Although Alienware was also involved in the gaming accessories market for a long time, the latest headset to carry the company's logo arrived almost a decade ago. Unveiled earlier this month at Computex, the new AW988 comes as the company's first wireless gaming headset and is now already shipping to those willing to shell out more than US$200 — US$229.99, to be precise — to get it.
The official product page at Dell.com describes the AW988 as a "Gaming headset designed for the most dedicated audiophile. Lightweight design with crystal-clear communication and iconic Alienware style." However, the reality looks a bit different, because most audiophiles I know would never go for a non-wired headset that features virtual surround, 40 mm drivers, and a low impedance value of only 16 Ohm.
On the other hand, most of the gamers looking for a good headset should find enough attractive attributes here: AlienFX RGB lighting, up to 15 hours of autonomy (but less than 9 hours with the RGB lighting turned on), 20 to 20,000 Hz frequency response, a uni-directional boom microphone with active noise canceling, 107 dB maximum sound pressure. For more details about the look and feel of the AW988, you should spare a few minutes to watch the hands-on review below.