Plantronics GameCom 777 Gaming Headset Review

Despite being a well established company in the audio market, Plantronics are a relatively new player in the gaming audio arena. We have been generally impressed with the gaming products we've seen form them so far, though, especially the GameCom X40 Xbox 360 headset which offered excellent value for money. Today we are going to look at the GameCom 777 gaming headset from Plantronics which is targeted at PC gamers. Plantronics include an external USB sound card with the headset which enables virtual 7.1 surround sound and Dolby Headphone to improve gaming performance. We look forward to seeing how it compares to the other headsets that we've reviewed in the past from Plantronics. Features Dolby Headphone technology delivers a 7-channel audio experience. The USB sound card with Dolby Headphone is the only way to get the 7.1 experience. Open-ear design keeps you connected to the game and your surroundings. Concealed microphone boom stays hidden until you’re ready to use it. Specially designed ear pods redistribute pressure for maximum comfort. In-line volume and microphone-mute controls allow for easy audio adjustment. Noise-canceling microphone lets you communicate clearly. Rugged, military-grade design and extra-strength cables make your hardware hardcore. Plantronics supply the GameCom 777 within an attractively designed black and orange box which features a plastic tray inside to give the headset an extra level of protection. There is a clear plastic window which extends around the right hand side of the box from the front, to give a look inside without opening it. Turning the box around reveals some basic details of the features of the headset in a variety of different languages alongside a few diagrams to illustrate these. The included bundle is quite limited, consisting only of a quick start guide, a safety guide and the included external USB sound card. Plantronics have decided to use matte black plastic exclusively in the construction of the GameCom 777 which reminds us a little of the impressive SteelSeries 7H headset that we reviewed a while back. This minimalist approach may be appreciated by some gamers but, in our experience, the majority will favour the bright colours and exciting designs of products like the SteelSeries Siberia V2. Build quality seems very good considering the price of the GameCom 777. The plastics used in the construction of the headset have a reassuringly solid feel so we expect that you will get a good few years use. The only minor issue we noticed is that the adjustable parts of the headset move a little to easily so when you take the headset on and off, the length of the headband will change. This could become annoying if you're taking the headset on and off repeatedly. It's clear that Plantronics have put a lot of thought into the connectivity of this headset. Rather than integrate the USB sound card into the headset itself, Plantronics have kept it as a seperate piece which connects directly into the PC. The headset itself then connects to this using two 3.5mm connectors for headphone and microphone. This means that you can use the headphone part of the headset with any devices that features a 3.5mm output. The included USB sound card is reasonably compact, measuring only 49 x 38 x 15 mm. This means it can easily be carried around in a laptop bag without issue. On the side of the sound card there is a small slider switch which enables the Dolby Headphone virtual 7.1 surround sound function. Plantronics have also decided to keep the in-line control separate from the sound card, choosing to locate it on the headset cable. This means that you can still make use of the volume control wheel and microphone mute switch when you're using the headset without the included sound card. The cable itself carries a reasonably thick plastic coating and the 3.5mm connectors are gold plated. The inbuilt boom microphone is stowed up against the headband, making it almost invisible when it's not extended. When folded down, it does enter your field of view but it isn't as intrusive as some we've experienced in the past. The boom of the microphone is flexible and extendable so you can find the optimum position for the best results. We were quite impressed with the level of comfort that the GameCom 777 has to offer. The light weight of the headset combined with the soft ear pads make for a comfortable gaming experience. Even though Plantronics have used cloth to cover the ear pads and headband, the headset can still get a little sweaty after a few hours of use. As we mentioned earlier in the review the headband is adjustable on either side so that you can ensure the best possible fit. First of all we decided to test the gaming capability of the GameCom 777 as it is marketed as a gaming headset. We found that activating Dolby Headphone on the included USB sound card made a noticeable difference to sound directionality, giving us a better idea of where gunshots and footsteps were originating. We also found the sound balance of the headset to be well suited to gaming. Next we decided to try out the headset with some of our favourite tracks. With Dolby Headphone enabled, the music playback experience wasn't very good at all as it seems to give the sound a weird echo so we would recommend leaving it disabled when listening to music. With it off, the music playback experience was much better although we did notice a slight lack of clarity in the mid-tones. Like the gaming experience, movie playback was also enhanced considerably when Dolby Headphone was enabled. In the opening sequence of The Dark Knight the sound panning was very effective and the bass notes were prominent yet not overexposed. Overall we are impressed with the Plantronics GameCom 777 gaming headset. It has numerous positive aspects which includes an external sound card enabling Dolby Headphone and virtual 7.1 surround sound on the headset. Also, the inclusion of 3.5mm connectors means that it is compatible with most portable devices. The build quality and finish are excellent, although we do feel that the visage of the headset is a little boring as it's finished exclusively in matte black. Other headsets on the market like the SteelSeries Siberia V2 are much more exciting to look at and are likely to be favoured by gamers who are renowned for snazzy-looking peripherals. For most gamers, the price of a product is one of the most significant factors to consider. At a price of £50 from eBuyer, we believe the Plantronics GameCom 777 headset offers really good value for money. Unlike most other virtual surround sound headsets in this price range, the USB sound card isn't built in and the headset features 3.5mm connectors. This means that you can use it with any device, without having to buy separate headsets for different devices. Pros 7.1 surround sound USB sound card included 3.5mm connectors for mobile devices Good build quality Very comfortable Offers good value for money Cons Bland design KitGuru says: A great headset with understated aesthetics. Plantronics GameCom 777 @ testfreaks.co.uk

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Plantronics GameCom 777 Gaming Headset Review

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