Very few gaming headsets can manage to deliver a great experience for PC, console and portable gamers, and the Logitech G635 Lightsync Gaming Headset is no exception. It's a brilliant gaming headset for PC gamers that, while it can be used on console, too, loses functionality in the trade-off.
Want to know more? Let's dig in to T3's Logitech G635 Lightsync Gaming Headset review.
The Logitech G635 Lightsync Gaming Headset promises compatibility with consoles and PC thanks to both USB and 3.5mm connections, superior audio via a pair of 50mm drivers, next-generation surround sound with DTS Headphones: X 2.0 compatibility – and fully customisable RGB lighting.
Clearly this is a headset with a lot to offer in its quest to be entered into T3's prestigious best gaming headsets guide. And while it lacks wireless connectivity, it hopes to make up for that with sound quality, design and comfort. It also comes from Logitech, one of the biggest gaming hardware companies around, and so promises to deliver when it comes to gamer-friendly customisation.
This is achieved via the company’s G Hub software, which can be used by PC and Mac gamers to customise the headset’s lighting, sound profile and its three pre-set buttons. Thanks to a 3.5mm cable, the G635 also works with games consoles, tablets and more.
Logitech G635 review: Design and setup
However, the unusual design doesn’t necessarily make the G635 a bad headset. It feels solid and well made, and offers a great rage of adjustability on the headband, meaning it should fit gamers of all ages. We just wish the headset wasn’t quite so tight, and the microphone was out of sight.
There is no mistaking that the Logitech G635 is first and foremost a gaming headset. Even before the RGB lights burst into life, the headset has a purposeful and somewhat chunky look, with lots of cushioning on the ear cups and headband to ensure good comfort.
We found this to be largely true, with the headset fitting neatly into place, snugly hugging our head without putting any pressure on our ears. However, this is quite a tight-fitting headset and applied a fair amount of pressure just above and ahead of our ears. We grew somewhat used to this over time, but initially it grips a little too tightly on the temples for our preference.
In better news, the fabric Logitech has used is soft while remaining breathable, and we didn’t notice any build up of heat while gaming.
The G635 features a microphone that isn’t detachable, but which folds away neatly into the side of the left earcup. It’s a smart piece of design and turns the headset into a regular pair of wired headphones for when you want to game solo, or listen to music or watch a movie.
The solid microphone boom pivots downwards, then the mic itself can be pulled out on an articulating arm to better reach your mouth. However, we don’t feel there is enough movement here, and the result is a microphone that sits further from our mouth than we are used to, and which remains in sight at all times.
We suspect most users will get used to this over time, but we found it rather annoying how we could constantly see the microphone in the corner of our eye. Helpfully, that at least means we can see a light on the mic that indicates when it is muted. It can also be set to automatically mute when raised, and thankfully there is enough room so that the boom can be raised without first needing to push the articulating arm back inside.
The left ear cup is also where you find the volume dial, a microphone mute button and a switch for flicking the headset between USB and 3.5mm audio mode. Finally there are three function buttons, called G1, G2 and G3. Using Logitech’s G Hub software, PC and Mac gamers can customise these buttons to adjust the sound of the headset. For example, you could create a profile best suited to a certain game then assign that setup to the G1 button. These buttons are a little tricky to identify by feel alone, but we’re sure most gamers will save their location to muscle memory in no time.
Lastly, we have the G635’s party piece – RGB lighting. The pair of light strips and pair of Logitech logos can be made any colour and even assigned a pattern to shift between hues. But they are only on the back of the headset, so you can’t see them (obviously), but neither can anyone watching your gaming stream, unless you sit with your back to the camera.
It’s a strange decision, but perhaps we can see the lights being useful for giving an esports team their own identity via a colour shared by their headsets. But for the vast majority of buyers the lights will feel like a gimmick, and we question whether Logitech could have invested more wisely elsewhere.
However, the unusual design doesn’t necessarily make the G635 a bad headset. It feels solid and well made, and offers a great rage of adjustability on the headband, meaning it should fit gamers of all ages. We just wish the headset wasn’t quite so tight, and the microphone was out of sight.
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Logitech G635 review: Features and audio
For example, when connected to the DualShock 4 controller of a PlayStation 4, the volume dial no longer works. This means you have to adjust the audio level by jumping into the game or system settings. It’s the same story when connecting to the controller of an Xbox One, although in its favour that console delivers spatial surround sound to the G635 thanks to its compatibility with Windows Sonic for Headphones.
Where the G635 makes up some ground is in the audio department. Each can contains a large 50mm driver and the headset is capable of handling DTS Headphones:X 2.0 when used with compatible PC games. This means sound that aims to be even more immersive than a regular 7.1 surround setup.
Logitech rather grandly refers to this as “Anti-Assassin Audio,” which may sound pretentious but the point is that, with greater detail and audio immersion, you’ll hear your enemies approaching before they have a chance to pull the trigger.
If all that isn’t to your taste, you can dig into the aforementioned G Hub software by Logitech and tune the headphones to your preference. This is also where you can tinker with the RGB lighting, picking a colour for both the light strips and Logitech logos, and even decide the type of speed of lighting patterns and colour transitions.
Sound quality is excellent, no matter what genre of game is played. Bass is punchy and we were especially impressed by the clarity of the high end, with environmental details, footsteps, weather and other sound effects delivered to our ears with exquisite detail.
The microphone is also top-notch, despite our earlier concerns about it being positioned too far away. We still wish it was out of view, but those we gamed against had no complaints about the way it performs.
However, this headset isn’t perfect – and it certainly isn’t the all-in-one gaming headset the choice of connections might suggest.
Connecting to a PC via USB is the preferred option and unlocks everything the G625 has to offer. But when connected to consoles over the 3.5mm cable, there are some issues.
For example, when connected to the DualShock 4 controller of a PlayStation 4, the volume dial no longer works. This means you have to adjust the audio level by jumping into the game or system settings. It’s the same story when connecting to the controller of an Xbox One, although in its favour that console delivers spatial surround sound to the G635 thanks to its compatibility with Windows Sonic for Headphones.
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Logitech G635 review: Price and verdict
The Logitech G635 carries a retail price of $139.99 / £130 but can be bought at the time of writing for around $100 / £105. This makes it fairly expensive for a wired gaming headset, while still being significantly cheaper than high-end wireless options like the Astro A50 Gen 4.
For PC gamers, there is a lot to like here. The G635 is a well-made headset with a good degree of adjustability, custom lighting, software to adjust the audio and create three pre-sets, and great sound. Players of first-person shooters will especially benefit from the DTS surround sound, while the overall audio quality – especially the detailed high end – is fantastic.
But for console gamers this isn’t a headset we can truly recommend due to the limitations mentioned above, especially the loss of volume control and RGB lighting when using the 3.5mm connection.
If you do decide to purchase, make sure you check our Logitech discount codes to save on your order.
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