Music to my ears
I’m not going to lie, Logitech is not a name I’ve traditionally associated with quality equipment for a gaming setup. Realistically, the only time I tend to browse Logitech products is when I need a cheap basic keyboard or mouse for an older relative looking for a machine that will let them check online weather reports. They’re sturdy and last decently, but are pretty bare bones when it comes to the build quality power users tend to need in my own experience.
When Logitech agreed to send us one of their new G933 Artemis Spectrum wireless gaming headsets, I was initially dubious. I went in expecting an entry level wireless headset that was low end on price and minimal in performance to match. Actually, I found myself rather enamoured with the device.
Logitech, I am really impressed.
Product: Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless Gaming Headset
Manufacturer: Logitech
Input: One USB 2.0+ Port
MSRP: $199.99/£169.99
So, let’s talk a little about the design of the G933 first. The headset, black and slightly industrial in design, is incredibly comfortable to wear. Featuring rectangular ear cups that surround and encase the entire ear rather than sitting on the outer ear and a sturdy, padded headband, I found the headset very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The headset features a small strip of colour changing lights, which can be switched off using buttons on the headset if desired.
Ear cups can be repositioned from the headband for head size, supporting surprisingly small and large extremes, and the ear cups also rotate to fit the head. The headset is quite bulky and does not feature any method of being folded which might make transporting cumbersome, but for a stay-at-home gaming headset it’s very much was I was looking for.
The included wireless dongle fits neatly inside one of the ear pieces when not in use, behind a well-designed magnetic panel. The included microphone also nicely folds away into the earpiece when not in use, making it less immediately obvious it’s a gaming headset.
It’s important to note before we go any further that the G933 headset only works wirelessly on PC, with PS4, Xbox One, and mobile functions restricted to cabled connections. The headphones feature an auxiliary port for use with those other pieces of hardware, as well as a USB port for wired PC gaming and charging, alongside a host of buttons.
The left ear piece hosts a dial for volume control, buttons mapped to audio profile presets, and a power button for using the headset wirelessly. All of the buttons were easy enough to find while wearing it.
So, how is the quality when using this as a wired headset with a standard microphone lead? Extremely strong. The basic audio profile is tuned surprisingly well to both gaming and a variety of music genres. If you want to switch to something more bass or treble heavy, the hot keys on the headset do a really strong job of keeping pace. The high end of the volume is going to be loud enough for those of you looking to truly drown out the world, and the overall audio quality was exactly what I would expect out of a high-end pair of headphones. The advertised 7.1 surround sound worked perfectly out the box, and required no setup.
Also, at the top end on volume, there was minimal audio leakage to those around me, which is reassuring.
As for the wireless setup? Absolutely no noticeable drop in audio quality. Setting the headset up was as simple as plugging in the provided USB dongle and switching on the headset to switch the default audio output to the headset. It also has a surprisingly large wireless range, which is impressive for a device designed for a gaming setup. The headset lasted around eight hours on full volume with the coloured lights turned on, and almost four hours longer with the lights switched off.
In terms of gaming specific audio, I tested the headset with Rise of the Tomb Raider, American Truck Simulator, and Tales from the Borderlands. In Tomb Raider, it did a great job of highlighting directional audio for gunshots, while keeping vocals at the front of the mix when needed. American Truck Simulator kept a nice base rumble going that was nice and distinct from the sound of the radio in my cab. Borderlands focused on vocals and sound effects in the mix, but without drowning out music. Overall, I was very impressed with its handling of multiple types of games.
So far I have been nothing but positive, but I do have one notable drawback that holds the G933 from being a unanimous recommendation, and that is the quality of the inbuilt microphone. While it’s certainly clear enough for you to be understood by other players, it has a decidedly hollow sound when used for voice chat or recording. It’s likely not a deal breaker if you’re just using it for in game chat, but it’s certainly not a high-end microphone. As someone who regularly podcasts, it’s not going to hold a candle to dedicated microphones.
Overall, I am incredibly impressed by the G933 as a high-end wireless gaming headset. It held its own with every kind of audio I threw at it, it was comfortable, and it looks great. The fact audio quality is maintained wirelessly is a big pro for PC gamers, as is the surprisingly strong range on the headset. Just be aware the built-in mic won’t blow anyone away.
[This review is based on retail hardware provided by the manufacturer.]
