A lot of technology doesn’t age well. Computers, displays, digital cameras—these gadgets are often quickly supplanted by increasingly better alternatives. Audio gear, however, is a different story: Upgrading Bluetooth standards and ANC capabilities can make a difference here and there, but one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is the acoustic engineering, and it isn’t so quickly one-upped by leaps and bounds every year. So when a truly great headset comes along and delivers excellent audio like the Audeze Penrose did in late 2020, it can age much more gracefully. But like most tech, its age still tends to come with discounts, which is how we’re here in 2024 with one of the best gaming headsets available at $100 off.
This discount comes in the midst of Amazon’s October Prime Days, but it’s not a member-exclusive deal, so you can snag this $100 savings without needing to shell out for Prime.
What you get for $199 is a truly excellent audio device. The Audeze Penrose are built around large planar magnetic drivers. These operate differently from the dynamic drivers typically found in headphones and earbuds, and the precise audio delivery and wide frequency response is something to behold. Whether it’s the deep bass of explosions in a video game or the instrumental score of a movie, the Penrose can go there, and they can also deliver sharp treble and full mids with ease.
The Audeze Penrose let you enjoy its quality audio wireless. They include a small USB-C dongle that plugs into PlayStations, PCs, or Nintendo Switch consoles to transmit low-latency audio to the headset. The headset also supports Bluetooth, letting you pair it to a smartphone and combine audio streams in much the same way our favorite gaming headset does, so you can enjoy low-latency gaming audio and hop into a chat or call over Bluetooth. While this version of the Penrose doesn’t support Xbox wirelessly, the headset can connect to devices over a 3.5mm AUX cable, which will work with Xbox.
The Audeze Penrose are a little heavy, and their 13-hour battery life will require you to stay diligent about plugging in after long gaming sessions. But they’re still comfortable and offer a lot for the money. It’s worth noting that their newer sibling, the Audeze Maxwell, is already out and improves on the Penrose in a number of ways. But the Maxwell isn’t $200.
