Gaming headset
EUR102,90
Logitech G G935 Wireless 7.1 Surround Sound LIGHTSYNC for Gaming - 2.4 GHz - EMEA
Wireless
Review Logitech G935 and G635: Average in price, but also in quality
19.3.2019
Translation: machine translated
The G635 and the wireless G935 are Logitech's new premium headsets. Despite 7.1 surround sound, improved 50 mm drivers and stylish RGB lighting, they are more likely to be categorised in the mid-range segment.
In my endeavour to find the best surround sound, I'm always trying out new headsets. None have completely convinced me yet. Logitech's G933 is one of the most popular gaming headsets among digitec users. I'm therefore curious to see whether its successor, the G935 or the cheaper G635 model, will flatter my ears. I don't expect them to outperform my much more expensive Astro A50, but you never know. After all, the Dutch headset manufacturer responsible for the Astro A50 is now part of Logitech. Perhaps some of the expertise has already been channelled into the new G series.
Specifications
- Wired (3.5 mm or USB) or as a wifi version
- Frequency range 20 - 20 000 Hz, impedance 39 Ω
- 50 mm driver
- DTS Headphone X 2.0
- RGB lighting
- Foldable microphone
- Up to 12 h battery (G935)
Plastic look and moderate comfort
The only difference between the G935 and G635 is the wireless functionality. Otherwise, they are technically identical: 50 mm drivers, compatible with PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, smartphone, RGB lighting and programmable buttons, etc.
The first contact fills me with little confidence. Design is a matter of taste and gaming headsets are rarely visual revelations - but Logitech's headphones stand out as black plastic monsters. The ear cups, for example. They are seven centimetres thick. You have to be careful that you still fit through the door frame. The headband is angular and pinches annoyingly. The headsets feel cheap and rickety. This is confirmed by pretty much everyone in the editorial team that I hold them in my hand. The feeling is exacerbated when you remove the magnetic side flap; this is where the USB wifi adapter is hidden on the G935.
The G935/G635 fit most heads thanks to the adjustable headband. Nevertheless, I find them a little too tight and heavy, and that's not just because of my curly hair. When I wear them around my neck, the weight of 344 g or 379 g presses on my neck after just a few minutes. The ear pads could be a little softer. In the wireless version, they are made of leather and are a little more comfortable. With the wired version, you have to make do with fabric. They can be removed, but are a little difficult to put back on.
The ear cups are generously sized so that your ears don't feel uncomfortable anywhere.
Inconvenient operation
Both headphones can be used via micro USB (unfortunately no USB-C) as well as via a jack cable. The latter is intended for connection to the smartphone. With the G935, you only need to plug the Wi-Fi adapter into the PC to get started.
The new Logitech G Hub software allows you to control all connected Logitech products. You can choose from different RGB colour modes for the headsets. You can even synchronise them with your other illuminated Logitech products. You can also save audio profiles for different games. The G-Hub software is much clearer than its predecessor.
While there is nothing to criticise about the technology apart from the missing USB-C port, I couldn't make friends with the buttons on the headset at all. The volume wheel is fine, but it is a little sensitive. But what Logitech has thought about with the four buttons and the on/off switch is beyond me. The buttons should be tactile, as I don't want to have to take the headset off all the time. However, they all feel the same. So you start at the top with the power switch and slowly feel your way down. Intuitive is different. Much worse, however, is that there is no audio feedback. Have I just switched the surround on or off, or have I just adjusted the equaliser? I can't understand how they didn't think of this. I regularly have to switch back to Windows to check which settings are currently active in the Logitech software.
The G1-G3 buttons can be assigned different functions and macros. By default, they control surround, equaliser and RGB lighting. The last button switches the microphone on and off. However, as the microphone is retractable, I never needed this button.
It does work: sound quality and surround function
The Logitech G935 and G635 support the virtual surround format DTS X 2.0, which can be switched on or off using a button on the headset. This allows the stereo headset to simulate 7.1 surround sound. The difference is clearly noticeable. Initially, DTS X 2.0 sounds very muffled and bass-heavy. As I'm already used to it from the Astro A50, this didn't bother me too much. Without DTS X 2.0, the headphones sound rather restrained.
During my test, the surround button often didn't respond in games. Only when I switched to window mode with Alt+Enter and pressed the button with the Logitech software open did the switching also work in the game.
The surround effect works relatively well and the transitions from one ear to the other are smooth. However, depending on the game, the sound may overlap and individual sound sources may be harder to make out than when playing in stereo mode. It is best to try out both variants briefly in each game. In all cases, I found the sound of my Astro A50 to be more balanced and details were easier to make out.
"Soma" is a horror game with excellent surround sound that is perfect for such tests. With DTS X 2.0, I could clearly make out noises behind me. The rushing of water or the rumbling of machines literally envelops you.
In "Overwatch", the G935 and G635 also cut a fine figure. When the fat Roadhog came stomping along, I could hear how far away it was and that it was coming from a corridor behind me.
In "Rainbow Six Siege", the difference to stereo in terms of spatial perception was less clear. Even without surround, I was able to locate enemies relatively well. Here, the bass was also too strong for me with DTS X 2.0.
Finally, I tried out "Apex Legends", where the precise localisation of enemies is crucial. The dominant bass is the first thing you notice. But as soon as you get used to it, you'll be delighted by the crashing sound when you target enemies with the Peacekeeper. The surround sound helps you to better recognise the direction of sounds. However, they don't stand out quite as clearly as in stereo mode.
The G935 and G635 leave nothing to be desired in games. With the 50 mm drivers, it pops and rumbles on the ears and DTS X 2.0 is a useful addition. However, they don't offer quite as balanced a sound image as the Astro A50 or the Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless.
Logitech's new headphones are also ideal for listening to music. Whether it's Full Clip by Gang Starr or Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine: the bass booms and the guitar rocks. If, on the other hand, you are used to proper hi-fi headphones, the mids are not pronounced enough and the sound sounds a little flat in comparison.
The microphone fulfils its purpose
The microphone is hidden behind the right ear cup. It's a little tricky to remove at first as it's almost too well tucked away. You have to feel your way slowly until you get hold of the top end.
The sound quality isn't much better. For a round of "Apex", I switched from the Astro A50 to the Logitech G935 in the Discord chat client. As soon as I entered the voice chat, my colleague Balissat boomed at me: "Läck tönsch du scheisse. Do you have a new mic?". The judgement couldn't have been clearer. I then carried out my own microphone tests via Discord. The sound is not really intoxicating. There are slight hissing noises and the voice seems compressed. The "Suppress background noise" option in the Logitech Hub didn't make any difference. Out of curiosity, I also added the cheaper G432. It sounds a little brighter, but more pleasant overall.
When gaming, where the game sound can be heard at the same time, the poor microphone quality is hardly noticeable. You will be understood by everyone without any problems, but you shouldn't expect compliments on your beautiful voice.
Conclusion: not intoxicating
I didn't really warm to the Logitech G935 or G635 from the first time I touched it. The pseudo-metal coating on the joints doesn't enhance the headsets, but rather reinforces the inferior plastic impression. I was also not impressed by the wearing comfort. Although my ears didn't hurt even after several hours, the headsets press uncomfortably on my head. I regularly let out a deep sigh when I took them off. Like after taking off your ski boots after a day in the mountains.
The right ear cup is crammed with buttons and dials. However, due to the lack of audio feedback, you have no idea what you have just pressed and whether you have switched it on or off. A no-go. At least the headsets are convincing in the decisive discipline: the sound. They produce a decent sound for their price range and the surround function also worked perfectly in most games. However, the microphone is only adequate in terms of sound.
The G935/G635 didn't blow me away. There's nothing to criticise about the sound, but the rest is painfully mediocre, from the design to the operation. I would either go for the cheaper G432 or wait and see what products the Astro takeover brings with it.
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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