Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset Review

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, everyone gather ’round for the Overclockers review of the new and improved Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset – wow, that’s a mouthful – known henceforth simply as G933. Following in the footsteps of the widely used G930, the bar is set high for the G933. Sporting wireless connectivity, dual inputs, surround sound, and more, it seems like the G933 has all you could need for a gaming headset. Let’s take a look at this headset, see the new features it brings, and listen to how it performs!

Specifications and Features

The specifications, provided by Logitech, are shown below. Taking a high-level pass over the specs: the headphone drivers are 40mm and have a great frequency response range. The range is improved from the 12m of the G930 to 15m indoors and 20m outdoors, and the battery life is up from ten hours in the G930 to twelve in the G933.

Below this paragraph is a table of the G933 features as given by Logitech. There are quite a few new or improved features from the old G930; the drivers are developed by Logitech for Logitech, the headset is compatible with more than just a PC now, multiple audio inputs can be mixed and listened to at once, and much more. My personal favorite feature is the vastly improved wireless connection, but I’ll speak more on this later.

Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Features
	PRO-G™ AUDIO DRIVERS FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
	Unprecedented audio quality Patent pending advanced Pro-G™ audio drivers are made with hybrid mesh materials that provide the audiophile-like performance gaming fans have been demanding. From your favorite music to expansive game soundtracks, the Pro-G drivers deliver both clean and accurate highs as well as a deep rich bass that you would expect from premium headphones. Experience incredible 7.1 surround sound with Dolbyreg; or DTS Headphone:X Surround Sound,* creating lifelike in-game special awareness, allowing you to clearly hear enemies sneaking around or special ability cues.
	MULTI-PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY
	One headset for all game platforms G933 Artemis Spectrum works with PC, mobile, home theater devices, and game consoles, including PS4™ and Xbox One™. One headset for all your devices lets you take G933 Artemis Spectrum from your gaming rig to your gaming console and your mobile devices. You can even connect your home theater to the USB-powered wireless mix adapter and listen to TV shows, music, or movies wirelessly without disturbing the people in your home.
	CUSTOMIZABLE RGB LIGHTING AND TAGS
	Customize your look G933 Artemis Spectrum has two customizable lighting zones: The light strip and logo. Each zone can each be programmed to different colors or effects, or can be synchronized. Adjustable RGB lighting lets you select from up to 16.8 million colors. Use Logitech Gaming Software to set the glow pattern or color for your environment. Add a set of backlit custom tags to enhance your look even further.
	2.4GHZ WIRELESS
	Game Wirelessly or Wired G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless Gaming Headset gives you the best of both worlds, with the option to play wirelessly or wired. Play lag-free on 2.4GHz wireless for up to 12 hours per charge, without lighting, or 8 hours, with default lighting.* Alternatively, the 3.5mm analog input on the headset gives you the freedom to play wired without using battery power.
	PROGRAMMABLE G-KEYS
	Fingertip command and control Assign custom commands using Logitech Gaming Software on the three programmable G-keys for a seamless gaming and media experience. Set custom controls to control your audio profiles, skip to the next song, activate push-to-talk communication, trigger instant in-game command combinations, and more.
	CUSTOM SOUND PROFILES
	Personalized for you Use Logitech Gaming Software can to program the audio equalizer and pre-set audio preferences for music, games and movies. Customize audio settings and create personal sound profiles for each game you play. Listen to your media just the way you like it.
	MULTI-SOURCE AUDIO MIXING
	Audio from up to three devices No more game interruptions from incoming calls. Answer the call while you continue your game without pausing or taking your eyes off the action. Use the USB mix adapter to add up to two additional devices. The audio from additional devices is mixed with the PC audio.
	USB-POWERED MIX ADAPTER
	Use your wired devices wirelessly Combine an analog input on the wireless mix adapter with a powered USB port to make your analog audio devices wireless. When you plug in the USB Mix Adapter to a powered USB port, it will transmit mixed audio from the USB input and the integrated 3.5mm input to your headset, even if your USB port does not support USB audio.
	CRYSTAL-CLEAR COMMUNICATION
	Foldaway, Noise-Cancelling Mic Ensure you are heard with a crystal-clear noise-cancelling boom mic. The boom has an indicator LED so you know when your microphone is on mute. When not in use, the noise-cancelling boom mic can be folded back into the headphones and is nearly invisible. G933 is travel-ready with an included mobile cable and secondary inline mic for mobile devices when you don’t want a microphone boom in your face.
	LONG-TERM COMFORT
	Soft and breathable materials G933 Artemis Spectrum is designed for long gaming sessions. New sports mesh materials used in the ear cups and headband are soft and breathable for maximum comfort. Over-the-ear ear cups on G933 Artemis Spectrum are designed to fit around most ears without applying pressure on soft tissues. To keep your headset clean, the ear cups can be removed from the headset and washed.

Retail Packaging

The retail packaging has a black and light blue color scheme with the G933 pictured prominently on the front. On the rear are a list of the headset features along with a picture of the headset with the microphone folded down and extended. There’s also a spot for it to be hung up in-home or in-store.

Once we open the packaging we see the headset is held and protected by a molded plastic tray which has a large “G” formed in it. Removing the headset and tray from the packaging we find two things: the accessory box and the instructions. Worth noting here, these instructions are built into/listed on the box, with a full manual and software available online at the given link.

Accessories

Included in the accessory package are three cables and an adapter: a 3m MicroUSB to USB cable, a 1.5m 4-pole 1.5mm cable, 1m RCA to 3.5mm cable, and a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter.

You’ll notice there’s an extra cable in the picture below though. Logitech initially shipped the G933 with a typical rubber coated MicroUSB to USB cable, but are starting to ship them with a nicer braided version. If anyone receives the headset and doesn’t have the braided cable, simply contact Logitech support. I’ve been informed they’ll gladly send you the braided version!

Pictured below is the 1.5m 4-pole 3.5mm audio cable, with built-in controls and microphone. This audio cable is makes the headset compatible with the Xbox One, PS4, and phones/tablets. On one side of the clip-on controls is a microphone selector, allowing the user to choose between the microphone in the cable or the boom microphone on the headset. The other side of the control has the microphone mute switch, volume wheel, and a play/pause media button.

Here are the remaining accessories, the RCA to 3.5mm cable and 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter. The RCA cable is great to take an output from a stereo receiver and use it for the secondary input so, for example, you can listen to music while gaming no matter the platform. The adapter is used for phones which utilize a 2.5mm input instead of 3.5mm input.

The Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Wireless 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset

This headset is styled using all matte and gloss black plastic. There’s a big G logo in the top of the headband and a small one on each side. There are swivel points to rotate each ear cup along two different axes for fitment against your head, one axis is used to lay the ear cups flat so the headset will lay around the back of your neck and over your shoulders comfortably. The headset extends on both sides of the headband where the matte and gloss sections meet.

A Closer Look

Here’s the first closeup of the removable, washable ear pad. These are a new design from Logitech and are made of a microfiber material specifically developed to keep your ears and head cool during long gaming (or other usage) sessions.

On the rear of the left ear cup are an array of buttons, one switch, and one roller. I’ll bullet out these keys and their respective uses from top to bottom for ease of reading.

• Power Switch
• G3 (Programmable): Defaults to Cycle EQ
• G2 (Programmable): Defaults to Surround Sound On/Off
• G1 (Programmable): Defaults to Cycle Lighting Effect
• Microphone Mute
• Volume Roller

The last of these three pictures shows the two physical connections to the headset. The first physical connection is the MicroUSB port, used for either charging or sound, depending how it is connected. If the MicroUSB is plugged directly in to the computer it will cause the headset to act as a wired USB headset. If connected to a charger, the headset still functions via wireless while simultaneously charging; this is a good feature if you want to sit far from your media source and still need to charge the headset.

Looking at the first picture here you can read “REMOVE PANEL” on the side of what Logitech calls the customizable tag. These tags are (obviously) meant to be removed from the headset. Let’s see what’s behind tag number one… it’s the wireless receiver! This is a nice improvement over the G930 for anyone who takes their headset to LAN parties or other away-from-the-house uses. Behind the second tag is the user-replaceable battery module. Granted, the G930 battery was also user replaceable, but the G933 doesn’t require disassembly to do so.

An awesome note here, as time progresses there will be custom tags available for the headset. Logitech has already mentioned sponsored tags, with themes such as gaming, in the near future. They also hope to be able to release a pattern for users with 3D printers to design and print their own tags!

Below are some pictures of the hideaway microphone. This is quite the redesign from the G930 in the fact that it is sleek, hidden, and extendable. One thing this microphone retained was the LED mute indicator at the end though, a feature I quite like! While extended the microphone is very flexible, allowing you to move it closer to or further away from your mouth with ease.

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Wireless Receiver

Seen below is the G933 wireless receiver where the magic happens for the headset. Simply plug the USB end into your computer, install the Logitech Gaming Software, and you’re ready to go; no pairing required. For using the dual input source feature, connect a 3.5mm device (or RCA with the provided cable) to the receiver and play away!

It’s quite amazing this little USB adapter can send a wireless signal to the headset over such a long range. Also, since the G930, the wireless protocol has been improved massively. There are no more WiFi interference issues, even sitting within five feet of my router (with three high gain antennas). This alone solves my single largest issue with the G930.

I currently live in an apartment where I pick up 23 different SSID’s on the 2.4GHz band alone. Neighbors are using microwaves, along with myself doing the same. Topping it off, with proximity to my router, I would call this the ultimate interference test, and the G933 never flinched once.

Headset Software

The Logitech Gaming Software is a familiar home for many people. It is a unified place for all your Logitech gaming devices to be programmed and controlled from. The main page shows a picture of the device you’re about to change settings on, while the bottom shows the different menu icons for this device. There is also an area at the bottom to change which device you have selected.

Going into the first settings page for the G933 there are options to change the function of the three “G-Keys” on the back of the headset. These keys can be assigned to any number of pre-programmed functions or custom, user-defined macros.

On the next page are the color and lighting controls on the headset. Here you can pick any color or brightness level for the headset’s RGB lighting. There are also options for color cycle and breathing effects for the LEDs.

The third section of settings for the G933 is the equalizer. There are settings for headset volume, microphone volume, sidetone volume, and the advanced equalizer. The equalizer can be cut on/off from simple to advanced mode. Simple mode allows control over the bass and treble gains, while advanced mode allows individual gain control at ten different frequencies.

Last, but not nearly least, there is the surround section. This allows you to enable/disable the surround sound function. It also has settings for using either Dolby or DTS Headphone:X as well as balancing the individual surround volume levels in Dolby or choosing the room arrangement in DTS Headphone:X.

As if that wasn’t enough, all of the settings you just read about can be set on a per-profile basis. This means all the equalizer options, programmable keys, etc. can be changed automatically based on what game or program is being used.

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Below is a slideshow demonstrating the RGB lighting abilities of the G933. The colors are bright, vivid, and definitely set this headset apart from the competition. For those who desire longer battery life, or just don’t like the lights, there is a setting to cut it completely off.

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Testing Methodology and Impressions

Before writing a single word about this headset I used it daily for two weeks. This usage involved gaming, listening to music, watching movies, and listening to podcasts. My comparisons will reference many specifics about the Sennheiser PC 350 Special Edition (PC350SE) as it is the headset I’ve used most for the past seven months. I’ll also reference the predecessor to the G933, the Logitech G930, a lot as I used one as my only headset for over four years previous to the PC350SE.

Note: these impressions are all with equalizers tuned to get the best sound out of the headset. The G933 ships with a flat EQ curve which translates directly into one of the flattest frequency response curves I’ve ever heard.

Music

In Trivium’s newest title track my first test for the headsets is on the low end of the frequency spectrum. Listen for the double bass on the drums and the bass guitar being shredded. The G933 was actually a clear winner here, showing the best low frequency clarity out of the three headsets. There may have been a tad more volume on the PC350SE, but in my mind clarity wins out.

The first cover of the day is a (very) new one by Disturbed, but targets something you don’t find much in music. Here I’m listening for the raspiness of Draiman’s voice while pushing himself on this classic tune. As expected, both the G933 and PC350SE bring the clarity and mids you need for a track like this.

Perfect harmonies is what Seven Bridges Road could be described as and what we’re comparing here. The flat frequency response of the G933 is a huge bonus in this track as it keeps one singer’s part from overpowering the other at all. Again here, clarity of vocals are the key and it really shows in both the G933 and PC350SE, they both performed amazingly here, but the G930 trailed slightly.

In this great set of A Capella Michael Jackson covers by Pentatonix there are no instruments to distract from the vocals. Highs, mids, and some fast beat-boxing all need to be reproduced as cleanly as possible to truly appreciate this track. Here the highs and mids of the G933 shine, the voices are all as crisp and clear as they can be. The beat-boxing is almost so real you can feel it. This track really calls for a great headset, the G933 and PC350SE are on equal footing here, but the G930 leaves some clarity lacking.

Games

In Assassin’s Creed Syndicate the surround sound is less pronounced than in some games, but directional reproduction was still slightly better than a typical 2.0 headset. Sound quality was about the same with the G933, G930, and PC350SE.

The surround utilization in Tomb Raider is phenomenal. Whether it is leaves rustling in the rear channels when you move or hearing enemies behind/beside you, the directional reproduction and sound clarity is spot on. Sound quality was equal on the G933 and PC350SE here, but the bass channel on the G930 struggled slightly here in comparison.

Movies

In The Day After Tomorrow I noticed amazing directional sound reproduction with one heck of an LFE channel. The G933 really let the 7.1 surround from this BluRay stretch its legs. Dialogue was very clear and never difficult to pick out from other sounds in the movie. Sound quality was equal on the G933 and PC350SE here, but the bass channel on the G930 struggled slightly here in comparison.

Microphone

To test the microphone I figured there’s no better way than getting on TeamSpeak 3, so I did! According to people, including thideras, the microphone on the G933 is as good as or better than the one in the PC350SE and slightly superior to the one in the G930.

Fitment and Comfort

Time to talk about how the G933 fits and rests on my head for a while. I’ve always found I have a slightly larger than average noggin as determined by hat size, but for some empirical data I’ll tell you my head (with a fresh hair cut) is 24″ in circumference. I keep the G933 adjusted to notch seven on both sides, and there are twelve notches per side. Each side of the headset gives almost 2″ of extension. There are two pictures below comparing the headset size to a 120mm fan at its smallest and largest sizes.

Also worth mentioning here are the ear hole sizes in the headset. Vertically there is 3″ from top to bottom of this quadrilateral hole, it is 1.75″ across at the top and 1.325″ across at the bottom, with a depth of 1″ everywhere.

One note about this headset, it isn’t light by any means, coming in at thirteen ounces. For comparison, the G930 is eleven and a half ounces and the PC350SE is a hair under eleven ounces. The G930 and PC350SE are undoubtedly more comfortable than the G933. With that said, these three headsets are the only ones I’ve been able to wear in excess of ten hours at a time and not feel discomfort, meaning the G933 is heavy but handles its weight very well and takes the spot as the third most comfortable headset I’ve ever used. This will be more impressive as soon as you read the next section.

General Comparison

Here is a section where I’ll compare to a lot of headsets on a high level. Below is a list of the different headsets I’ve used before and a quick compare/contrast with the G933. These are all be observed differences, not differences by the spec sheet.

• Logitech G930
  • Shorter wireless range, lower sound quality, interference issues, warmer pleather ear pads, lighter weight, and a shorter compatibility list, but cheaper.
• Sennheiser PC350SE
  • Wired not wireless of course, sound quality is roughly equal, no surround capability, lighter weight, leather ear cups that can get warm, but cheaper.
• Astro Gaming A50
  • Shorter wireless range, slightly lower sound quality, top headband hurts, and it costs a lot more.
• Turtle Beach i60
  • Shorter wireless range, lower sound quality, microphone is a joke in comparison, warmer pleather ear pads, and adds Bluetooth functionality.
• Corsair Gaming H2100
  • Terrible wireless range, lots of interference issues, lower sound quality, lighter weight, but ear cups are round and don’t fit well.
• SteelSeries H Wireless
  • Slightly lower sound quality, slightly shorter range, but not as comfortable and a lot more expensive.
• Skullcandy SLYR
  • Wired not wireless, sound quality is slightly lower, no surround capability, lighter weight, and a lot cheaper.
• Logitech G35
  • Wired not wireless, lower sound quality, warmer pleather ear pads, lighter weight, cheaper, and a shorter compatibility list.
• Turtle Beach Ear Force Z300
  • Much lower sound quality, lighter weight, cheaper, slightly shorter range, microphone is terrible in comparison.
• Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR
  • Bluetooth based which causes sound quality issues while microphone is active, unacceptable for gaming headsets.
• Creative Sound Blaster Recon 3D
  • Roughly equal on range and sound quality, pleather ear pads that get warm, higher clamping force.

Conclusion

Like always, I prefer to get negatives out of the way first… Okay, I’m done.

Now, the positives, where do I start? Compatibility is amazing, spanning PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and anything with a 3.5mm output. Wireless range is improved over the previous generation, easily matching the best range I’ve seen in a wireless headset, while fixing any interference issues I could test. Sound quality is on par with or slightly exceeds my Sennheiser headset, which is a big deal. Logitech kept long-term comfort in mind for this headset as well, causing no issues for me in ten plus hour sessions. Battery life is improved over the previous generation as well.

The Logitech Gaming Software lets you customize the G933 to such a granular level which is hard to believe at first. For me, the software feels like home. For those who aren’t as familiar, it will soon feel like home being as it is easy to use.

Moving on to the price tag, the G933 comes in at an MSRP of $199.99, which is what you currently find it for at both Amazon and Newegg.

Click the stamp for an explanation of what this means.

-Austin (ATMINSIDE)