EKSA E900 Wired Gaming Headset Review

We looked at the EKSA E910s recently and concluded the wireless headset came with decent bass at an affordable price. The E900s are EKSA’s budget offering and come in at a stunningly low $32.99, which seems to offer real bang for buck.

The price point puts them in a very competitive place in the sub-$50 headset space but it’s not all about the money. Let’s dive in and find out whether the EKSA E900s are a steal or too good to be true.

 

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Specifications

What’s in the box?

• EKSA E900 gaming headset with inline volume and mic mute function
• Removable noise-canceling boom mic
• Mic/audio Y cable
• Carry bag
• User Manual
• 2-year warranty card

Setup

Setup is a strong word for plugging the E900s into the 3.5mm audio jack on your PC/Console. The removable mic can be utilized via the included Y-cable. It’s a very convenient plug-and-play experience – no knowledge is required to use this headset, making it good for beginner gamers. However, we did run into some connectivity issues whilst testing the mic – more details on this can be found in the “Sound Quality” section below.

Build Quality

The build quality of the E900 is a mixed bag. Straight out of the box the headset is disconcertingly light, even lighter than the previously reviewed E910 headset. The cables the headset comes with are very low quality with standard rubber shrouding. No premium braiding is found here. The band is very impressive for the price, with an impressive amount of bend and flex. The plastic housing of the ear cups is standard plastic, solid enough but we’re not confident it could withstand more than a few drops. The yolks are surprisingly sturdy and offer impressive rigidity, and the aluminum is finished in a vivid scarlet, with other color schemes available.

The microphone feels good but as detailed later on is very problematic in terms of performance. It has good adjustability and holds its position well. Its length is such that the boom ends up slightly to the side of your mouth. This avoids errant breathing and popping noises, which in turn will avoid angry comments from teammates, which is always a good thing.

Design

The design of the E900 headset is generally understated, with a few choice implementations of color here and there. It’s worth noting that the review sample we got was the red color scheme, but it’s also available in purple and green.

The headset is primarily black, with a matte finish that resembles brushed aluminum, though in fact is entirely plastic, with the notable exception of the yolks, which are surprisingly robust machined aluminum. The color choices here are solid, and we think this headset would fit pretty easily into any aesthetic you already have for your gaming setup.

The earcups look nice enough but, as detailed later, do not hold up to extended gaming sessions. The exterior of their earcups sport the EKSA logo which is minimalistic in design, yet hints at the gaming purpose of this headset. The design of the leatherette carry bag is unremarkable, with the red from the color scheme reflected in the drawstrings.

Overall, we’re impressed with the design of the E900s, it’s reserved but has a few small instances of flair which help the headset stack up in terms of design against other budget models.

Comfort

After using the E900s for an extended period we’re pleased to report that the comfort is decent for this price point. The relative weightlessness of the headset helps mitigate the potential negative effects of the budget-level cushioning that is present on the headband. The clamping force is about right and the headset doesn’t feel like it will fly free at a rapid turn of the head.

The earcups are nicely padded, nothing special, but serviceable at reducing pressure around the ears. They are also decently sized for medium to large-eared people. No complaints about the fit here. After extended use, however, the leather ear cups can get quite hot and stuffy. This is the largest drawback of the E900s – the earcups do not let your ears breathe at all. We ran into a similar issue when reviewing the more premium model from EKSA, the E910s.

Sound Quality

Many budget headsets tend to overblow the bass in order to hide the weakness in the mids and the highs, and we’re sorry to report that the E900s are no exception. The bass is pretty good for this price point – cranking the volume provides an impressively thumping gaming audio experience. That said, the mids and highs are lacking in fidelity. Comparisons to other budget headsets like the Corsair HS35 paint the E900 unfavorably. Other headsets offer better sound quality for a relatively small price increase.

The highs feel particularly tinny, and this gets worse at higher volumes. The mids are a bit better, feeling more capable so long as you don’t exceed the volume further than around 60%. It’s no surprise at this price point that the E900s do not have any software with which to control/adjust them. This is a negative as some adjustment of EQ settings could help with the less than stellar mids and highs. However given that the headset is connected only via a standard 3.5mm audio jack, the amount of software control would be limited anyway. A side benefit of the 3.5mm connection is that this headset is truly plug and play and as a result, is out of the box compatible with Xbox 1, Series X, PS4, and PS5.

 

Mic Performance

The microphone is interesting. When using the included Y splitter the mic picked up a constant and unacceptable buzzing noise in the background. We suspect this was a result of improperly shielded cables in the splitter. The splitter cable feels extremely flimsy and is dreadfully thin compared to the main cable with the inline controls, which is far more thick and robust. Testing without the splitter provided a far more positive result, with the background fuzz removed and the voice quality picked up with good fidelity. The voice is slightly muffled but at this price point, it’s good enough.

Testing without the splitter revealed some confusing connectivity issues; some applications such as Discord and TeamSpeak picked it up right away, however Windows Sound Recorder refused to acknowledge the microphone’s existence. If you have a combination jack on your PC, then the mic performs well. If you have separate mic/audio jacks then you’ll have to buy an aftermarket splitter, because the one included with the E900s is downright unusable.

Overall the mic is the primary drawback of this headset. Other headsets like the Corsair HS35 and the Razer Kraken X will get you far better mic quality, and you’ll avoid the splitter issue we encountered with the E900s.

 

Final Verdict

The EKSA E900 gaming headset may seem like a tempting bargain at $32.99. The sound quality is decent for this price point, with the classic bass-heavy soundscape that most budget headsets have, but the mids and highs are tinny and cheap-sounding. Comfort-wise the headset is reasonable but unremarkable. Clamping force is on point, and the weight is ideal for long use but the unbreathable earcups really become a problem after a few hours of use in our experience.

The design is respectful, not aggressive enough to offend people, but with enough little design decisions to target the gaming market. Build quality is fairly impressive for the price, with the headset feeling robust enough to withstand a few drops.

The microphone is the primary drawback of this headset. We would consider it unusable if your setup forces you to utilize the Y splitter, as the interference fuzz caused by the improperly shielded cables on the splitter is a constant annoyance and will make communication while gaming on this headset essentially impossible. If your setup has a combination sound and mic jack then the experience is far more positive, with the interference gone and the voice quality clear enough for VoIP. All this being said, there are better gaming headset offerings out there at the sub $50 price point. If you are willing and able to spend that bit extra, then you can get a better gaming headset experience.

Saying this, at the time of writing, the EKSA E900 was available with around 20% off at Amazon – for those on an absolute rock-bottom budget this is a good option if you can get a similar deal.