The G231 features a much better audio driver, but aside from the color scheme, that's just about the only difference - well, that and an extra $30 on the price. If the G230 had one big problem, it was that the sound wasn't that great. MORE: Our Favorite Gaming Mice for Every GenreĪlthough the G231 is OK for listening to music, I wouldn't recommend it as a replacement for a good pair of everyday headphones, especially given its size. It felt more like I was watching them on a TV - one of those newer, ultrathin TVs that don't have enough physical room for impressive speakers. The sound did not feel immediate, like watching a concert in a crowded theater. However, the music did not feel particularly rich and varied on the G231. In Overwatch, I could hear my enemies clearly, and their footsteps and shots indicated their directions well. Handel's "Messiah" oratorio sounded fine, although the sopranos came through much more clearly than their alto, tenor and bass counterparts. Likewise, "Carry Me Back," a Civil War-inspired number from Old Crow Medicine Show, sounded balanced, with the guitars, vocals and mandolin all quite audible. ![]() Sullivan" and could hear everything just fine, from the pounding drums to the omnipresent accordion. I listened to Celtic punk outfit Flogging Molly's new single, "The Hand of John L. This is the kind of mic you will want muted whenever you're not actively talking. When I tried recording my voice in a moderately quiet lab (not so different from the average multi-person household), my voice was clear and audible, but the mic picked up a ton of background static as well. The G231 also sports a decent enough mic. This is generally a good thing - nine times out of 10, I'll take a dead-simple product over one that's more complicated than it needs to be - but it also means that you can't modify the sound. You can't expect pristine audio from a $70 headset, but some subtle touches could have helped to elevate it.īecause the G231 has no USB connection, it has no software, either. I didn't hear any significant differences between a game's music, voice acting and sound effects. In Marvel Heroes, thugs tried to shout down Captain America and then felt a resounding smack as his shield flew into their torsos.Īlthough the audio is clear, it's also a bit flat. Both the mission dialogue and the sounds of battle came through clearly in StarCraft II, and Rise of the Tomb Raider resounded with falling ice and the murmuring of underbrush. Other genres worked similarly well with this headset. My team won a speedy victory - probably not entirely due to the G231, but it certainly didn't hurt. I ran the G231 through our standard battery of games, and it was pretty solid across the board. The only drawback is that comfort and portability don't go hand in hand while you can fold it to a certain extent, the G231 is rather bulky and unwieldy, and a bit too garish to wear on the subway or an airplane. My co-workers had similar reports about the G230 and the G430 when I first reviewed them, and the design hasn't changed since then. You can wear this headset for hours at a time, even with glasses, and suffer no ill effects. ![]() The ear cups are plush and have a lot of give, and their swiveling ability means they will fit just about anyone perfectly. Like the G230 and the G430, the G231 is perfectly comfortable to wear over long stretches of time. The G231 has a lot of the same "very big, very futuristic" appearance as a lot of other gaming headsets, which can make it intimidating for people who may be hopping into competitive online play for the first time, or for people who just want something subtle. While the G231 deserves some props for keeping things simple, it also warrants a little criticism for falling back on a three-year-old design that doesn't seem especially well suited to newer gamers. MORE: The Best Headsets for Immersive Gaming
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