G.Skill Ripjaws SR910 real 7.1 gaming headset review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing3. G.Skill Ripjaws SR910 gaming headset4. Testing5. Final Thoughts6. View All Pages

The G.Skill Ripjaws SR910 is a headset that has a lot going for it on paper, but it does fail to deliver the promised experience. Although it does provide a good surround sound environment that any software-based, stereo-restricted headsets would struggle to match it feels like G.Skill let the quality slide somewhat in favour of that experience.

When gaming and listening to music there are noticeable missteps in sound quality that are difficult to ignore. None of them make the experience horrible, but it is a shame that the fundamental sound characteristics – a distinct lack of bass and overall reduced clarity at higher volumes is present.

That said, there are a number of features we did enjoy. The metal frame is a solid, durable construction and means that this is a good headset for virtual reality gamers. Indeed the surround sound capabilities really come into their own when you consider binaural audio and how much of an impact that can have on immersion. In that respect, G.Skill did a good job.

This is also a surprisingly comfortable headset. It feels strange initially due to its heavy placement on the ears but while it can feel a little loose compared to some headsets, that aids the overall comfort making fatigue almost a non-issue.

There are other areas of this headset that could use improvement though. The volume control needs to have its indicator adjusted to be actually visible to the user, as at any angle but 90 degrees straight up at least half the indicators are hidden. The back-end software could do with a few tweaks to make it look more modern, and clear labeling throughout would be helpful.

You will always look different wearing a headset like this though. The unique choice of earcup placement and the lighting within their see-through exteriors is a really nice touch that would look great on a LAN party floor. It is just difficult to justify all of the other issues when the price tag is well above the £100 mark.

All in all this is a decent first attempt at a headset by G.Skill, but the company fared far better with their keyboard.

Getting hold of the SR910 in the UK is a little difficult right now, but you can find one for just shy of £120 on Amazon.

Pros

• Unique look, clear plastic ear-cups look great.
• Metal frame does not creak, great for virtual reality. Solid build quality.
• Surround sound tracking is good, providing additional atmosphere to certain games and experiences.
• Comfortable over long periods.
• Microphone is crisp and clear, and retractable.

Cons

• Sound quality is not great.
• Bass is lacking, with little punch to it, even at higher volumes.
• Although quite fully featured, the software is ugly by design and requires better labeling.
• Volume control knob obscures indicators.
• Cheaper competitor headsets sound better.
• ENC noise cancelling seems to cannibalise your own voice too often.

KitGuru Says: G.Skill is a new face in the peripheral game and it shows. It has a solid foundation with the frame and design of the Ripjaws SR910 headset, but the sound quality needs work and a bit of spit and polish on the drivers and volume control would not go amiss.

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