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Logitech's G Pro headset is built for eSports
With the new G Pro headset, Logitech set out to make something that gamers could wear for hours on end, without getting fatigued. It's a fairly straightforward pair of headphones: It only offers stereo sound (no fancy surround option), and it relies on an analog audio connections. Instead of the sports mesh headphone material found on Logitech's other gaming headsets, though, the $90 G Pro sports soft leatherette. The company claims it offers 50 percent more sound isolation than before, but more importantly, the new material simply feels better. (The previous covering made my ears feel a bit itchy after a few Overwatch matches.)
The best gaming headset (for most people)
By Dennis BurgerThis post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here.After more than 100 hours spent researching and testing 37 gaming headsets in all, plus more hours of long-term comfort testing than could reasonably be counted, we think the Kingston HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset is the best gaming headset for most people. It's beautifully built, comfortable on a wide variety of heads, and excellent in sound performance, especially for the price. In fact, you won't get find much improvement unless you spend more than double what the HyperX Cloud costs. This model is also incredibly comfortable—you can easily wear it for hours on end without any appreciable cranial distress. It's a clear winner.
Logitech rebrands gaming line with same name, announces bounty of peripherals
Logitech's G-prefixed gaming peripherals have been around for awhile, but they were never part of an official gaming line. That changes today, with the introduction of Logitech G, the company's official brand for PC gaming peripherals. "The overriding principal of G is that science wins," Logitech told us. "Just as gamers are compelled to beat levels, our engineers are compelled to test scientific theories." A fancy way to say that Logitech's gaming hardware is built using the latest technology. The company points to its new line of peripherals as an example: eight products featuring hydrophobic coatings, Logitech's exclusive Delta Zero sensor technology and buttons capable of surviving over 20 million toggles. Headlining the new series are the G700s rechargeable gaming mouse and G19s keyboard, which promise anti-stick surfaces, more than a dozen programmable buttons apiece and $100 and $200 price tags, respectively. The company's rounding out its line up with a pair of audio devices, too -- the G430 and G230 surround and stereo gaming headsets. That's just the tip of the iceberg of course -- head past the break for Logitech's full roster of G series peripherals. %Gallery-183246%
Skullcandy takes another shot at gaming headsets, quietly reveals SLYR, PLYR 2 and PLYR 1
Giving you the option to Edit your own Aviator headphones isn't the only news the fashionable folks at Skullcandy had up their sleeve for the end of 2012; with a bit of help from Astro Gaming (a recently acquired asset), it's also taking another stab at gaming headsets. The company's touting three new models: SLYR, PLYR 1 and PLYR 2, all of which were quietly detailed on its site within the last week. While Astro caters its full-on gaming audio systems (A30, A40 and A50) above the $200 mark, these Skullcandy-branded headsets essentially bring the ethos of those models to more wallet-friendly prices point of $80 to $180 -- not to mention in closer competition with the likes of Turtle Beach and Tritton. Most notably, Astro was quick to highlight to us that Skullcandy's new batch of gaming-focused earblasters have been created from the ground-up, unlike its past models which were just tweaks to its existing -- and less than well-received -- headsets. Curious for the initial details on these latest gaming audio aids? Lucky for you, we've got it all listed just past the break.
Mad Catz partnering with Microsoft Studios for Halo 4-branded headsets
Looks like Mad Catz has more up its sleeve than just the Wii U accessories it announced at E3 last week. The company just announced a partnership with Microsoft Studios to create Halo 4-branded gaming headsets. Mad Catz says it worked with sound engineers to make sure the headsets complement Halo's "epic sci-fi universe." Alas, that's about all we know right now. Photos and pricing into remain MIA, though the accessories maker says the products will be available in time for the 2012 holiday season.
PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on
Here at E3, PDP is showing off a handful of new gaming accessories for those looking to jump on the third-party bandwagon. The company has refreshed its line of Afterglow controllers that now sport a second edition label. Much like the previous models, the family will include accessories for PS3, Xbox 360 and two for Wii. The major difference that you'll notice is a portion of the peripherals is now black -- a bit of a departure from the clear interior-lit controllers that we've seen previously. In addition to the recharged versions of the Afterglow add-ons, the outfit also allowed us to go ears-on with a wireless stereo gaming headset that will sport the same illuminated moniker. Here, you'll have your choice for either white or black (and then red, blue or green interiors) for the set of cans that provide a quite cozy fit -- thanks in part to the extra padding around the earcups. We gave them a spin with latest Call of Duty offering and were quite pleased with the sound quality, too. Three sound modes provide a bit of customization, allowing you to choose between pure audio, bass boost and 3D expander listening pre-sets. An LED on the tip of the unit's mic will keep you informed as to which selection you've made. Speaking of controls, all of the in-game adjustments that you'll need to make can be easily done from the left side. You can expect around 10 hours of gameplay on a single charge, an auxiliary jack for your mobile devices and connection to your console via USB dongle. When the headset arrives in September, it will set you back $89.95 and play nice with PS3, Xbox, Wii and PC. If you're still curious about further visual details, head for the gallery below and take a closer look. %Gallery-157628%
Turtle Beach unveils Black Ops II, La series headsets at E3, announces Wii U licensing (update: photos)
If you thought Turtle Beach was only announcing its MLG-approved gaming headsets at E3, let us tell you that those are only a sliver of everything it plans to offer this fall. For the second time with a Call of Duty release, you can expect a barrage of co-branded headsets from the company when Black Ops II hits shelves, including the Ear Force Earbuds, Tango, Sierra, X-ray and Kilo and priced $70 to $300. You can expect LED lights, Bluetooth functionality, and virtual surround sound on some of the more expensive models. Moving along, TB has partnered with Nintendo to created licensed headsets for the Wii U that'll also work for the 3DS, and a we're told prototype model will be on display at the show floor. As if that weren't enough, a new series of smaller "La" ear-blasters have also been detailed. You'll have choice between the USB-powered PLa (PS3) and XLa (Xbox) which feature 40mm drivers, independent game and chat controls, microphone monitoring and bass boost functionality for when you need more wub. A computer version dubbed ZLa will also be available, stripping away most of the aforementioned features in favor of 4-pole 3.5mm jack for easy compatibility between your devices. Lastly, the M7 has been added to the company's lifestyle lineup, featuring 50mm drivers, an inline remote / mic, a faux-leather headband and memory foam earcup pads for noise isolation. There's no word on pricing or availability for the La and M-series headsets -- nor are any images available yet for the Black Ops II headsets -- but you'll find more details on everything mentioned in the press release after the break. We'll be sure to update you with more info when we have it. Update: We've added a gallery of photos just below. %Gallery-157222%
ROCCAT Isku keyboard and Kone mouse hands-on (video)
Sure, European gamers have been able to get their hands on ROCCAT's flavor or gaming tools for awhile now, but CES 2012 is finally delivering some of the outfit's German engineered love to the US. Just last week, the firm announced it would be bringing its 6000 DPI Kone gaming rodent and Isku illuminated keyboard the states later this year -- we found the deadly Deutch duo tucked away in a corner of the show's gaming nook.
ROCCAT invades US gaming market, brings peripherals to CES
European peripheral maker ROCCAT was serious when they promised to put some German engineered fragging tools in the hands of US gamers, unveiling today a trio of accessories to tempt American gamers. These aren't your standard mouse and keyboard setup, however -- these siblings socialize. More specifically, the outfit's Isku gaming keyboard ($90) and 6000 DPI Kone gaming mouse ($80) use ROCCAT's exclusive "Talk" protocol to activate mouse macros from the keyboard. Ready to snipe? Just click easy-aim on the Isku Keyboard, and the Kone mouse automatically adjusts its DPI to a headshot friendly level. The outfit is also trotting out a 5.1 surround sound headset, dubbed Kave, which will land in February for $120. Hit the break for the full PR, or take a peek at Germany's finest in the gallery below.
Turtle Beach unleashes M-series mobile headphones, updates Ear Force gaming headset lineup
Last year, at CES Turtle Beach wowed us with its Ear Force PX5 wireless gaming headset, featuring customizable surround sound presets -- this year, the New York-based company is unveiling its first foray into "lifestyle" headsets with its new M-series, as well as updating some of its staple Ear Force gaming headsets. To start, fans of the X31 and X41 wireless Xbox 360 headsets will be pleased to learn about its new X32 and X42, respectively priced at about $100 and $160. The duo build atop their older siblings' 2.4 Ghz RF radio signals, operating over dual-band 2.4 / 5 Ghz WiFi using an included transmitter. While both of these native stereo headsets feature a similar design with 50mm drivers, the X42 notably comes equipped with Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound. Moving onto the PC front, TB is introducing an option for gamers on a budget with its $40 Z11. Much like the company's on-ear Z1, it's a bare-bones stereo headset, but notably, the Z11 opts for an over-ear design with 50mm drivers. Lastly, Turtle's trio of M-series headsets are perfect for those looking to talk trash on Call of Duty and command their favorite music playlists on their smartphone between frag sessions. The lineup consists of the in-ear M1s, on-ear M3s (seen above, and vaguely similar Nox Audio's now-defunct Specialist) and the over-ear (and PX5-like) M5s. Each headset features an Android and iPhone-compatible inline remote / mic, and they're set to sell from $40 to $60 when they hit shelves. While availability for all the goods has yet to be announced, Turtle Beach apparently has another "surprise" announcement planned for CES, and we'll be sure to let you know as soon as when do while we're there. For now, check out the gallery below to see all the goods in the flesh, and the press release after the break for more details.
Corsair Vengeance gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets hands-on (video)
Hold on to your seats gaming enthusiasts, Corsair just unleashed an onslaught of Vengeance series peripherals aimed at helping you dominate that Call of Duty marathon... and we got our hands on all of 'em. There's a lot to cover, so we'll get right to it. The K60 gamer keyboard boasts Cherry MX Red interchangeable keys for rapid fire, 20-key rollover, windows key lock and crazy fast reporting rate at 1000 reports per second. Its companion, the M60 mouse, implements an Avago 5670 DPI sensor, adjustable center of gravity, custom lift detection and high-mass scroll wheel. In addition to all that, this bad boy features a dedicated sniper button which allows you to hone in on your target that much faster. Read on for the full rundown on the goods. %Gallery-133997% %Gallery-134002%
Sony outs good looking PC gaming headsets
PC gaming headsets aren't really something you think of when the word 'stylish' comes up -- in fact, you can usually file them somewhere after fanny packs and parachute pants for style points. Sony's aiming to change that a bit with a new series of 'phones, and we have to say, they may have just pulled it off. The DR-350USB, DR-320DPV and DR-310DPV headsets feature updated stylings, but other than that, they're pretty standard headsets, with features like volume controls and voice muting. Unfortunately for most of us, these headsets will only be available in Asia when they arrive in March. There's one more shot after the break.
