Updated 28 Oct 2026
Is the Audeze Maxwell 2 Wireless Gaming Headset worth it?
Yes — if sound quality matters most and you'll pay for it.
Its 90 mm planar magnetic drivers give balanced, detailed sound with deep bass that suits music as well as games. It connects with a low-latency dongle, Bluetooth, USB-C or a 3.5 mm cable, and the battery lasts about 80 hours. There are PlayStation and Xbox versions, both of which work on PC. It's heavy, which can tire you over long sessions, it blocks little outside noise, it can't play the dongle and Bluetooth at once, and the bass depends on a good seal, so glasses weaken it.
Good to know
- Heavy, so it can tire you over long sessions.
- Can't play the dongle and Bluetooth at the same time.
- Blocks little outside noise, with no noise cancelling.
- The bass drops if the seal breaks, for example with glasses.
- Planar magnetic sound, the best in a gaming headset
- About 80 hours of battery
- Dongle, Bluetooth and cable
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Get it if…
- You want the best sound you can get from a gaming headset.
- You also listen to music on it.
Skip it if…
- You want something light for long sessions: the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2.
- You want noise cancelling: the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.
For the curious
A deeper look at full specs.
Planar drivers
It uses 90 mm planar magnetic drivers, with a 10 Hz to 50 kHz range.
Pick your console
There's a PlayStation version and an Xbox version; both work with PC.
Weight
It weighs 560 g.
Technical specifications
| Versions | PlayStation/PC or Xbox/PC |
|---|---|
| Drivers | 90 mm planar magnetic, 10 Hz–50 kHz |
| Type | Over-ear, closed back |
| Mic | Detachable hypercardioid boom with AI noise removal, plus internal mic |
| Wireless | USB-C dongle (ultra-low latency, up to 24-bit/96 kHz) and Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC, LC3, Auracast and multipoint |
| Wired | USB-C and 3.5 mm |
| Battery | Over 80 hours; 25% in 20 minutes, full in 2 hours |
| Spatial audio | Dolby Atmos, Tempest 3D |
| Weight | 560 g |
From the maker's spec sheet for model Audeze Maxwell 2 (US), checked October 2026. Versions sold in other countries can differ slightly.
More on the Audeze Maxwell 2
How we reached this verdict
RTINGS rates it great for wireless and wired gaming: balanced sound, very low latency, an amazing mic and about 77 hours measured, though it's heavy and its isolation is disappointing. TechRadar (4/5) calls the sound better than the vast majority of gaming headsets but notes it's heavier than the first Maxwell and can't use Bluetooth and the dongle together, and Tom's Guide (4/5) says its fidelity can't be matched by other gaming headsets.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: RTINGS, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Audeze, RTINGS, Tom's Hardware, PC Gamer, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 28 Oct 2026How we decide