Creative’s Draco HS 880 gaming headset is a modest headset at a modest price, offering good value, comfort, and sound quality for a mere $50.
Feature Highlights and specifications
Aside from its entry-level price tag, the Draco HS-880’s key features can largely be summed up as comfort, decent noise isolation its class, and portability. A memory foam lined headband and ear cups, combined with its light, plastic construction, make the Draco HS-880 pretty comfortable for the long haul. Above average noise isolation helps drown out unwanted distractions.
Creative Labs Draco HS-880 gaming headset
While the Draco HS-880 isn’t specifically a portable headset, the ear cups can fold 90 degrees to flatten it out and store easily inside its included drawstring carry bag. However, its thin cable and light construction are not ‘rugged’, so pack them carefully if you travel with them. (Although the headband has a steel core, the rest of the headset is not so durable.)
Creative Draco HS-880 technical specifications
- Audio Drivers: 40mm Neodymium magnet
- Headset: Frequency Response: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
- 3.5mm Stereo/Mic Input
- Detachable Noise Canceling Condenser Microphone
- Frequency Response: 100Hz ~ 18kHz
- Sensitivity: -39dBV/Pa
- Travel pouch
- 1-year limited hardware warranty
Performance
The Draco HS-880 connects via simple 3.5mm microphone/stereo connectors, and no additional adapters are included. The cable is thinner than the average cable. You definitely wouldn’t want to roll a desk chair over it or use it to taunt your cat.
The HS-880 gets quite loud without any distortion, and they are definitely a bit bass-heavy (something the box is happy to proclaim). This is perfectly suitable for gaming. The inline controller is what you’d expect for this class and price of headset, meaning that it’s just a typical volume roller and microphone mute switch on a plastic module.
Overall audio and microphone performance was good across a variety of music, movies, and games, without any real notable shortcomings and the previously mentioned above-average bass. (Again, all fine for a $50 headset.)
The detachable microphone is the highly flexible type, so it’s easy to position and fold up. Once connected to the headset, there’s probably no need to really to detach it, even for travel.
Overall: Recommended
The Creative Draco HS-880 would be a decent headset at $79, but at $49 it’s an exceptional entry-level PC gaming headset.
PC & Video Gaming Examiner 