When you, as a manufacturer, come up with a gaming headset of almost 500 euros, as Bang & Olufsen does with the BeoPlay Portal, then these must be of good origin. Since B&O is an audio brand pur sang, you don’t have to doubt the sound quality. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t caveats.
Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay Portal
Recommended retail price € 499,-
Link USB-A, USB-C, 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.1, Audio Cable
Compatibility Computers, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles, Nintendo Switch
RGB features New
battery life 19 (with anc) to 40 (without anc) hours
Website bang-olufsen.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Neutral sound
- Dual audio streaming
- Design and build quality
- Comfort
- Installation
- Negatives
- bass layer
- Adapter needed for PlayStation
- Price
- No physical microphone
Last year, Bang & Olufsen (B&O) launched the BeoPlay Portal. These are gaming headphones with the Xbox Wireless protocol on board. This allows you to effortlessly connect the headset to the Xbox at the push of a button. The headset uses the same connection as the controller, so you don’t have any delay via Bluetooth and you don’t have to bother with cables. Now B&O is releasing the same headset that you can connect to the PlayStation 4 or 5 and a PC.
BeoPlay Portal now works a little differently
Because the PlayStation is not an Xbox, pairing works a little differently this time. The box contains two USB adapters and an audio cable. The latter is handy so that you can use the headphones without draining the battery. You simply connect the renewed Portal via the cable and the audio ports on the controller, computer or even Nintendo Switch. However, if you want to play wirelessly, you can choose from two types of USB adapters or Bluetooth.
For example, there is a usb-c adapter that is suitable for the PlayStation 5. Installing is a breeze. You plug the USB-C adapter into the front of the PS5, turn on the headset and then connect the headset at lightning speed. And as long as the adapter is in the front of the PlayStation, the system will let all audio go directly through the headset.
Do you want this to be different? Then remove the adapter from the PlayStation or set in the main menu that the audio should go through the HDMI cable again. A child can do the laundry.
Many connection options
In addition, the BeoPlay Portal (2022) supports bluetooth 5.1. You can also connect it wirelessly to your smartphone or computer, for example. Keep in mind that there may be a little more delay compared to the other options. The supplied adapters connect via 2.4 GHz and therefore have less delay than via Bluetooth. And because the audio cable is a direct connection, there is no delay at all on the line.
A cool feature of the BeoPlay Portal, whichever version you get, is dual-audio streaming. You then connect the headphones to a PC or PlayStation and mobile device simultaneously, and the Portal is then able to pass two incoming signals simultaneously. This way, you can listen to music via your mobile while you’re gaming. And when you receive a call, you don’t have to take off your headset. The call is then also sent to your ears via bluetooth.
Expensive headset
The B&O BeoPlay Portal is an expensive headset, so you can expect that such matters are well arranged. What about the audio exactly? It is of a high level. The PlayStation 5’s 3D audio capabilities really come into their own. This is how you hear streams flowing in behind you Horizon: Forbidden West and hear the ghosts and specters arriving from every angle in Ghostwire: Tokyo. With a headset like this you react very quickly to what is happening around you.
The two 40mm drivers, one in each earcup, further bring out a neutral and natural sound profile. This is at the expense of the bass, which – just like in the previous model – is not strongly present. You can slightly adjust the audio experience and choose specific game genres via the free B&O app, but the manufacturer does not completely solve the problem with this. Fortunately, the most important aspect, spatial audio, is transferred well to the player.
Equalizer and Microphone
It is striking that the bass layer is present in music. Perhaps that has to do with genres, productions and preferences, but it would be nice if certain audio elements were conveyed to listeners or gamers with a little more impact. The positive thing about this story is that the sound is not edited or distorted at all (provided you don’t touch the equalizer in the app with your hands). In addition, details from the background – in both games and music – come out beautifully.
A notable element of this headset is the lack of a physical microphone. Instead, B&O presents a kind of virtual microphone that picks up your voice. Although you are well understood on the other hand, the audio quality is not of a high level.
That’s a shame, because you don’t want to feel like you’re sacrificing anything while using it, especially considering the price. A physical microphone, which is also flexible, is still really preferable for the time being.
Anc, battery life and operation
The BeoPlay Portal is a rare headset when it comes to active noise cancellation (active noise canceling or anc) goes. This model has that, so in theory you should be able to game undisturbed, without outside noise. Admittedly, compared to, for example, the Pulse 3D from Sony, you hear much less. But compared to other, ‘normal’ headsets, the result is somewhat disappointing. The anc is therefore a nice extra, but not a strong selling point.
Compared to the Xbox version, there is one thing that is different: the battery life. While the Xbox version lasts twelve to 24 hours on a full battery (the difference with anc on or off), the PlayStation version lasts nineteen to forty hours. Those are differences that make us happy. Because the less often you have to charge your accessories, the better. Charging via the USB-C cable is no problem. It will take you about an hour or three.
Although you can set the headphones as you want via the app, you can also control some aspects via the device. For example, there are touch-sensitive controls on the ear cups, with which you adjust the volume or the balance between game audio and chat. It takes some getting used to and searching in the beginning, but you get used to it. That does not mean that the operation could be a lot better. Microsoft proved that when the Xbox wireless headset came on the market, with its dials on the shells.
Bang & Olufsen: BeoPlay Portal (2022) – conclusion
Almost everything about the B&O BeoPlay Portal screams that we’re dealing with a premium gaming headset. The king of premium gaming headsets, in fact. We haven’t even mentioned the build quality and materials yet. The ear cushions, which are made of lambskin with memory foam, stay in place for a long time. In addition, the headphones put little pressure on the head due to the soft lining on the inside of the headband. In short: very comfortable.
However, all the positives do not point to a gaming headset that is for everyone. The microphone is not optimal, for example. And the lack of bass sometimes gives a somewhat unsaturated feeling during gaming. In addition, the price naturally plays a part. 499 euros is just as expensive as the PlayStation 5 with disc slot, if you buy it in the store. But if you have the money and you’re looking for a truly premium experience, the BeoPlay Portal is the headset you’re looking for.
The audio experience sounds pure, natural and neutral. And that is also worth something, in a world where many people go just a little too well on the existing bass layer of, for example, JBL headsets. Not that JBL headsets are bad, but they are intended for a different audience.
If you also care about design and comfort and are in the market for a nice-sounding headset for music, then the BeoPlay Portal is for you. You still save some money: after all, you only buy one product.
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