Welcome to page two of our guide. Let’s get into headsets, chairs, and the other neat goodies from the year!
Headsets
We’ve reviews a TON of headsets over the last two months and have discovered two key things: a higher price doesn’t always mean a better headset and there are types of headsets for every gamer.
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Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum
In the $100 or less range, our first recommendation goes to Corsair’s Void Pro RGB USB. It looks and sounds great with full virtual 7.1 surround sound, offers multiple onboard EQ profiles and exceptional earcup control for only $79.99. For twenty dollars more, you can upgrade to the wireless version. The Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum tops them all though by offering excellent wireless sound, RGB illumination, macro buttons, line-in audio sourcing and full, exceptional virtual surround sound.
Stepping up to the $120 range, the excellent Sennheiser GSP-302 headset. Coming in at under $100, it offers great stereo sound and an excellent microphone. Pair it with the GSX-1000 headphone amp for even better sound and one of the best surround sound experiences around. Next up is Steelseries with their excellent Arctis 3 Bluetooth gaming headset, capable of receiving two sources at once.
Best Value: Our best value pick easily goes to the HyperX Cloud Alpha gaming headset. For $99, the caliber of stereo sound is just outstanding. They’re also built from sturdy aluminum, are light and comfortable, and have a stupendous microphone. The Cloud Alphas may be the best value in gaming headsets period.
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HyperX Cloud Alpha
Moving into the high end, shoppers should definitely look at the Steelseries Arctis 7 Wireless Gaming Headset. They look great and are some of the most comfortable cans we’ve tested. They also have excellent battery life and tons of sound customization within the Steelseries Engine. Stepping up even higher, we have the Audio-Technica ADG1X, which is clearly the audiophile’s gaming headset. They’re big, comfortable, and have a flatter sound curve for good reference sound. Not to mention, the open-ear design delivers an improved soundstage.
If your loved one already has a microphone, it’s time to start looking at standalone headphones. For only $70, you can pick up Creative’s Aurvana Live!2 headphones, which offer great hi-fi sound, perfect for games out of the box. For about $150, Audio-Technica delivers a bombshell set of gaming and reference ‘phones with the ATH-M50Xs. Blue Microphones, makers of the popular Blue Yeti streaming mic, delivered the Blue Lola headphones this year, which make the perfect companion for gamers already packing a Yeti. We were impressed by their sound, unique looks, and sturdy build. Lastly, shoppers looking for only the best should definitely cast an eye to V-MODA with their Crossfade 2 wireless headphones. They offer fantastic sound, an incredible metal build, and are easily the most fashionable headphones we’ve ever used. If your gamer doesn’t have a mic, you can pick up the V-MODA Boom Pro modular microphone for only $30 more and turn these headphones into one of the best gaming headsets in the business.
If you need a microphone for a set of headphones that doesn’t have a detachable, or you’re not a fan of the Boom Pro, we absolutely recommend the Antlion ModMic 4 and 5 as standout modular microphone options.
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V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless Headphones
Our Choice: If money is no object, the V-MODA Crossfade 2s offer the kind of performance and versatility that’s hard to beat. At $330, they’re not cheap, however, so if you want to keep costs down and still get an excellent pair of high-end headphones, we recommend the Audio-Technica ATH-M50Xs with the Antlion ModMic 4 or 5.
Gaming Chairs
Gaming chairs are in vogue this year and companies have gone all out to get in on the trend. We’ve reviewed a number of them from Cougar, Vertagear, GT Omega, AK Racing, and Respawn with more to come in the future. On the value side, Cougar Gaming’s Armor gaming chair came in the cheapest at only $179, but offers outstanding design and comfort at that price point. Respawn’s RSP-200 came in the second most affordable and features gamerish looks and a nice mesh back for just under $220.
Best Value: Our best value choice has to go to the Cougar Armor for pure value for the buck. Cougar Gaming has developed a reputation for designing products with expensive features for inexpensive prices. The Armor is no exception.
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GT Omega Sport
On the higher end, we have Vertagear’s SL5000 and PL6000 for plus size users. Vertagear has made their name on the small details that push their chairs to the next level - like perforated, breathable PVC vinyls. These chairs universally impressed us. Vertagear’s most premium offering, the Triigger 350 features a mesh back, wonderful ergonomic design, and is probably the most premium chair we’ve had the pleasure of looking at.
Our Choice: If you’re willing to invest in one of the most important pieces of furniture a gamer could invest in, the Trigger 350 is the perfect choice. Coming in at $699, though, it’s not a minor investment. For that reason, we also choose the GT Omega Sport as our holiday pick. It features similar styling to the other chairs in our round-up, but the quality of materials - and especially the PVC leather - is just stellar and clearly made to last.
Everything Else
Since this is the year of RGB, we also have a handful of other peripherals to throw your way. First off, we have RGB mouse pads. Razer has their Firefly and Patriot has their Viper RGB mouse pad. We even looked at a lesser known mouse pad from Enhance that’s a full $30 cheaper than most of its ilk. All of them offer stunning customizable LED strips to add pop to your desktop. Our money is on the Corsair MM800 Polaris, however, due to the extra customization power from the 15 lighting zones around its outer edge.
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Corsair ST100 Headset Stand and Void Pro RGB USB Headset
RGB headphone stands are also an upcoming trend with the Razer Base Station and Corsair ST100 reinventing the concept. Both feature customizable LEDs and act as USB hubs, but the ST100 takes it one step further by acting as a sound card, turning any stereo set of headphones into a full-on 7.1 channel surround sound gaming headset.
Finally, and just because it’s that good, if your gamer is in need of a speaker upgrade, look no further than the Creative Labs Sound BlasterX Katana soundbar and subwoofer. This “under monitor audio system” is an incredible value at $299, pushing huge with its three amplifiers and packing a DSP with some of the best immersion surround sound we’ve heard. This is one awesome little package and a steal at $299.
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The Creative Sound BlasterX Katana with the Steelseries APEX M750, Roccat Leadr, and Corsair MM800 Polaris RGB mouse pad
Wrapping Up
It’s been a great year in PC gaming peripherals. How about you, dear reader? What peripherals would you add to our list?
