It is quite amazing to think that modern gaming consoles don’t come with built-in Bluetooth technology to allow gaming from the comfort of your chair without any wires getting in the way!
We were on the lookout for ways to play our Nintendo Switch with our wireless headphones, and to be honest, there wasn’t much out there, till now! Creative have stepped in to fill the void with their BT-W3 Bluetooth 5.0 Audio Transmitter. The BT-W3 package comes with a USB-C adapter, USB-C-to-USB-A converter and an analogue mic which all work on PC, Mac, PS4 and the Nintendo Switch.
The versatility in its use was what caught our eye initially, from being able to use it on our Switch, to then using it on our Windows based laptop, it was all very easy to pair up and use our wireless headphones. Where the Creative BT-W3 truly shines is in its support of four different Bluetooth codecs – aptX LL, aptX HD, aptX, and SBC. Each of these codecs have their own strengths and are suitable for different uses, like the aptX LL codec being essential for lag-free gaming experiences, while aptX HD is ideal for music enjoyment. Codec selection is done at a press of a button on the USB-C adapter. Each codec has a unique light indicator, so you will always know which codec you are currently using.
Press the button to select from a choice of 4 different codecs!
To be able to use the analogue microphone on our Switch for some online gaming chatter, we had to download the HFP-off firmware to enable the function. This firmware update is necessary because the Nintendo Switch does not allow for input and output audio to be from different devices. Don’t stress though, as it is also quite easy to turn HFP back on by downloading and executing the HFP-on firmware.
To enable the analogue mic on the Switch, you will need to turn off HFP (which is really easy)
We put the BT-W3 through its paces on both the Nintendo Switch and our Window 10 based laptop, and we are happy to report that it worked flawlessly. We didn’t experience any lag or Bluetooth disconnections, which in this day and age of Zoom and WebEx meetings is an absolute must! It is early days in our use of the BT-W3, but we are impressed so far.
You may be asking yourself, do I really need this AU$64.95 contraption? Well, if you want to enjoy a lag free gaming experience on your PS4 / Switch or just want the versatility and quality without any wires, then you need the BT-W3 in your life. We were so blown away with the provided Creative BT-W3 that we went out and bought another one for ourselves – it is that good!
We were so impressed with the BT-W3, we had to get another one!
Disclosure: The Creative BT-W3 was kindly provided by Creative for this review. The second Creative BT-W3 was purchased by us.