Fractal Scape review: It looks great, and it sounds even better

Not many gaming headsets have a minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic, which is why Fractal’s Scape at $199.99 caught my eye. Like a lot of Fractal PC Casesthis headset looks more sophisticated than you might expect from gaming gear, with clean lines and simplified color schemes that may blend better with your furniture and office settings.

I’ve spent the last few weeks using Scape at work and while gaming, and it’s among the best I’ve ever experienced in this price range. Fit and finish are impressive for a first-generation device from a company with no audio hardware pedigree. Its sleek design comes in gray or black, with minimal LEDs adding a subtle glow around the bottom edge of the ear cups (these are the first LEDs in a headphone that I didn’t want to turn off immediately). It has a larger version of Apple’s Digital Crown on the back of the left ear cup. The knob controls the volume and can be tapped to pause and resume content (double or triple tap to skip and reverse songs, respectively).

This headphone features a button on the right earcup that allows you to switch between three preset equalizer settings. It’s great to have these controls on devices, and not just buried inside a companion app. And configuring Scape looks just as elegant as using it. Everything, including customizing EQ presets, is handled through a web tool called Adjust Pro. It also lets you adjust the bypass microphone tone, adjust the headset’s LED lighting (you can choose one of 10 cool themes, including Campfire and Northern Lights, set it to a custom color and pattern, or turn it off), and install firmware updates when needed. You can also download a portable version of Adjust Pro that works without installation or internet connection. Everything is designed very carefully.

I like that Fractal gives you two microphone options. You can use the flexible, foldable microphone to mute for superior sound quality, or detach it to enable Scape’s built-in microphone. Not many headphones allow for this level of flexibility, but we sometimes see it with models designed to serve as over-ear headphones in public settings; SteelSeries’ new $600 Arctis Nova Elite wireless headset is the latest example. Recording quality from the Scape boom is serviceable (the built-in mic is less good, but it works a little). Pressing and holding the mute button toggles the microphone noise cancellation. I have an oscillating fan running in my office, and it’s mostly tuned out. You can adjust the amount of sidetone in the web app — the higher the value, the more you’ll be able to hear your voice (and maybe even your breathing) through the headset, along with more background noise.

Fractal advertises a battery life of over 40 hours with the RGB lights off, or about 24 hours with them on. Even with it turned on, the headset had no problem lasting a few full days of work, as well as a weekend full of gaming, before needing a charge. However, battery life wasn’t a concern during most of my testing, because the included magnetic charging base eliminates almost all the friction that typically occurs when charging a headset. (You can also connect the headset via the included USB-C cable and continue to use it while it charges.) The docking station also works as a stand to keep it off your desk and as an extender for the 2.4GHz audio transmitter.

The base or its transmitter can be used with other devices; I plugged it into my Switch 2 port after work. Or you can toggle the switch on the left earcup of the Scape to turn on Bluetooth (it can’t deliver audio from 2.4GHz and Bluetooth sources simultaneously). It supports multipoint via Bluetooth, allowing it to connect to two devices, but it cannot play audio from both devices simultaneously.

The Scape connection isn’t nearly as versatile as some modern headsets, including $179.99 Astro A20Xwhich connects via 2.4GHz to a box that lets you switch between two wired sources with a button, and also has Bluetooth (although it can’t mix Bluetooth with Lightspeed wireless). The new Nova Elite from SteelSeries is $599.99 Sets the bar high, letting you hear up to four wireless audio sources mixed together: three inputs connected to the base station’s USB-C and aux ports, and one via Bluetooth, including three wireless sources, plus audio coming through the base station’s wired aux port (company port) 2021 Nova Pro Wireless It can do three wireless sources simultaneously). I’d like to see Fractal increase the number of devices you can listen to at once in the next version of their headphones.

The Fractal headphone delivers better sound quality than I expected for its price. Songs and games come through with warmth and a high level of detail. It’s surprisingly competitive Sony InZone H9 II, $349.99It easily outperforms the Astro A20 The big difference is that the H9 II features active noise cancellation, while the Scape does not. It would be nice to have an ANC feature here, but I wouldn’t pay the extra $200 just for ANC, especially since it means giving up the Scape’s sleek design, smart charging dock, and easy customization.

The Scape is a great-looking, great-sounding headphone that’s almost easy to customize. While it lacks some features compared to its more expensive competition (multi-source simultaneous audio, flat ear cups, and ANC would all be nice), Fractal’s first headphone doesn’t leave much to be desired at this price.

Photography by Cameron Faulkner/The Verge