The quest for a decent gaming hedset - one gamer's story told
I've been using a cheap crappy headset for way too long. I'm currently using one that has lost the foam around the mono headphone, the padding that sits on the other side of my head so that splintered plastic gouges my scalp, and I sound a million miles away. And before that? I would put on headphones and wrap a tiny PC microphone around my ear so the end would dangle approximately near my mouth.
I can't live on like this. So I'm fixing it. And I'm sharing my findings in case anyone finds this at all useful. If so, great. If not, well I got what I needed so I'm happy either way.
Budget: $60 - considering what I've put up with, I don't need much
Desired: decent sound, comfortable, reliable/durable, decent length of cord. USB a bonus but not necessary.
Let's get started: 2 main options to consider
1. First, pick what kind of headset you want. Do you want the type that just sit on your ear and you can still hear what's going on around you in real life? Or are you looking more for cans that fully house your ears in their entirety, isolating you into a pure gaming bliss?
2. Next, what kind of connection? Traditional 3.5mm jacks, or USB? The 3.5mm's are nice and dependable, but USB may be your only option or is just more convenient.
First wave: Newegg
From Newegg, I came up with the following that piqued my interest the most:
Note: Score is something I invented, determined by adding the percentage of 4 and 5-star reviews. So if 50% are 5-star, 40% 4-star, it's 90/100
PLANTRONICS .Audio 355 3.5mm Circumaural Stereo Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>ProductReview.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826265063
$24.99
Score: 63/100
Aggregated comments: comfortable... but a bit cheap. Audio quality suffers. Fragile.
TekNmotion TM-YW100A 3.5mm Circumaural White Yapster Universal Gaming Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>ProductReview.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826289002
$18.99
Score: 77/100
Comments: cheap, decent sound... but not the most comfortable and a bit quiet
Creative Fatal1ty Gaming Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>ProductReview.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826158082
$49.99
Score: 80/100
Comments: Comfortable, great sound, fairly rugged... but the mic doesn't flip up out of the way
PLANTRONICS GameCom 367 Closed-ear 3.5mm Circumaural Stereo Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>Product.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826265064
$39.99
Score: 78/100
Comments: Comfy, good audio, mic tucks away well... but bulky, short cable
SENNHEISER PC131 3.5mm Over-the-head Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>Product.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826106155
$39.99
Score: 83/100
Comments: Superb audio quality, good mic, comfortable, long cord... but a bit flimsy for the price
Creative Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MKII
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>Product.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826158081
$69.99
Score: 76/100
Comments: Excellent sound, comfortable, blocks out sound, removable mic, long cord... but a little heavy, expensive
Second wave: semi-finals on Amazon.com
Sorted by brand
- - - Sennheiser - - -
Sennheiser PC131
$32
Prime eligible
Good: Good audio clarity, comfy for some (but not others)
Bad: Cheap plasticy look, not fully suited for gaming, a little soft on volume, may be uncomfortable
Comments: It's the only one in the lineup that doesn't cover the ear fully; it's more of a typical "walman" headphones that just lays on the ears. If sound blocking is desired, get another. But if you do NOT want sound blockage, these are a prime choice.
- - - Plantronics - - -
Plantronics GameCom 367
$30
Prime eligible
Good: Comfy, covers the ears and blocks out sound, decent audio clarity, decent mic
Bad: Average. Nothing spectacular. Some report it to push too tightly on their skull, causing headaches.
Comments: If ear-covering headphones are desired, get this over the Sennheiser at this price point. There is also a 377 model, which is similar but an "open ear" design that doesn't fully block out outside audio.
Plantronics Audio 770
$45 + $7 = $52
NOT Prime
Good: Extremely comfortable, good audio clarity
Bad: Discontinued line. Mic's holding "arm" weakens over time and eventually cannot hold the mic up (many report this), USB adapter very big
Comments: An older model, known for its comfort. It was later replaced by the GameCom 777. I know someone who loves this model, but the discontinued status and the numerous reports that the mic arm eventually breaks with age keeps me away
Plantronics GameCom 777
$54
Prime eligible
Good: May be comfortable, decent audio, mic flip-up nice, 7' cord, USB adapter included works well
Bad: Comfort is subjective, again only decent audio so not audiophile-level
Comments: 770's replacement. Great if the mic-in on your desktop is in a hard-to-reach place, or far from your audio cable.
- - - Creative Labs - - -
Creative Labs HS-980 Fatal1ty Pro Series MKII
$61
NOT prime
Good: Mic detaches, folds flat, comfortable, excellent audio clarity, noise-blocking
Bad: has the "Fatal1ty" marketing logo (makes me feel like a tool wearing it)
Comments: Pretty good overall, though I don't care for the Fatal1ty crap. A bit pricey for what I'm really needing
Overall comments:
For the same price of a single Creative Fatal1ty headset, I ordered both the GameCom 367 and the Sennheiser PC150, as I have a use for both. I liked the idea of the USB connector in the GameCom 777, but I don't really need it, so I'll pass and get the cheaper version. As for the getting the Sennheiser, I like the idea of having a spare that doesn't totally block out audio.
I can't live on like this. So I'm fixing it. And I'm sharing my findings in case anyone finds this at all useful. If so, great. If not, well I got what I needed so I'm happy either way.
Budget: $60 - considering what I've put up with, I don't need much
Desired: decent sound, comfortable, reliable/durable, decent length of cord. USB a bonus but not necessary.
Let's get started: 2 main options to consider
1. First, pick what kind of headset you want. Do you want the type that just sit on your ear and you can still hear what's going on around you in real life? Or are you looking more for cans that fully house your ears in their entirety, isolating you into a pure gaming bliss?
2. Next, what kind of connection? Traditional 3.5mm jacks, or USB? The 3.5mm's are nice and dependable, but USB may be your only option or is just more convenient.
First wave: Newegg
From Newegg, I came up with the following that piqued my interest the most:
Note: Score is something I invented, determined by adding the percentage of 4 and 5-star reviews. So if 50% are 5-star, 40% 4-star, it's 90/100
PLANTRONICS .Audio 355 3.5mm Circumaural Stereo Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>ProductReview.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826265063
$24.99
Score: 63/100
Aggregated comments: comfortable... but a bit cheap. Audio quality suffers. Fragile.
TekNmotion TM-YW100A 3.5mm Circumaural White Yapster Universal Gaming Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>ProductReview.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826289002
$18.99
Score: 77/100
Comments: cheap, decent sound... but not the most comfortable and a bit quiet
Creative Fatal1ty Gaming Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>ProductReview.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826158082
$49.99
Score: 80/100
Comments: Comfortable, great sound, fairly rugged... but the mic doesn't flip up out of the way
PLANTRONICS GameCom 367 Closed-ear 3.5mm Circumaural Stereo Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>Product.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826265064
$39.99
Score: 78/100
Comments: Comfy, good audio, mic tucks away well... but bulky, short cable
SENNHEISER PC131 3.5mm Over-the-head Headset
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>Product.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826106155
$39.99
Score: 83/100
Comments: Superb audio quality, good mic, comfortable, long cord... but a bit flimsy for the price
Creative Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MKII
http://www.newegg.com/Product/<wbr>Product.aspx?Item=<wbr>N82E16826158081
$69.99
Score: 76/100
Comments: Excellent sound, comfortable, blocks out sound, removable mic, long cord... but a little heavy, expensive
Second wave: semi-finals on Amazon.com
Sorted by brand
- - - Sennheiser - - -
Sennheiser PC131
$32
Prime eligible
Good: Good audio clarity, comfy for some (but not others)
Bad: Cheap plasticy look, not fully suited for gaming, a little soft on volume, may be uncomfortable
Comments: It's the only one in the lineup that doesn't cover the ear fully; it's more of a typical "walman" headphones that just lays on the ears. If sound blocking is desired, get another. But if you do NOT want sound blockage, these are a prime choice.
- - - Plantronics - - -
Plantronics GameCom 367
$30
Prime eligible
Good: Comfy, covers the ears and blocks out sound, decent audio clarity, decent mic
Bad: Average. Nothing spectacular. Some report it to push too tightly on their skull, causing headaches.
Comments: If ear-covering headphones are desired, get this over the Sennheiser at this price point. There is also a 377 model, which is similar but an "open ear" design that doesn't fully block out outside audio.
Plantronics Audio 770
$45 + $7 = $52
NOT Prime
Good: Extremely comfortable, good audio clarity
Bad: Discontinued line. Mic's holding "arm" weakens over time and eventually cannot hold the mic up (many report this), USB adapter very big
Comments: An older model, known for its comfort. It was later replaced by the GameCom 777. I know someone who loves this model, but the discontinued status and the numerous reports that the mic arm eventually breaks with age keeps me away
Plantronics GameCom 777
$54
Prime eligible
Good: May be comfortable, decent audio, mic flip-up nice, 7' cord, USB adapter included works well
Bad: Comfort is subjective, again only decent audio so not audiophile-level
Comments: 770's replacement. Great if the mic-in on your desktop is in a hard-to-reach place, or far from your audio cable.
- - - Creative Labs - - -
Creative Labs HS-980 Fatal1ty Pro Series MKII
$61
NOT prime
Good: Mic detaches, folds flat, comfortable, excellent audio clarity, noise-blocking
Bad: has the "Fatal1ty" marketing logo (makes me feel like a tool wearing it)
Comments: Pretty good overall, though I don't care for the Fatal1ty crap. A bit pricey for what I'm really needing
Overall comments:
- USB/analog capabilities of the GameCom 777 is attractive for dual functionality
- Consider if you want open (Sennheiser or GameCom 377) or closed ear designs (all others)
- Creative Fatal1ty headsets are both comfortable AND have good audio quality
For the same price of a single Creative Fatal1ty headset, I ordered both the GameCom 367 and the Sennheiser PC150, as I have a use for both. I liked the idea of the USB connector in the GameCom 777, but I don't really need it, so I'll pass and get the cheaper version. As for the getting the Sennheiser, I like the idea of having a spare that doesn't totally block out audio.
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Comments
Not sure I really understand your complaints against the Fatal1ty Gaming Headset. The microphone can be completely removed, sooo....
Not a complaint per se. Just a comparison to the GameCom headset. That, and I'm used to aviation headsets with mics that rotate up out of the way when not in use. A removable mic is a nice idea, but to me it is just one more thing that may be lost or separated, like a cap on a USB thumb drive.