Bang & Olufsen has entered the gaming market with the introduction of its first wireless gaming headphones, designed to be lightweight for long-lasting comfort, easy to use, and delivering superior acoustic performance.
Dedicated to high-end gaming, Beoplay Portal can also be used for watching movies or enjoying music with the headphones adapting to the use case. The headphones offer a range of features including low latency surround sound, outstanding microphone performance, Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, and an elegant user interface.
“Beoplay Portal is the first of its kind – a wireless headphone that combines gaming technology with Bang & Olufsen’s characteristic sound, design, and craftmanship,” said Dorte Vestergaard, director and head of Bang & Olufsen’s On-The-Go category.
“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 are thrilled to be entering the gaming market with this category-redefining product.”
Although compatible with other gaming consoles, Beoplay Portal was developed as part of the ‘Designed for Xbox’ programme, allowing it to connect seamlessly to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles via Xbox Wireless protocol. This provides a high bandwidth, low latency connection.
The headphone set 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.
Two custom designed 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets are used in Beoplay Portal to deliver precise acoustic reproduction. The Dolby Atmos for Headphones feature offer visualised surround sound, adding layers of depth and texture to games, movies and music.
Further enhancing the sound performance, a new generation of Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation technology is used. Using a combination of feed-forward ANC and feed-back ANC, Beoplay Portal allows users to fully immerse themselves even in noisy environments.
Another handy feature used is Own Voice, enabling users to hear their own voices while simultaneously cancelling out extraneous sounds.
Designed by Jakob Wagner in partnership with Bang & Olufsen’s design team, Beoplay Portal is designed to be stylish, comfortable and durable. It is available in three colourways – Black Anthracite, Grey Mist, and Navy.
Touch-sensitive aluminium discs are used on the earcups featuring a gradient effect, produced using a proprietary anodization technique developed by Bang & Olufsen. Jaw-supporting, the earpads are made using lambskin-wrapped memory foam. For comfort and to eliminate sound leakage, there is a subtle protrusion on the rear of each cushion which conforms to the shape of the user’s head.
Weighing just 282 grams, Beoplay Portal headphones are lightweight for hours of comfortable use. Adding to the comfort is offset padding on the inner headband to relieve pressure on the top of the head. The padding is also covered with a high-quality bamboo fibre textile for durability and breathability.
A brand new virtual boom arm is also featured on the Beoplay Portal, eliminating the need for the traditional boom arm found on most other gaming headsets. Using Directional Beamforming technology, an array of microphones helps to isolate and amplify the user’s voice while eliminating background noise.
Featuring an elegant user interface comprised of finely tuned touch controls built into the side of the earcups, the Beoplay Portal is easy to use. To raise and lower the volume, adjust ANC and Transparency Mode, and control their music and phone calls, users have full control through several simple gestures.
The same functions can also be accessed in the Bang & Olufsen app, which has also updated with the launch of Beoplay Portal to include Gaming Mode. This introduces a new set of features designed specifically for gamers, including microphone optimisation and game / chat balance.
Gaming Mode is automatically activated when connected to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One or PC using a dongle or USB-C. When connected through Bluetooth, the features will adapt to the needs of a traditional headphone, and the app’s user interface will adjust accordingly.
Its 1,200 mAh lithium-ion battery offers up to 24 hours of continuous playtime using Bluetooth and Active Noise Cancellation. When using Xbox Wireless, Bluetooth, and Active Noise Cancellation, it offers 12 hours of playtime.
The Beoplay Portal headphones will be available globally from 29 April 2021. It will be priced at £449 / €499 / $499.