is set to change with the new Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset. In addition to Dolby Atmos and a battery life of 75 hours, the benefits also include active noise suppression and a rich, neutral sound – at least that’s what the manufacturer promises. Our test clarifies whether this is true.
Technical data
| The product | Pro Wireless Headset |
| Design | Over-Ear |
| Driver | 50 mm Graphene |
| Frequency range (headphones) | 20 – 40,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 32 Ohm @ 1kHz |
| Microphone type | Unidirectional |
| Connections | USB type C |
| Connectivity | 2.4 GHz wireless connection; Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Battery life | Up to 75 hours (without ANC); Up to 35 hours (with ANC) |
| Weight | 318 g |
| Compatibility | PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Mobile |
| Special features | Active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, Hi-Res Audio |
| Price | € 250.81 * |
Alienware Pro: Stylish design meets high comfort
- Simple, stylish design
- Very good workmanship
- high wearing comfort
Wide, round ear pads and a curved shape as if cast from a single mold: the Alienware Pro makes quite an impression visually and is comparatively simple by manufacturer standards. Only the Alien logo on the outside of the ear cups is evidence of Dell’s gaming division – and the logo is not even colorfully illuminated.
The simple, but at the same time very elegant design looks great in my eyes and even though the headphones are largely made of plastic, there is not much to complain about in terms of workmanship.
The white color scheme (Lunar Light) in particular makes the Alienware Pro look very stylish and also cuts a very good figure as over-ear headphones. Thanks to the detachable microphone boom, which is connected to the underside of the left ear cup via a 3.5 mm jack, the headset is also very suitable for listening to music.
Bluetooth connectivity is also available to provide the Pro with music via smartphone. Unfortunately, it is not possible to use Bluetooth and wireless at the same time – very few gaming headsets can do this anyway, such as the JBL Quantum 910 (our test).
In addition to the microphone boom, you will also find a USB-C charging cable and a USB receiver for wireless connection to PCs and consoles (Xbox is not included here). Commendable: The receiver already uses the modern USB-C standard, but the manufacturer also includes a USB-A adapter.
The Alienware Pro is extremely comfortable to wear. With a weight of 318 grams including the microphone, it is one of the heavier headsets, but rests very comfortably on the head thanks to the pleasantly soft and generous padding.
Features and operation
- Bluetooth 5.3 and reliable wireless connection
- Active noise suppression including transparency mode
- Dolby Atmos surround sound, but few app settings
As already mentioned, the Alienware Pro has both a 2.4 GHz wireless connection and a Bluetooth mode, both of which score with a decent range. Switching between the two operating modes is possible via a switch on the underside of the right ear cup.
In Bluetooth mode (via Bluetooth 5.3), the headset even supports high-resolution audio codecs; the frequency band ranges from 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz, which promises a pleasantly detailed sound.
However, active noise cancellation (ANC) and its counterpart in the form of transparency mode are rather rare. This shows why the Alienware Pro plays in the premium class. We will discuss the quality further down in the test report.
The headset also supports virtual surround sound via Dolby Atmos on the PC and also supports Sony’s Tempest 3D audio engine on the PS5. The surround sound on the PC is adjusted via the Dolby Access app, which can be conveniently accessed directly via the Alienware Command Center.
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The settings in Alienware’s own app, on the other hand, are extremely limited. Here you can only adjust the volume and intensity of the transparency mode, as well as individual microphone settings such as noise suppression.
Unfortunately, there is no equalizer for fine-tuning the sound. Firmware updates via the app are also not necessary. You’ll have to go to the Dell support website and download a separate update tool. In conjunction with Dolby Access, at least two open applications are always required to get the most out of the headset.
Good operation, but the volume doesn’t want to…
- Well thought-out, tidy operating concept
- Volume dial must first be “manually activated”
- No media control
I really like the operating concept of the Alienware Pro. The controls are distributed on both sides. These are easy to reach and score points with pleasantly precise feedback and a convincing feel.
On the left (from top to bottom) you will find the mute button for the microphone, a slightly rasterized volume dial and the ANC button, which can be used to switch between noise suppression, transparency mode and normal mode. Finally, there is a USB-C port for charging the headset.
On the right-hand side, you will find the power button for switching the headset on and off, a status LED and the switch that can be used to switch between wireless and Bluetooth mode. This all works very well and reliably for the most part.
With the exception of the volume dial, which strangely doesn’t react immediately in wireless mode on the PC. During the test, I first had to manually adjust the volume once in the Windows sound settings until it could be adjusted using the rotary wheel – very annoying after every system restart.
Unfortunately, media control with the buttons is not possible. It is therefore not possible to skip to the next or previous song, pause/resume playback or answer calls at the touch of a button.
Strong battery life
- Up to 75 hours of battery life (without ANC)
- 25-35 hours with active noise canceling
- Can also be used with the cable connected
In terms of battery life, the Alienware Pro is well positioned, at least if you can do without active noise cancellation. Up to 70 hours are possible in wireless mode and a whopping 75 hours in Bluetooth mode before the headset needs to be recharged.
With active noise cancellation, however, the runtime is reduced to around 25-35 hours, depending on the volume. However, you can continue to use the headset while it is charging with the cable connected.
Audio quality, ANC and microphone
- Detailed, lively sound
- Very good spatiality
- powerful, but noticeably overemphasized bass
The sound of the Alienware Pro is quite impressive. Like the Logitech G Pro X 2 or the Corsair Virtuoso MAX, for example, the headset uses 50 mm graphene drivers that cover a frequency range of 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz, as already mentioned.
Alienware advertises that the sound mix is optimized for gaming. Various esports professionals are very impressed with the sound on the manufacturer’s website. In fact, we also liked the sound very much.
Especially in single-player titles, the headset delivers a voluminous and detailed sound with excellent spatiality. The sound stage is equally detailed across all frequencies, so that powerful basses are just as effective as mids and airy highs.
This makes the headset very suitable for listening to music across all genres. Bass-heavy genres such as electro or hip-hop in particular benefit noticeably from the mix. You shouldn’t expect a neutral sound, as the Pro sounds very bass-heavy across the board.
However, this noticeable emphasis on bass also means that the Alienware Pro might not necessarily be the first choice for competitive gamers. Although I also like the sound very much here, the bass noticeably overpowers the treble, which means that important acoustic cues such as opponents’ footsteps are somewhat drowned out. An equalizer could have helped here.
ANC and transparency mode
- Decent ANC, but…
- … with annoying sound wobble and bass emphasis
- average transparency mode
The active noise cancellation of the Alienware Pro is okay, but can’t keep up with real ANC headphones. Monotonous low frequencies in particular are suppressed very well, while other frequencies such as typing on the keyboard or voices are noticeably reduced.
The problem I have: If you switch on the ANC function, the headset emits a constantly audible “wobble”, which can quickly become tiring, especially in quiet environments and without active sound. This may be a fault with our test model.
What is not a fault, however, is the additional bass boost with active ANC, as the already very present bass is amplified even further with active noise cancellation, which can quickly become somewhat unpleasant.
The transparency mode is okay, but also fails to set any positive accents. Ambient noise is amplified here so that conversations can also be held with a headset on. Unfortunately, this does not sound really natural.
Microphone quality of the Alienware Pro
- Average microphone quality
- AI ambient noise suppression too aggressive
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset features a unidirectional microphone that delivers decent quality. The microphone also has a red LED indicator to show that it is muted.
However, as the microphone boom is rather short at 14.5 cm long, you won’t even be able to see the LED when the headset is on.
In terms of quality, the Pro unfortunately only delivers decent results. It’s good enough for the odd chat, but you shouldn’t expect much more – other headsets, some of which are much cheaper, do a better job.
Alienware Pro microphone test recording:
Microphone test recording Asus ROG Pelta:
Microphone test recording Teufel CAGE Pro:
Microphone test recording Audeze Maxwell:
As you can clearly hear here, your own voice is noticeably lacking in detail and clarity. Unfortunately, the AI-supported noise suppression is also not entirely convincing. Although it succeeds in skillfully blocking out ambient noise, it does so a little too aggressively, so that some spoken ends and beginnings of words can be cut off.
Alienware Pro Review: Conclusion
Surprise: With the Alienware Pro, the manufacturer delivers a really good gaming headset that can score points in the premium price range with a convincing feature set. Above all, the 50 mm drivers deliver a detailed, spatial and rich sound that is equally impressive when gaming and listening to music – even if the bass is slightly overemphasized, which should please many people.
Thanks to additional Bluetooth connectivity including Hi-Res audio and a detachable microphone, the headset also cuts a fine figure as headphones on the go, while the battery life of up to 75 hours is also more than impressive.
I also really like the simple but stylish design and the wearing comfort offers no cause for criticism. But that doesn’t mean that the Pro is perfect.
The active noise cancellation (ANC) is merely decent, although the only thing that really annoys me is the annoying wabbling noise. Unfortunately, the microphone quality can’t keep up with some of the best gaming headsets, and the media control directly on the headset is also missing.
All in all, a coherent overall picture emerges. If you are looking for a comfortable and good-sounding wireless gaming headset with a long battery life, you will undoubtedly find it here.
- Rich, lively sound
- High wearing comfort
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Dolby Atmos
- Overemphasized bass
- ANC only average
- Microphone quality
Alienware Pro
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Equipment
Price-performance ratio
89/100
Comfortable wireless gaming headset with convincing but somewhat bass-heavy sound, practical Bluetooth connectivity and very good battery life. However, ANC and microphone are only average.
