Corsair Vengeance 1100 Gaming Headset Review

1. Introduction2. The Headset3. Comfort and Performance4. Conclusion5. View All Pages

The packaging that Corsair have chosen to use for the Vengeance 1100 differs greatly from what we saw with the 1500.  Rather than use a proper cardboard box, this time they have opted for a vacuum-formed plastic packet that closely fits the shape of the headset.  While this may not give the headset quite as much protection as a proper box, it will show it off much better on the retail shelves and it helps to reduce the overall cost.

Turning the box over reveals details of the features and specifications of the headset in various different languages. As we found with the Vengeance 1500, the bundle included with the 1100 is very small indeed.  Aside for the USB sound card dongle that we mentioned previously, we only find a small carrying case in the box.  Don't expect the carrying case to provide much protection to the headset, though, as it is a simple cloth bag.  It should prevent the headset from being scratched or marked, though.

Corsair have chosen to use plastic almost exclusively in the construction of the Vengeance 1100.  The only pieces of metal to be found are at the base of the microphone boom and two rings on the back of the neckband.  While the rings on the neckband appear to be decorative, it seems that the metal section at the base of the microphone is part of the hinge mechanism.  We would say that Corsair have implemented this to ensure that the microphone hinge doesn't wear out quickly or snap off.  All of the plastics used in construction also seem to be very good quality.

It's clear that Corsair have tried to infuse some excitement into the aesthetic design of the Vengeance 1100 as they have added some blue trim on the inside of the headband and on the outside of the earpieces.  This differentiates the Vengeance 1100 a little from the vast number of uninspiring all-black headsets on the market.  Even though the Vengeance 1100 doesn't fold up for transportation, the neckband is very flexible so it is unlikely to be damaged unless you subject it to significant abuse.

Despite being the cheapest headset in Corsair's Vengeance range, the 1100 features a high-quality cloth braided cable.  This gives us confidence that Corsair hasn't made any compromises when it comes to build quality.  The headset cable itself terminates in a pair of silver-plated 3.5mm connectors, one for headphone output and the other for microphone input.

The USB sound card dongle that Corsair include with the Vengeance 1100 is very well designed in our opinion.  It comprises of a flash-drive-sized unit that plugs into a USB port and a separate piece to plug in the two 3.5mm connectors.  The two parts of the unit are connected by a very short cable.  This design helps prevent the headset cable from pulling on the dongle and damaging the USB connector.

Corsair have wisely chosen to locate the headphone volume control and microphone mute cable into a separate unit which is located about 50cm down the headset cable, before the 3.5mm connectors.  This means that they function irrespective of whether you are using the USB sound card dongle or not.

The noise cancelling boom microphone folds down from the left earpiece and is quite large in size compared to the rest of the headset.  This can be a little annoying when the microphone is not in use as it tends to get in the way and disrupts the attractive aesthetics of the headset.

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