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The G.Skill Ripjaws SV710 is the lower end brother of the much more expensive SR910 and features far fewer drivers – only offering virtual surround sound instead of ‘real' surround sound. Usually that would mean a much inferior product, but the Sv710 actually feels like a better headset overall. With less but better drivers, the sound quality is higher and the clarity is improved too.
It does not have the same surround sound capabilities, which makes its atmospheric gaming not quite as impressive, but it does have that option for those that like it, and the trade off in quality is worth it – especially when you are saving £70 in the process.
The frame, while interesting to look at does not seem to serve much actual purpose. It causes the headset to hang more on your ears than anywhere else, which is just not as comfortable and does not feel as balanced as more traditionally mounted headsets.
The sound quality exhibits strengths and weaknesses. The mid range struggles with more complex material and the lack of sub bass can reduce the overall impact with certain media and games. The high end frequencies are well produced and there is a lack of sibilance which is plus point, but overall the sound signature is just not at the same level as market leaders at a similar price point.
The ear cups are comfortable however and the additional volume this headset is capable of producing is noteworthy. You have ease of access to its adjustment too thanks to the volume control, though it does have a Jitterbug feel to it with the enormous buttons.
The back-end software is easy to navigate and quite functional, though it could do with an aesthetic clean up. The ENC microphone needs work as it currently impacts the sound of your voice too much to be of real use. It may be that the placement of the mic in relation to your face needs to be perfect to get it to work as intended, but that is not easy to achieve, nor replicate through repeated play sessions.
As much as there are a few issues with this headset though, it is quite capable and an improvement over its more expensive SR910 brother. However, it is just not as good, nor as affordable as some of the other virtual 7.1 headsets we have tested in the past. The Kingston HyperX Cloud II springs to mind, and it is a further £20 cheaper than the SV710 at the moment.
The G.Skill Ripjaws SV710 is available now on Amazon for £72.
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Pros
- Decent sound quality, overall.
- Better than the more expensive SR910 in some respects.
- Virtual surround sound offers some improvements to atmospheric games.
- Unique look and sturdy build quality. Frame does not creak..
- Back-end software has decent EQ and other tweakable options.
Cons
- Frame design needs improvement.
- Sound quality not as good as comparable headsets.
- Back-end software is ugly.
- More expensive than competing headsets.
- Lighting colour scheme inconsistent between headset and control.
KitGuru Says: The SV710 is the headset to choose if you want to buy from G.Skill, but there are better alternatives for less money from other manufacturers.
