Kensington K97601WW USB Headset Review 2026

Every few months, a headset lands on my desk that makes me ask a simple question: does this actually do what it claims, or is the marketing doing all the heavy lifting? The Kensington K97601WW sits in a crowded budget bracket where the gap between a decent buy and a waste of money is razor-thin. After about a month of daily use across gaming sessions, video calls, and long work-from-home stretches, I've got a pretty clear answer. This is a Kensington USB headset noise cancelling under £20 UK 2026 contender that's worth taking seriously, but only if you know exactly what you're buying into.

Kensington is better known for laptop locks and docking stations than gaming audio. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It means they've approached this headset from a productivity angle first, which actually suits a lot of people who want one device that handles both Teams calls and a few hours of casual gaming in the evening. The K97601WW doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. There's no RGB, no virtual surround claims, no software suite. Just a USB plug-and-play headset with a noise-cancelling mic. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.

I tested this across about four weeks, using it primarily on PC for gaming sessions in CS2, Warzone, and some single-player time in Baldur's Gate 3. I also used it daily for work calls on Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. My comparison points throughout this review are the Logitech H390 and the Mpow HC6, both of which sit in a similar price bracket and compete directly for the same buyer.

Build-wise, the headset is mostly plastic, which is expected at this price. The headband has a sliding adjustment mechanism with notched positions, and the earcups are padded with a leatherette-style material over memory foam. The mic is on a flexible boom arm that you can bend into position and leave there. The inline volume control and mute button sit on the cable, roughly 30cm from the left earcup. Total cable length is around 2 metres, which is generous for a desk setup.

Weight is light. I didn't weigh it precisely, but it's noticeably lighter than something like the HyperX Cloud Stinger, which is already considered a lightweight headset. That low weight is one of the K97601WW's genuine strengths, and it contributes directly to comfort over long sessions. The overall footprint is compact too, so it doesn't feel bulky on your head even if the plastic construction doesn't exactly inspire confidence when you first pick it up.

The frequency response claim of 20Hz to 20kHz is standard marketing language. In practice, the low end rolls off before you hit true sub-bass territory, and the high-frequency extension starts losing detail above around 15kHz. That's not a criticism specific to Kensington, it's just the reality of budget dynamic drivers. What matters more is how the midrange performs, because that's where voice clarity, footsteps, and dialogue all live. And in that regard, the K97601WW is actually decent.

Because this is a USB headset, it uses the computer's USB audio processing rather than relying on your motherboard's onboard audio chip. For a lot of budget PC builds, that's actually a slight upgrade. You're bypassing whatever mediocre Realtek implementation is on your board and getting a clean, consistent signal path. It won't match a dedicated DAC/amp setup, but for the money, it's a sensible approach. The audio output is stereo only, no virtual surround processing, which I'll explain why I consider that a feature rather than a limitation when we get to the gaming performance section.

For competitive gaming, a V-shaped signature is a mixed bag. Footsteps and environmental cues often sit in the upper midrange and lower treble, and the K97601WW handles these reasonably well. The slight treble lift actually helps with picking out high-frequency sounds like distant gunshots or movement on hard surfaces. Where it falls short is in games with complex audio mixes where you need to distinguish multiple overlapping sounds simultaneously. The recessed mids make that harder than it would be on a flatter, more neutral headset.

For casual gaming, movies, and music, the V-shaped tuning works in its favour. Games like Baldur's Gate 3 sound full and engaging. Action films have satisfying impact without being fatiguing. Music with strong bass lines and clear highs, think electronic or hip-hop, sounds better than you'd expect from a headset at this price. It's not a neutral reference sound, but it's an enjoyable one for everyday use. If you're primarily using this for work calls and occasional gaming rather than ranked competitive play, the sound signature is genuinely well-suited to that use case.

Soundstage is narrow. This is one of the more noticeable limitations compared to headsets with larger drivers or open-back designs. Everything sounds fairly close and intimate, which is fine for music and dialogue but less ideal for games where you want a sense of space. In Warzone, the audio felt a bit compressed compared to what I'm used to on my main review headset (a mid-range closed-back with a wider stage). It's not unplayable, but experienced players will notice the difference. Casual players probably won't care.

Bass extension is decent for the price. There's genuine low-end presence when explosions go off or music has a strong kick drum. It doesn't rattle your skull, but it's there. Treble clarity is where the headset actually punches slightly above its weight. Dialogue in games and films is clear and intelligible, which matters more for day-to-day use than deep bass extension. I watched a couple of episodes of a crime drama through this headset during testing and had no trouble following conversation even at moderate volume. For music, it handles acoustic and vocal tracks well. Dense metal or orchestral pieces get a bit congested in the mids, but that's expected.

One thing worth mentioning: there's no audible hiss or interference through the USB connection on my test machine. Some cheap USB headsets pick up electrical noise from the system, which shows up as a faint hiss in quiet passages. The K97601WW was clean in my testing. That's a small but meaningful quality-of-life win.

Voice clarity is good for the price. On Teams calls, colleagues reported that I sounded clear and natural. There's a slight telephone-quality compression to the sound, which is typical of budget electret microphones, but it's not the kind of tinny, hollow sound that makes people ask you to repeat yourself. In gaming, teammates on Discord could hear me clearly without complaints. I did notice that the mic picks up keyboard noise if you're using a mechanical keyboard and typing while talking, which is worth knowing if you're a heavy typist during calls.

The noise cancellation on the mic is functional rather than impressive. It handles steady background noise like a fan or air conditioning reasonably well. It's less effective against variable noise like traffic or other people talking in the same room. In a quiet home office or bedroom gaming setup, it does the job. In a noisy open-plan office or a shared flat with a lot of ambient noise, you might find it struggles. The mute button on the inline control is easy to find by feel, which is genuinely useful when you need to cough or answer the door mid-call. The button has a satisfying click so you know it's engaged.

Compared to the Logitech H390's mic, which is probably the most direct competitor, the Kensington holds its own. The H390 has a slightly warmer mic tone, but the Kensington's noise rejection is comparable. Neither is going to replace a dedicated USB condenser mic for streaming or content creation, but for calls and in-game comms, both are perfectly usable.

Clamp force is light to moderate. The headset doesn't grip your head aggressively, which is good for comfort but means it can shift around if you move your head quickly. During gaming sessions where I was leaning forward and back, I occasionally had to readjust. It's not a headset that stays locked in place through vigorous movement. For desk use, that's fine. For anything more active, it's a minor annoyance.

The build quality is plastic throughout, and it feels like it. The headband adjustment mechanism has a slight wobble to it, and the earcup swivel is limited compared to more expensive headsets. I wouldn't throw this in a bag and expect it to survive regular commuting. But for a headset that lives on your desk, it's held up fine across a month of daily use with no creaking, cracking, or loose joints developing. The leatherette earcup material does get warm after a couple of hours, which is a common complaint with closed-back headsets at this price. If you run hot, that might bother you. For most people in a temperate UK home, it's manageable.

The lack of a 3.5mm option is a genuine limitation. If you want to use this with a PS5, Xbox, Switch, or your phone, you can't. It's strictly a PC and Mac headset. That's fine if you're buying it for desk use, but it's worth being clear about. Some people buy a budget headset expecting to use it across multiple devices and then find out it doesn't work that way. The USB-only connection also means you're tied to a cable, obviously, but at 2 metres the cable is long enough for most desk setups without being so long that it becomes a tangle hazard.

The inline control unit is simple: a volume wheel and a mute button. The volume wheel is smooth and easy to adjust without looking down. The mute button, as mentioned, has a good tactile click. There's no mic monitoring (sidetone) function, which some people find essential and others don't care about at all. If you like to hear your own voice in the headset while talking, you won't get that here. You'd need to enable Windows' own mic monitoring through the sound settings if you want that functionality, which is a bit fiddly but doable.

The trade-off is obviously the cable. You're tethered to your machine, and the cable does occasionally get in the way depending on your desk setup. I have a fairly cluttered desk and found myself routing the cable under my monitor arm to keep it out of the way. Once sorted, it wasn't an issue. But if you're used to wireless freedom, going back to a cable takes some adjustment.

From a practical standpoint, the wired connection also means zero latency. There's no wireless transmission delay, no audio sync issues, no dropouts from interference. For gaming and video calls, that's a meaningful advantage over budget wireless headsets, which often have audible latency or connection instability. The K97601WW's audio is always in sync, always consistent. That's worth something, especially at this price point where wireless options tend to have more problems than they solve.

If you want EQ adjustment, you'll need to use whatever system-level tools are available on your OS. Windows 11 has a basic EQ in the sound settings, and there are free third-party options like Equalizer APO with Peace GUI if you want more control. I ran the headset through a mild EQ adjustment during testing, boosting the upper mids slightly to improve footstep clarity in CS2, and it responded well. The drivers aren't so limited that EQ can't improve them. But that's extra effort that not everyone will bother with.

The absence of virtual surround is, honestly, fine. Most virtual surround implementations on budget headsets are processing gimmicks that smear the stereo image rather than improving positional accuracy. The K97601WW's clean stereo output is more useful for competitive gaming than a poorly implemented virtual 7.1 mode. If you specifically want virtual surround, Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos for Headphones are available as system-level options on Windows 11, and they work with any headset including this one. So you're not locked out of that functionality, you just have to enable it yourself.

Console compatibility is limited. The PS5 has USB-A ports on the front, and in theory a USB headset could work, but the PS5 doesn't natively support USB audio headsets in the same way PC does. In my testing, the headset was not recognised as an audio output device on PS5. Xbox consoles don't support USB audio at all without specific licensing. The Nintendo Switch in docked mode has USB-A ports but doesn't support USB audio either. So for console gaming, this headset simply doesn't work. That's not a flaw, it's just the nature of USB audio on consoles, but it's important to know.

For PC and Mac users, compatibility is essentially universal. It works on Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS without any driver installation. I also tested it briefly on a Chromebook, where it was recognised and worked immediately. If your use case is desk-based PC or Mac work and gaming, you won't hit any compatibility walls. Just don't buy it expecting to use it across your gaming setup and your console.

Against the Logitech H390, the Kensington holds up better than you might expect. The H390 has a slightly wider soundstage and a more neutral sound signature, which gives it a small edge in competitive gaming. But the Kensington's mic is comparable, its comfort is similar, and it's typically priced lower. If you're choosing between the two purely on audio quality, the H390 edges it. If you're choosing on value, the Kensington is harder to dismiss. The H390 also has a longer track record and more community knowledge around it, which counts for something.

Against the Mpow HC6, the Kensington is the stronger buy. The HC6 has a more aggressive V-shaped tuning that sounds impressive for about ten minutes and then becomes fatiguing. Its mic is noisier and less consistent. The build quality is similar, both are plastic, but the Kensington's headband adjustment feels more solid. The HC6 occasionally goes cheaper in price, but the Kensington offers better overall performance for the money. For the specific use case of a Kensington USB headset noise cancelling under £20 UK 2026, the K97601WW is the more sensible choice between these three options.

The audio quality is adequate for casual gaming and genuinely good for voice calls and productivity. The mic performs well in quiet environments and holds its own against direct competitors. Comfort is one of its strongest points, the low weight and reasonable padding making it easy to wear for extended periods. The lack of software, console compatibility, and virtual surround will rule it out for some buyers, but for the right person, those absences are features rather than gaps.

Where it falls short is in competitive gaming. If you're playing ranked matches and positional audio is critical to your performance, you'll want something with a wider soundstage and more neutral tuning. The K97601WW is not the headset you reach for when every footstep matters. But if you're playing casually, working from home, and want a single headset that handles both without breaking the bank, this is a genuinely good option. It's priced affordably, it's reliable, and it doesn't overclaim. In a market full of budget headsets that promise the world and deliver very little, that honesty is worth something.

I'd score this a 6.5 out of 10. It's not exciting, and it's not going to make your gaming sessions dramatically better. But it's competent, comfortable, and good value for what it is. If you need a Kensington USB headset noise cancelling under £20 UK 2026 that you can rely on for daily use without any setup headaches, the K97601WW earns its place on the shortlist.