The new Xbox Series X|S update is a game changer if you’re sick of your friends’ breathing or eating habits disrupting your multiplayer sessions.
Available to download now on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, the new noise suppression feature was first added as part of the Xbox Insider program a few months back. It’s now rolled out to all players, along with an update to friends’ shared captures as detailed by the Xbox system update website (opens in new tab).
Xbox’s noise suppression feature helps to mute or minimize background noise from your friends’ surroundings. Examples of this include sounds from a TV or speaker, a fan blowing air and even loud breathing. The result should be a much smoother party chat experience where you can hear your friends much clearer, and with much less intrusive background sounds ruining your immersion.
Want to give it a try for your next online session with your buds? Just hit the Xbox Guide button, navigate to ‘Parties & chats’ followed by ‘Options.’ In there, you’ll find the option to toggle noise suppression on or off.
The sound of silence
Noise suppression is a fantastic feature that’s been added to numerous platforms, including Discord. Nvidia also has its own AI-powered noise suppression in the form of RTX Voice, a global solution for voice chatting on PC.
Noise suppression and similar tech aren’t without drawbacks, though. If the effect is particularly strong, it may have the unintended effect of cutting off the beginning and end of a friend’s speech. That’s something I’ve personally dealt with when using noise suppression on Discord.
That’s not to say it’s not worth using, as again, the outcome of noise suppression is dependent on a player’s environment. For many, it’ll be a superb feature, especially if you want to suppress a friends’ less savory habits without calling them out directly.
It could be a literal lifesaver, too. In games where awareness of sound effects is paramount, like PUBG Battlegrounds or Call of Duty: Warzone, noise suppression will really help to filter out unwanted background noise so that you can focus on your in-game surroundings.
Enhanced features like noise suppression are best enjoyed with a great headset. Want to know which is right for you? Our guide to the best Xbox Series X headsets will help you on your way to getting the best audio quality possible on your console.
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