Good sound and comfort without the premium price: Akko Verge S9 Ultra gaming headset review
Almost complete.
The Akko Verge S9 Ultra are affordable wireless headphones that go a little beyond the basics. They feature a comfort-forward build, good-sounding drivers, but have no wired mode available. The bundled software is feature-packed as well.Abid Ahsan Shanto Published
Verdict – Comfortable and good-sounding, but not without compromises
The Akko Verge S9 Ultra gets most of the important things right for an affordable wireless gaming headset. There's a capable driver setup, a comfort-focused build, and a sleek overall design. The audio latency is low in the 2.4GHz mode, and the software offers added audio customization. Even the detachable microphone can record audio with relatively low noise.
There are some compromises, though. Due to the ear pads having suede leather, they can get warm, but the noise isolation is good. The Bluetooth mode lacks multipoint support, and there's no 3.5mm wired mode.
Still, if 3.5mm wired audio isn't a priority, the Verge S9 Ultra stand as well-rounded wireless gaming headphones with a sleek overall outlook.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
The Akko Verge S9 Ultra is available in four color options, and the wireless headphones are available on both Amazon and the official website. They retail for $59.99, but they tend to go on sale from time to time, generally dropping to $44.99.
Table of Contents
- Verdict – Comfortable and good-sounding, but not without compromises
- Specifications
- Akko's Verge S9 Ultra are affordable but the build quality tells a different story
- The headphones sound good, and the game-specific presets are handy
- There are Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes, but no 3.5mm wired mode is available
- The battery life is decent, and the microphone punches above its weight
Akko has released a couple of wireless headphones, and the Verge S9 happens to be the latest addition. This gaming headset is available in two versions, and this review unit is the Ultra variant. There's only one difference between this one and the other option, called the Master, and this small yet notable difference could make the latter a better pick for some.
Specifications
| Connectivity | 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and USB-C wired |
| Weight | Around 265 grams |
| Driver unit | 53mm N52 Neodymium |
| Sensitivity | 100±3dB |
| Frequency response | 12–22kHz |
| Mic size | 6.0×2.7mm |
| Mic sensitivity | -38±3dB |
| Wireless chip | 32-bit Dual-Core + HiFi 4 DSP |
| Battery size | 2000mAh |
Akko's Verge S9 Ultra are affordable but the build quality tells a different story
The Akko Verge S9 Ultra don't have a premium price tag, but the build quality tells a different story. They don't feel cheap, both on hands and on ears. The ear pads are well-padded, and they have soft-touch leather, which makes the headset look premium, but leather pads are known to peel away or flake with use.
Of course, the pads on the Verge S9 Ultra didn't show any signs of breaking down during the testing period. On the note of the ear pads, the cushioning inside provides good comfort during prolonged use, but because they are non-breathable, they trap heat and can cause ear warmth in non-air-conditioned environments.
There's good cushioning on the headband as well, and the stitching on the suede leather of the band gives a premium look to the headset. Speaking of the looks, Akko is offering the Verge S9 Ultra headset in four colors: Black, White, Black and Red, and Pink. The one that's in for review is Black.
Akko notes that the headset features an aluminum arm, and it does make the headphones feel light in weight. The arm has eight adjustable stages, so getting the right fit shouldn't be an issue for most gamers.
The headphones sound good, and the game-specific presets are handy
Akko has equipped the Verge S9 Ultra with N52 Neodymium drivers, which are paired with triple-channel branching. This combination makes the gaming headset sound good, especially for this price range. The bundled software offers a good degree of audio customizability as well.
There are different sound presets available in the software, and the game-specific settings can actually make a difference. For instance, with the CSGO preset turned on, the footstep sounds on Counter-Strike 2 were amplified, which can give a competitive edge. However, the amplification made by the preset on gunshots made the shots sound a bit too loud. The good part is that the presets are customizable.
As for music, the dedicated Music preset resets the equalizer, and the default state does work well for songs. Users can also turn on the Surround Sound 7.1 mode, which can make the game sounds sound a bit more immersive, but it makes music sound bad.
Akko further notes that the custom MCU of the Verge S9 Ultra allows it to offer ultra-low latency wireless audio. The claimed latency is around 15ms, and no audio delay was noted during the testing period.
There are Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes, but no 3.5mm wired mode is available
The Akko Verge S9 Ultra can work in both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes. Among the two, the latter is meant for low-latency audio transmission, while the former makes the headphones versatile.
However, it's worth noting that there appears to be no multipoint support, meaning that the wireless headset can only stay connected to one device at a time in Bluetooth mode. There's no 3.5mm wired mode available, and Akko has reserved this feature for the Master version, which is the only difference that lies between the two. On the bright side, there's USB-C mode available for those who might prefer wired over wireless.
The battery life is decent, and the microphone punches above its weight
Akko claims that the Verge S9 Ultra can offer up to 250 hours of runtime with a full charge. Of course, that rated playtime is said to be only possible when the volume is at 50%. While testing, the headphones saw around 2% of battery drop after an hour of use. It's worth noting that the volume was set to around 80% in this period.
The wireless headset charges via USB-C, and it doesn't take long for the battery to reach 100%. As for the microphone, it's detachable and is adjustable. It can pick up voices reasonably well, even in relatively noisy environments. The software also has a noise reduction mode, which can further enhance the recording quality. Below is a sample captured through the headphone's microphone.
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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