Discovering Great Sound: Beyerdynamic MMX 200 Review

Key Takeaways

• The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 features a comfortable design with plush memory foam earcups for prolonged gaming sessions.
• It has excellent audio quality for both gaming and music, with a broad soundstage and the ability to crank up the volume.
• There are versatile connectivity options with Bluetooth 5.3 and low-latency support, plus a 35-hour battery life.

Comfort and quality. Those are the two words I’d use to summarize the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 wireless gaming headset. The quality extends throughout the whole package, from build materials to audio and more, and these are some of the comfiest gaming headphones I’ve worn for a considerable time.

The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 also looks the part, with the orange accents creating a nice offset for both the white and black versions of the headset. They have excellent battery life, deliver up to 35 hours of playback, come with Bluetooth 5.3 and low-latency wireless support, and are easy to use on your Switch, PS4 or PS5, Xbox, or PC. Beyerdynamic’s first official gaming headset gets a lot right—as you’d expect from one of the world’s leading headphone manufacturers.

Beyerdynamic MMX 200

7/ 10

The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 wireless gaming headset excels in comfort and audio quality. It features plush memory foam earcups for prolonged gaming sessions, a lightweight design at 360g (12.7oz), and passive noise isolation. Stylishly designed in black or grey with orange accents, it lacks flashy aesthetics but offers simplicity and style. Equipped with a 35-hour battery, Bluetooth 5.3, and low-latency wireless support, it’s a versatile headset for any gaming platform.

Brand

Beyerdynamic

Battery Life

Up to 35 hours

Material

Plastic, metal

Bluetooth

5.3

Noise Cancellation

No

Microphones

One detachable boom mic, two integrated mics

Weight

360g without cable

Colors

Black, gray

Supported codecs

SBC, AAC, LC3

Foldable

No

Charging type

USB-C

Multipoint

Yes, but analog connection required

Carrying case

No

Frequency range

20-20,000Hz

Driver size

40mm

Headphone Type

Over-ear

Pros

• Comfortable design, thick cushioning
• Great audio quality
• Great microphone quality
• Multiple connection options, wide-support

Cons

• No customization software
• Probably needs more outright “gaming features”

See at Beyerdynamic $249 at Amazon

Squishy, Comfortable Earcups

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The Beyerdynamic MMX 200’s thick memory foam earcups are delightfully comfortable, fitting nicely around my ears without applying too much pressure. The large, round earcups are designed for those gamers who sit for hours without removing their headset, optimizing in-game comfort during those long sessions.

I’m reviewing the MMX 200 during the UK winter, so temperatures here aren’t particularly high, though while I do have the heating on, we’re still talking reasonable temperatures in my office. I do wonder if the MMX 200’s extra-plush earcups might cause a heat issue during the warmer months, especially for those in warmer climates.

Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

However, my ears remain happy and snug at the current time, and I suspect yours will, too. The overall thickness of the earpads also delivers some passive noise isolation, which is also welcome.

Now, weight is always a consideration when it comes to gaming headsets, and the MMX 200’s 360g (12.7oz) weight without cables isn’t bad at all. I’ve worn the headphones for hours at a time and have never felt them become overly heavy, which is another plus for the comfort levels.

Limited Colors, Decent Style

Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

The MMX 200 is a little on the chunky side of headset design, in part due to the emphasis on comfort; the large, round, closed-back earcups feature a similarly comfortable headband.

I’m a fan of this somewhat understated style when it comes to gaming headsets. The MMX 200 doesn’t feature flashy RGB or other “gaming” aesthetics, but Beyerdynamic headphones have never been about that style anyway. Instead, the MMX 200 is available in black or grey, with both models featuring the same orange accent for the volume wheel, buttons, and so on.

Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

There are very few buttons on the MMX 200. The left earcup houses the volume wheel, Meta Link Switch button (more on this in a moment), USB-C port, and detachable microphone port, while the right earcup carries the power button. It’s somewhat understated and keeps the visual style free of clutter, which will appeal to those who don’t necessarily want their headset to scream “gamer.”

The buttons are all responsive enough, as you’d expect, but the volume wheel does have a noisier click than expected, with each turn of the wheel making an audible click. It’s not a big issue, but was surprising to hear.

Good Battery and Connection Options

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The 35-hour battery life is a good option when it comes to gaming headsets. It’s competing with the outrageous offerings of HyperX’s 300-hour headsets , but you’re unlikely to stray far from a charging output, and 35 hours is more than a few gaming sessions worth of battery power.

Connectivity comes from Bluetooth 5.3, with support for the SBC, AAC, and LC3 codecs, plus the low-latency USB-C dongle. Both connections work well, though I spent most time using the low-latency dongle. With the dongle plugged into a USB port, the MMX 200 connected almost instantaneously, and I didn’t experience any dropouts. Still, the quality between using the low-latency dongle and regular Bluetooth is noticeable, so its worth using the dongle whenever you can.

Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

There is also a Hybrid Mode, which is Beyerdynamic’s term for a wired and wireless connection. Pressing the Meta Link Switch button moves between the modes, and the Hybrid modes allow you to plug into your console or PC and connect your smartphone to take calls or otherwise. However, to use this feature, you need a USB-C to analog cable, which isn’t supplied in the box, and is something you’ll need to pick up to use with an Xbox controller.

There’s also an Augmented Mode that works similarly to the passive mode on other headphones, allowing external noise to enter the headphones. I’m never keen on passive audio modes, and the MMX 200’s version of it is similar to others in that noises are overemphasized and become distracting, detracting from your gaming.

Let Down by Lack of Gaming Features and Software Support

But for all the comfort, battery life, and connectivity, the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 lacks features you’d expect to find on a gaming headset at this price point. I’m not talking about flashy RGB, but features that now come as standard such as desktop software, customizable EQs, specific game profiles, spatial audio, etc.

You’ll find some desktop software to update the low-latency dongle, but outside that, the MMX 200 doesn’t offer much extra.

Great Sound, Great Microphone

Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

Beyerdynamic’s extensive expertise in audio is where the MMX 200 shines, delivering an excellent listening experience—whether in-game, listening to music, or otherwise. In terms of hardware, the MMX 200 spec sheet isn’t particularly mindblowing: 40mm dynamic drivers and 20-20,000Hz frequency response are par for the course these days.

What I like about the MMX 200 is that they’re good for both gaming and music. Beyerdynamic has opted to tune these for general audio use rather than specifically for gaming, which means they bring quality across the board rather than shoehorned into sounding good in first-person shooters or racing games (however, as said before, gaming profile EQs would be welcome for those specific moments).

Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

The MMX 200 has a decently broad soundstage, too, and I also enjoyed the volume; you can crank these headphones up without the audio quality dropping off too far. I’ve been using the MMX 200 gaming headset as my daily driver for a few weeks now, and they hit the spot.

But the other area the MMX 200 shines is its detachable boom microphone, which has a 10mm condenser with a frequency response of 50-18,000Hz. The combination is better than you’ll find in most other gaming headsets, and the difference is telling during gaming sessions or even just chatting to other folks in Discord or Slack. If voice clarity is important to you, the MMX 200 could be a great shout.

Should You Buy the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 Wireless Gaming Headset?

Beyerdynamic’s MMX 200 retails for $250 , which definitely puts it up there in terms of pricing.

It’s difficult to call. The comfort level, build quality, and audio quality delivered by the MMX 200 are excellent, and you can’t fault it there. However, Beyerdynamic launched the MMX 200 as a gaming headset, with a distinct lack of gaming features.

I’m erring in the camp of audio quality over gaming features because audio is always the most critical aspect of any set of cans—gaming or not—but it would be good to see Beyerdynamic address these issues in future versions.

Beyerdynamic MMX 200

7/ 10

The Beyerdynamic MMX 200 wireless gaming headset excels in comfort and audio quality. It features plush memory foam earcups for prolonged gaming sessions, a lightweight design at 360g (12.7oz), and passive noise isolation. Stylishly designed in black or grey with orange accents, it lacks flashy aesthetics but offers simplicity and style. Equipped with a 35-hour battery, Bluetooth 5.3, and low-latency wireless support, it’s a versatile headset for any gaming platform.

See at Beyerdynamic $249 at Amazon