Today we’re taking a look at the new entry level gaming headset from MSI, the Immerse GH30. We look at how it stacks up against other budget options on the market.
Product on Review: MSI Immerse GH30 Gaming Headset
Manufacturer: MSI
Street Prices: £34.99 GBP / $49.99 USD / $69.99 AUD
The latest release from MSI into the entry level gaming headset market is the Immerse GH30, a lightweight headset boasting 40mm neodymium drivers, a unidirectional detachable microphone and cross platform capability.
The main point that MSI’s marketing material shouts about is how portable the Immerse GH30 is, it’s extremely lightweight weighing in at 222g which hints to an all plastic construction, which isn’t always good for rigidity. It also folds in on itself so as not to take up to much room if you’re packing them away in a backpack with a laptop and to this end the microphone is also detachable. To ensure they don’t get scuffed in this situation, MSI have also included a carry pouch in the box.
The Immerse GH30 features soft touch ear cups and padding on the headband to ensure that the GH30’s stay comfortable no matter how long you are using them for, the ear cups are also removable in case you need to clean them for whatever reason.
So how does the Immerse GH30 stand up to other competition in this price range? Read on to find out.
MSI on the Immerse GH30:
The lightweight construction and foldable headband make the GH30 easy to carry with you as your daily driver.
Technical Specifications
Model Name:Immerse GH30 Gaming Headset
Connector: 3.5mm headphone Jack
Driver Unit:40mm Neodymium
Speaker Sensitivity (SPL):96 dB ± 3 dB
Speaker Impedance:32 ohm ± 15%
Speaker Frequency Response:20 Hz – 20kHz
Pick-up Pattern: Unidirectional
Microphone Sensitivity:-36 dB ± 3 dB
Microphone Impedance:2.2k Ohm
Microphone Frequency Response:100 Hz – 10kHZ
Operating System:Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7
Cable:1.5m with gold-plated connector, 30cm Y Cable
Product Dimensions:173 x 86 x 204
Weight (Product / Package): 222g / 512g
Packaging & First Look:
The packaging for the Immerse GH30 is simple, but effective. On the front of the box we get a profile shot of the headset.
On the back of the box MSI have given us a shot of the in line controls as well as the head set and also goes into details about what it considers the GH30’s unique selling points.
Also in the box you get a carry pouch, a 2-1 adapter so the headset can be used on PC’s with separate microphone and headphone jacks.
Closer Look
In the box we get the headset itself which isn’t protected by any foam in the box, but it is wrapped in a plastic sleeve to prevent the smooth shiny plastic getting scratched.
Taking a closer look at the headband and you can see that while padding is present there is not a lot of it.
The padding situation on the ear cups is a little better with it being thicker than what is used on the headband
The inline controls comprise of a mute switch and a volume wheel on the side.
The microphone is a short stubby affair and would benefit from being slightly more flexible than what it currently is but you can easily get it in a position that’s usable.
Performance Testing
Design & Build Quality
As mentioned in the intro the headset features padded ear cups and a padded headband, at first glance there isn’t a huge amount of padding included on the headband but due to the lightweight design this isn’t too much of an issue as the headset doesn’t output too much pressure. The ear cups are large enough to fit round most peoples ears, however if you have large ears there may be some clearance issues and due to the lack of clamping force this does give rise to some noise isolation issues.The microphone is detachable and makes a nice connection with the headset when you plug it in, the arm is easily manoeuvred to make sure it is in the optimal position.
As with the GH50’s the GH30 feels well built event though it is mostly made of plastic, there is a fair amount of flex in the headphones but this is to be expected considering the price point and the fact that the headset is foldable.
Audio Quality
As always with multi-platform compatible headsets we always ensure to test them across the devices that they are compatible with, in this instance the headset is compatible with PC and mobile devices.The GH30 performed admirably well, on both platforms and in a blind test you would think that these were much more expensive than what they actually cost.
Microphone Quality
Unfortunately this is where the Immerse GH30 falls a bit flat, when compared to other headsets in this price range there’s just something missing from the audio quailty of the microphone, an audio demo of the microphone is available in the video below.Conclusion
When taking all the pros & cons into consideration the Immerse GH30 comes out on top of it’s competition, you will be hard pressed to find a headset that provides better audio quality in this price. It performed admirably in both our music tests, gaming and using the headset for Skype meetings.
The only thing that prevents us from recommending this to a more mature audience is the decals that MSI have plastered on the sides of the ear cups, they make the headset look rather tacky and toy like which is a shame as we would liked to have used these if we were travelling but we might feel a little silly wearing these on the train.
The microphone is usable but doesn’t do anything that blows us away, however in this price range and considering the audio quality we’ll give the GH30’s a pass on this point.
The build quality of the headset is great and it is extremely lightweight, the included carry pouch is a nice touch however this also features the gaudy design, and we wish MSI had made the decision not to include it.
Due to what MSI have achieved here we would like to award the Immerse GH30 our Approved award.
The Immerse GH30 is perfect for those who are just getting into gaming
Pros
+Good Build Quality
+Excellent Audio Quality
Cons
-Polarising Imagery
-Poor Microphone Performance
+Good Build Quality
+Excellent Audio Quality
Cons
-Polarising Imagery
-Poor Microphone Performance
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
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