Do gamers care about luxury headphones? We’re about to find out with this month’s release of Bang & Olufsen’s first-ever wireless gaming headphones called Beoplay Portal. Priced at $499, these gaming headphones cost as much as the Xbox Series X game console they’re designed to seamlessly work with.
What’s notable about Beoplay Portal is they’re gaming headphones that don’t look like gaming headphones. For starters, they’re nearly indistinguishable from the just released Beoplay HX wireless headphones that are priced the same. Instead of the boom mic that’s typical on gaming headsets, Bang & Olufsen implemented an array of seemingly hidden directional beamforming microphones to capture the user’s voice during collaborative gaming. In addition, gamers can enjoy Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, and an elegant user interface via app. The company says they’re lightweight, built for long-lasting comfort, ease of use, and superior acoustic performance.
“Beoplay Portal is the first of its kind — a wireless headphone that combines gaming technology with Bang & Olufsen’s characteristic sound, design, and craftsmanship. Our designers and engineers have worked tirelessly to create a pair of headphones that meets the advanced technological needs of the gaming community while also excelling during daily use. Bang & Olufsen is thrilled to be entering the gaming market with this category-redefining product.”Dorte Vestergaard, Director and Head of Bang & Olufsen’s On-The-Go category
Designed for Xbox
Beoplay Portal was developed as part of the Designed for Xbox program, and connects seamlessly to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles via Xbox Wireless protocol, providing a high bandwidth, low latency connection. Beoplay Portal is also compatible with PC and mobile devices via Bluetooth 5.1, aptX™ Adaptive, and USB-C, allowing gamers to take their immersive audio experience on the go.
Sound
Tuned by Bang & Olufsen’s acclaimed acousticians, Beoplay Portal provides a rich audio experience, claiming to offer a high level of detail and nuance. Two custom-designed 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets ensure a precise and faithful acoustic reproduction. And with Dolby Atmos for Headphones, Beoplay Portal also offers virtualized surround sound, adding layers of depth and texture to games, movies, and music.
The sound performance of Beoplay Portal is further enhanced by a new generation of Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation technology. Using a combination of feed-forward ANC and feed-back ANC, Beoplay Portal allows users to fully immerse themselves, enjoying every detail even in noisy environments. And the addition of Own Voice enables users to hear their own voices while simultaneously canceling out extraneous sounds.
Comfort
The jaw-supporting earpads are crafted from lambskin-wrapped memory foam. There is a subtle protrusion on the rear of each cushion, which conforms to the shape of the user’s head, enhancing comfort and eliminating sound leakage. The inner headband features offset padding designed to relieve pressure on the top of the head. This padding is covered with a high-quality bamboo fiber textile, which was chosen for its durability and breathability. And weighing in at a mere 282 grams (9.95 oz), Beoplay Portal headphones are among the lightest on the wireless category, ideal for hours of continuous use.
Optimized for Gaming
Beoplay Portal features an elegant user interface comprised of finely tuned touch controls built into the side of the earcups. With several simple gestures, users can raise and lower the volume, adjust ANC and Transparency Mode, and control their music and phone calls.
The same functions can also be accessed in the Bang & Olufsen app (available for iOS and Android). With the launch of Beoplay Portal, the Bang & Olufsen app has been updated to include Gaming Mode, which introduces a new set of features designed specifically for gamers, including microphone optimization and game/chat balance. When connected to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One or PC using a dongle or USB-C, Gaming Mode is automatically activated. When connected using Bluetooth, the features will adapt to the needs of a traditional headphone, and the app’s user interface will adjust accordingly.
Beoplay Portal has a 1,200 mAh lithium-ion battery, offering up to 24 hours of continuous playtime using Bluetooth and Active Noise Cancellation; or 12 hours of playtime using Xbox Wireless, Bluetooth, and Active Noise Cancellation.
Price & Availability
Beoplay Portal is now available in Black Anthracite in the United States and Canada for $499 at Bang & Olufsen, Best Buy, and the Microsoft Store for a limited time. Navy and grey mist colorways are expected to start shipping globally starting April 29, 2021. Wireless dongle sold separately.
- 449 GBP
- 499 USD
- 499 EUR
- 3,749 DKK
- 549 CAD
Features
- Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation
- Transparency mode
- Bluetooth 5.1
- Xbox Wireless
- Dolby Atmos for Headphones
- Virtual boom arm
- Multipoint
Technical Specifications
- Product dimensions (mm): 167.3 W x 178.7 H x 92.6 D
- Weight: 282 g
- 292 g (including audio cable)
- Speaker drivers: 40mm Electro-dynamic drivers with Neodymium magnets
- Impedance: 24 Ohm +/- 15%
- Effective frequency range: 20 – 22.000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 95 dB, 1 mW @1kHz
Sound codecs:
- aptX™ Adaptive
- AAC
- SBC
Microphones:
- 4 digital MEMS voice mics
- (2 mics shared with ANC)
- 4 dedicated MEMS mics for ANC (2 per ear cup)
Battery play time:
- Up to 12 hours with Xbox Wireless, Bluetooth, and Active Noise Cancelling
- Up to 24 hours with Bluetooth and Active Noise Cancelling
- Charging time: Approximately 3 hours
Battery type
- Non-replaceable lithium-ion battery
- Capacity 1200 mAh
- Power supply: 5V USB charging by USB-C connector
Buttons
- Right button: On/Off/BT pairing
- Left button: Xbox connect/disconnect
- Right slider: Volume up/down
- Left slider: ANC/Transparency/Own-voice
- Touch interface: Play/Pause or Mute/Unmute
Connectivity
- Bluetooth 5.1 (12m operating range; 8 devices)
- Xbox Wireless
- USB-C port
- 3.5mm mini-jack
Certifications
- Google Fast Pair
- Made for iPhone (MFi)
- Microsoft Swift Pair
LED indicators
- Status LED
- Battery LED
Beoplay Portal Reviews
From Critics Around the Web
