Android Advisor - UK (2021-08)

100 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 88

BUYING GUIDE

The contouredlambskinear pads fit perfectlyto the shape of your head.

The Portal comes with a 3.5mm

analogue cable and a 6-foot USB-C to

USB-A cable that does double-duty as a

charger and as a digital audio transport

for a computer, smart device, or gaming

console. I found out the hard way,

however, that you can only use the Portal

as an active headphone. If its battery

runs out, you can’t switch to the 3.5mm

analogue jack and use it like a plain old

headphone.

Built with gamers in mind

Gamers – particularly Xbox owners –

will dig the Beoplay Portal because it

takes advantage of Microsoft’s protocol

for stable, low-latency, uncompressed,

wireless audio with an Xbox Series S/X

or Xbox One.

Plug Microsoft’s

Xbox Wireless

Adapter for

Windows 10 into

your Windows

10 computer

and you’ll

get the same

support on that

platform. Should

you want to use

the headphone

with a mobile

Android

device, there’s

support for the aptX Adaptive codec via

Bluetooth. The AAC and SBC codecs are

also supported.

Bang& Olufsenhasreplacedone

ofthe most ubiquitous features of

gaming headsets – the boom mic – with

what it calls the ‘virtual boom arm’.

Instead of mounting a single mic on the

end of a flexible stalk, the Portal uses an

array of microphones that use directional

beamforming technology to isolate

and amplify your voice while screening

out background noise. Whether you’re

trash-talking an opponent, making a

phone call, or participating in a video

conference, your voice will come

through clear as crystal. And a feature

called ‘Own Voice’ will use the Portal’s