Verdict

Pros

• Lightweight frame
• Impressive wireless range
• Engaging gaming audio
• Good battery life

Cons

• Lack of musical clarity
• Audio settings need a little tweaking
• Gets a little uncomfortable with prolonged use
• More expensive than rivals

What is the Logitech G533?

The Logitech G533 is a well-crafted wireless gaming headset, capable of providing thrills to PC users regardless of their choice of game.

It’s a very capable device, with a strong wireless implementation that allows for a wide operational range and long-lasting battery life. But although a well-designed solution, the audio quality does leave a little to be desired; there are rivals that offer similar performance for less.

Related: Best Wireless Headphones

Logitech G533 – Design, Build and Features

As a medium-sized headset, the G533 is designed to strike the right balance between comfort, features and performance. The jet-black design makes for a stealthy appearance, and at 350g it’s remarkably lightweight.

Setup is easy, with the simple requirement of connecting a USB dongle to a free port on your PC. The wireless range works up to 15 metres and for up to 15 hours, both of which appeared realistic in my testing. Charging is quick and easy thanks to the included micro-USB cable.

The upper section of the G533 consists of the headband and the unit’s expandable framework. The headband is constructed from a matte plastic, with the Logitech logo neatly etched into the top. The underside comes equipped with an ample layer of padding, and Logitech has opted to use a hard-wearing cloth as covering material. It’s a wise choice, since the nature of cloth helps to reduce heat and sweat build up over long gaming sessions.

The entire frame of the G533 is structured with a thin metal disc that runs through the top of the headset. The covering plastic shell can be extended in stages, and this should allow for a comfortable fit, no matter your head size. The only real negative that comes to mind here is that the materials used on the G533 don’t feel particularly premium. It’s no better or worse than its rivals, however.

Both earcups are well sized, and have a square opening to fit over your ears. The earcup design takes on a slight asymmetrical approach. While both sides sport a glossy finish, the left earcup has various functions and a charging port, while the right side omits the bells and whistles.

For control, the headset has an on/off switch, an assignable “G” button and a volume roller. To learn to use these inputs efficiently will take some time, since they’re located towards the back side of the earcup, rather than the more usual location underneath. The adjustable microphone is also located on the left earcup, and can be entirely retracted when not in use.

In use, the headset feels relatively comfortable, mostly due to the cloth padding and lightweight nature of the G533. It isn’t perfect, though. While it’s fairly easy on your head, I would have preferred more padding on the earcups, since my ears feel more cramped inside each ear cup than I’d like. Over long gaming sessions I found myself becoming a little uncomfortable.

Logitech G533 – Audio Quality

With software adjustability and 7.1 virtual surround sound on board, the G533 is a serious bit of kit. Once connected, I wasn’t able to trace any static through the headset, which is always great to see. Out of the box, the G533 uses an unmodified “Flat” EQ profile that provides a mostly balanced sound, but lacks any real kick.

For music listening, I found that the G533 did a respectable job – but never wowed. Listening to the charts on Tidal was a pleasure, with plenty of attack to hip-hop beats. Higher notes are well controlled, although I did find the bass a little underpowered in the default profile; adjusting this in the Logitech software solved the issue.

In terms of outright clarity, the G533 does get a tad muddy at times, with headsets such as Astro’s wired A40 TR having a clear musical advantage. It’s by no means bad, but if you’re likely to spend a large amount of time working through your music library, you may wish to look elsewhere.

For gaming, it’s a much better story. I’ve been playing a lot of Paragon lately, and it sounds great through the G533. Player abilities each have unique characteristics, with clear detail in each of the particle effects. Weapon attacks have a sense of weight behind each thrust, and the soundstage appears plenty wide enough. Other games sound just as good, too, with Battlefield 1 tanks delivering thuds of doom as they throw shrapnel in your direction.

Enabling the virtual surround sound through the Logitech software is simple, although I opted to assign this function to the “G” button on the headset itself. Enabling the DTS smarts widens the soundstage and allows for easier positioning of individual sounds. It works pretty well in my experience, and does indeed increase the immersion factor. Don’t expect it to sound like the cinema, though; it has its limitations.

The microphone on board the G533 does a creditable job of vocal recording. It’s adjustable thanks to a pliable stem, and comes with a built-in pop filter that effectively reduces the amount of distortion in “p” sounds.

Recordings comes across reasonably clearly, without distortion, although the sound is quite compressed – it isn’t really suitable for professional use. The volume of the recordings could also be better, but for voice chat it’s a pretty solid choice.

Should I buy the Logitech G533?

The Logitech G533 is a versatile all-rounder that performs well in each of my tests. It sounds good in games, is mostly comfortable to wear, and provides plenty of battery life and wireless range.

My main problem with the headset is that it lacks any real identity at its price point. It’s about £40 more than the Corsair Void wireless headset, yet it doesn’t have any key reasons for you to choose it over the competition. It’s a strong headset, but there isn’t enough here to make it a must-buy.

Verdict

The Logitech G533 wireless is a decent headset, but doesn’t stand out in a competitive market.

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