Bitfenix Flo Gaming Headset Review

Today we are going to take a look at the latest product from Bitfenix, the Flo headset. This is Bitfenix’s latest addition to their ever-growing product range, which has branched out significantly since the brand launched around 3 years ago. We have been very impressed with their products in the past as they tend to offer impressive features and build quality at a reasonable price. Bitfenix have designed the Flo for PC gamers, although it isn’t completely restricted for this type of use like some headsets which feature USB connections. The Flo has been designed so that it can also be used with mobile devices and as headphones, without the microphone attachment. We look forward to seeing how the Flo compares to other gaming headsets we’ve reviewed in the past. After all, the gaming peripheral market has become extremely competitive over the last few years, meaning manufacturers have to work even harder to make their products stand out. Specifications Materials: Steel, Plastic, SofTouch Surface Treatment, SoftFeel Earcups. Colours: Midnight Black, Arctic White, Fire Red, Cobalt Blue. Acoustic Design: Dynamic, Closed-back. Driver: 16µ, Neodymium magnet, Φ40mm. Sensitivity: 96db /1mW. Frequency Response: 20hz-20khz. Rated Impedance: 68 Ohms. Earpads: SoftFeel. Headband Pressure: Approximately 5N. Cables: 1m Straight Cable with Remote, 1m Straight Mobile Audio Cable, 2m Straight Cable with Headphone / Microphone Plugs. Connector: Gold-plated 3.5mm stereo mini-plug with aluminum sheath. Net Weight: 200g. The Bitfenix Flo is supplied in a medium-sized cardboard box which is decorated in an attractive black livery. The front of the box features both an image of the headset and a window which lets you see the headset itself within. Turning the box over reveals a further image of the headset alongside some images to illustrate the different connection options available. There are also comprehensive details of the features and specification of the headset on the back. The box itself feels very good quality and should do a decent job of protecting the headset during transit. Inside the box, there isn’t much included alongside the headset itself, apart from the cables required to connect it to various devices and the detachable microphone. The design of the Flo isn’t like many other headsets we have reviewed previously, due to the interesting headband design that Bitfenix have chosen to use. This seems to fit in somewhere between a standard headband and the headband that SteelSeries use on the Siberia V2. Bitfenix have managed to create a very attractive headset indeed, which looks like it could have taken some aesthetic inspiration from the Beats line of headsets. The entire unit is finished in rubberised white paint which looks and feels very exclusive. Bitfenix have also made provisions for those users who don’t like white headsets, offering red, blue and black versions too. While the physical build quality of the headset feels pretty solid, we were rather disappointed with the durability of the rubberised paint, which appears to have rubbed off around the edges, exposing the black plastic beneath. We noticed that some of the paint had rubbed off after putting the headset in a bag for around 15 minutes, while commuting from the office to home. This doesn’t bode well for the long term durability of the finish. The picture above is a little darker to highlight clearly the paint concerns. The two earcups are almost circular and feature large Bitfenix logos in the centre. Aside from the logos, they are devoid of any decoration, giving them a sophisticated minimalistic appearance. Even though the hinges are made from plastic, they feel pretty robust. Also, the two thin metal pipes that make up the headband feel very robust and look visually striking. There are two 3.5mm connectors in the left earcup, one for the cable to your PC and one which the microphone attaches to. The included microphone is a flexible boom model which is covered in rubber for durability. Bitfenix thoughtfully include three different cables with the Flo. These include a mobile device cable and a laptop cable which are both 1m in length and terminate in a single 3.5mm connector, as well as a 2m extension cable for those users who want to connect the headset to a gaming PC which terminates in dual 3.5mm connectors. The laptop cable features an inline control which lets us adjust the volume of the headset and mute the headphones when necessary. We were pleasantly surprised at the level of comfort offered by the Bitfenix Flo when we first put it on. The headband design takes inspiration from the SteelSeries Siberia V2, meaning it automatically resizes itself to your head. This means that the weight of the headset is evenly distributed across your head. Bitfenix have chosen to use leatherette earpads which are very soft and feel lovely against your ears. They can get a little uncomfortable after a few hours of intense gaming, but no more than other headsets with this type of earpad. The design of the headset means that the headset presses against the sides of your head to keep itself firmly in position. Even though it presses quite firmly, we didn’t find it to be uncomfortable. We commenced our testing of the Flo with some gaming tests. It performed very well in Battlefield 4, offering a very immersive experience. It is particularly prominent in the lower registers which is well suited to most games these days. Gunshots and explosions were rendered accurately without completely overshadowing background noises like footsteps. Moving on to the music playback performance, the Flo also performed well. The prominence in the lower registers makes it particularly well-suited to more modern genres which are more bass heavy, however it renders mid and high-tones with clarity and warmth. The movie playback performance we very immersive, but lacked sound-panning. The lack of sound-panning was also noticeable in our gaming tests and is an unavoidable flaw of stereo headsets. Overall we feel the Bitfenix Flo is a quality product. It is a fairly unique design among gaming headsets and offers the flexibility of using it as a pair of headphones with a mobile device too. This makes it a 2-in-1 headset, as you don’t need a separate headset to use when you are not gaming. We were also impressed by the sound quality delivered by the Bitfenix Flo 40mm driver units. Like many gaming headsets, it has a prominence towards the lower registers which is favourable for gaming and bass-heavy music. The Flo also offers high levels of comfort and an innovative design which means you don’t have to adjust it manually to fit your head. In terms of build quality, we are impressed by the general construction and the quality of the materials the company have selected. That said, the paint finish is disappointing and had already started wearing off after only modest use over the course of a week. We imagine this is particularly prominent on our sample as it is white, and this issue may be less noticeable on the black version. This is the main reason why this headset didn't earn our Must Have award. We feel that the Bitfenix Flo offers fairly good value for money at £50 from Overclockers UK. It is an ideal solution for those users who are looking for a headset to use while gaming and a set of headphones to use with laptop and mobile devices. Please discuss on our FACEBOOK page, over HERE. Pros Attractive design. Solid Build quality. Detachable microphone. Selection of cables. Available in different colours. Decent sound quality. Cons Paint finish could be better. KitGuru says: An excellent option for those looking for an all-round quality headset.

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Bitfenix Flo Gaming Headset Review

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