REVIEW: Logitech G35 headset

All headsets are not created equal. And to prove that point, Logitech built the G35 7.1 gaming headset, specifically for people who are done dealing with impossible to configure hardware.

The G35 sports Dolby-powered virtual 7.1 surround sound, a circum-aural design with plush ear pads,  a built in microphone, three programmable G-buttons, a volume dial and USB interface.

In addition, some customization options are available for comfort purposes. The G35 features swappable head band cushioning to accomodate different head shapes. This sounds ridiculous at first, but can make a big difference for those 12-hour gaming sessions.

Does the Logitech G35 live up to the hype? I could sum it up in one sentence but you’ll have to read the review to find out:

Design and Fitting

The first thing you’ll notice about the G35 is its substantial size. Though not too heavy, the cans have the look of a serious gamer headset and the presence to boot. You won’t be able to hide your intentions with these lying around.

I accidentally pulled the headband cushioning and found it secured with velcro. Unfortunately, the adhesive keeping the velcro strips on the headband itself was weak, and the velcro started to pull away from the headband. Ultimately I just decided to leave well enough alone on this front, as the attached cushioning fit my head shape.

Logitech had the foresight to make the G35’s ear cups big enough to fit even the largest gamer’s ears. When the headband is well-adjusted, all of the headset’s weight will rest on the headband cushion. The tops of the earcups don’t touch my average size ears at all.

The result: A comfortable listening experience for long periods of time. With many headsets, average nerds like me experience quite a bit of pain due to ear compression; there’s little to no compression from the Logitech G35s because the headphones rest around the ears, instead of clamping to the head. As a trade off, you will experience slightly less noise isolation compared to the average clamp-on-head headsets on the market.

In terms of materials, the G35 is covered in a rubberized plastic, with the ear cups and the headband covered with a vinyl material.

You’ll also notice the cord comes wrapped in fabric–designed to prevent tangling. Sadly, the fabric also makes the cord incredibly stiff and annoying in its own right. Can’t win them all.

Connectivity

Making the G35 USB only  could be the best decision the product team ever made. With a USB connection, gamers can take the headset to any computer–even if it doesn’t have a sound card–and play games privately.

Drivers

The G35 drivers only support Windows and must be installed for you to hear 7.1 audio and operate the headset’s three programmable buttons. You’ll still be able to get stereo audio on OSX; the microphone will work fine, and the volume dial still functions.

To get the full experience, run Windows and install the drivers. From there, you’ll be able to program the G35’s buttons, enable 7.1 surround, adjust the bass/treble/microphone/volume, use the voice masking and create configuration profiles.

Built-in voice masking can morph your voice into that of an alien, troll, etc. and will be highly annoying for anyone forced to chat with you. However, nearly endless amusement awaits you if used.

Courage Under Fire

I’m glad to report that the G35 performs well even without its drivers, but enabling virtual 7.1 support and application control via drivers really put the headset over the top. This is, of course, subjective and an unscientific measurement of performance, but I’m very happy with the end result.

Informal tests with standard stereo vs. 7.1 surround really weren’t a contest, as I was able to pinpoint multiple sound sources more quickly and easily in my testing environments of choice: Quake Live and Fallout 3, two games in which it really doesn’t pay to be ignorant of sound origins. Practice helps, of course, and the best players will always be able to put telltale noises in context via map knowledge, but players still learning the ropes will get a lot of use out of the 7.1 surround.

If you’re like me and watch movies on the PC as well, you’re in for a treat. There were quite a few instances in which I forgot I was wearing headphones, instead thinking that certain noises were actually occurring around me, instead of knowing they came from the headphones.

My only real complaint focuses on the G1-G3 application buttons. They’re a little too easy to hit accidentally, though I must confess I don’t know where else Logitech would put them.

Lastly, the noise-cancelling microphone could be the best integrated solution I’ve used so far. Ordinarily I hate integrated mic setups, but I noticed very little background noise when listening to recordings of myself through Skype. When making Skype calls, people on the other end had no idea I was talking into a computer mic. Naturally, it’ll help if you minimize background noise around the house, but color me impressed anyway.

Conclusion

In summary, I highly recommend the Logitech G35 to any PC gamer who doesn’t mind paying a little bit more for a quality product. At $129, it’s not what I’d call a cheap headset. Also, note that the G35 isn’t exactly an audiophile headset; while the sound quality is great, it can’t be adjusted via hardware DSP effects and such, and a headphone amp is out of the question due to the G35’s USB interface.

Ultimately, the decision to buy the G35 rests upon a few factors: How sick are you of plugging in a mic and headphones separately into your computer? Do multiple cords bother you? Do you need a comfortable travel headset with mic?

If the answers are “very,” “immensely” and “badly,” the G35 headset is for you. From my perspective, this nets it a GGL score of 9/10, with one point deducted for the surprisingly annoying cord.