Review: Kensington H1000 USB-C Headset

Back in July, I took a look at the Kensington Professional Video Conferencing Solution. It consists of webcams, light and camera stands, and an LED ring light. All of the parts are designed to make those videoconferencing from home look a lot more professional. The solution gained a 9 out of 10 score in my rating, and I’d recommend it for work-from-home readers. Kensington now handles the audio end of conferencing with the new H1000 USB-C Headset.

Design

The $49.95 H1000 USB-C headset is understated in design. Using a matte dark gray finish, the on-ear headset features comfortable padded ear cups. An adjustable band means even a large head like mine can wear the headset, while a boom mic picks up even your softest whispers.

I’m glad to see that all of the Kensington Professional Video Conferencing Solution components use USB-C. More computers and tablets are standardizing on USB-C, so it makes sense to look to the future. The 6-foot cable for the H1000 USB-C Headset is made of a braided material that won’t easily tangle.

The right and left sides of the headset are clearly marked R and L. Believe it or not, some headsets that don’t have markings!

On the cable is an integrated control with LED indicators. There’s a clip on the control if you wish to attach it to clothing. Easy to find buttons control mute, volume, stop and play. When the mute button is pushed, it glows red. There’s also an integrated busy light on the headset so colleagues can see that you’re speaking.

The mic is of directional noise-canceling (DNC) design, and the speakers have 40mm drivers with HD voice support.

Function

As you’d expect from a part of the Kensington Professional Video Conferencing Solution, the H1000 USB-C Headset is truly plug and play. No drivers are required. When plugged into a 2021 13-inch MacBook Pro, the headset immediately appeared in the Sound preferences. All conferencing apps I tested it with (Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Meets) worked solidly with the headset.

Potential buyers should be aware that the headset is optimized for voices. When used in videoconferencing, the sound quality is very good. However, don’t expect to listen to music and be happy with this headset! Voices tend to lack warmth and reality as well. I also wouldn’t recommend it for multiplayer gaming. It’s great as a videoconferencing headset, but that’s it.

Finally, the price is a bit high. There are many wired headsets that are available for half the price of the H1000 USB-C Headset, and many of them have much better audio output.