A new wireless gaming headset was announced by Logitech today. The G533 features a lower MSRP and higher battery life than its current closest relatives, the G933 Artemis Spectrum and G930, as well as a sleek new look.
Our most recent Logitech headset review was of the Artemis Spectrum, a headset that comes in both wired (G633) and wireless (G933) varieties—technically, we reviewed the wired version, but they’re pretty close to identical. Looking back, the first obvious difference in specs is that the Spectrum has an impedance of 39 Ohms compared to the new G533’s 32. This could explain the second obvious difference, which is the G533’s advertised battery life of 15 hours, up from the Spectrum’s 12 (or even less with its LEDs lit). A power switch, volume adjustment, and a reprogrammable mic mute button are the only external controls, which the Spectrum has in addition to 3 dedicated programmable G-buttons. The rechargeable batteries are removable for easy replacement, one notable improvement over the Spectrum.
In an industry first for the last year, Logitech may also be the only company making a product that moves away from the RGB LED craze, at least partially. Logitech was a bit ahead of the game on LED illumination, and went full "Spectrum" (their RGB LED signifier) for mice, keyboards, and headsets through 2016. Honestly, it's refreshing to not write about a product that bases its entire existence on the premise of RGB LEDs.
In a way, it’s not really fair to compare the G533 to its more expensive cousin, but the wireless G933 Spectrum is in fact relatively cheap. While it maintains an MSRP of $199 on Logitech’s site, it’s going for only $169 on Newegg and $151 on Amazon as of this writing—similarly, the wireless G930 is $62 on Amazon with an MSRP of $159. If the G533 follows the same pattern, it could be a solid budget option for those who don’t need buttons on their headset or prefer a simpler style.
| MSRP | $150 |
| Driver | Pro-G 40mm |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-20KHz |
| Impedance | 32 Ohms |
| Sensitivity | 107dB SPL/mW |
| Cable Length (for charging) | 2m |
| Battery Life | 15 hours |
| Wireless Range | 15m |
| Dimensions | 197mm x 189mm x 85mm |
| Weight | 350g/12.5 oz |
| Pickup Pattern | Cardioid |
| Mic Type | Pressure Gradient Electret |
| Condenser Size | 4mm |
| Condenser Frequency Response | 100Hz-20KHz |
We’ll reserve judgement on the G533 until the prices settle and we can test it ourselves. Until then, check out Steve’s mostly-good-except-the-mic review of the G633 and our tour of the Logitech acoustic engineering lab used to develop these headsets.
- Patrick “Germ King” Lathan