Logitech G433 7.1 Gaming Headset Review: The New Price/Performance King!

Alex Rowe
Alex Rowe
Jul 25, 2017 · 11 min read

The $99 gaming headset market is rather competitive.

For years now, HyperX and Razer have dominated the category with their Cloud and Kraken headsets. Both are pretty good choices depending on your sonic needs.

HyperX has the advantage of including a ton of extra stuff in the box, a rare thing at this price. Steelseries came close with the Arctis 5 and its new headband system, but still didn’t quite match HyperX’s pure value proposition.

Now, Logitech has thrown themselves at this hill.

And they’ve done splendidly.

Overview

The Logitech G433 is a $99 wired gaming headset. It comes in four colors: Black, Red, Blue, and a limited edition “Blue Camo” version. Each one includes two different connection cables: one for PCs and consoles with an in-line mute and volume control, and one for mobile devices with an in-line mic and play/pause button.

Each color of the headset comes with a color-matched removable boom mic with an integrated pop filter, and a second set of ear pads with a microfiber cloth covering instead of the standard “sports mesh” fabric.

You also get a USB sound card for Windows PCs, which includes DTS Headphone: X 7.1 surround and EQ functions.

Finally, if that wasn’t enough for you, there’s a nice cloth carrying bag with the Logitech G logo, again color-matched to your choice of headset.

Special Note: The Blue Camo version also includes an additional free extra in the form of a color-matched accessory bag. This is the version I decided to pick up and review, and I don’t know why this extra isn’t included in the other versions. If you care about getting the most stuff in the box, the Blue Camo version is the one to get.

Sound Quality

The G433, like other Logitech Headsets, uses their proprietary patent-pending “Pro G” 40mm driver.

Logitech was so proud of this new driver that when they first showed it to the press in 2015, they had them compare it to a Sennheiser HD650, one of Sennheiser’s reference-level headphones.

That took guts.

Like the G533 I recently loved, the 433 has a balanced, natural, clear sound profile with some gentle emphasis and sculpting throughout the frequency range. Bass, mids, and highs are all accurately represented and fun to listen to.

That might seem like a boring assessment, but I’d have to look really hard to find something to complain about here. There’s a gentle bass emphasis that won’t be enough to please bassheads, and highs are reduced just enough that detail hounds will be bummed…but you won’t ever be fatigued by cymbals or other high notes, which is better for most listeners.

The overall signature is less v-shaped than the HyperX Cloud, which has punchier bass and sparklier, more artificial highs. It’s less bass-focused than many of Razer’s products. The bumps in the frequency range seem to be in just the right spots to gently enhance various game sounds like explosions, voices, and footsteps, without crushing the original intent of the sound designer.

Soundstage is average for a closed-back pair. They’re not quite as open and airy as the G533’s. The cups are vented at the back; a first for a Pro G driver-based headset. The result is a slightly warmer, smoother bass response, and a decent amount of imaging depth.

You’re getting the full benefit of Logitech’s Pro G drivers here, and the experience they’ve had with two years of tuning those drivers across various headset products.

I threw my full gamut of listening tests at the thing, including some time with Skyrim Special Edition and a bunch of random pop music I like, and I found nothing to complain about with the audio.

Short version: They sound very good.

Virtual Surround/USB Sound Card

The included USB sound card is a little bit chunky, with a USB plug attached to a braided cable that’s a couple of inches long, that then attaches to the larger sound card dongle thing.

Just like the more expensive Logitech headsets, this sound card includes full DTS Headphone: X support for Windows gaming. It shows up in Windows as a true 7.1 surround device. Through the Logitech software, you have full control over EQ profiles, and a number of different surround sound “rooms” to select from.

I like to use the “Logitech Signature Studio” room, which is designed by Logitech and DTS to show off your particular headset.

Surround sound is convincing, with accurate positioning. Logitech includes a button in the software you can click to hear a demo of surround sound, and my gaming experiences were very positive.

But then, I love virtual surround sound.

Not everyone agrees with me, and it’s pretty easy to toggle it off if you don’t want to use it…or you could just not use the USB sound card at all. DTS Headphone: X is worlds beyond the surround sound featured in HyperX’s dongle that’s included with the Cloud II. I also think it’s a bit better than the Dolby Headphone implementation in the Cloud Revolver S, and similar in quality to Razer’s surround tech and the version of Dolby Headphone used in the Astro A40 Mixamp.

Build/Design

This is the first Logitech headset that feels like it was designed to be a nice-looking product that balances form and function.

G433 on the right. Big Huge G533 on the left. Note the different headband curves. The G533 sticks out really far on your head and its cups are much thicker.

Unlike the hugey huge big G533, and the even larger G633 and G933…the G433 looks really good on the head, and it doesn’t stick out or scream “gaming headset” in any real way.

It looks more or less like a regular pair of modern headphones, which is really awesome! You can wear these outside without looking silly at all.

The backs of the ear cups are covered in a hydrophobic mesh material that blends in with the sports mesh of the ear pads. Most of the actual body of the headset is plastic, but the headband has a thin strip of steel running through it that extends into the size adjustments.

The metal and plastic are are color-matched to whatever color you buy, giving the whole thing a uniform look that even some more expensive fashion headphones don’t match.

Unlike the loose sizing mechanisms in the G533 and G933, the adjustment clicks/detents here are very stiff and satisfying.

The ear cups swivel to lay flat on your chest but they don’t collapse in any way.

The whole thing feels more sturdy than its looks and light weight suggest. It has no hints of creaking or cheap plastic. It seems more than adequately built to stand up to the rigors of gaming use, but I wouldn’t throw it against a wall or sit on it or anything.

The materials are lighter than those in the HyperX Cloud and Razer Kraken V2, but they still feel solid and I prefer the overall look of the design to both of those headsets.

A special note about the ear pads: they’re pretty hard to change out. There’s a plastic ring just inside the stretchy bit that you’re supposed to put around the structure of the ear cup. That ring helps to keep the pads nice and rigid and sit properly against the ear cup. But it also makes attaching and detaching the pads a bit tricky. You’ll feel like you’re breaking them, but if you take your time it’ll go just fine. Just thought I’d point it out.

Also there’s a little white sticker under the left ear pad, which might drive some of you crazy. But you can remove it.

Why is that sticker there??? Why??? It’s fine it’s all fine we’re good here.

Comfort

On first wear…this headset is a bit clampy.

The foam in both sets of ear pads is a stiff, non-memory foam. It’s a little bit denser and stiffer than the foam in the G533. While this is better for isolation, it also exerts a bit of pressure on the sides of your face.

The headband is very flexible and light, however, and after about a day of use they should settle onto your head much better…and then they’re perfectly comfortable. You’ll still feel the pads gently pushing into the sides of your face, but I find it reassuring rather than painful, and I don’t get any hotspots on my head or face after a long session.

Headband padding is not as thick as the padding on the G533, but this is a much lighter headset so it’s okay. The ear pad holes are big and deep, so they shouldn’t bump into your ears at all.

I like the feel of the sports mesh pads better than the microfiber ones. Sure, they’re a little more scratchy on the surface…but you’re probably not going to be dragging the headset across your face while wearing it, right? The sports mesh breathes better, and my ears don’t get hot or sweaty at all while I wear those.

I hate taking off a pair of headphones with leatherette pads after a few hours, only to see puddles of sweat and skin oil all over them which I then have to clean off.

Headphone listening can be a gross business.

You won’t have that problem with the sports mesh pads. The microfiber pads get a little warmer. And there aren’t any major sound differences between them that I could notice, so it’s down to feel preference.

Isolation

This is the only category where this headset might stumble a little compared to the competition, depending on your taste. Thanks to its cloth ear pads, it can’t isolate you as well as anything with leatherette pads.

That’s just the nature of sound waves.

However, isolation is still decent and should work for gaming environments or coffee shop use. I’m using mine in a loud coffee shop right now without any major issue. But I can hear a little more outside noise than I would with most gaming headsets out there.

If isolation tops your wishlist, then you might not love these, but it’s the only real “drawback” they have. And I think the gains in ear heat and airy-ness are worth it, just like they were on the Arctis 5.

Features/Extras

The Logitech G433 features every extra you could possibly want from a wired headphone/headset in 2017.

You get this nice sports mesh bag/case that matches the color of your headphones, with Logitech’s new “Keep Playing” slogan printed on it. The case is durable but it won’t protect from drops or falls. It opens super wide, which makes it really easy to slide the headset in.

As someone who has done a great deal of fiddling around with other headphone bags when I just want to leave a coffee shop, I appreciate this.

The two included connector cables are durable and largely free of memory/springy-ness. The mobile cable is rubberized, and the PC/console cable is braided. The PC cable includes a special 5-pin connector on the headphone end to prevent crosstalk between the mic and audio ports. The plug ends are nicely textured and easy to grip on both cables.

Honestly, the cables here are nicer than ones I’ve received with $300 headsets and headphones.

The boom mic is flexible and easy to insert and remove. It’s keyed on the end so you don’t insert it the wrong way. The pop filter works just fine. The mic quality is merely…decent. It’s slightly above average in this price range.

It’s tuned for clarity of voice communication, and lacks the richness that you’d probably want for a standard voiceover recording microphone. But for its intended purpose of voice chat it more than delivers, and if you use it with the USB sound card you can enable noise-cancellation that works okay.

The USB sound card provides plenty of power to drive the headset, and does so without any hiss. But you can run these off of your own sound card or amp or console controller just fine, too.

The extra microfiber ear pads are a nice touch that’ll be fun for the pad swappers among you to mess around with.

If you can manage to snag the Blue Camo limited edition, you also get this little accessory bag to hold the cables and mic.

As you can see in this blurry photo I took, it’s made out of the same color-matched fabric the case is. But it has one cool thing: tons of pockets. The outside has two mesh pouches, and the inside has two different compartments. I put the mobile cable in one and all the PC stuff in the other one.

This is a great little bonus and I wish it was included with all the colors.

Even without the accessory case…this is still a phenomenal package for the money. Only HyperX has ever included this much stuff inside a headset box before. And, I actually think that Logitech has them beat here thanks to the removable cable, and bonus cable with in-line mic.

If you need the best and most bonus items with your gaming headset, this is your new top pick.

Final Thoughts

The Logitech G433 is a fantastic, balanced-sounding headset with a ton of extras and a comfy fit once you spend some time adjusting to it. You can’t really beat it in the price category. If you need leatherette pads for isolation or the thumpiest bass response, you might look elsewhere…but otherwise these are the new best place to start shopping for a $99 wired headset.

I owned these once before right when they launched and didn’t love them…but that past version of Alex was crazy. One of the microfiber pads in my initial set was built incorrectly. The plastic frame I mentioned above was crooked, and stuck out of the side of the pad. This little defect lead me down a path of negativity, and I returned the headset. In spite of that, I still wrote a pretty darn positive first-impressions piece I’ve since deleted.

Fortunately, my love of the G533 allowed me to see the mistake I made. And so I bought these again.

Because audio gear can be so subjective, it’s easy for a bad mood or a little defect to get in the way…and I wanted a chance to undo my mistake.

I regret nothing.

The G433 is a really great wired gaming headset, with great surround sound, features, design, and comfort. The only things it won’t give you are wireless and pristine isolation.

Recommended without reservations. Go buy it!

Please click the heart if this review helped you out, so that other people can find it more easily! Thank you for your time!

Alex Rowe

Written by

Alex Rowe

I do radio voice work by day, and write by day and night. I studied film and production. I love audio, design, and music. Also video games.

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