HP Voyager Surround 8G7T9AA

The HP Voyager Surround 80 is the headset to buy when your voice matters more than your beats. It's a call-quality monster that'll make you sound like you're in a studio, even if the music playback is merely decent.

We thought the boomless design was a gimmick until we heard our own voice in a noisy coffee shop simulation. The mic pickup is absurdly good, hitting the 98th percentile in our database, it rejected keyboard clatter and chatter better than plenty of wired broadcast headsets. On the flip side, the 77th-percentile sound quality is just fine for podcasts and background tunes, but it won't wow you like a pair of Sony XM6s.

Stack it against the Sony WH-1000XM6 and you'll find the HP's mic destroys Sony's, but the Sony is dramatically better for music and has slightly superior comfort. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 offers richer audio and similar battery, yet its call pickup is muffled next to the Voyager Surround. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is more comfortable and has slightly more refined ANC, but its mic can't keep up in loud rooms. For pure voice performance, the HP walks all over these consumer champs.

The official price is a mystery, but Newegg has it for $165, and that's the deal you want. Skip the inexplicable $38,000 listings floating around. For $165, you're getting a headset that sounds clearer on calls than most $300+ alternatives, and the ANC alone would cost you more in a consumer pair. If your priority is being heard perfectly on every call, this is a steal.

The HP Voyager Surround 80 is the call-quality sleeper hit of the UC headset world. It doesn't scream for attention with a chunky boom mic, but the 10-microphone array, flawless ANC, and multipoint Bluetooth will make you sound like a broadcast pro on every call. If you spend all day in Zoom, Teams, or Meet and want to ditch the gooseneck mic forever, this headset is an easy recommendation at the $165 street price.

If you're hunting for rich, spacious music that makes you close your eyes and forget the world, walk away. This headset's sound signature is flat and functional, not thrilling. Pick up the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 instead, they'll sing with your playlists.

This headset is built for one job and it absolutely crushes it: making you sound professional on video calls without a boom mic in your face. If your work life is wall-to-wall meetings, grab the $165 Newegg deal and thank us later. Just don't expect it to replace your music-only cans.