I mostly know SteelSeries for its lineup of gaming headsets, keyboards, and other accessories. Curiously enough, it has never released a full-fledged gaming controller for consoles and PC. Well, that used to be the case, as we now have the SteelSeries Aeon Pro. And let me tell you, it’s a pretty awesome gaming controller.

Its standout feature is the QuickSwitch Dock System, which can connect to your PC and Xbox simultaneously for seamless pairing. The dock itself has a slot to charge the extra detachable battery, while the controller has an OLED panel for easy profile switching. It also includes expected “pro” controller features like Hall Effect thumbsticks, remappable back buttons, and rubber grips.

While the SteelSeries Aeon Pro is pretty pricey at $259, it’s arguably worth the money given what it packs and what it can do. I’ve used and tested many of the best PC controllers, and this is one of the most impressive yet. If that price doesn’t scare you away, there’s a lot to like here. This is what I think after using the Aeon Pro for the better part of two weeks.

A solid controller

Let’s start with the Aeon Pro itself. Its overall size and weight are virtually identical to a standard Xbox controller. Of course, it feels much different in hand thanks to the wrap-around rubber grips and four back buttons. Still, if you’re familiar with the Xbox controller, it doesn’t take very long to acclimate to SteelSeries’ peripheral.

Button layout isn’t radically different. The asymmetrical thumbsticks, raised D-Pad, four face buttons, and four shoulder buttons are exactly where you’d expect. The main difference here is that the Xbox Home button is lower to accommodate the OLED screen in the top center. The options and select buttons are now located directly beneath the D-Pad and right thumbstick instead of in the middle.

Aside from the thumbsticks, all the buttons—including the D-Pad—are clicky like a keyboard, which is appropriate for a PC controller. I should add that the triggers only click once you flip the trigger locks to shorten their actuation point. I’m a fan of the best mechanical keyboards, so I’m all about the clicky.

The back buttons generally don’t bother me because both are positioned where my middle and ring fingers naturally rest. That said, I wish they were removable, as on the Scuf Valor Pro. This is a minor thing for me, but it could be frustrating if you’re not a fan of back buttons. Still, I’d rather have four permanent back buttons than none.

Lastly, there are the Hall Effect thumbsticks. Even though TMR thumbsticks are all the rage now, Hall Effect — the OG magnetic switch type — still delivers smooth, precise movement, especially compared with traditional analog sticks. And since they’re magnetic instead of analog, you likely won’t have to suffer from stick drift for a long time — if ever.

An innovative dock

Controller charging stations aren’t new. However, SteelSeries’ QuickSwitch Dock System (as the company calls it) does something I’ve never seen before on a controller dock: it charges a separate battery (included with the controller). So when the battery inside your controller runs out, you can simply swap in the fully charged one and keep playing without a major interruption.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because this feature comes from SteelSeries’ own Arctis Nova Pro headset, which has a hub that lets you charge its batteries. Best of all, the batteries for that headset and the Aeon Pro are interchangeable. If you own both peripherals, you’ll have four chargeable batteries at your disposal!

Like the Arctis Nova Pro’s hub, the QuickSwitch Dock System lets you connect to your PC and Xbox at the same time via the two USB-C ports on the back. Thanks to this feature, you won’t have to constantly pair and re-pair the controller to whatever platform you’re using, as you would with other controllers.

Another cool feature is the two slots for extra thumbsticks. One thumbstick is the same size as the two on the controller, only it is convex instead of concave. The other thumbstick is about twice as long for more precise aiming in shooting games. The magnetic thumbsticks snap in and out easily, which is a bonus.

The compartment for the extra battery sits right under the thumbsticks, and you just press down to lock it in place or release it. This is a simple process, but it’s extremely satisfying to press the battery in and out.

An OLED screen on a game controller?

Remapping buttons or fine-tuning thumbstick sensitivity on controllers usually requires you to dive into a dedicated desktop or mobile app. While the SteelSeries GG desktop app exists for that, you can almost effectively ignore it and still customize the Aeon Pro to your liking thanks to the integrated OLED screen.

On this monochrome screen, you can access profiles, switch between PC and Xbox, monitor battery life, and remap the controls. While the screen isn’t all that large, all the text appears nice and sharp.

My favorite thing about the OLED is that it quickly shows which profile you’re using, which is especially handy if you have different configurations for different genres or games. This way, I don’t have to open an app to see if I’m using the right profile, or remember which colors correspond to which layouts, like some controllers have you do.

Though I question why the screen needed to be OLED since it’s monochrome, I can’t complain about the results. Sure, you can make finer adjustments via the GG app, but it’s good that you can configure most of what you’d want right on the controller.

My new daily driver

We’ll have a full review of the SteelSeries Aeon Pro controller for you soon, but I wanted to share my thoughts ahead of that since I’ve been enjoying this awesome peripheral for some time. Again, it’s definitely pricey, but given all the cool features it packs, I think it’s worth the money for hardcore PC gamers.

If you’ve liked what I had to say about the Aeon Pro, then give it a shot. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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Sony’s elite esports gaming monitor just got, well, even more elite. The Inzone M10S II succeeds (you guessed it) the original M10S — a monitor I know well. I attended the original M10S launch at Gamescom 2024, where I spoke with the Fnatic esports team, who were heavily involved in its design, and the Sony engineers who brought Fnatic’s requests to life.

The new model shares the same core objectives as its predecessor: to provide professional esports gamers, or those aspiring to be one, with everything they need. As such, the core formula remains largely unchanged: blazing refresh and response rates; an array of features tailored entirely to esports; all combined with Sony’s premium design.

This time, refresh rates have been boosted in QHD and FHD modes; there’s a new anti-glare coating and a brightness boost, at least on paper. So, is this the best gaming monitor for elite players? Find out in my full Sony Inzone M10S II review.

Sony Inzone M10S II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An elite esports gaming monitor
• Who is it for? Pro esports gamers, or those aspiring to be
• What does it cost? $1,099 / £1,199
• What do we like? Be-all, end-all gaming performance and features; premium and thoughtful design
• What don’t we like? Not the brightest compared to other OLED monitors; USB-A and -B ports only

Sony Inzone M10S II review: Specs

Sony Inzone M10S II review: The ups

The M10S II has one job: to be the ultimate gaming monitor for esports players. With its impressive specs and an extensive array of performance and quality-of-life features, it succeeds. And as a Sony product, it boasts premium looks and a high-quality build.

Ultra-fast performance

The M10S II packs so many gaming features that I’ll have to break them up. First, I’ll cover the hardware side of things. And that refresh rate! With 540Hz in QHD mode and up to 720Hz when dropping to 720p (HD), this monitor is absolutely rapid, relaying enemy movement as accurately as possible, with no motion blur or lag.

With an ultra low response time of 0.02ms gtg (gray to gray, which means how fast the pixels can change color), plus Sony’s Motion Blur Reduction, ghosting is effectively removed. There’s also G-Sync to remove tearing, especially in situations with rapidly changing frame rates. All this means the enemy you’re shooting at is more likely to be exactly where you’re seeing it, and you aren’t shooting its ghost trail or some other artefact.

I’m not an esports pro, of course, but playing Counter-Strike 2 at 600fps was a smooth experience — though not particularly enjoyable at 720p. Our TG testing rig couldn’t hit the maximum 720fps, even with Counter-Strike set to low and running at 720p, but topping out at 600fps was still pretty cool. At 1440p with Counter-Strike on high settings, our testing rig still hit around 400fps.

The original M10S looks like a tortoise in comparison, topping out at only 480Hz and a mere 0.03ms response time. Our favorite high-refresh-rate monitor (up to now), the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 ($749), manages just 500Hz.

Plethora of gaming features

The M10S II also offers a comprehensive array of gaming features designed to suit elite gamers — like the Fnatic team. There’s a 24.5-inch tournament crop for competition practice, and two FPS modes, FPS Pro (which simulates an LCD) and FPS Pro+, which adjust contrast ratios to make enemy detection easier, especially in dimly lit game scenarios. I especially enjoyed using FPS Pro when playing Hell Let Loose, particularly on darker nighttime maps, as it lifted the blacks a little to help me spot enemies hiding in bushes.

Those aren’t the only game modes, though, as there’s a specific MOBA/RTS mode, as well as a general game mode for casual play.

There’s also an on-screen crosshair with a variety of crosshair types to choose from. I found this really handy in Counter-Strike 2, where many guns have no ADS mode and the in-game crosshair expands and contracts with movement and movement penalties. It was also super useful in Hell Let Loose, as it allowed me to more accurately fire from the hip and score reflex kills on enemies popping up from bushes or around corners, which I might otherwise have missed.

On that note, there’s also a black equalizer mode to brighten shadows without affecting lighter areas of the screen. This is handy if you’re already in a game-specific mode and only want to boost shadows, or if affecting highlights would hamper your performance.

Plus some useful QoL features

I also appreciate some of the quality-of-life (QoL) features found in the M10S range. The M10S II, like its predecessor, is designed with setup flexibility as a key consideration, and plenty of attention has been paid to the details.

In particular, there’s the stand. The M10S II features the same cantilevered stand as its predecessor. I actually spoke to the engineer who designed this stand at the original M10S press briefing — the stand was his passion project because he was trying to solve an issue he had with monitors. The cantilever channels all the weight into the center for perfect balance, allowing Sony to keep the base small.

The M10S II is therefore much easier to position than many other monitors. The M10S II replaced my Lenovo Legion R27qe Gen 2 (£199, U.K. only), with its enormous tripod stand — with the Sony, my desk felt so much more spacious and open, and for once I had room for other products I was testing. The base is also extremely thin, deliberately designed so you can slide your keyboard over it and keep your desk tidy when not in use. The arm swivels, so you can adjust the monitor's rotation without having to pick up and move the whole assembly. And there's a neat cable tidy to, well, keep your cables tidy!

I’m also a big fan of the anti-glare coating on the screen. I work with a window behind me in the office, along with overhead lighting. I was able to game and work on the M10S II for hours without eye strain or headaches.

Accurate color rendition

While the M10S II isn’t a production monitor, it’s still important that the panel reproduces color accurately. Thankfully, the M10S II does! As you can see in our lab test results below, the M10S II achieved a Delta-E score of 0.26. This score measures how closely the on-screen color matches the color sent to the display by the computer, and the lower the better.

A 0.26 Delta-E isn’t as good as some of the other gaming monitors we’ve tested, such as the Alienware AW2525HM, MSI MAG 272 QP, or MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36. But it’s still fairly respectable, and it means the colors you’re seeing on screen are rendered accurately.

The M10S II also covers both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts. What does that mean? Games are mastered in sRGB for SDR and in DCI-P3 for HDR, so the M10S II can reproduce every unique color in every game you play.

Now, an ultra-wide gamut can cause oversaturation in those spaces, resulting in an unnatural, neon effect. So, more technically isn’t always better. But while colors appear very bold and vivid on the M10S II, they didn’t feel overdone. And besides, there are sRGB and Cinema (for DCI-P3) color modes if you want to ensure strict accuracy to those gamuts.

Sony’s typically premium design

Unsurprisingly, as this is a Sony product, the M10S II is built extremely well. The monitor looks and feels premium, with high-quality materials used throughout.

The rear of the display is finished in textured metal rather than plastic. The stand and base are also made from metal and feel extremely sturdy. It simply feels built to last, and there’s a three-year warranty to back it up anyway.

Arguably good value

This might sound a little odd given that the M10S II costs $1,099 / £1,199, but I’d argue it’s fairly good value. It’s not uncommon for gaming monitors to push well beyond the $1,000 mark. The Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 OLED, for example, launched at $1,099. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, meanwhile, launched at $1,799.

I know: those are ultrawides, and their prices have dropped since launch. But what I mean here is that the M10S II isn’t priced beyond the pale. And yet it offers superb performance for elite gamers. If you’re one of those people, the M10S II could make strong financial and competitive sense.

Sony Inzone M10S II review: The downs

The Inzone M10S II doesn’t have many faults. However, it’s not the brightest OLED we’ve lab tested, and the USB ports on the underside are pretty dated.

Not the brightest

We don’t like to rely on manufacturer claims, which are often best-case scenarios and can be a tad (to say the least) unrealistic. As such, as part of our lab testing process, we also measure peak SDR and HDR brightness.

As you can see in the test results, the M10S II isn’t as bright as other OLED gaming panels we’ve tested and is well below the (rather ambitious) 1,500-nit peak brightness claimed by Sony.

Still, when you think about it, this monitor’s primary purpose is to be used in a dark room. And besides, figures alone don’t always tell the full story, and I certainly wouldn’t let our measured peak brightness put you off buying this monitor. I’ve had no issues using it in bright environments, largely thanks to the anti-glare coating. And I never struggled with darker in-game scenarios, thanks to the different color modes and black point equalizer.

Dated USB ports

My only other gripe with the M10S II is that it uses fairly dated ports, at least when it comes to USB (with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1, the video ports are just fine). There are two USB-A downstream ports and a USB-B upstream port. These are outdated, and it would’ve been nice to see at least a USB-C port or two.

Again, it’s important to remember use cases here. I’m not going to complain about the lack of a Thunderbolt port or KVM controller on a monitor that isn’t designed for productivity, but come on, it’s 2026… how can Sony fit a Type-B but not a single Type-C?

Sony Inzone M10S II review: Verdict

If you want the fastest and most feature-packed gaming monitor around, especially if you’re an elite competitive player or aspiring pro, I wholeheartedly recommend the Sony Inzone M10S II.

Its flaws are very few and fairly minor. What’s more, it not only delivers blazing-fast hardware performance but also a huge roster of genuinely useful gaming tools and thoughtful quality-of-life features! Then there’s Sony’s usual build quality and a fairly reasonable price tag, all things considered. I’m genuinely rather sad to be giving it back to Sony!

The Asus ROG Kithara is a premium open back gaming headset and a collaboration between Asus and HIFIMAN — renowned manufacturer of affordable audiophile headphones.

Asus promises incredible sound from the Kithara, with the detail and soundstage of HIFIMAN’s open back cans. And, yeah, the headset delivers pretty much exactly that. It’s also lightweight and comfortable, simple to operate, and great for music too.

Unfortunately, the usual afflictions of HIFIMAN gear appear, with a cheap headband that needs tightening to avoid slippage. Its mic is lackluster, and compounding both these issues is an unwarrantable price tag of nearly $300.

But could this still be one of the best gaming headsets for audiophiles? Find out in my full Asus ROG Kithara review.

Asus ROG Kithara review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium open back gaming headset, and collab between Asus and HIFIMAN
• Who is it for? Gamers wanting spacious, audiophile-tier sound
• What does it cost? A whopping $299 / £285
• What do we like? The beautiful sound, lightweight fit and simplicity
• What don’t we like? The poor build quality, lackluster mic and high price

Asus ROG Kithara review: Specs

Asus ROG Kithara review: The ups

The Asus ROG Kithara is, first and foremost, about sound, which is where it excels with open, spacious and detailed sound. It’s also lightweight and comfy, not to mention being about as simple as headsets come.

Spacious, detailed sound

The Kithara is essentially just a set of HIFIMAN open back headphones with some Asus branding. It uses the planar magnetic drivers that HIFIMAN is renowned for, and which I have a fair bit of experience with — I’ve used the HIFIMAN Sundara ($179) and 400SE ($109) regularly for comparative testing open back headphones. The drivers in the Kithara are enormous at 100mm, and bigger than the 90mm planars in the Audeze Maxwell ($299), Maxwell 2 ($329) and Maxwell 2 ANC ($449).

The Kithara sounds pure HIFIMAN, albeit with a gaming tune — it’s mostly a neutral, reference-style tune with some extra amplification at the high-end.

When driven properly, there’s plenty of detail across the highs and mids, in large part thanks to the ultra fast transient response of the planar drivers — basically, they can start and stop vibrating very quickly, giving more definition and a cleaner sound. As an open back headset, the Kithara boasts very open, wide sound and strong spatial imaging, too. All of this helped me hear and pinpoint enemy cues, like footsteps and reloads, to get the drop on unsuspecting foes in Hell Let Loose and Counter Strike 2.

The flat tuning means this isn’t a very bassy headset, even though the response range bottoms out at an impressive 8Hz — while the drivers can technically replicate that low, there’s not much amplification there. Explosions in Hell Let Loose lacked the impact you’d get from the bassy SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni ($399) and Audeze Maxwell 2.

Tonal separation is really strong, which was perfect for the beautiful campaign soundtrack of Total War: Rome II. Each of the instruments, from flutes through to horns and percussion existed on their own isolated plane, and I could pick them apart with ease.

Naturally, this all makes the Kithara great for listening to music, too… as long as you’re not a bass fanatic.

Listen along to my testing playlist on Qobuz, our favorite music streaming service for audiophiles.

Audiophile accessories included

Like I mentioned above, the Kithara is ideal (and indeed intended) for music as well as gaming. As such, it’s great to see an array of audiophile accessories included. There’s a headphone cable without a mic for listening to music, and no fewer than three swappable jacks included: 3.5mm, balanced 4.4mm, and 6.3mm.

The Kithara even comes with a diagram of its individual frequency response curve from quality checking, which is really cool. I’d expect no less from a set of HIFIMAN cans.

Refreshingly simple

The Kithara is a super simple headset. It’s literally plug and play. No batteries, no ANC, no companion app. Obviously, this gives you fewer features than, say, the Arctis Nova Pro Omni or Maxwell 2, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it’s nice to cut the clutter and use a plain old set of headphones (with a mic).

Open back awareness

Thanks to the open back design, the Kithara lets you hear everything around you, so you can stay aware of your surroundings. Now, I know, I know — gaming is often about immersion and concentration, right? Not always, I’d say.

Sure, in FPS games like Counter Strike 2, or strategic stealthy games like Sniper Elite: Resistance, I found myself missing the isolation of my closed back Fractal Design Scape ($149) or the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 ($199).

However, in less intense gameplay, like Rome II, I really appreciated being able to hear one of my dogs barking to tell me she needed to go out for a wee; or my wife calling from downstairs to tell me my cup of tea was ready. My wife and I work in the same home office, and I also enjoyed being able to chat with her while I gamed.

Naturally, this also has its downsides when it comes to distractions and immersion-breaking, which I’ll cover a little later. But that’s kinda the price you pay for open back space.

Lightweight and comfortable

The Kithara is extremely lightweight and comfortable, which is yet another benefit of that open back HIFIMAN design — both the Sundara and 400SE headphones are similarly lightweight. The Kithara weighs just 14 ounces / 420g, and I had no issue wearing the headset for hours on end.

The earcups are extremely soft and well padded. The default set of pads has a faux leather rim, but a second set is included which is completely velour and a little more breathable.

Stealthy looks

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but I think the Kithara is fairly nice looking. It’s not gonna win any pageants like the Fractal Design Scape or Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249). But clad in black and gunmetal, it’s pleasingly stealthy and much less garish than some of Asus’ other offerings — looking at you, Asus TUF H1 Gen II ($49) and ROG Delta II ($229)

Asus ROG Kithara review: The downs

The ROG Kithara has a couple of noteworthy flaws. It’s built like a HIFIMAN product, so not that well, and features a lackluster mic. I’d also argue that it’s downright overpriced.

HIFIMAN build quality

Asus hasn’t yet confirmed to me the extent to which HIFIMAN was involved in building the Kithara (I’ve asked). But if I had to guess, I’d say HIFIMAN built the whole thing and stuck Asus’ branding on it.

My first words on picking the Kithara up were: ‘yep, feels like HIFIMAN.’ And that’s not a good thing. HIFIMAN is well known for its build quality issues, with the popular Sundara being a ‘frequently returned product’ on Amazon due to headstrap build issues.

The Kithara feels no different. The head strap is made of thin, cheap-feeling leatherette, just like the Sundara. The headband is a thin piece of metal. The adjustment sliders constantly slip downwards from where you set them. Asus acknowledges this is an issue, and it can be solved easily with a T7 Torx driver, in fairness. But why should I have to fix my own headset from factory? At $300, that’s not acceptable.

Now, none of this bothers me too much on HIFIMAN headphones, because they’re cheap. The problem is that the Kithara isn’t cheap, at $299 / £285. It’s HIFIMAN quality; Asus prices.

Lackluster mic

I’ll preface this by saying that the Kithara’s mic isn’t bad. In both my testing calls and game chat, nobody had issues understanding me — that was super important in Hell Let Loose where team communication is vital.

My colleagues reported, however, that the mic sounded fairly tinny and low quality. Again, that stings a little when paying $299, especially as rivals like the Maxwell 2 and Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II ($349) offer fantastic, broadcast-worthy mics for only $50 more. If you’re going to be on stream, I’d recommend either of those.

Should cost half its MSRP

As I’ve already alluded to a few times, my biggest gripe with the Kithara is its price. In a world where the Sony Inzone H6 Air ($199) exists for a hundred dollars less, with spacious open back sound, premium build quality and an excellent mic, there’s just no way I can recommend the Kithara. That’s why I’ve scored this headset 3.5 — we define this score as very good, but it misses out on our Tom’s Guide Recommended award. I can’t recommend this headset over the higher-scoring H6 Air.

Open back might not be for everyone

Before you drop 300 smackeroonies into the Kithara, it’s worth making sure an open back headset is right for you. This isn’t really a con, so I’ve left it until last, but the environmental sound leakage may not be best for every gamer.

While the headset is loud enough for fine detail, some of that can get drowned out by external noise coming through the open driver backs. In Hell Let Loose, I sometimes found it difficult to hear the super fine interference noises of enemy garrisons and outposts, leaving me hunting around blindly and getting killed. This was only an issue when I had the window open, but could make the difference in shooters where enemy cue sounds are pivotal.

As I mentioned above, the sound is also nowhere near as immersive or intense as a closed back headset. Switching back to my Fractal Design Scape after testing the Kithara, the chaos, explosions and bullet hisses in Hell Let Loose sounded way more intense and frightening.

Like I said, this isn’t a con. If you’d like that more spacious, detailed and gentle sound, plus you game in quiet environments, it shouldn’t be an issue. If you’d rather a headset that fully isolates and immerses you, a closed back design with ANC is your best bet. These tend to cost more though, like the $399 Arctis Nova Pro Omni, $429 Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC and $599 SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite.

Asus ROG Kithara review: Verdict

The Kithara is a very good headset. It offers extremely detailed, spacious sound that’ll appeal especially to any lovers of open back headphones, who want the same kind of experience when gaming. It’s great for music, too, while proving lightweight, comfy and fuss-free.

However, I pretty much summed up my verdict already in the price section. Our 3.5-star score means a product is very good, but we wouldn’t outright recommend it over cheaper rivals. The build quality is poor, while the mic is lackluster, neither of which is worthy of the $300 price tag. If you’ve got to have planar magnetic open backs, my advice is to invest in a set of Torx drivers and wait for a sale.

The Stealth Pro II is the flagship gaming headset from Turtle Beach, intended to compete with the heavy hitters from Razer, SteelSeries and Audeze. The crème de la crème are getting pricey now, with all the manufacturers above asking several hundred dollars for their very best gaming headsets.

The Stealth Pro II is no different, and hella pricey by objective standards, but actually comes in a little cheaper than some of its competition. It also offers excellent sound; an attractive, premium design; zero downtime battery; plus customization via a solid companion app. So could this be a fantastic balanced alternative to the main ultra-premium players?

As long as you don’t mind fairly weak ANC and a slightly tight clamp force! Find out more in my full Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium flagship gaming headset from Turtle Beach
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers and those who value sound quality
• What does it cost? $349 / £299
• What do we like? The sound, mic, companion app, styling and build, base station and zero downtime battery system
• What don’t we like? The ANC is a little weak, and I found the headset a tad clampy

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: Specs

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: The ups

There’s a lot to love about the Stealth Pro II. Sound quality is excellent, there’s a useful companion app, a super clear mic, and a handy base station for ‘zero downtime’ battery life. It’s also moderately priced versus competition.

Excellent sound quality

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II’s biggest strength is its sound quality. It uses a coaxial driver setup, with a 60mm woofer and separate tweeter in each earcup. This, in theory, gives better clarity and more separation between higher and lower frequencies, as each driver can focus on its own job. Connectivity-wise, there’s 24-bit/96kHz high resolution data/sampling rates over 2.4G, so this is a true hi-res headset, akin to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni / Elite and Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC.

The sound is super spacious with exceptional clarity up top and very strong imaging (this lets you pinpoint noises to a specific point). This naturally benefits competitive gameplay, letting me hear the location of enemy cues like footsteps or reloads in my test FPS games: Counter Strike 2 and Isonzo. It was also handy for stealthy games like Sniper Elite: Resistance, where I could again hear and locate even the quietest tapping of enemy footsteps. And it was ideal for immersion, giving three-dimensionality to sounds and effects in the campaign and battles of Total War: Rome II.

There’s also Dolby Atmos (DA) support, so you can benefit from that codec in games that use it for surround sound. But even without DA, the sound is impressively spatial.

Tonal separation and mid-range clarity are really excellent, too. Each of the instruments and layers of the beautiful Rome II soundtrack sounded isolated yet cohesive — the panpipes, the atmospheric flutes, the drums, the horns, all occupied their own distinct space.

And thanks to that hefty 60mm main driver, there’s plenty of bass performance, giving strong, impactful artillery explosions in Isonzo. Bass response is not quite as nicely controlled as on the Arctis Nova Pro Omni or Elite, and you don’t get anywhere near the tightness of the Maxwell 2’s low-end. I noticed a little bit of booming and muddying at times, too, but it was nothing major, and generally, I loved listening to games and music on the Stealth Pro II.

Listen along to my audio testing playlist on Qobuz, our favorite music streaming service for audiophiles.

Useful companion app

Complementing the Stealth Pro II’s sound is an equally strong companion app, which gives you access to a full custom EQ, as well as EQ presets and a (cringe) “Superhuman hearing” mode — essentially some EQ presets to enhance things like footsteps.

There’s not the same enormous range of presets as on the SteelSeries GG app, with its hundreds-strong library of per-game EQs. But there’s still more than enough control in Swarm II to get the most out of your game audio.

In the app, you can also control the microphone EQ, update the headset and (my favorite aspect) change the control assignments to customize how the headset operates. So useful!

Multipoint connectivity

The Stealth Pro II offers multipoint connectivity. You can hook up two devices over 2.4G out of the box, using the base station and included USB dongle. You can also buy more dongles (the carry case even comes with a spare dongle slot) to connect to even more, up to four devices.

If that weren’t enough, you can also connect over Bluetooth simultaneously. I found this a little annoying, though, as the headset doesn’t mute game sounds to prioritize Bluetooth if, for example, you get a call or need to take a work meeting while gaming (which, as you can imagine, happens a lot in my job). You just have both going on at once, and the sidetone dial didn't work to fix this. It’s not a huge issue, but I like that the Nova Pro Omni and Maxwell 2 prioritize Bluetooth in those scenarios.

Super clear mic

The Stealth Pro II uses a unidirectional mic that’s “floating,” meaning it’s suspended on rubber spokes to eliminate vibration. Turtle Beach says this gives exceptional clarity, although in fairness it’s just a great mic anyway, floating or otherwise.

Headset mics, even flagship ones, usually disappoint, so I was very surprised at the cleanness and airiness of voice recordings. There was arguably a little too much clarity, as I started to pick up on some of my inherent lispy and sibilant qualities — but there’s no denying how clean and noise-free the recordings were, especially using the ‘clarity’ mic EQ.

There’s environmental noise reduction, but being a unidirectional mic, that isn’t really needed — the mic only picks up sound from your mouth anyway. I recorded test clips with my window open to a very busy and loud road. Even with noise reduction off, I couldn’t hear the road in any recordings.

Stealthy, grown-up design

Turtle Beach gear is very often styled a little ‘gamer-y’ for my tastes. Even the pricey stuff is typically a bit garish for me, like the $200 Turtle Beach Command KB7 we tested before this headset. So I was pleasantly surprised by how grown up the Stealth Pro II feels. The eponymous, stealthy, blacked-out look means it won’t seem out of place in any setup — whether you’re an RGB-clad unicorn puke kinda person, or an anti-RGBer like me.

I definitely prefer the look of the Stealth Pro II to the chunky Maxwell 2 ANC, and I’d say it edges the Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Elite (although there’s not much in it). For sheer prettiness, the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro and Fractal Design Scape still win out for me, but naturally this is all highly subjective.

Premium build, too

The Stealth Pro II looks and feels like a premium headset, too (as it should, given the price). The brushed metal earcup plates, gunmetal earcup carriers, matte black rubberized headband and mesh padding all scream quality.

Again, there’s very little between all the flagships here. You’ll find a touch of extra finesse and attention to detail on the Fractal Design Scape and BlackShark V3 Pro, but there’s seriously not much in it. The Maxwell 2 ANC feels as sturdy as they come, sure, but that’s mainly because it weighs a frankly preposterous 1.2lbs — it’s like comparing supercars to a dump truck. I’d say the Stealth Pro II feels a tad sturdier than the Arctis Nova Elite / Pro Omni, though. But did I mention there isn’t much in it?

Handy base station

Man, I love me a base station. The Stealth Pro II’s is perhaps rather basic versus the Arctis Nova base station, which bundles a DAC for hi-res wireless, a multipoint USB-C hub, an EQ interface, a settings menu and a battery charging dock.

But hey, the Stealth Pro II’s base station is still super handy, facilitating wireless hi-res audio and battery charging for no downtime (more on this later). I love the simplistic status lights, too. The outer light shows you the audio sample rate and/or mic mute status, while the inner light around the battery eject button displays the current charge of the docked power cell.

By contrast, the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC and Razer BlackShark V3 Pro only come with a 2.4G dongle — and the Razer’s was particularly annoying in testing.

'Zero-downtime' battery

The Stealth Pro II is rated for up to 20 hours on a single charge by Turtle Beach, ANC off. This is ostensibly a little weak. The BlackShark V3 Pro is rated for up to 70 hours, while even the power-hungry Maxwell 2 ANC manages 40 hours without ANC.

However, from my testing, I think Turtle Beach is being a little conservative. After around 18 hours of use with ANC on, I still had around 65% left — partly, this is because the headset is really loud, meaning I only ran it at around 30% volume to hear everything and be comfortable. That saves juice.

Just like SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova headsets, though, the important factor is that the Stealth Pro II is a zero downtime headset. Its second battery charges in the base station as you play, meaning no meaningful downtime when gaming near the base station.

Competitively priced

It’d be remiss of me not to clarify here that the Stealth Pro II is objectively rather expensive at $349 / £299. That said, it offers comparable performance and build quality to all its rivals, despite sitting in the middle of them all.

It’s cheaper than the $399 Arctis Nova Pro Omni and especially the $599 Elite, while offering comparatively strong sound quality. Its mic is just as good as the $449 Maxwell 2 ANC, and it’s a hell of a lot lighter and more breathable, even if it can’t match the sheer sound quality of Audeze’s planar drivers. Yet it’s cheaper than all the above.

The Stealth Pro II’s biggest foil is the $249 Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, which looks a little more premium and offers better ANC for around $100 less. But the Razer lacks the Stealth Pro II’s ‘zero downtime’ battery system and handy base station, and uses the Synapse companion software, which I like a whole lot less than Swarm II (to put it mildly).

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: The downs

It ain’t perfect, though. The Stealth Pro II’s biggest letdown for me was its ANC, which let through a lot of sound it shouldn’t. I also found the headset a little too clampy, although mileage may vary based on your head shape.

A little too clampy for me

I'll caveat this section by saying I found the Stealth Pro II mostly very comfortable. The earcups are super thick and padded, not to mention breathable. There's a layer of foam covering the drivers so even if your ears stick out, they won't rub against the plastic driver housing. And the mesh headband padding is a marvel — it’s supportive, light, breathable and effortlessly comfy.

Unfortunately, the headset is a little too clampy for me, though. After a few hours using it, I started to feel pressure on my temples and experience headaches. In fairness, this may reduce over time as the headset flexes, and mileage will vary based on the shape of your head. I’ve got a moderately large noggin, so ye of average headsize may be just fine.

Disappointing ANC

My biggest grip with the Stealth Pro II is its ANC. It has it, and it works to some extent, but it’s really rather poor versus rivals. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Elite, while their ANC isn’t perfect (and certainly doesn’t live up to the claims it can drown out a helicopter), performed much better than the Stealth Pro II in the same test. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, meanwhile, is in a different league, as is the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro.

The Stealth Pro II, tested in my home office with traffic outside, let through substantial amounts of traffic noise. It also let through voices, keyboard sounds, mouse clicks, and chairs moving across the floor. It’s better than no ANC, but I wouldn’t recommend buying this headset if immersive and isolating ANC is your chief priority.

What’s that… smell?

Here’s a weird one: I’ve never had to say this about a headset before, but my Stealth Pro II smells bad. Like really bad. Of smoke or burning or something carcinogenic. It’s as though it was QC’d in a room where someone smokes 80-a-day… for a week.

I’m not sure whether this is to do with the materials used or the manufacturing process, or both. But it’s bad enough to be noticeable when holding the headset, and even when wearing it sometimes. At times it made me feel a little nauseous.

I’ve reached out to Turtle Beach’s representative to see why this may be. They’ve confirmed it was an issue with some pre-production models, but I’ve arranged a replacement full production unit to confirm it’s a one-off. I’ll update this review accordingly.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: Verdict

The Stealth Pro II is a really strong flagship offering from Turtle Beach. The sound quality is impressive, as is the mic, and I love the array of super useful features, from the handy companion app to the base station and ‘zero downtime’ battery. For Xbox and PC gamers, this is a highly commendable choice.

But it’s not perfect. The ANC system isn't quite up to scratch with the best in the biz, although that’s my only major issue. I found it a little clampy, but that’s really an anatomical roll of the dice, and my headset smelled rather weird, which is likely an isolated manufacturing issue. Given this headset comes in at a cool $50 cheaper than its chief rival, the Nova Pro Omni, they’re definitely things I can forgive.

At last! The delayed Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC cometh, following up the fantastic Audeze Maxwell 2 and, before that, the original Audeze Maxwell. I’ve reviewed and extensively used both prior models, and believe me, it’s long been a winning formula.

The Maxwell 2 ANC packs the same 90mm planar magnetic drivers as the Maxwell 2, for super crisp audio (especially up high); the same SLAM plates for improved bass response down low; and, well, the same pretty much everything. Only now there’s ANC.

That level of similarity also has its cons. Just like its forebears, the Maxwell 2 ANC is heavy, and uses the same suspended headband that has minimal adjustment — complaints I’ve had with both previous iterations. It’s also a lot pricier than the non-ANC model, and battery life takes a major hit when using ANC.

So is this the best gaming headset for you? Find out in my full Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review.

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An elite-tier gaming headset from audiophile manufacturer, Audeze
• Who is it for? Gamers who want the absolute best sound quality for gaming and music
• What does it cost? A fair bit: $429 / £429
• What do we like? The sound quality, strong ANC, excellent mic and solid build quality
• What don’t we like? The headband, weight, ANC battery life and cost

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review: Specs

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review: The ups

The Maxwell 2 ANC sounds fantastic thanks to its Audeze pedigree, and boasts strong ANC, a fantastic mic and decent build quality.

Audiophile pedigree

Audeze, is well known in the audio industry for its high-end audiophile headphones. As such, the Maxwell headsets have some serious sound quality pedigree.

Like its predecessors, the Maxwell 2 ANC features 90mm planar magnetic drivers. Instead of the cone-shaped dynamic drivers typically used in headsets, planar drivers create sound using ultra-thin metal filaments that vibrate when electricity is passed through them. This means planar drivers can start and stop vibrating much faster than cones, giving much sharper response and greater tonal clarity, especially in the higher frequency range.

Connectivity-wise, there’s support for up to 24-bit/96kHz over the USB-C dongle, for wireless high-res. Or lossless via USB-C wired. Bluetooth-wise, this headset supports LDAC for hi-res(-ish) Bluetooth and Auracast for hooking up to a single audio source in tandem with other devices.

Note: The Maxwell 2 ANC Xbox/PC version supports Dolby Atmos. Audeze supplied me with the PlayStation/PC version, which doesn’t support Atmos.

Isonzo

Planars are Audeze’s ‘thing’, and it’s very good at them. Response is super tight and fast, delivering extremely crisp sound, especially in the treble. That gives you excellent clarity for competitive gameplay. In the FPS Isonzo, using the ‘Footsteps’ EQ, enemy footsteps were easy to distinguish among the cacophony of WW1 noise, and effortless to pinpoint thanks to strong spatial imaging. As always with Audeze’s planars, though, the treble isn’t overdone and never becomes painful or fatiguing. There was plenty of mid-range clarity too, for satisfying, mechanical reloads, helping with immersion.

Planars typically lack the super thick, powerful bass of dynamics. Indeed, through the Maxwell 2 ANC, artillery explosions in Isonzo lacked the outright depth and impact of dynamic headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Elite, Fractal Design Scape and Razer BlackShark V3 Pro.

However, the Maxwell 2 ANC has the same SLAM plates as its predecessor — metal plates over the drivers which help keep bass frequencies cleaner and free of distortion at higher amplification. That means you can amp up the low end via EQ in the Audeze app, to better reproduce explosions and heavy rumbles. In general, I had to do a little work EQing this headset per-game, but that’s cool, as the Audeze app makes it easy.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

In quieter, more contemplative gaming, I really appreciated the Maxwell 2 ANC’s top end detail. In Sniper Elite: Resistance, enemy footsteps are often extremely soft, but I was able to detect them with relative ease, even using the Maxwell 2 ANC’s Immersive EQ rather than Footsteps preset.

Vocals also sounded great, with Harry Hawker’s cockney accent staying prominent and clear above the din of a misfiring engine. There was also a lovely, natural timbre to vocals — Hawker sounds like he’s smoked a 20-pack then swallowed a bag of gravel, and I could hear the subtle distortions and crackles in his hoarse, husky voice.

Total War: Rome II

In Total War: Rome II, the game’s magnificent, cinematic OST sounded absolutely fantastic. I could hear each orchestral instrument with pinpoint clarity, from the gentle flutes and panpipes through to the boisterous trumpets and huge percussive smashes. During battles, that stereo imaging came to the fore once again, and I felt myself immersed in the chaos of the fighting.

Music

I also listened to my fair share of music on the Maxwell 2 ANC, playing my usual audio testing playlist on Qobuz, our favorite music streaming service for audiophiles. Bass was, again, tight and enveloping, if not the punchiest or subbiest in electronica. Plenty of top-end detail and mid-range clarity provides strong instrument separation and lets vocals and delicate effects shine — even during busier productions and when EQ’d for bass.

There’s a respectably spacious sound for closed back cans, too. Sure, there’s not the same amount of width as with open backs like the Sony Inzone H6 Air, but that’s the price you pay for isolation and noise cancellation.

Overall, if you want a dual-purpose headset for gaming and detailed music listening, it has to be a Maxwell.

Listen along to my audio testing playlist on Qobuz.

Genuinely good ANC

Audeze claims the Maxwell 2 ANC has the “best ANC in gaming”. It’s not the first brand to bring the hyperbolics to ANC marketing, with SteelSeries claiming its Arctis Nova Elite ($599) and Arctis Nova Pro Omni ($399) can block out the sound of a helicopter (spoiler: they couldn’t block the road noise outside my window).

Audeze claims it has proof, though, touting a lab test graph showing the Maxwell 2 ANC’s superior noise reduction versus a certain $599 competitor. And yeah, I can believe it. Combined with redesigned earpad foam for increased passive noise reduction over its predecessor, the Maxwell’s ANC performed much better than the Nova Elite in my tests. Same room for gaming. Same road outside. Same keyboards on my and my wife’s desk. Same office when I tested at work.

The Maxwell 2 ANC cut road noise very effectively, keeping me immersed in the tense mood of Sniper Elite: Resistance, as well as the atmospheric OST and tumultuous battles of Total War: Rome II. It almost entirely cut the noise of my NuPhy Halo75 V2, and completely drowned out voices, so was great for working, too. On several occasions my wife had to come upstairs and tap me on the shoulder after shouting up to me had failed. I also tested the headset at the London launch event, playing Star Wars Battlefront II in a busy, noisy pub — I heard virtually no noise, and again someone had to tap my shoulder when my time was up.

Annoyingly, mouse clicks not only got through, but sounded piercing. My wife has a cheap, noisy mouse for work, and the sounds were really frustrating. This was mainly an issue when using Bluetooth, though. Over 2.4G, higher frequencies were a little more muffled.

I didn’t notice an appreciable drop in sound quality with ANC on, either. There was a slight contracting of the soundstage — the radio vocal effects in Sniper Elite: Resistance cutscenes sounded a little less reverby, for instance — but nothing serious. This ties up with Audeze’s frequency response curves, which show marginal differences between ANC on and off.

Warm, clear mic

The Maxwell 2 already boasted the best performing headset boom mic I’ve tested, so it’s no surprise that the ANC version, which uses the same mic, sounds great too. On test calls with colleagues, they reported that my voice sounded clear and warm, and surprisingly high quality for a headset mic.

The Maxwell 2 ANC uses two mics — a hypercardioid boom mic and a beamforming mic in the headset. The combination works well for reducing environmental noise. The hypercardioid mic pattern cuts out most noise from the side and peripheries, focusing only on your voice, while the beamforming mic uses noise reduction to cut ambient sounds. On test calls, I left my window open to let in noise from the busy road outside. My colleagues heard no distracting sound whatsoever.

Same old Maxwell build, plus extras

Weight-gain aside, the Maxwell 2 ANC’s design is more or less the same as the Maxwell 2. It looks pretty much the same, is built just as nicely and also features removable earcup plates to allow for customization.

The build isn’t on par with the exquisite (and cheaper) Fractal Design Scape or Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, but the Maxwell 2 ANC doesn’t feel cheap (which is good, because it isn’t).

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Maxwell 2 ANC maintains its predecessor’s frustrating strap and is very heavy at 1.2 lbs. Battery life with ANC on takes a big hit over 2.4G, plus it’s rather pricey.

Strap still lacks adjustment

My biggest gripe with the Maxwell 2 ANC is the same that I had with the OG Maxwell and Maxwell 2: the headband. The only adjustment is via three fixed levels on the suspended inner headband. If, like me, you fall between one of those, you have to fit one side lower than the other, resulting in a lopsided headset.

I wish Audeze would just add some adjustment to the earcups sliders like literally every other headset. I actually spoke to Audeze’s design team about this at the Maxwell 2 ANC press event. They're aware it can be an issue, but it hasn't been a priority to change thus far. Hopefully we see improvements next time.

Huge, hot ‘n’ heavy

Like its predecessors, the Maxwell 2 ANC is a beast, thanks to those big drivers and large batteries needed to drive them. The size doesn’t bother me too much, but the weight does. Thanks to the ANC system, the new model weighs 2.5 ounces/70g more than the already weighty non-ANC version. The new model weighs a whopping 1.2lbs, and I found my neck getting pretty tired after longer stints.

I also found the earcups getting pretty hot and sticky, although I was testing in unseasonable hot conditions during a string of U.K. summer heatwaves, where temperatures pushed to 100F/38C.

If you regularly game for longer stints and think this would be an issue, I would advise a lighter and more breathable headset, like the Arctis Nova Pro Omni, Fractal Design Scape or Razer BlackShark V3 Pro. All three were incredibly comfortable during our testing.

ANC battery life suffers

Obviously, with ANC, battery life is gonna take a hit. Audeze claims 35 hours with ANC, down from 40 with it off. That’s over Bluetooth, though. Over Wi-Fi, my headset was dropping 20% every couple of hours, meaning around 10 hours of playback, extrapolated.

Audeze just can’t compete with SteelSeries here — the Nova Pro Omni and Nova Elite both come with second batteries that charge in their USB hubs/DACs, meaning up to 60 hours of playback, but zero downtime as long as you’re near the USB hub.

Really rather pricey

The Maxwell 2 ANC costs $429 / £429, so up a sizable $100 from the Maxwell 2’s launch price. While it sucks, I’m not surprised by it. Flagship/ultra-premium headsets are regularly pushing into silly money now, with the Nova Elite having set the precedent at $599. The Nova Pro Omni costs $499 and packs similar features to the Maxwell 2 ANC.

If you want the best sound in gaming, the Maxwell 2 is still my suggestion and costs much less, although obviously doesn’t pack ANC — if you have a noisy road nearby, like me, that could be a dealbreaker. For even less, you can pick up the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro for $249, which features powerful ANC, but its strong sound quality still won’t match that of Audeze’s planars. The Nova Pro Omni is even pricier and way more comfortable, although its ANC isn’t quite as good, and the sound quality, again, just can’t quite compete with the finesse of those planars.

Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC review: Verdict

As so often is the case in life, if you want everything, you gotta pay for it. If sound quality is the only priority you have and you want a headset for gaming and music, there’s really no reason to buy the Maxwell 2 ANC over the Maxwell 2 — the cheaper headset uses the same drivers and puts out equally excellent sound. Unfortunately, if you want or need ANC for work, or simply a noisier home environment, you’ll need to cough up the dough… if you also want those lovely planar drivers.

Our 3.5-star score is defined as very good, but with enough caveats to prevent a 4-star award and our outright recommendation to buy. The Maxwell 2 ANC sounds fantastic, but there are cheaper alternatives that give you ANC without sacrificing comfort. If it has to be the planars, though, and you need ANC, then this is pretty much the only headset to shortlist.

Call me old school, but I much prefer playing retro games from classic consoles like the Genesis, SNES, PlayStation 1, and Neo Geo. That’s the main reason I bought a power bank that doubles as a retro handheld over the holidays, but now I’m back to gaming on my phone thanks to MCON.

The company behind it makes some sweet iPhone accessories, like the Snap Grip Wallet, but the MCON Bluetooth Controller is truly in a league of its own compared to other mobile gamepads. Not only does it sport an ingenious, ultra-compact design, but it also differentiates itself by leveraging MagSafe to keep my phone securely mounted. Best of all, it packs all the buttons, triggers, joysticks, and grips needed to feel remarkably like a standard console controller — and you can snag one for $20 off today.

Compact design, easy to stow away

One of my biggest gripes with many Bluetooth gamepads is that they simply aren't designed with mobile in mind. Most look a lot like standard console controllers with clunky phone clips tacked onto them. The MCON Bluetooth Controller, on the other hand, is built from the ground up for on-the-go gaming.

Portability has always been the main bottleneck for mobile setups, but the MCON solves this by folding down into a sleek, self-contained rectangular slab that effortlessly slips into a pocket or the sleeve of a backpack. Looking at the photo above with my iPhone 17 Pro beside it, it shares a nearly identical footprint, just with a slightly thicker chassis.

What makes the design truly clever is its versatility. Rather than locking you into a single configuration, the magnetic MagSafe holder slides out and fully detaches to double as an adjustable kickstand for tabletop play. This magnetic system eliminates the constraints of rigid clamp widths, pairing just as seamlessly with my iPhone 17 Pro as it does with wider, notebook-style foldables like the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

Small details go a long way

Beyond its compact form factor, the MCON Bluetooth Controller packs several subtle design choices that solves many more of the issues I have about mobile controllers. First and foremost, I really dig how the extendable side grips can change the way it feels. When I keep them collapsed, its flat profile channels that nostalgic-feel squared-off NES gamepad, while sliding them out instantly provides the deeper grip support and ergonomic contours of a modern controller.

On the connectivity front, multi-device Bluetooth pairing lets me switch smoothly between my devices without constantly unpairing and re-syncing them. And as much as I appreciate the wireless connection, there are just some games — like Resident Evil Village — that are better suited with a direct connection. I can eliminate any worry about latency by just connecting it via USB-C.

The most versatile mobile gaming controller

Whether you’re playing classic retro titles like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night or diving into modern mobile games like Diablo Immortal, the MCON Bluetooth Controller solves the portability headache without sacrificing the ergonomics of a dedicated console gamepad. I think the photo above really sums how much I've enjoyed using it to play classic titles on my phone.

Between its slick MagSafe mounting, adaptable fold-out grips, and reliable wired mode, I’ve quickly retired my dedicated retro gaming handheld and now keep this with me at all times. If you've been waiting for a mobile controller that doesn't feel like an afterthought, you can save $20 on the MCON Bluetooth Controller right now — making it an even easier recommendation.

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The Herman Miller Coyl Gaming Desk is a sophisticated, dual-motor electric standing desk built for gamers that feels right at home in a high-end home office. While not overly flashy, the subtle red accents on its signature coiled cable and cable management tray give away its gaming DNA.

Much like the Herman Miller Vantum gaming chair, the Coyl is the brand's first desk engineered specifically for gamers. It features a customizable modular setup, and while you can buy the base desk on its own, adding the optional cable tray and metal shroud completes its signature aesthetic. The shroud also opens up a pegboard-style ecosystem for extra accessories like controller mounts.

I’ve been using the Coyl Gaming Desk as my daily driver for a month for both work and play. It offers a spacious work surface, rock-solid three-stage legs, and replaces standard height-adjustment buttons with a slick rotary dial. However, it only comes in a single size, and installing the shroud prevents you from clamping a monitor arm to the back.

My Herman Miller Coyl Gaming Desk review will help you decide if it deserves a spot among the best gaming desks as well as the best standing desks — and whether its unique features justify its premium price.

Coyl Gaming Desk: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A premium, dual-motor electric standing desk.
• Who is it for? It’s designed for gamers but works just as well in a home office setup.
• What does it cost? The Herman Miller Coyl Gaming Desk costs $1,095, but you can also get it with a cable trough for $1,475 or with a cable trough and a shroud for $1,635. It’s worth noting that the desk is currently 25% off, which brings the price down significantly.
• What do we like? Using the rotary dial to adjust the desk’s height, the included surge protector’s coiled cable, the wide and easy-to-access cable management tray, and the three-stage legs.
• What don’t we like? The premium price, that the cable trough isn’t included with the base desk, that you can’t use a monitor arm with the shroud installed, that the desk only comes in one size, and how overpriced the accessories for the shroud are.

Coyl Gaming Desk: Specs

Coyl Gaming Desk: The Ups

From its modular design to its unique control scheme, the Coyl Gaming Desk has a lot going for it. However, it’s how these separate systems come together that really makes this desk shine.

Just a splash of red

At 60 x 28.5 inches, the Coyl Gaming Desk offers more than enough room for one of the best gaming PCs, a giant monitor or a multi-display setup, and all of your accessories. While it’s also available in white, walnut, and ash, most gamers — myself included — will likely opt for the all-black version.

Even if you go with the base desk without any of Herman Miller’s optional accessories, you still get an under-desk surge protector to plug in all your devices, complete with that iconic red cable true to the desk’s namesake. It adds just a splash of color to let you know that yes, this is in fact a gaming desk. Plus, no matter which desktop finish you pick, that coiled cord always comes in red.

For the optional cable trough, the felt front is either dark or light gray, depending on the finish, and its handles match the power cable’s shade of red. It’s a small but welcome touch, though you won’t notice it much while seated. When the desk is raised to its max height of 48.5 inches, though, those red accents really pop.

It’s also worth noting that the Coyl’s red accents, while slightly darker, are a close match to those on Herman Miller’s Vantum gaming chair — perfect if you’re thinking of pairing the two as a set.

On its own, the Coyl looks fairly similar to many of the other standing desks I’ve reviewed. Adding the cable trough and shroud is what really elevates the desk’s aesthetic. They aren’t strictly necessary, but without them, the only extra hardware features you’re getting are the inward-facing cable hooks on either side and the rotary dial.

Speaking of which...

Dialed in

Most electric standing desks feature an edge-mounted control pad with up and down buttons alongside several preset keys, though I’ve tested some desks that opt for touch panels instead, like the Branch Four Leg Desk. With the Coyl Gaming Desk, Herman Miller’s Devin Tran went in an entirely different direction.

To adjust this desk’s height, you place a finger inside the designated groove of its spring-loaded rotary dial and turn it. When you hit your preferred height, you simply let go, and the desk does the rest.

A small black-and-white OLED screen displays the desk’s current height in inches. Pressing in on the dial acts as a button to bring up the menu. From there, you can save up to three height presets, switch measurement units, lock the desk’s height, or set custom upper and lower height limits.

If you’ve been using a standing desk as long as I have, you start to memorize your exact sitting and standing preferences. What I really like about the Coyl’s dial is how effortless it makes those tiny micro-adjustments. On other desks, I often struggle to lock in precisely 28.5 inches — but with the Coyl, fine-tuning down to a tenth of an inch comes much more naturally.

Soft front, industrial back

If there’s one accessory I consider an absolute must when using an electric standing desk, it’s a cable management tray. That way, you don’t have to worry about your computer or monitor coming unplugged if their cords get snagged when the desk moves up or down. While I would have liked to see a basic cable tray included with the base desk, Herman Miller went above and beyond with the design of its optional cable trough.

From the front, it’s very inviting with soft-touch felt and red fabric straps — which serve as handles — that attach magnetically. Inside, however, the cable trough’s frame is constructed from sturdy metal, making it exceptionally solid.

Another thing I really like about the cable trough is that it spans the entire width of the Coyl Gaming Desk. This gives you more than enough room for the included surge protector and several bulky power bricks. There are also cutouts on either side and in the middle, allowing that coiled red cable to route down cleanly and stay as close as possible to your nearest wall outlet.

Given how easy it is to open and close, along with all of the space it provides, you could even use the cable trough for extra storage. With a mini PC, a soundbar, a Nintendo Switch 2, and a monitor on top of the desk, I only used about a third of the cable trough’s total capacity for the surge protector and their power adapters. I could easily put that extra space to good use storing items I occasionally use, like a spare mechanical keyboard.

Just like the rest of the optional accessories for the Coyl, the cable trough comes at a premium. However, compared to the metal shroud at the back of the desk, I found it to be far more functional and less purely aesthetic.

Coyl Gaming Desk: The Downs

The Coyl is certainly well-designed, and a lot of thought went into making it a more subtle gaming desk. However, it’s not without its faults — which include having to drill a few extra holes during assembly and the shroud’s functional shortcomings.

Not entirely pre-drilled

The Coyl Gaming Desk arrived in three large boxes alongside a few smaller ones because I tested the desk alongside all of its optional accessories. Everything was exceptionally well-packaged.

Unboxing left me with the desktop, cable trough, metal shroud, two motorized legs, and all the hardware required for assembly. Building the desk was fairly straightforward — right up until I needed to route the cables connecting the rotary dial and leg motors to the control box at the center.

Herman Miller pre-drills most of the holes on the underside of the Coyl. However, I noticed there weren't any pilot holes for the plastic cable management clips. On a budget desk, this is par for the course — but on a setup that can reach over $1,600 fully loaded, I expected every single screw location to be pre-drilled.

After mapping out my cable paths, I grabbed my power drill to drill a few pilot holes before screwing the clips in. Given Coyl’s price tag, I was also surprised to find a standard laminate desktop rather than solid wood or a premium veneer. In this case, though, the laminate worked in my favor — it’s one of the easiest materials to drill into, even if nobody buying a luxury desk expects to need power tools to finish the build.

A few pegs short

One trend gaining traction across both office and gaming desks is integrated pegboards for modular storage. However, unlike the Corsair Platform 4: Elevate — which features a tall, full-sized pegboard that extends well above your display — the Coyl’s metal shroud stops short. Very short.

I will give Herman Miller credit: installing the shroud is completely tool-free and ridiculously simple. You slide it over two metal mounting posts at the back of the desk and hand-tighten two bolts on either side. Once installed, however, it rises a mere three inches above the desk’s surface.

Beyond hiding cable clutter and serving as an aesthetic backdrop, the shroud is designed to host a line of proprietary plastic accessories that mount directly to its top edge. Herman Miller offers four options, ranging from a display stand to a round planter bowl.

The accessories function as advertised — I used one for the controller for my monitor light bar, one for my phone, and another for a gamepad. The issue is that on a 28.5-inch-deep desk, you really have to reach to access them while seated. Worse, they aren't included with the shroud; they're sold individually at a steep premium given their basic plastic construction.

You can use the shroud on its own, though, and I found its steel construction great for magnetic cable clips to keep charging cords within reach.

Then there's the Coyl's biggest dealbreaker: the shroud completely blocks rear-mounted monitor arms. Using one of the best monitor arms instead of the stand that comes in the box is standard practice for gamers and WFH professionals looking to free up desk space and give their screens that floating look.

While you can technically clamp an arm to the left or right side of the desk, doing so makes it almost impossible to center your monitor, as most arms lack the reach to extend all the way to the middle.

Coyl Gaming Desk: Verdict

The Coyl Gaming Desk is an exceptionally well-crafted piece of home office furniture with just the right amount of gamer flair for a subdued, modern battlestation. It offers rock-solid motor stability, sturdy three-stage legs, and a unique rotary control mechanism that makes fine-tuning your sitting or standing height effortless. While a single desktop size limits its appeal for smaller spaces, the finish options let it fit seamlessly into almost any room decor.

Where the Coyl falters is in its optional accessory ecosystem. The cable trough and shroud — alongside the signature coiled cable — are what give this desk its iconic look, robust cable management, and modular expansion. At a baseline price exceeding $1,000, it’s a tough pill to swallow that the cable tray isn't included standard, and that adding the shroud prevents you from clamping a monitor arm to the back.

If you have the budget and want a luxury, design-forward standing desk that elevates your space, the Coyl is an impressive performer — especially if you already own a Herman Miller chair to match. However, if you rely heavily on monitor arms or want a fully feature-packed modular desk out of the box without paying extra for basic add-ons, you may be better served by more versatile alternatives like the Corsair Platform 4 or 6.

It's almost Father's Day 2026, with the big day arriving on Sunday, September 6 in Australia.

If you've got a gamer-obsessed father (or father figure), it's an ideal time to help upgrade any ageing consoles (if you have the means) or add some fun accessories to dad's existing set-up. Whether he's a staunch keyboard warrior or has been obsessed with his PlayStation or Xbox his entire life, I've gathered 10 of the best gaming-specific deals for Father's Day below.

It is worth noting, though, I haven't included specific games in the list, largely because all gamer dads are different — and their playing preferences reflect that. Instead, I've selected some fun consoles, peripherals and accessories to make every dad's gaming experience better.

All of these items come from top-rated retailers, like Amazon, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys, with each claiming fast delivery in time for the big day. It's also Gaming Week on Amazon, so now is the best time to shop and save big on the latest (and greatest) gaming consoles, PC peripherals and accessories.

I'll stop with the waffling now — here are the best Father's Day gaming gifts I've found this year.

11 best Father's Day gaming deals

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget socks — shop these 30 expert-picked skincare and haircare buys for dad this Father's Day
• Forget a new tie — I've found 15 of the best Father's Day tech gifts that will make you his favourite child

It was only a matter of time before FiiO, known for making some of the best headphones for audiophiles on a budget, entered the gaming headset market — and the FiiO FG3 is almost a triumph. Priced at just $69, the FG3 is mighty cheap. It’s also comfortable, and its wired-only plug-and-play design makes it compatible with a range of consoles and devices. You also get extensive customization and finetuned EQ presets, too.

But there’s some room for improvement. Though it boasts good mic performance and it’s great for listening to music, the FG3’s default sound profile sounds muddy and needs tweaking. Build quality isn’t the best either, and the wired-only design might not be for everyone.

Is it still the best cheap gaming headset for you? Read my full FiiO FG3 review to find out.

FiiO FG3 review: Specs

FiiO FG3 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? FiiO’s first-ever gaming headset with a wired-only design
• Who is it for? Gamers on a tight budget
• How much does it cost? The FiiO FG3 is available for $69 / £69
• What do we like? The comfortable fit, EQ presets that work well, useful DAC with in-line controls, mic performance, and more
• What don’t we like? The default sound profile (it’s muddy) and the subpar build quality

FiiO FG3 review: The ups

From its comfortable design and useful DAC with onboard controls, to the immersive in-game audio and Hi-Res Audio certification, the FiiO FG3 gives you almost everything you need.

Very comfortable

FiiO has nailed it in the comfort department, as the FG3 is extremely comfortable for all-day wear. At just 11.1oz, the FG3 is lighter than the likes of the Cherry XTRFY H3 ($99, 11.46oz). While it’s slightly heavier than the PowerA LucidSound LS500 ($69, 9.34oz) and the Logitech G325 Lightspeed ($79, 7.47oz), the FG3 doesn’t feel unwieldy. It hits the sweet spot.

Aiding the FG3’s comfort factor are its woven mesh fabric ear cushions which are highly breathable and sweat-resistant. Having worn the headset for seven consecutive hours, I can confirm that I haven’t felt any discomfort or pooling of sweat, and my ears haven’t overheated either. The earpads are swappable, too, in case they get damaged. I also love how spacious the earcups are, and the headset features spot-on clamp force without making it feel like there’s pressure on your temples or head.

Similar to the FiiO JT7 ($119), the FG3’s stainless steel headband features velvet-like padded cloth that helps relieve pressure you might otherwise feel on the top of your head.

Useful DAC with onboard controls

Alongside manufacturing some fantastic audiophile headphones, FiiO has a growing range of wallet-friendly DACs too, and it’s no surprise that the FG3 features a USB DAC. Featuring a USB-C connector and accompanied by a USB-A adapter for plugging into consoles or PCs, the FG3’s DAC connects to the headset’s 3.5mm plug. It supports up to 192KHz/24-bit sampling rates, powers the dual drivers (more on that shortly) cleanly, and drives the dual-core digital signal processing (DSP) chip for virtual 7.1 surround sound.

In addition to that, the USB DAC also stores custom equalizer settings and profiles, so it’s pretty much a necessity. It functions as the headset’s inline controls, too, so you can swap between profiles using the ‘M’ button, mute the mic, and adjust the FG3’s volume. An LED indicator on the DAC lights up in different colors to indicate the active EQ profile. Easy to understand, and just as straightforward to use.

User-friendly web-based app

The FiiO FG3 offers extensive customization via FiiO Control Web, a web-based companion app with a clean, user-friendly interface. You get extensive control over the 10-band parametric equalizer, which you can adjust to your liking and then save as a custom profile onto the DAC. There are four EQ presets to choose from, too, such as Action, MOBA, FPS and MUG — the fourth is for rhythm games.

Virtual 7.1 surround sound is baked into the Action preset so you’ll need to switch to it if you want 360° sound. It’s also built into the Cinema mode, designed for watching movies. In addition to this, you can adjust the boom mic’s volume and sidetone, too.

Great for most game genres

The FiiO FG3 utilizes a coaxial dual-driver setup comprising a 50mm dynamic driver for lows and mids, and a 16mm driver for highs. The FG3 covers a frequency response range of 10Hz to 40KHz, so on paper, it reproduces the softest of footsteps and the loudest of explosions.

In practice? The sound quality is hit or miss, but let’s talk about the good things first. To test the FG3, I played Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on my PS5 Slim, and Cyberpunk 2077 on the Alienware 16X Aurora. The FG3 does well to reproduce ambient and environmental sound effects, especially with the AAA-inspired Action EQ preset enabled.

In Black Flag Resynced, I felt fully immersed when sailing the seas as I could hear waves crashing against my ship’s sides, as well as my vessel’s creaking. Directional audio worked well here. I could hear my shipwright speaking to my left and my quartermaster answering to my right.

Similarly, in Expedition 33, my footsteps sounded textured, and the difference between walking on petals and in shallow water was apparent. Dialogues sounded loud and clear through the FG3 and the words didn’t bleed into one another. I also love that the headset remains distortion-free regardless of the volume you’re playing at. The operatic soundtrack in Expedition 33 didn’t sound scratchy at all when listening to it at the highest volume — though you shouldn’t as doing so can damage your hearing.

I also tested the FPS EQ preset which emphasizes footsteps by playing a couple hours of Cyberpunk 2077. I was impressed with the high-frequency tuning for positional cues, and I was able to accurately pinpoint the enemies’ locations when infiltrating their camps. The FG3, then, works best when using specific EQs for specific titles.

Good for listening to music, too

Even though it’s a gaming headset, FiiO has added its HiFi expertise to the FG3 which is Hi-Res Audio certified. It can transmit and reproduce high-resolution digital audio formats with its 192KHz/24-bit sampling rate. With its HiFi and gaming chops, the FG3 is similar to the Edifier G5 Max ($149) but costs a fraction of the price.

I tested the FG3’s streaming capabilities by listening to my favorite tunes on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles. The intricate guitar work in Dire Straits’ ‘Sultans of Swing’ sounded impressively clear, with every note having enough room to shine. Meanwhile, Lana Del Rey’s vocals in ‘Born to Die’ felt beautifully textured, and the treble sounded vibrant but never fatiguing. As for the lows, the bassline in ‘The Intro’ by The xx had plenty of warmth to it, and it felt tight and controlled throughout.

However, it’s worth noting that the default EQ for music — called ‘HiFi’ — makes music sound slightly muffled and distant. I switched to the flat profile through the web-based companion app (more on that shortly) and it made a world of difference.

Listen along to my review with the FiiO FG3 testing playlist:

Clear boom mic

The FiiO FG3 comes with a detachable boom mic which works well in real-world use. It features environmental noise cancelation (ENC), designed to eliminate ambient sounds and external disturbances — and it works as intended.

I recorded myself speaking with nothing else playing in the background, and you can hear the clip above. Sibilant — “t” and “s” sounds — are clear and don’t sound hissy, while plosives — “p” and “t” sounds — are clean and don’t pop.

To test the mic’s ENC, I played a YouTube video at about 70% volume in the background, and you can’t really hear it in the clip above. My voice is front and center which is what you’d expect from a decent gaming headset. The FG3’s mic performance feels on par with the Asus ROG Pelta’s ($129).

Competitively priced

Given everything I’ve mentioned so far, the FiiO FG3 feels like great value for money, as it’s priced competitively. The FG3 has a retail price of $69 at Amazon U.S. / £69 at FiiO U.K. — so it costs the same as the PowerA LucidSound LS500 ($69) and is slightly cheaper than the Logitech G325 Lightspeed ($79) and the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 ($99).

While the FG3 is pricier than the Asus TUF Gaming H1 Gen II ($49), it’s worth spending the extra $20 for Hi-Res Audio and low-key design.

FiiO FG3 review: The downs

Though it’s good, the FiiO FG3’s default sound profile sounds muddy, the headset has a plasticky build, and its wired-only design might not be for everyone.

Default sound profile needs tweaking

The hallmark of a great headset is that it sounds fantastic straight out of the box. Unfortunately, that’s not true in the case of the FiiO FG3. Its default sound profile for video games sounds muddy at best. You need to play around with the equalizer to get the best possible sound as, without doing so, the bass lacks oomph and low-end impact, while treble sounds like it’s been toned down by a lot.

For instance, while I enjoyed exploring and sailing the seas in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, combat effects left a lot to be desired. What are usually high-pitched sounds of swords clashing sounded muted through the FG3. The iconic shing of the protagonist’s hidden blade was also missing, which broke my immersion. Similarly, in Cyberpunk 2077, bullets didn’t sound as sharp and loud as they usually do through, say, the Cherry XTRFY H3.

As for bass, with the default sound profile active, my magical attacks sounded hollow on impact in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I eventually fixed these issues by adjusting the equalizer, but it’s disappointing that you can’t just plug in the FG3 and start enjoying all it has to offer.

Subpar build quality

The FiiO FG3’s design and build are nothing to write home about. The build quality is subpar as the headset feels a little too plasticky and flimsy for my liking. There’s also a slight creaking sound when you swivel the earcups — but thankfully, it isn’t apparent when you simply move your head (unlike on the Logitech G325 Lightspeed).

Underwhelming build quality isn’t rare in this price range, and if you want a more premium-feeling headset, you’ll have to spend a little more on the likes of the Cherry XTRFY H3 or the Asus ROG Pelta.

Wired-only design

This is more of a pre-purchase consideration rather than an outright drawback: the FiiO FG3 is a wired-only gaming headset. It can be plugged into your console or PC via either the 3.5mm jack (0.7m long) or using the USB-C DAC (which increases the length to approximately 2.2m). The wired-only plug-and-play design offers multi-platform compatibility with the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, macOS and smartphones.

As I mentioned earlier, I tested the FG3 with the headset plugged directly into my PS5 Slim using the included DAC. The distance between my couch and TV is over 2.5 metres, so I had to sit on a chair closer to the TV to use the FG3. While you can plug the headset into the DualSense’s controller’s 3.5mm port, you’ll lose out on EQ presets and your custom profile (which is saved onboard the DAC). You’ll also miss out on high-resolution decoding, therefore resulting in a narrower soundstage and weaker dynamics.

If you want a wireless headset that’s more versatile, I’d recommend the PowerA LucidSound LS500 ($69) or the Logitech G325 Lightspeed ($79). Neither are Hi-Res Audio certified, though, and usually you need to spend around $150 for it, like on the Edifier G5 Max ($149).

FiiO FG3 review: Verdict

If you need a gaming headset that’s affordable, comfortable and features extensive EQ customization, the FiiO FG3 could be right up your alley. Its EQ presets are finetuned and make games sound great, while its mic performance is solid. The headset is extremely comfortable for all-day wear, and I love the included DAC with its in-line controls, too.

But the FG3’s default sound profile — for both video games and music streaming — sounds muddy and needs tweaking, which means you can’t use it straight out of the box. Build quality is nothing to write home about either, and the wired-only design may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

For its first gaming headset, FiiO has done a respectable job, and it has priced the headset just right, too. The FG3 ticks almost all the boxes, and with some tweaks, I think the brand could make the next one even better.

The Razer Soma Chroma is the latest gaming chair from Razer, taking up the mid-range mantle between the pricier Razer Iskur and slightly cheaper Razer Enki. The Soma Chroma has one major party trick: not satisfied with its usual black and green motif, Razer has added RGB lighting for maximum elite gamerness. The Soma Chroma also boasts Razer’s usual premium design and build quality, a super thick seat cushion and comfortable arm rests.

Unfortunately, it’s let down by a few glaring omissions. Razer seems to think a slight bend in the backrest constitutes lumbar support, and that neck support isn’t as important as RGB lighting. So while your butt might be comfy, your back and neck certainly won’t be without further purchases. There’s also very limited adjustments on offer. Oh, and the companion software, Synapse, is terrible.

All in all, if you want a gaming chair that’s all about looks, this could be the one. But if you’re planning on spending long hours in the hot seat, I’d advise you look for something with more support and adjustability.

Find out more in my full Razer Soma Chroma review.

Razer Soma Chroma review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A mid-range gaming chair from Razer
• Who is it for? Gamers who want an RGB-clad chair
• What does it cost? $499 / £499
• What do we like? The comfy base and arm rests, premium build, attractive styling and ease of assembly
• What don’t we like? Virtually no lumbar support, no neck support, limited adjustability and an awful companion app

Razer Soma Chroma review: Specs

Razer Soma Chroma review: The ups

The Razer Soma Chroma has a few things in its favor, like premium build quality, a striking aesthetic, a comfy base and squidgy arm rests, plus a mostly cable-free design.

Premium build

There’s no denying the Soma Chroma is built well — unsurprising if you have any experience with Razer products. The fabric used is high quality and soft to the touch; there’s thick foam on the seat pad and arm rests; and there aren’t too many scratchy plastics (with the exception of the arm rest tubes.

The chair’s recline mechanism also operates with a very satisfying mechanical clunk — it feels like there’s some heavyweight machinery in there holding it together. It’s a far cry from the janky mechanism used on my Boulies EP460.

Easy assembly

The Soma Chroma was pretty easy to assemble. My team reviews lots of chairs, and I’m usually the one building them — even when my colleagues are the ones reviewing them (I guess that’s one disadvantage to being handy with a wrench).

The Soma Chroma was in the average difficulty range. It was nowhere near as simple to build as the Boulies OP180, which only took me 10 minutes. There were also some heavier components, like the back rest, which may necessitate a second person to help. Other than that, it’s simply a case of putting the bolts where needed, all of which is detailed in the very thorough included instruction sheet. I built the Soma Chroma on my own in about half an hour.

I love that Razer supplies the Soma Chroma with a set of black gloves to wear when building the chair. I've never seen that from other brands before, and it's a nice touch.

Dashing design

The Soma Chroma looks rather fetching, too. It sports the typical streamlined gamer chair design — not a million miles away from the ubiquitous Secretlab Titan Evo. A cutout near the neck and distinctive contouring on both the back rest and seat give it a sports-car-esque vibe. It looks straight out of an esports competition.

With the lighting disabled, The Soma Chroma boasts Razer’s usual sleek, blacked out aesthetic, with striking green accents. With the lighting turned on, it looks about as sophisticated as RGB lighting ever does. If you’re after that particular aesthetic, I’m sure you’ll think it looks great. It’s not for me, but that’s down to personal preference. And besides, Razer has applied the RGB fairly sparingly around the wings.

Comfy base and arm rests

Sitting on the Soma Chroma for the first time, I was very pleasantly surprised at the seat base. I suffer from a type of immuno-arthritis that affects, among other areas, my coccyx. In short, butt comfiness is high on my agenda.

With other foam-cushioned chairs I’ve used, like the Autonomous ErgoChair Pro, seat pad foam usually compresses, applying too much pressure up into my lower back — I often have to use a special coccyx relief cushion with a cutout to relieve coccyx pressure. It’s for this reason I usually choose full mesh chairs like the Boulies EP460, as mesh seat pads provide the best butt support.

The Soma Chroma, though, has probably the comfiest foam base I’ve sat on. The foam is super thick and very squishy. I haven’t had to use my coccyx cushion at all. Also impressively squishy are the arm rests. So often, manufacturers leave arm rests hard and uncomfortable, causing elbow pain. Not so here. The Soma Chroma has about an inch of foam padding on each rest.

Overall, even after longer gaming/work stints of 8 hours, I’ve had no butt and no elbow pain. Unfortunately, as I’ll cover later, I had other types of pain from the lack of back and neck support.

Not fully wireless, but tidy

If you choose to use its lighting, the Soma Chroma needs to be powered via USB-C as there’s no built-in battery. You can either plug it into a wall socket or your PC, or use one of the best power banks.

The latter is the tidiest method — there’s a zip pocket at the back of the base, which will fit a small-ish power bank like my Iniu Ultra Mini ($31). That means no power banks dangling down or cables getting snagged in the wheels as you move the chair.

The RGB lights aren’t too power hungry either. We ran the RGB for 2-3 hours on our product photoshoot and the charge on my 10,000mAh Iniu only dropped by 1%.

Once powered, the Soma Chroma does have wireless connectivity. It comes with a USB-A Wi-Fi dongle, so you can hook the chair up to your PC and control the RGB via Razer Synapse. There are controls on the chair itself, but these are a little clunky unless you keep the instructions with you. I’m not at all keen on Synapse either, which I’ll get onto below.

Razer Soma Chroma review: The downs

Unfortunately, without buying further accessories, the Soma Chroma is downright uncomfortable thanks to no neck support, minimal lumbar support, no included support accessories and limited adjustment. Then there’s Synapse…

Poor neck and lumbar support

Razer claims the Soma Chroma has lumbar support. What it really means is that the Soma Chroma has a slight arch in the backrest. It provides about as much lumbar support as propping one’s self up against a plank of wood. There’s also no neck rest, and no additional neck cushion included — if you want one of those, you’ll need to pay an extra $50.

After my first testing session — about four hours of gaming — I started noticing a slight pain in my neck and upper shoulders. On day two, after another eight hours, I was experiencing full blown neck pain on both sides, up into the back of my head.

As I mentioned earlier, I have a form of immuno-arthritis, and there’s no way in hell I’d sit in this chair on a daily basis, at least not without some neck support. I have pretty good sitting posture (I have to make sure of it) but without anything to support your neck, it’s very hard to achieve that.

Admittedly, the Soma Chroma isn’t alone here. If you know anything about computing chairs, you’ll know that gaming chairs are usually designed for style over comfort. Most of them use the same flat back shaping, like the Secretlab Titan Evo and DXRacer Craft, for instance — the thing is, those two chairs at least come with a neck pillow for support.

If you want proper support, though, you’re better off looking at the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen, with its much better (i.e. existent) lumbar support and neck pillow. Or, a hybrid mesh chair like the Herman Miller Vantum. Or consider an office chair as, believe it or not, gaming chairs are mostly marketing. You can game just fine and much more comfortably in a mid-range mesh office chair like my Boulies EP460.

Limited adjustability

On top of the discomfort, the Soma Chroma offers very limited adjustability. You can do the bare minimum: recline, seat height, arm rest height and swivel. But there’s no way to slide the seat forward or back; no forward or backward arm rest sliders, and no lumbar adjustment.

You can set the chair into a free recline mode, but the mechanism was so stiff on my chair that I had to push off from a wall to get it to actually recline.

The Soma Chroma is also a little low, with the seat height maxing out at 16-20 inches. My Boulies EP460 maxes out at 23 inches, for comparison. A taller maximum seat height is more comfortable for those with long legs.

Synapse really, really sucks

Razer’s Synapse software is one of two ways to control the Soma Chroma’s RGB, in addition to the onboard button controls, which are a little basic. Given the RGB is such a major feature of the chair, Synapse is therefore a pretty important element.

Now, I’ve used Synapse before, so my expectations were tempered. But man oh man, I’d forgotten quite how much Synapse sucks — like, more than any other mainstream companion software I’ve ever used after testing and using dozens of peripherals. I’d honestly prefer Asus’ Armoury Crate, which is seriously saying something.

Firstly, Synapse is incredibly annoying to set up: you have to download the installer; then download Synapse (fighting off the extra bloatware it tries to download at the same time); then install Synapse; then fire up the installed app… and then download Synapse again. Like, what? I can’t even. It’s so needlessly complicated. It also kept failing to install, getting stuck at 45% three times, though that could’ve been a Windows issue.

When you do get Synapse installed, it’s slow, laggy and often takes ages to recognize the chair after booting up your PC, if it even manages to at all. Every time I rebooted, I had to un/re-plug the Soma Chroma’s 2.4G wireless dongle from/into my PC, otherwise Synapse wouldn’t recognize the chair.

The changes I made in Synapse regularly failed to apply, despite the app saying they did — I switched the lighting to static purple, which it changed to for around 30 seconds before defaulting back to unicorn puke RGB. And to top it all off, the moment you close the Synapse app, the lighting switches back to the default rainbow effect anyway. That means you have to keep that crappy piece of bloatware running while you game, if you want RGB.

Oh, and if you want any advanced effects you then have to download Razer’s Chroma RGB controller anyway. Eurgh. It’s not worth dealing with such terrible software for a couple of measly RGB strips on a mostly uncomfortable chair.

Razer Soma Chroma review: Verdict

I’m pretty disappointed by the Soma Chroma. I’ve awarded credit for its premium design, comfy base and arm rests, and its ease of assembly. Unfortunately, my three pros up top are tempered by four pretty major cons, so half marks for this chair is arguably even a little generous.

The Soma Chroma is really rather uncomfortable thanks to its lack of a neck cushion and only a semblance of lumbar support. Meanwhile, the adjustability is pretty scant and the companion software, Synapse, is nothing short of terrible.

So why bother? Just buy a Secretlab Titan Evo and be slightly less uncomfortable. Or do it properly and buy an ergonomic office chair (guess what: you can game in one of those). Before long, your neck will thank you.

Despite being remote play only, the PlayStation Portal ended up being a surprise hit thanks to how convenient it was to use and how comfortable it was to hold. As someone who’s tried over half a dozen of the best mobile game controllers — from the Razer Kishi to the Backbone Pro — I can definitely see why. But what if PlayStation isn’t your platform of choice?

Instead of reinventing the wheel with the PlayStation Portal, Sony essentially cut its DualSense controller in half and put an 8-inch screen in the middle. This way, you got the same larger handles PS5 players were already used to without having to adapt to something smaller and ultimately less comfortable.

While portability heavily influenced the design of the first crop of mobile game controllers, companies quickly realized that comfort trumps compactness. This is why the Razer Kishi Ultra has full-sized buttons and longer handles, and you could say the exact same thing about Asus’ upcoming ROG Xbox Ally X20 too.

Just when I thought I was done testing out mobile game controllers, I finally found one that gives me that PlayStation Portal feel — but with all my favorite pro controller-style features packed in too. Meet the Elo Vagabond.

Pro controller meets mobile

After reaching out to Elo about testing the Vagabond, the company sent over the controller along with its full lineup of accessories. Right out of the box, I was impressed by how many rubber inserts Elo includes. While Razer typically gives you three pairs, I found six pairs packaged alongside the controller.

The Vagabond is built for the long haul, with tactile microswitch buttons instead of standard membrane ones, plus magnetic Hall Effect joysticks to combat stick drift. There’s a dedicated purple capture button sitting next to ABXY, and the joysticks feature purple anti-friction rings around their bases. Once plugged into your phone, they also give off a subtle purple RGB glow by default.

Around back, you get two customizable rear buttons — something I love to see on any controller, as mapping them to my most-used face buttons gives my right thumb a much-needed rest. However, if you’re the type of gamer who never uses back paddles, there are dedicated toggle switches on either side to physically disable them. Even though I would have preferred true rubberized grips, the micro-textured, cross-hatched pattern molded directly into the back of the handles makes the Vagabond exceptionally easy to hold onto.

When connecting your smartphone, the Vagabond features a flexible USB-C connector that tilts up and down, making it far easier to dock and undock your phone without worrying about damaging its charging port. While many other mobile controllers have a headphone jack on one handle and a USB-C passthrough charging port on the other, I really like that Elo placed both ports right along the center bridge. This keeps the handles clean and comfortable in your hands while protecting both connections.

Elo also sent over its official hard carrying case. Though I would have preferred to see it bundled in the box, the case is exceptionally well-built and worth the extra investment to protect your setup on the go. Underneath where the controller rests, there's a clever storage compartment designed to hold accessories like those extra rubber adapters — a massive plus if you swap devices or cases often.

Alternatively, you could easily use that space to store a pair of wired earbuds or a short charging cable. Unfortunately, I found the compartment was just a bit too tight to comfortably hold Elo’s 240W Link USB-C to USB-C cable. Still, having built-in accessory storage is a huge win for a mobile controller built for travel.

Console-quality controls on the go

To test out the Elo Vagabond, I first plugged in a Galaxy S24 FE smartphone. Much to my surprise, I didn’t even have to take off its case. This is a massive selling point, as the Vagabond works with everyday phone cases right out of the box without requiring you to slice away rubber or physically modify the controller — something I've had to do with both the original Razer Kishi and older GameSir models in the past.

Eager to start customizing those rear inputs, I downloaded the free Elo Unleashed companion app. While most mobile controllers come with an app these days, I found Elo’s interface to be remarkably clean and intuitive. Better yet, unlike Backbone’s companion software, none of the Vagabond's advanced features are locked behind a paid subscription. With a few quick taps, I mapped the right rear button to A and the left to X — my go-to layout when playing the skateboarding sim Session.

Since native console ports are still relatively rare on Android compared to iOS, I primarily used the Vagabond for remote play to stream my Steam library around the house. Even during multi-hour sessions, the ergonomic handles kept my hands entirely cramp-free.

That comfort was especially noticeable while playing Session, where you rely heavily on the triggers to steer your skateboard and rotate mid-air. The Vagabond features full-travel, analog-style Hall Effect triggers rather than the shallow, digital on/off switches found on cheaper mobile game controllers. That extra control depth is equally vital for feathering the gas in racing games or metering aim in shooters. Speaking of which, I also put in some time with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and blasting through waves of evil robots felt fantastic on these sticks and triggers.

My longest play sessions came while cozied up on the couch making deliveries in Death Stranding 2. Whether traveling on foot and using the triggers to balance heavy cargo or zipping across the terrain in a vehicle, the Vagabond delivered a superb remote play experience as I worked to connect the continent of Australia while dodging BTs.

At just $99, I’ve been quite impressed with the Elo Vagabond so far. Unfortunately though, there was one device I didn’t get to test it with.

Phone only (for now)

From massive slates to foldables, the Vagabond works with all of the best phones. In fact, the controller extends far enough to support devices just over 8 inches long — meaning you can also clamp in an iPad mini to get a big-screen remote play experience that rivals the PlayStation Portal. There was just one problem: I didn’t have an iPad mini on hand to test it out.

Last year, I borrowed an iPad mini from work for a story, and it reignited my love for small tablets — a passion I've had since the days of the Nexus 7. I generally prefer Android over iOS, so when Lenovo unveiled its 8.8-inch Legion Tab Gen 3 with Wi-Fi 7 support for a better remote play experience, I bought one with my own money. However, while the Vagabond stretches up to 8.03 inches to accommodate Apple’s iPad mini, the Legion Tab Gen 3 is slightly too long at 8.2 inches. The same held true for the RedMagic Astra 2 gaming tablet I’m currently reviewing.

I was hoping to pick up a discounted iPad mini specifically to use with the Vagabond, but thanks to RAMaggedon, finding one anywhere under $500 has proven tough. Who knows — maybe I’ll grab an iPad mini 7 once Apple’s long-rumored OLED iPad mini finally hits store shelves.

For now, though, I’m more than content streaming my favorite Steam games on the Vagabond using my phone or the Razer Edge 5G, which gets you pretty close to that mini-tablet experience anyway. If you’ve tried the Backbone or the standard Razer Kishi and found them uncomfortable over long play sessions, the Elo Vagabond just might surprise you the same way it did me.

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The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN is one of the loveliest gaming monitors I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. Not only does it look great on a desk, but its curved OLED panel makes games feel more immersive. Though it’s pricey at $1,299, it’s a worthwhile investment that’ll enhance your gaming experiences for years to come.

Like the equally awesome Alienware AW3426DW, Asus’ monitor features an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, which is great for expanding your gaming POV and letting you comfortably have more open windows on the screen. The 800R curvature isn’t too extreme but still does a nice job of enveloping you. The sharp 3440 x 1440 resolution and vivid OLED panel also keep you immersed. It can also get surprisingly bright for a gaming monitor.

Some of the monitor's unique features set it apart from competitors and deliver sharper image quality. The Penta Tandem QD OLED display with Pure RGB is a first outside Asus' own UCWM series and improves text rendering. The new Black Shield Film offers superior ambient light handling, eliminates color shift, and improves black depth perception.

Performance is smooth and responsive, thanks to the fast 360Hz refresh rate and low 0.03ms response time (respectively). Whether you’re playing fast-paced first-person shooters or enjoying a more cinematic experience, the ROG Swift OLED has you covered.

Aside from its high price compared to similar monitors, the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN is easily one of the best gaming monitors you can buy. Find out why in my full review.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Asus ROG Swift OLED is a curved gaming monitor.
• Who is it for? Gamers who need a monitor with a high refresh rate for fast-paced competitive gaming.
• What does it cost? Asus ROG Swift OLED (PG34WCDM) costs $1,299 on Newegg.
• What do we like? We like the sleek design, immersive curved panel, vivid image quality, and smooth performance.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like that it costs more than similar gaming monitors.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN review: Specs

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN review: The ups

The Asus ROG Swift OLED impresses thanks to its eye-catching design, vibrant image quality, and blazing-fast performance.

Sleek design

You won’t mistake the ROG Swift OLED for anything other than a gaming monitor, thanks to its dark chassis, sharp angles, and standard red lighting. It’s a pretty aggressive design, but that’s what makes it so striking.

While certainly not as gargantuan as the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, you’ll still need a relatively large table for this monitor. Its tripod-like stand is just a few inches shorter than the 30.9 x 21.6 x 11.5-inch panel. Though wide, the legs are elevated high enough to let you keep peripherals under them if you’re running out of space.

There’s a cutaway on the stand’s shaft that makes management simple. It’s also easy to raise or lower the monitor to your desired height, tilt it backward by 5 degrees or forward by 20 degrees, and swivel the screen 15 degrees left or right.

You’ll find plenty of ports on the back. This includes one DisplayPort, two HDMI ports, three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a USB-C port. Given the monitor’s size, you’ll need to either go around it or rotate it to access the ports, as you can’t easily connect cables by feel alone.

This wouldn’t be a proper gaming monitor without RGB lighting. On the back, there’s a large ROG logo you can customize with different colors and lighting effects via the menu. My favorite lighting feature is a red ROG logo projected under the stand and onto your table. The lighting here isn’t intrusive and nicely complements the monitor’s overall aesthetic.

Vivid display

The OLED panel delivers bright, colorful images that make every game you play look its best. The contrast between dark and light elements is fantastic and enhances the already oversaturated hues. The 21:9 aspect ratio and 800R curvature also draw you in. Even if you’re not getting a 4K image, 3440 x 1440 is still very sharp.

A game like Cyberpunk 2077 shines on the Swift OLED. The neon-drenched streets and holograms come alive thanks to the monitor’s oversaturated color reproduction. On the 21:9 panel, I can see more of the surroundings than I would on a standard 16:9 display. The sharp resolution and overall brightness also ensure everything comes through clearly.

And what do our lab tests have to say? In its default User mode, the ROG Swift OLED produces oversaturated hues in both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts, as both are well above the 100% target. As you can see in the table above, the panel on Asus’ monitor is more colorful than the one on the Alienware AW3426DW in its standard mode.

One major win here is brightness. In dedicated HDR modes, the ROG Swift OLED reaches nearly 500 nits at 10% of the display and about 280 nits across the entire screen. Dim HDR brightness has been my chief complaint with the gaming monitors I’ve reviewed, so it’s great to see Asus (and Alienware) bucking this trend.

Speaking of dedicated display modes, you get a total of nine here. This includes standard fare like FPS, RTS, and Sports modes, each tuned for its respective gaming genre. The modes differ only slightly from one another, depending on their functions.

Blazing fast performance

The ROG Swift OLED delivers professional-grade gaming performance thanks to its 360Hz refresh rate and super-low 0.03ms response time. Compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync also helps deliver smooth gaming performance. While it doesn’t match the LG UltraGear 27GX790B-B’s insane 540Hz and 720Hz modes, you won’t complain about this monitor’s performance.

To test the ROG Swift OLED, I connected it to the Alienware 16 Area-51, a powerful gaming laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU, and 32GB of RAM. You’ll want a sufficiently powerful rig like this to take advantage of this monitor’s stellar performance.

Cyberpunk 2077 ran smoothly thanks to the high refresh rate and low latency. I couldn’t get the frame rate anywhere near the 320Hz refresh rate, but the extra headroom meant I didn’t experience choppiness. And unless you’re a hardcore competitive gamer, you probably won’t notice much, if any, input lag—I certainly didn’t.

Clean UI

The ROG Swift OLED has a clean UI that you can easily access by clicking the OSD joystick. This is where you'll see all the display modes and make fine adjustments to brightness, RGB lighting, and other features. Everything is organized into clear sections, and it’s easy to navigate.

The OSD joystick rests behind the ROG logo at the bottom center and is easy to reach. The stick is relatively rigid but still has enough give when you move it. It also sticks out enough to not feel like a nub.

Though the menu is a bit more complex than on other gaming monitors, it doesn’t overwhelm either.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN review: The downs

There’s no denying that the Asus ROG Swift OLED is a fantastic gaming monitor that checks all the right boxes. That said, it has one major drawback.

Pricey

To be fair, the Asus ROG Swift OLED isn’t the most expensive gaming monitor I’ve reviewed. It’s fairly priced for what it offers. However, unless you’re a hardcore competitive gamer who needs an ultra-fast refresh rate, there are other, more affordable options.

The main example that comes to mind is the Alienware AW3426DW, which also has a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 3440 x 1440 resolution. While it has a “lower” 280Hz refresh rate and a less curved panel, you get most of the Swift OLED’s key features for just $799. Because of that, you’ll have to ask yourself whether the extra $500 for a higher refresh rate and flashier RGB lighting is worth it.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN review: Verdict

Gaming monitors designed for high-level competitive play usually sacrifice picture quality for faster performance. The Asus ROG Swift OLED doesn't, proving that you can have the best of both worlds. Yes, it’s designed for fast-paced online gaming, but it also delivers stunning overall picture quality.

If the $1299 asking price is too steep, then check out the $799 Alienware AW3426DW I mentioned above. But if Asus’ monitor fits your needs as a competitive gamer, then I promise you won’t be disappointed. Right now, it’s one of the finest gaming monitors you can buy.

The best gaming headsets can truly elevate your experience by making you feel like the main character — and that’s exactly what the Edifier G5 Max does. Though it enters a crowded market where premium features are no longer reserved for premium prices, it certainly makes an impression.

With support for Hi-Res Audio, THX Spatial Audio, and an eye-catching 305-hour battery life, the G5 Max gives you little to complain about. In-game audio is outstanding, while the headset itself is extremely comfortable for all-day wear. While it isn’t flawless, as its mic(s) aren’t anything to write home about, I still think the G5 Max is worth the asking price.

To find out if this is the right headset for you, read my full Edifier G5 Max review.

Edifier G5 Max review: Specs

Edifier G5 Max review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming headset compatible with PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC and smartphones
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants an immersive gaming experience without breaking the bank
• How much does it cost? The Edifier G5 Max is available for $149 / £159
• What do we like? The comfortable design, immersive in-game audio, great music capabilities, long battery life, and more
• What don’t we like? The lack of a macOS companion app and the subpar mic performance

Edifier G5 Max review: The ups

The Edifier G5 Max is extremely comfortable and boasts all-round great sound in video games and while listening to music. Its companion apps make customization easy, too.

Extremely comfortable

As someone who reviews gaming headsets for a living (and uses them in her free time too), I’ve been spoiled by the likes of the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset ($229) and the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro ($249) when it comes to comfort. Though the Edifier G5 Max doesn’t cost as much, it’s an extremely comfortable headset, and one that hasn’t made my ears sweat, unlike the Final VR3000 EX ($149).

The G5 Max’s earcups feel very spacious and sit comfortably around my ears. The cushions and the headband are made of memory foam and “skin-friendly protein leather.” These are designed to elevate pressure you’d otherwise feel on the top of your head and around your ears. Having worn the headset for six straight hours, I can confirm that I didn’t feel any discomfort, so the G5 Max is great for prolonged wear.

Aiding the G5 Max’s comfort level is its lightweight body. The headset weighs just 10.75oz, so it’s lighter than the Final VR3000 EX (13.72oz) and the first-party Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite (12.2oz, $149). Speaking of, for the same price, the G5 Max’s build quality — especially of the earcups — feels superior to the PlayStation Pulse Elite’s.

Immersive in-game audio

The Edifier G5 Max makes games sound simply gorgeous, thanks to its 53mm dynamic driver which covers a frequency response range of 20Hz to 40KHz — so the entirety of the average human hearing spectrum and then some. In addition to that, the G5 Max features custom 7.1.4 Spatial Audio (Windows-only) co-developed by HECATE and THX. This essentially puts you at the center of a 360° sound sphere, creating an immersive gaming experience.

And the G5 Max works extremely well. I played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows on my PS5 Slim to test the headset’s general console capabilities, and Cyberpunk 2077 on the Alienware 16X Aurora to test the Spatial Audio.

As soon as I booted up Expedition 33, I was drawn into the Belle Époque world, with every orchestral score, environmental effect, and combat cue carrying immense detail. During a post-endgame secret boss fight, I appreciated being able to hear every combat cue so that I could time my parries perfectly, and these didn’t get lost as the symphonic metal background track swelled. I also enjoyed hearing my attacks land with plenty of low-end impact and oomph.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I appreciated the G5 Max bringing the world of feudal Japan to life — from the rustling of the leaves in the wind and the trickling of waterfalls, to the clash of swords during heated battles and the protagonist’s hidden blade making a sharp shing. Dialogues sounded loud and clear, too, even when there were multiple voices speaking at once. I also appreciated the headset’s directionality in Shadows, as I could hear NPCs speaking in the right earcup — and then traveling to the left when I changed my direction.

Cyberpunk 2077 really showed off what the G5 Max’s THX Spatial Audio could do. Walking through the neon-laden, chaotic streets of Night City felt extremely immersive, with different sounds emerging from different directions which made me feel like the main character. During firefights, I found it much easier to pinpoint where my enemies were positioned, thanks to the precise acoustics, which gave me a competitive advantage. This also made infiltrating enemy camps easier as all I had to do was listen out for footsteps and then execute stealth takedowns.

Overall, the G5 Max is ideal for a number of genres, including RPG and FPS titles. Combine that with the supreme comfort and you don’t even realize hours have gone by.

Great for music, too

Alongside being excellent for gaming, the Edifier G5 Max is great for listening to music, too. It carries Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certifications which means it can transmit and reproduce high-resolution digital audio formats with its 96KHz/24-bit sampling rate. This gives it a leg-up over other similarly priced gaming headsets, such as the Final VR3000 EX and the Asus ROG Pelta ($129) which aren’t Hi-Res certified.

I tested the G5 Max’s music capabilities by listening to a few of my favorite testing songs on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the G5 Max’s airy and spacious soundstage, with every instrument and 070 Shake’s breathwork in ‘Elephant’ sounding layered. In ‘Sultans of Swing’ by Dire Straits, each note plucked on the guitar sounded clear and nuanced, while the softer bass provided a powerful backbone to the track.

For the price, the sound quality doesn’t give you a lot to complain about. If you want even better sound, though, I’d recommend spending an extra $50 on the Sony Inzone H6 Air ($199) which utilizes studio-grade drivers.

Listen along to my review with the Edifier G5 Max testing playlist:

Two useful companion apps

There are two ways to customize the Edifier G5 Max: you can use either the Edifier ConneX Android/iOS app, or the proprietary HECATE Driver Software on Windows. The former is handy for when you want to make on-the-fly adjustments, such as swapping between EQ presets, customizing your own EQ, and remapping the headset’s buttons. I tested it on my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL and appreciated its straightforward and easy to understand interface.

HECATE Driver Software is more detailed and offers more in-depth personalization. You can enable THX Spatial Audio, adjust the mic’s settings, make extensive adjustments to the RGB lighting, and enable game-specific EQ presets (Valorant, PUBG, Battlefield 5, Overwatch, and more). The desktop app doesn’t feature any intrusive ads or pop-ups, making it a breeze to use.

Astonishing 305-hour battery

If you need a gaming headset that doesn’t run out of battery too quickly, the Edifier G5 Max should be your port of call. I can only describe its battery life as astonishing, as it’s rated for 305 hours over Bluetooth or 227 hours over 2.4GHz. The G5 Max, then, blows its competition out of the water. Other similarly priced headsets, such as the Final VR3000 EX (55 hours), Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite (30 hours), and Asus ROG Pelta (90 hours), simply fall short.

Not just that, but even pricier headsets don’t last as long, like the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro (70 hours), the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset (70 hours) and even the extortionate SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite (60 hours, $599).

I would have to game a lot to kill the G5 Max’s battery, but after having used it for eight hours and left it running overnight with my PS5 turned on — so a total of 18 hours or so — the battery had dipped by only 7%. That’s great.

Edifier G5 Max review: The downs

The Edifier G5 Max is great but it’s important to note that its microphones aren’t the best, and there’s no macOS companion app.

Subpar mic(s) performance

The Edifier G5 Max features two mic setups: two built-in mics (for answering calls on the go) and one detachable boom mic (for when you want maximum clarity while gaming). Sounds great in theory, but in my testing, I thought both the mic’s performance was underwhelming.

I tested the built-in mics first and wasn’t impressed. As you can hear in the clip above, my voice sounds muffled and a little distant. My words don’t sound clear either, and the sibilance (“s” and “t” sounds) seems to bleed together.

The detachable boom mic, on the other hand, sounds slightly better than the built-in ones. This mic features dual environmental noise cancelation and AI-powered noise cancelation which works well — you can’t hear the TV in the background of the clip above. My voice also sounds better but it’s still fuzzy, and my high pitch in places sounds harsh and piercing. I would recommend the Asus ROG Pelta and its very clear mic if you play online.

No macOS companion app

Annoyingly, the HECATE Driver Software isn’t compatible with macOS machines — even though the Edifier G5 Max itself is. If you don’t have access to a Windows laptop, you’ll need to rely on the Edifier ConneX smartphone app for customization… but that means you won’t be able to enable or use THX Spatial Audio, and you’ll miss out on one of the headset’s key features.

This isn’t a massive flaw, though, as THX Spatial Audio works only on Windows computers. On the PS5, you can enable 3D sound via the console’s settings to get 360° sound. This also isn’t the first time I’ve tested a gaming headset with Windows-only software — the Asus ROG Pelta springs to mind. The Final VR3000 EX doesn’t even have a desktop companion app, and customization via its mobile app is fairly limited.

Edifier G5 Max review: Verdict

The Edifier G5 Max proves that you don’t need to spend top dollar to get an excellent gaming headset. Its combination of exceptional comfort, loooong battery life, immersive in-game audio, and easy customization make it an easy headset to recommend. It’s great for listening to music too as it’s Hi-Res certified — something its closest rivals aren’t.

That isn’t to say it’s perfect, but the G5 Max’s shortcomings feel relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. Its detachable boom mic works fine but doesn’t sound as clear as its competitors, and there’s no macOS app for customization. Neither issue detracts from what is otherwise an impressive package. If you prioritize immersive audio, all-day comfort, and battery life, the G5 Max should be your port of call.

I’ve been podcasting for the better part of 14 years, and the one piece of gear I’ve invested in more than anything else is one of the best microphones. After all, people will forgive so-so or even boring visuals as long as the audio is solid. I ran a Samson C01U Pro for years before switching to my current Elgato Wave 3, and I’m still happy with it. That said, I’ve been testing a pretty strong rival lately — the Razer Seiren V3 Pro.

Razer’s latest Seiren is a studio-leaning dynamic mic aimed squarely at podcasters and creators who want cleaner sound without a ton of extra gear. It has a solid, Shure-inspired look and comes packed with built-in processing tools that actually help you sound better right out of the box. At $249, it’s not cheap, but you’re getting dual USB-C and XLR connectivity, a 30 mm capsule, and some useful onboard features for the money.

So, will I ditch my beloved Wave 3 for the Seiren V3 Pro? Read on for what this mic is all about and how it held up after a week of real use.

Razer Seiren V3 Pro: What is it?

Before I dig into my experience with the Seiren V3 Pro, here’s a quick look at the features so you know what you’re dealing with.

The Seiren V3 Pro is built to deliver the warm, broadcast-style sound many podcasters and streamers are after. Its cardioid pickup pattern means you speak into the top of the mic, which focuses on your voice while rejecting noise from the sides and rear. That’s especially useful if you’re recording in a regular room rather than a treated studio. It also includes a built-in shock absorber and a removable pop filter to minimize noise and plosives before they reach your recording.

One of the standout features is the dual connectivity. You get USB-C for simple plug-and-play use, plus a full XLR connection when you want to run it through a proper audio interface or mixer. That flexibility means the same mic can sit on a basic streaming desk one day and move into a more serious recording setup the next — no need to buy two different mics!

On the software side, Razer includes onboard DSP tools such as a compressor, expander, limiter, and an AI noise remover. There’s also 32-bit float support in the Razer Synapse app, which gives you more headroom and less chance of clipping when you get loud.

Between the processing and the extra dynamic range, much of the cleanup happens before the audio even reaches your computer. A physical gain dial sits right on the mic for quick adjustments, and the Chroma RGB ring serves as both a status indicator (mute, levels, etc.) and a bit of customizable flair.

Overall, the Seiren V3 Pro feels like the best of both worlds: easy enough for more casual users like me to set up and start using, but with enough depth and customization to keep the more serious audio folks happy.

Razer Seiren V3 Pro: My experience

I was impressed the second I pulled the Razer Seiren V3 Pro out of the box. It’s a slick-looking piece of kit. Objectively, it doesn’t look all that different from other cardioid mics, but it’s a design style I’ve always liked and rarely had the chance to use. Inside the box, you get the mic, its stand, and a long USB cable. One end is USB-A, and Razer includes a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter, a thoughtful little touch.

Once you plug it into your PC and open the Razer Synapse app, it guides you through a quick setup. You speak into the mic at a normal volume, record a bit of ambient noise, tell it what you’re using it for (podcasting, in my case), and how far the mic is from you. That’s it. The whole process takes less than five minutes and does much of the heavy lifting for you.

I’m generally happy with the recording quality. My voice comes through full, and there’s almost no background noise. The only real issue is specific to my setup: the mic sits about two feet away from me, and because I live in a pretty bare studio apartment, it can pick up a bit of that empty-room sound. I don’t have that problem with my Elgato Wave 3 since it’s on an arm and I can pull it right up to my mouth. I can’t do that as easily with the Razer, but even at a less-than-ideal distance, the audio still sounds solid.

I’m not an audiophile, and I don’t like fussing with settings, so the preset options in Synapse work perfectly fine for me. You can dig in and tweak everything if you want, and I’m sure I could squeeze out even better results with some fine-tuning. For most people, though, the out-of-the-box presets are more than good enough.

The one real annoyance I encountered is how easy it is to accidentally mute yourself while adjusting the mic. The mute “button” is a large, sensitive target area, and it’s almost impossible not to graze it when repositioning the mic. A proper physical button that requires a bit of force to press would have solved this easily.

Razer Seiren V3 Pro: Bottom line

This is my first time using a Razer microphone, and I have to say that I’m pretty impressed. Between the clean design and the solid set of features, the Seiren V3 Pro feels like a real step up for anyone looking to take their podcasting or content creation more seriously. Yeah, $249 is a chunk of money, and there are cheaper options out there. But if you decide to spend it, I don’t think you’ll walk away disappointed.

So, back to the question I asked at the start: will I switch from my Elgato Wave 3 to the Razer Seiren V3 Pro? Right now, no. I’d get a lot more out of this mic if I had it on a proper arm so I could keep it closer to my mouth. That said, it’s compact enough that I’ll definitely be tossing it in my bag for podcasting on the road. It’s a fantastic microphone that can make you sound like a pro, and at the end of the day, that’s exactly what I’m after.

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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is the successor to 2022’s fantastic Arctis Nova Pro. The reasoning behind adding the ‘Omni’ bit is twofold: the new headset now packs an omnidirectional microphone, but it also works on every major platform.

Now, the technical challenge of making an all-platform headset is not to be sniffed at. Gaming headsets typically come in either Xbox or PlayStation guise, due to lots of proprietary software nonsense (mostly from Microsoft) — malarkey that SteelSeries has managed to negotiate its way around.

Creating a worthy successor to the Nova Pro would’ve no doubt been a little easier. While old, the Pro is a fantastic gaming headset that still holds up today, so SteelSeries didn’t have to do much. It changed the mic, widened the connectivity, tweaked the drivers and added a little of the Nova Elite’s polish. Voilà.

So, is this one of the best gaming headsets out there? Certainly. Keep reading my full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Omni review to find out more.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium gaming headset and successor to the original Arctis Nova Pro
• What does it cost? Quite a bit: $399 / £349
• Who is it for? Competitive and/or multi-platform gamers who value sound quality
• What’s good? The sound, connectivity options, comfort, new mic and ‘zero-downtime’ battery
• What’s not? The ANC isn’t as good as SteelSeries says, and it’s pricey

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: Specs

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: The ups

From the excellent sound quality to the reams of control, plenty of connectivity options, and comfortable design, there’s a lot I love about the Arctis Nova Omni.

Killer sound quality

Obviously, the most important thing about any gaming headset is how it sounds when gaming. Thankfully, the Nova Pro Omni has sound quality in buckets, sporting 96K / 24-bit hi-res audio over Wi-Fi.

It lacks the carbon fiber drivers of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite, but the neodymium drivers have been re-tuned from the Arctis Nova Pro for tighter bass response. Bass is indeed nice and punchy — the booms of explosions in Isonzo and the rumbles of tanks in Hell Let Loose all sounded powerful and frightening, with no distortion perceptible. You won’t get that stomach-quivering sub bass as you would from a subwoofer, but if that’s what you’re after, I’d advise the SteelSeries Arena 9 speaker system.

There’s a decent amount of mid-range resolution, with satisfying mechanical clicks and clacks to reloads in Hell Let Loose, and a thrumming timbre to car engine noise in Forza Horizon 5.

The Nova Pro Omni’s treble is impressively light and airy, giving bags of fine detail. Combined with strong spatial imaging, this helps you pinpoint enemy footsteps. I was able to hear enemies walking and reloading in Counter-Strike 2, which was enough to score me a few kills I wouldn’t otherwise have got. In Isonzo, I was able to precisely track an enemy snaking through a trench behind and around me, helping me get the jump on them and score a kill.

The sound quality makes the Nova Pro Omni pretty good for music, too. I tested the headset using my usual audio testing playlist on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles, and had no complaints — I’d rather put $399 into the Omni than overpriced premium headphones like the $449 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen II.

Listen along to my audio testing playlist on Qobuz.

Bags of control

As with SteelSeries’ other high-end headsets, the Nova Pro Omni comes with a desktop USB DAC/hub. This serves as a wired connection hub, but it’s also the primary way to control your headset on-the-fly, letting you quickly adjust EQ (including a custom EQ profile), ANC and microphone settings as you game.

For more in-depth control, the SteelSeries GG app is perfect. In GG, you get greater customization over audio and mic EQ, including per-game audio presets to help you tailor your sound to individual titles. GG is slick, reliable and delivers genuine performance enhancements, and I much prefer it to the bloatware from other brands, like Asus’ Armoury Crate.

There’s also Sonar, which is a digital audio interface to mix game audio, mic, stream and chat levels. I don’t have much use for Sonar, as I’m not a streamer and only need to monitor audio and mic levels. But it’ll be a handy tool for any streaming newbies who haven’t got the cash yet to invest in a more advanced audio interface

Wide compatibility

It’s great to see the advent of headsets that are compatible with both consoles from the two main troublemakers, Microsoft and Sony. If you own both consoles, with the Arctis Nova Omni, you won’t need to buy two headsets for switching between. The Omni can be used with both, plus Switch, PC (obviously) and a host of other platforms.

The USB-C DAC/hub is also handy here as you can plug in 3x devices for high-res Wi-Fi sound, then keep a final fourth channel for Bluetooth. You also have access to a fifth wired channel, giving a massive array of connected devices.

Effortless comfort

We always say the same thing about every Arctis Nova headset: that they’re super comfortable. They all use the same suspended headstrap, but it’s a winning formula, making the headset feel weightless and effortlessly comfortable.

It’s much preferable to the classic single padded band of headsets like the Fractal Design Scape, and miles better than Audeze’s suspended headband design, found on the Audeze Maxwell 1, Maxwell 2 and Maxwell 2 ANC. The Maxwell’s headband has very limited adjustment, meaning I have to wear it lop-sided as I fall between two levels. The Nova Pro Omni, meanwhile, can be adjusted using both the headband and earcup sliders, so I can get the fit just right.

The Nova Pro Omni’s earcups are thickly padded, using the same memory foam and vegan leather as Nova Elite. By the time I’m writing this, I’m several hours into a testing and writing session with the Nova Pro Omni, and feel no need to take them off.

SteelSeries has also tweaked the position/shape of the ANC mic near the headphone driver, to ensure it doesn’t rub on your helix — clearly a frequent-enough complaint to force a change. I’ve never had this issue, but everyone’s ear anatomy is different, so it’s nice to see the brand taking steps to address it.

Premium construction

I like that the Nova Pro Omni looks and feels almost exactly like the Nova Elite. The Nova Pro was nearly there, to be fair — the only real difference is that the volume wheel now uses the same metal as the Nova Elite, instead of the tacky plastic wheel on the Nova Pro (the same wheel as the cheaper SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2).

Generally, this feels like a very premium headset, and a step up over the Nova 7 Gen 2. Admittedly, though, I don’t think any SteelSeries headset can quite match the high-quality materials and sleek scandi styling of the Fractal Design Scape.

No downtime

Just like its siblings, the Nova Pro Omni features SteelSeries’ "Infinite Power System.” That’s a rather hyperbolic way of saying it comes with two batteries, one of which charges in the USB hub while you use the other in the headset.

Hyperbole or otherwise, I always love this system, as it means virtually no downtime if you’ve forgotten to charge your headset the night before a long gaming session. SteelSeries promises up to 30 hours from each battery, although mileage will naturally vary and you can expect a drop with ANC on. With ANC on and streaming over WiFi, four hours of constant use ate up around 20% battery, equating to 20 hours extrapolated.

Of course, for home use, as long as the spare battery charges faster than the in-use one drains (which it does), the specific number of hours doesn’t really matter. But it’s nice that you can get decent life out of the headset if you need to take it out and about.

Upgraded mic

The Arctis Nova Omni features a new microphone — now an omnidirectional mic (hence the name). This replaces the bi-directional mic on the original Nova Pro, and is similar to the omnidirectional mic on the Nova Elite.

The change is intended to provide a more natural timbre to your voice by picking up a wider array of vocal tones. Interestingly, it has a wider frequency pickup range than the Nova Elite’s omnidirectional mic — so, technically, vocals will sound better on the Omni. The downside is that the omnidirectional mic will pick up other voices around you (in testing, it picked up my colleague’s voice), but that’s not a big issue if you’re gaming alone.

I think the mic sounds pretty good. As you can hear in the recording above, my voice sounds clear, with a rich and natural tone in the flat EQ. Unfortunately, most of the Omni’s mic EQs aren’t worth bothering with. The Broadcast Low, Deep Voice and Balanced EQs just made me sound boomy. The Less Nasal preset worked fairly well (guess I have a nasal voice, then), but honestly, I’d just stick to the basic Flat EQ profile.

While it doesn’t quite pip the Audeze Maxwell 2’s mic, the Nova Pro Omni will be a solid choice for most gamers and amateur streamers. For anyone taking streaming seriously, though, I’d advise a higher-quality standalone mic like the Shure MV6 ($149), Shure MV7+ ($279) or Shure MV7i ($349).

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: The downs

The Arctis Nova Omni isn’t perfect. The ANC is OK, but only that, so it’d be remiss of me not to call out the overhyped marketing. Otherwise, it’s just a bit pricey, and I have little else to say against it.

Overhyped ANC

I admit I’m a little spoiled when it comes to ANC, owning and testing some of the best noise-cancelling headphones around. My standards are pretty high. The beef I have with SteelSeries’ recent ANC systems (here and on the Nova Elite) isn’t that they’re terrible; it’s that they’re marketed as being incredible when in actuality they’re decidedly mediocre. The same claim is being made for the Nova Pro Omni as was made about the Nova Elite: that the ANC will cut out the noise of a helicopter.

A. Frickin’. Helicopter.

As with the Nova Elite, the Nova Pro Omni’s ANC could barely cut out basic office sounds: my colleague playing music through her laptop speakers; people talking around me; keyboard noise; traffic outside the window. I’m pretty sure choppers are louder than all that. And even if this is a frequency-specific issue, I have beef with that, too — frankly, I don’t give a damn if a headset can cut the sound of a helicopter, because I’m never gaming on a heli pad. I need it to cut out, oh, say… music, voices, traffic and keyboard noise.

Like I said, the Omni’s ANC isn’t bad. It still reduces a fair amount of noise, and some ANC is better than none. It’s just not the powerhouse ANC that SteelSeries is telling you. Not in my experience.

As I write this, I’m about to test the Nova Omni’s main competitor, the Maxwell 2 ANC. Audeze also claims to have ‘class-leading’ ANC (and proof of it, apparently), so it’s not like SteelSeries is the only one hamming things up here. We’ll see.

Kinda spenny

Credit where credit is due: SteelSeries has priced the Nova Pro Omni in line with its key rival, the $429 Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC. I was a little flabbergasted by the price of the $599 Nova Elite, but the Nova Pro Omni shows SteelSeries has at least re-entered planet Earth.

To any other manufacturer, the Nova Pro Omni would be a flagship. Its sound quality, while not quite rivalling the super tight response of the Maxwell’s planar magnetic drivers, is nevertheless excellent, and it boasts all the goodies aforementioned. Aside from the carbon drivers of the Nova Elite, the Nova Pro Omni is basically just as good as the top model, and at $200 cheaper, makes much more sense.

Objectively, though, $399 is a lot of cash to drop on a headset. If you’re on a budget, I’m afraid this headset isn’t for you. Instead, check out the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 ($129), Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 ($199), or the older Arctis Nova Pro (usually around $229 these days).

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: Verdict

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is a Goldilocks headset. The Nova Pro is by now kinda old and a little limited, while the flagship Nova Elite is simply too pricey. The Nova Omni fits in nicely between the two, offering a blend of sound quality, gaming performance and price. I love the wide connectivity options and attention paid to the new mic, plus SteelSeries’ usual effortless comfort.

Sure, the Omni isn’t totally perfect. I’m a supreme skeptic of the ANC claims, given my personal experience with the headset. And it ain’t exactly cheap. But the ANC isn’t terrible, and top-tier products simply cost money, so both of those are fairly minor quibbles. If I had to choose only one headset from SteelSeries’ lineup to live with, it’d be the Nova Pro Omni.

I haven’t used a Razer gaming keyboard for a while, so testing the new Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8KHz feels like reuniting with an old friend. Since the company uses proprietary switches, its keyboards feel different from competitors that use third-party parts. This remains true for the Huntsman V3.

This more affordable variant of last year’s Huntsman V3 Pro TKL 8KHz packs several competitive gaming-focused features, such as super-fast 8KHz polling and adjustable actuation points. While the keyboard is relatively thin, its aluminum build makes it sturdy and safe to travel with. And while it’s a gaming keyboard at its core, it’s also great for typing.

If you’re a competitive gamer who needs a keyboard that can keep up with you and won’t break the bank, the Razer Huntsman V3 Tenkeyless 8KHz is one of the best gaming keyboards that's worth checking out. Here’s why.

What's this Razer Huntsman V3 all about?

The Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8KHz is a competitive gaming keyboard built for fast-paced first-person shooters and other genres that demand quick reflexes. It utilizes the company’s proprietary analog optical switches, 8K “HyperPolling,” adjustable actuation, and a slew of RGB customization options.

Magnetic switches have been all the rage in recent years, but Razer has remained true to its optical switches. Both switch types provide faster response times than traditional mechanical switches, which is why competitive gamers tend to gravitate toward them. I won’t debate whether optical or magnetic switches are better for gaming, but I will say Razer’s optical switches are insanely responsive.

Like with magnetic switches, you can set multiple actuation points on a single key—two actuation points in this case. For example, you can have an actuation point of 2.0 mm on the W key to walk and 4.0 to run. Here, you can set actuation points between 0.1 mm and 4.0, which is standard for both magnetic and optical keyboards.

Then there’s the 8K polling (the speed at which the keyboard sends signals to your computer), which Razer says is faster than other keyboards claiming such a high polling rate. According to the company, most keyboards with 8K polling have a 1.6ms response time, but the Huntsman V3 has a faster 0.48ms response time.

So, how does all of that translate to real-world use? Though I’m nowhere near a competitive gamer, even I could feel the overall smoothness and fast response when playing a first-person shooter like Doom: The Dark Ages. I especially like setting a faster actuation point for shooting since I could lightly brush the key instead of pressing it down all the way. And in case you’re wondering, you can set the actuation points right on the keyboard, though I still preferred doing so via the Razer Synapse app on PC.

The experience

While I’m not the target customer for a competitive gaming keyboard, I enjoy using them because of their fast response time and smooth keystrokes—which the Razer Huntsman V3 has in spades. While the blazing performance and high customization are fantastic, there’s more to this keyboard than those selling points.

The elevated keys, with their PBT-coated keycaps, are a joy to type on. One thing I especially appreciate as someone with a heavy touch is how the keys have more resistance the further you press them. The tenkeyless layout is also ideal for me since I don’t need a numberpad, making the board unnecessarily larger.

The thocky sound the keys produce also makes using the keyboard more enjoyable. Sure, the sound isn’t as deep as you’d find on mechanical keyboards, but it’s still good. While not a clicky board, it’s definitely noisy, so you might not want to use it in an office or anywhere that could annoy others (though I used it in the office anyway!).

The aluminum frame not only helps give the keyboard a richer sound, but also makes it sturdy and durable. That’s important if you need to travel with the Huntsman V3. The brushed aluminum is a nice touch that gives the keyboard a more premium look without being overbearing. And while this is a gaming keyboard, it doesn’t look like one thanks to its overall subdued design.

Of course, if you want more of a gamer aesthetic, there is no shortage of RGB options to toy around with. I’m somewhat neutral on RGB lighting, but I like that folks can customize the lighting to their exact preference. This is Razer, so the company isn’t skimping on that front.

Lastly, this isn't a wireless keyboard, so you'll need to use a USB-A port on your PC. That said, the braided cable is detachable, which is good if you need to take the keyboard on the road.

Outlook

The Razer Huntsman V3 Tenkeyless 8K is an excellent gaming keyboard thanks to its robust, competitive gamer-focused features. Outside of gaming, it also delivers a nice typing experience thanks to its durable build and responsive keys. It’s a bit pricey at $169, but for what it offers, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.

Again, I'm a fan of Razer keyboards, and this one has everything I've come to expect from the company's peripherals. While the Pro versions of this keyboard might have more features, I like the simplicity of this board, as it still delivers excellent performance. At $169, it's worth considering.

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I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember but when it came to my home office setup, I just couldn’t imagine using a gaming chair over an office chair.

While gaming chairs typically have racing bucket-style seats with a faux-leather finish, the best office chairs come in a wider variety of designs and styles. From task chairs without headrests to ergonomic ones with dedicated lumbar support and my favorite, full-mesh office chairs with plenty of airflow, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Back when I first set up my home office, I wanted it to look as professional as possible. This meant a clean setup with few distractions. That’s why I opted for one of the best standing desks and a nice ergonomic chair with a mesh backrest to go with it. Over the years, I’ve built countless desk setups while trying out dozens of different desks and chairs.

Still, I had yet to try a ‘true’ gaming chair, even if I did test out a few hybrid ones like the Herman Miller Vantum. That all changed recently when I reviewed the new Razer Iskur V2 NewGen gaming chair. Although I’ve always considered myself an office chair purist, Razer’s latest finally won me over. Well, mostly.

A gaming chair with an ergonomic twist

The Iskur V2 NewGen sits right at the top of Razer’s lineup as its flagship gaming chair, and for good reason. Alongside an upgraded EPU leather finish, this is the company’s most adjustable chair to date — and that’s exactly what drew me to it in the first place.

Compared to office chairs, gaming chairs often get a bad rap when it comes to their adjustability and fit. While many office chairs are engineered to conform to your spine’s natural curve and dynamically move with you as you shift throughout the day, a lot of gaming chairs feel rigid and stiff by comparison.

Although the original Iskur from 2020 suffered from these design flaws, Razer has since taken massive steps to completely overhaul its design and comfort. This started by completely reimagining the backrest and the adaptive lumbar support mechanism housed within it.

Instead of being static, the Iskur V2 NewGen’s lumbar support system now actively swivels and moves with you, while still allowing you to manually tweak it to your liking. A knob on the left side of the chair lets you move the mechanism up and down to align perfectly with the small of your back, while the knob on the right side allows you to control how far it extends out.

Not only is this a first for a gaming chair, it’s a feature you typically only find on premium office chairs — and even then, it’s not one I see all that often. What’s great about this updated system is that you can dial the lumbar support forward to keep your spine supported if you're leaning in close to your desk to focus. Then, when you want to sit back in a more relaxed position, you just turn the knob on the right to retract it so you can sit straight with plenty of lower back support.

Dead simple adjustments (and recline)

One thing I’ve noticed with some of the higher-end office chairs I’ve reviewed is that their manufacturers often make them overly complicated — especially when it comes to their adjustments. The Iskur V2 NewGen, on the other hand, keeps things simple with a hand-brake style lever to adjust the chair’s recline and a series of buttons for its armrests.

These 4D armrests can be moved up/down, forward/backward, closer/further away from you and angled inward or outward. There’s nothing worse than having your chair’s armrests move on their own after you’ve painstakingly adjusted them to your liking, which is why I really like how the buttons on either side keep these ones from moving.

You don’t get a built-in footrest like with the Hinomi X1 or the Hbada X7 I reviewed, nor is there a separate one like on the LiberNovo Omni, but I still really enjoyed leaning back in the Iskur V2 NewGen. With the lever in hand, you just lean back as far as you want and when you let it go, the chair’s backrest stays locked in place. When it’s time to get up, you just grab the lever again and sit up.

With a max recline of 152 degrees, the Iskur V2 NewGen is great for kicking back, but it’s not really the kind of chair you’d want to take a nap in, especially without a built-in footrest.

Super supportive but not quite mesh cool

Now don’t get me wrong, I found the Iskur V2 NewGen’s backrest to be incredibly supportive — which makes sense given it’s a lot thicker than the backrests on the office chairs I routinely test. And while the cooling tech embedded in its EPU leather did help somewhat, it just couldn’t beat the airflow you get with a mesh office chair.

While a mesh backrest may be good enough for some people, I actually prefer an all-mesh chair that has a mesh seat too like the high-back version of the Steelcase Karman pictured above. Since I live in Houston, Texas where it gets both hot and humid, I need as much airflow as possible year-round.

If you still prefer a gaming chair with a racing-style seat, there are things you can do to mitigate the extra heat that comes with a faux-leather finish. For instance, while testing the Iskur V2 NewGen, I had a tower fan pointed at me at all times. However, when I moved it into a smaller room with an overhead fan, that really did the trick.

Now after two months, would I daily drive a gaming chair? I still don’t think I would, given I live in a hotter climate. However, when the sun goes down and it finally gets cooler, kicking back in the Iskur V2 NewGen to play some games has been an absolute delight. It might not be the ideal work-from-home chair — at least for me — but it is an excellent chair to game in.

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Just when I thought this flagship gaming chair couldn’t get any better, Razer has released its upgraded Iskur V2 NewGen. While the V2 had plenty of improvements, this new model features a comfier yet more supportive dual-density cold-cured foam cushion and upgraded EPU synthetic leather with built-in cooling tech.

I still remember trying out the Iskur V2 during my first trip to CES and walking away very impressed with its upgraded lumbar support system. The Iskur V2 NewGen isn’t a complete redesign as it retains what made that model one of the best gaming chairs. Instead, it’s more of a refinement designed to be more comfortable while feeling significantly more premium.

Although I typically spend my days (and my nights) sitting in one of the best office chairs, the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen has been a nice change of pace. From the instant I sat in it, I really liked its stiffer backrest and wide, comfy seat. Likewise, it was a breeze to put together and locking in the perfect fit comes easily too, thanks to the knobs on either side and the lever to control its recline. Still though, this is a high-end gaming chair with a $649 price tag and unfortunately, there isn’t a fabric option like with most of Razer’s other chairs.

My Razer Iskur V2 NewGen review will help you decide if this is the right gaming chair for you or if you’d be better off going with the cheaper yet less full-featured Iskur V2 X instead.

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A premium gaming chair with a strong focus on ergonomics and cooling.
• Who is it for? People who want a very adjustable seat with dedicated lumbar support which they can use for long stretches at a time comfortably that still looks like a gaming chair.
• What does it cost? The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen costs $649 regardless of which colorway you choose.
• What do we like? The adaptive lumbar support system, the wider backrest and seat base, the extra thick foam seat cushion and how easy it is to adjust using the built-in lever and knobs.
• What don’t we like? That the upgraded synthetic leather can still feel hot after extended periods and the higher price compared to other similarly-specced gaming chairs.

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen: Specs

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen: The ups

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen offers exactly what you’d expect from a premium gaming chair in terms of design and comfort. However, it doesn’t skimp on ergonomics either with an adjustable lumbar support system that moves with your back as you shift in your chair while gaming or even working from home.

A color-coded build

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen arrived in a single large brown box with everything packed neatly inside. While I wish it came as pre-assembled as the more expensive Herman Miller Vantum, it was surprisingly simple to put together.

With everything unpacked, I was left with the Iskur V2 NewGen’s backrest, frame, seat, casters and the rest of the parts needed to assemble it. One thing I really liked is that the armrests did come pre-attached, which is a nice touch given how tedious installing them yourself can be.

While other companies will often have you scan a QR code to view their assembly instructions online, Razer includes a large printout with key steps highlighted in the company’s signature Razer green. Speaking of which, you also get a pair of black gloves with that same accent color in the box so you don’t get any grease on your hands when installing the chair’s lift mechanism.

Building the Iskur V2 NewGen was a straightforward process using the included Allen wrench. I’d say the hardest part was connecting the seat to the backrest but honestly, this was quite easy to do compared to some of the office chairs I’ve built over the years.

With the Iskur V2 NewGen fully assembled, it was time to take it for a spin.

Wider all around

When looking at the Iskur V2 NewGen, it’s hard not to notice its curves. In fact, this gaming chair almost has an hourglass figure since it’s skinniest at the center where the seat meets the backrest and extends out in either direction.

This was intentional on Razer’s part as a big focus of this NewGen refresh is comfort. The chair is just under 16 inches at its skinniest point. However, the seat extends out to 20.9 inches at its edge while the backrest goes even wider at 21.3 inches. The extended seat allows you to sit cross-legged in this gaming chair while the extended backrest provides plenty of room for those with wider shoulders.

As someone on the smaller side at 5’4”, I still found this extra space to be quite nice to have. I had plenty of room as I shifted from side to side in the Iskur V2 NewGen’s seat and the same was true for my shoulders when my back leaned from left to right.

While I would have preferred a magnetic head cushion like on the Secretlab Titan Evo, I did find the included one made from sculpted memory foam to be quite comfortable even for long stretches. However, I did swap it for the Razer Clio when playing PS5 at my desk since I had a pair of Razer Nommo V2 Pro speakers connected to my gaming PC via USB-C and to my Switch 2 over Bluetooth.

Just the pull of a lever

One thing I really prefer with the Iskur V2 NewGen over some of the more over-designed office chairs I regularly test is the simplicity of its adjustments. Fine-tuning this chair for the perfect fit only takes a few minutes and the more complicated adjustments come with illustrations to further simplify the process.

There are adjustment knobs on the left and right side — but more on that later — and a lever that controls the chair’s recline. Everything is right there within reach and I never had to get out of the Iskur V2 NewGen to make adjustments.

The chair also comes with 4D armrests that you can move up or down, forward or backward, closer or farther away from you and angled inward or outward. Unlike some of the 4D or even 6D armrests I’ve tested on office chairs, I really like how the ones on the Iskur V2 NewGen stay firmly in place. One of my biggest gripes with Herman Miller’s Vantum gaming chair is that I’d need to readjust the pads of its armrests almost every time I sat down.

Given that a lot of office chairs require you to unlock a lever and then lean back whenever you want to recline, the larger, handbrake-style lever on the right side of the Iskur V2 NewGen was a welcome change for me. I’d just hold onto the lever and lean back to my preferred recline position with it in my hand.

Although I spent a lot of my time gaming upright while trying out the Iskur V2 NewGen, I did put its recline to the test while using the Razer Kishi Ultra and my Lenovo Legion Tab 3 for some remote gaming.

While an integrated footrest like on the Hbada X7 or even a standalone one like with the LiberNovo Omni would have been nice, it was still quite comfortable playing some PC games using the Steam Link app while laying almost completely flat in the Iskur V2 NewGen.

Lumbar that moves with you

Just like with the Iskur V2, the adaptive lumbar support is one of the standout features of this gaming chair. After using it as my daily driver for the past two months, it’s easy to see why.

Unlike a traditional lumbar support mechanism, this one is able to move with you as you shift from side to side in the Iskur V2 NewGen. For instance, you can feel it move if you look over to either side from your desk. However, I found it to be even more useful in fast-paced games where I tend to move around a bit more than I normally would while working.

While the lumbar support systems in some of the office chairs I reviewed are completely static — meaning they don't pivot or track your spine dynamically as you shift — Razer's system lets you fine-tune its position both vertically and horizontally.

A knob on the left side of the Iskur V2 NewGen allows you to move the lumbar support up and down so it can perfectly align with the small of your back. The knob on the right side is what really impressed me with the original Iskur V2 and this refreshed model.

When you turn this knob, the lumbar support mechanism either extends or retracts. As 1HP’s Dr. Matthew Hwu explained to me a few years ago at Razer’s CES booth, if you tend to lean forward while playing the best PC games at your desk, then you might want to extend the Iskur V2 NewGen’s lumbar support all the way forward. That way, you can sit in your preferred gaming position without hurting your back.

As for me, while I did play some Death Stranding 2 on PC while seated in the Iskur V2 NewGen, I actually spent the majority of my time testing the chair out while playing Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 ahead of my review. During those epic interstellar dog fights with Star Wolf, I put the chair’s adaptive lumbar support to good use as I dodged incoming enemy laser fire.

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen: The downs

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen certainly performs as a gaming chair but it isn’t without its downsides which include its higher price and how the upgraded cooling tech in its EPU leather just can’t match mesh.

Cooler but still not cool enough

Since I live in Houston, Texas, using a mesh office chair like the Steelcase Karman or the more affordable Branch Aire Chair really isn’t an option — it’s a must.

Given we’re at the start of what’s already looking to be a very hot and humid summer, I was initially a bit reluctant about testing the Iskur V2 NewGen. However, since I tried and really liked the standard Iskur V2, I figured I’d see how well this chair’s new cooling tech performed in a less than ideal situation.

To make this refreshed chair cooler, Razer switched to a new version of its EPU synthetic leather which has CoolTouch fibers embedded within it. On paper, this sounds like it should really make a difference but in my testing, even this high-tech new material fell a bit short for me.

When I was using the Iskur V2 NewGen out in my game room with just a tower fan — alongside central air — to keep me cool, I found that I got sweaty faster than I normally would with a mesh office chair. It got so bad that I moved my Govee Smart Tower Fan 2 Max from in front of our couch over to my desk at the back of the room. That made things slightly better.

In my final week or so testing the Iskur V2 NewGen, I brought it into my office which has a large overhead fan. Maybe it’s due to the room being much smaller but this certainly made a difference.

Now, if you’re using the Iskur V2 NewGen in a more temperate climate, I doubt you’ll run into the issues I did with it. However, if you’re in a warmer and muggier location like I am, I’d recommend the Razer Fujin Pro, which is designed more like a mesh office chair than a traditional gaming chair.

Upgrading at a premium

At $649, the Iskur V2 NewGen is certainly an investment. However, if you have a bad back or want a chair with a wider seat and backrest, it could definitely be worth it. While you might look a tad silly in video calls, I found the Iskur V2 NewGen just as comfortable to work in as it was to game in.

If you’re after a premium gaming chair but want to pick one up at a slightly lower price, the Secretlab Titan Evo starts at $549 and unlike the Iskur V2 NewGen, it’s available in both fabric and leather. Then again, if you like the design of this chair and don’t necessarily need adaptive lumbar support or 4D armrests, you could always opt for the less expensive Razer Iskur V2 X NewGen for $349.

While the Iskur V2 NewGen is on the expensive side, it is cheaper than the Herman Miller Vantum which costs nearly $1,000. On the other hand though, the Vantum won’t look out of place in a video call for work as from the front, it looks just like any other mesh office chair.

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen: Verdict

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen is an excellent gaming chair with a one-of-a-kind adaptive lumbar support system that makes a major difference every time you sit in it. While its high-tech EPU synthetic leather left a bit to be desired for me personally, this new material is still a significant upgrade over past versions and under the right conditions, it can keep you cool while gaming for longer. Likewise, the Iskur V2 NewGen is incredibly easy to put together and to fine-tune its adjustments to your liking.

If you’re looking for a traditional, racing-style gaming chair but still want the ergonomic support you get from an office chair, you’d be hard-pressed to find this level of comfort and polish anywhere else. Still, you are paying a bit more for the privilege. However, if you game for long hours daily or plan to have the Iskur V2 NewGen serve double duty as your work-from-home chair, then it could certainly be worth it.

Prime Day gets all the hype, but you don't need an Amazon membership to score the best gaming deals this week. Razer is hitting back with its own massive summer specials sale, slashing up to 50% off top-tier gear, and frankly, the discounts are too good to ignore.

Whether you need a wireless headset that sounds as good with Spotify as it does in Valorant, or a tournament-ready compact keyboard, here are the five Razer upgrades worth your cash right now.

And if you want to make sure you aren't missing out on any other massive discounts, our Tom's Guide Savings Squad is tracking all the best deals across every major retailer in real time on our live blog.

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• Razer Cobra Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse — was $129 now $69
• Razer Huntsman Mini - Linear Optical Switch  — was $129 now $74
• Razer Viper V3 Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse — was $159 now $109
• Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset — was $199 now $129
• Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless Headset — was $249 now $129

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I'm blessed and privileged to have a few loves in my life. There's my partner who I wouldn't change a thing about. My family and family dog who I'm thousands of miles away from and miss every day. And then there's gaming. I've loved gaming for as long as I can remember, and I'm one of the lucky few who get to incorporate their love for something into their job.

As a reviews writer, I test the best gaming headsets, which gives me an excuse to skip social obligations and stay home to play my favorite games. It's for work, am I right? Over the years, I've curated a selection of video games I always play to test gaming cans. New titles get added to that list as and when they come out (if I like them, of course) — but there's one game I never skip, and its sequel is finally dropping in September.

Control Resonant, the sequel to the 2019 supernatural Control, drops on September 24, 2026. I've recently been playing a lot of Control, especially when testing gaming headsets, and it's the best test for bass, treble, directional audio, and spatial audio. It's also a game you shouldn't sleep on, and if you want to experience its stunning soundscapes it in all their glory, you need to grab a competent headset for yourself.

An unsettling, intense, eerie, incredible soundtrack

As someone who has played many, many video games, I believe Control has one of the most underrated soundtracks and background music. The background music isn't loud or bass-heavy; it's more ambient, subtle and otherworldly which makes it unsettling and eerie. Combine that with the supernatural Hiss spawning out of nowhere and you've got a winning (and terrifying) combination.

Speaking of music, if you're familiar with any of Remedy Entertainment's games, you'll know that the developer loves including songs by Old Gods of Asgard, or Poets of the Fall as they're known in real life (one of my favorite bands, by the way), in its games. Control is no exception to that rule, and 'Take Control' is one of the best video game songs I've listened to.

Ashtray Maze, the level the song soundtracks, is in itself one of the best video game missions I've ever played, and one of the reasons is 'Take Control.' That level, complete with the heavy rock/metal track, combat sounds, and the sounds of the warping landscape, make for a great stress test when I'm testing a headset's balance.

Control features excellent combat and battle sounds too, from Jesse Faden's parautilitarian abilities to the Hiss' distorted, high-pitched shrieks.

Jesse's Launch ability makes for a fantastic treble test, as grabbing objects with it makes a shrill suction-like sound that can easily overpower the rest of the soundstage. Throwing (or launching) those objects creates a loud, bass-first sound, and if they land with an oomph akin to a thud, the headset's done its job well.

All of these different elements — the chaotic combat, the otherworldly weapon effects, crumbling environmental sounds when objects are yanked of walls via telekinesis — come together to create a surreal yet highly satisfying soundscape. Because of how busy the soundscape can get, Control is a game I will never skip when testing gaming headsets (and I hope I'll feel the same way about Resonant, too).

The mark of a good set of cans

So, how can Control and its various sounds help me determine whether a gaming headset is worth the money? There are a few things I look out for, depending on the features a set of cans offers. For instance, to test imaging and directionality, I see if I can accurately tell if an enemy is shooting from above, behind or to my left or right.

Can I also hear the Hiss spawning around me, and can I pinpoint the exact direction where they've just spawned? If the answer to those question is yes, then the headset's got fantastic directional audio — like my trusty Razer BlackShark V3 Pro.

Control's superb for testing sound separation too. If a headset is competent, like the Alienware Pro Wireless, I'll be able to hear Jesse's Service Weapon firing and bullets whizzing through the air, even as the music swells and the Hiss bombers fly at me. If it all sounds like a messy wall of noise, then the headset isn't worth it. As I mentioned earlier, the combat helps me determine whether the treble is crisp and vibrant and if the bass is powerful with low-end impact, too.

Then there's dialogue clarity. Although Control isn't a dialogue-heavy game, like Baldur's Gate 3 or Detroit: Become Human, there's still plenty of human and supernatural spoken word to test a headset's mids and vocal clarity. The Hiss often whisper and speak in overlapping, surreal dialogue and a well-tuned headset, like the Asus ROG Pelta, should render the vocal layer crisp and intelligible while retaining its eeriness.

But it's not just the game's loudness that helps me test gaming headsets; it's also the quiet moments when I'm navigating the ever-shifting halls of the Oldest House.

The low droning of the fans in the Maintenance sector, the echoing chimes of nearby Control Points, Polaris' gentle, soothing and guiding hum — all of these add to the game's charm. Any headset worth its salt, like the Sony Inzone H6 Air, will make the game sound extremely immersive, spacious, and airy.

Everything I've mentioned up until now explains why I always play Control to test gaming headsets. Before we dive into my recommendations for the best cans, is there any game you think I should be playing to test gaming headsets? Tell me in the comments below!

The best gaming headsets for Control (and other horror games)

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Gaming headsets have come leaps and bounds in recent years, and today, you don't need to spend more than $100 to get a decent set of cans for awesome immersion. But it isn't surprising that many people are reluctant to buy a cheap headset, because they believe — naturally — that the pricier the cans, the better the sound.

In some cases, that's true, but in many, it isn't. Of course, you shouldn't expect a $69 headset to carry the same features and pack the same tech as a $299 headset — but that doesn't mean the former is all bad and not worth your money. I should give those two headsets names now, to make this article easier to understand, right?

The $69 PowerA LucidSound LS500 replaced my $299 Razer BlackShark V3 Pro for a week to see if the wallet-friendly wonder could take on one of the best gaming headsets I've had the pleasure of testing. I've been pleasantly surprised by the LS500's sound quality and comfort, and I've also been not-so-surprised by some of its shortcomings — obviously, given the price. Allow me to take you through it all.

Comfort and design? 10/10

The PowerA LucidSound LS500 is a mighty comfortable headset — despite feeling too plasticky in places, yes. Weighing just 9.34 ounces and utilizing a lightweight metal in its frame, the LS500 sits comfortable atop your head and its mesh headband helps relieve some pressure you'd otherwise feel. The earcups are spacious and they're made of... moisture-wicking cloth liner.

"What the heck is moisture-wicking cloth liner?" I hear you ask. Fret not, I've done my research. This material pulls sweat and moisture away from your skin and spreads it across the fabric’s outside so that it evaporates quickly. In practice, this means that your ears don't feel irritated or itchy from pooling sweat, so you can wear the LS500 for hours and hours without feeling uncomfortable.

Alongside feeling ridiculously comfortable, the LS500's design hasn't given me much to complain about either — though it isn't officially licensed for PS5, so you don't get the swanky console logo. What I love most about the design is the clever controls. Two wheels located around the "LS" logo on each earcup can be rotated to adjust volume, playback, and other settings.

You're probably wondering why I'm so excited about something that doesn't even sound that enthralling, but it's because most cheap gaming headsets I've tested sport the same old tired control scheme. They don't do anything different, but PowerA has, and that's what has me jumping up and down. It's practical and it's clever — and it makes the headset fun to use and control.

Great sound... for the most part

Now we get to the meat of this article: does the PowerA LucidSound LS500 sound any good? For the most part, yes, and if you're a casual gamer who just wants a comfy headset for FPS or racing titles, you'll be more than happy with it. The LS500's 50mm dynamic drivers cover a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20KHz (the entirety of the human hearing spectrum) so in theory, you should be able to hear soft footsteps as well as loud explosions.

And you can certainly hear one of those. In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I appreciated the neoclassical operatic and heavy rock soundtrack not overpowering the combat sounds and vice versa. I could still hear my sword slashing against enemies, and I clearly understood my party members when they yelled, “Parry it” or “Watch out, Verso.” Balanced soundstage? Check.

In Control, the LS500's directional audio worked excellently as I could pinpoint the exact direction in which the enemies spawned. I loved being able to hear the suction-like sound objects made when I grabbed them with Jesse’s Launch ability, even when surrounded by supernatural entities making weird sounds. Crisp treble? Check.

But powerful bass? Bass that you feel in your soul? That reverberates through your head? Yeah, that's not really there. To be fair, I wasn't expecting the bass to sound room-shaking simply because the LS500 is a budget headset, and it's something my Razer BlackShark V3 Pro delivers — but it's also a lot pricier. Through the LS500, bomb-like attacks in Expedition 33 didn't land with enough oomph and sounded tinny. It was a similar story with throwing objects at enemies in Control, too.

It's great for the price, really

There's no denying it: the PowerA LucidSound LS500 is one of the best cheap gaming headsets you can buy today. It's available for $69 at Amazon U.S., with worldwide availability expected later this year. For just under $70, you're getting a comfortable headset that boasts immersive sound (for the most part), decent mic performance, and a clever control scheme.

While you miss out on the most powerful bass and a companion app, those are trade-offs I'd be willing to make given how cheap the LS500 is. I've tested budget cans from Asus and Turtle Beach, and the LS500 takes the fight to them — and it comes out victorious.

More from Tom's Guide

• The $69 PowerA LucidSound LS500 is a fantastic PS5 headset — and it’s coming for Turtle Beach’s crown
• I gave the new Razer headset 5 stars — say hello to my dream gaming cans
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