Monday, September 26, 2016

1byone 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound USB Gaming Headset Review

This product was sent to me as a review unit from 1byone

Communication is vital part of gaming, especially in team games such as Overwatch and Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Not only does it help you talk to your team, it lets you hear footsteps, gunshots and other things that can alert you to the enemy. To help you achieve that, and potentially more, is the 1byone 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound USB Gaming Headset.

Can you hear me? Roger that!

The headset itself is quite ergonomic. At first glance, I thought the headband was going to be flimsy, but it is quite sturdy. The mic is retractable, a feature I wish more headsets had since it helps prolong the life of the headset. The foam on the ear cups are of a good quality, but my ears do get hot in them after a couple hours of intense gaming. Airing them out for five minutes does the trick, and I'm usually good to go for the next couple hours. The surround sound is a nice touch and it has really helped me in Overwatch. Hearing those footsteps has saved me more times that I can count.

The inline control feature is a pleasant addition. It is slightly cumbersome to use since it has that small rounded section, but I quickly got used to it. The little light bulb switch on the left hand side of the image below turns the LED on and off. The mic button mutes and unmutes the mic and slightly less visible is the volume wheel. This wheel helps you accurately lower the volume independently of the system's audio level.
The driver software is where I was truly surprised. The design is actually really unappealing to me and it looks quite dated. It does get the job done as far as the software is concerned, but I would like a much modern, appealing UI. As you can see below, it servers it's purpose, but I think tabs on the top section of the window and hiding less items behind the gear icon would be a great help for any future users.


As far as any changes I'd make to this headset, I'd only increase the length of the microphone. The headset, in my true, honest opinion, is exceptional and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who needed a headset for gaming. You can buy it on Amazon here!