PC Pc Gaming/building thread

[Anzac16]

Haha I know what you’re going through. I was leaning towards the Predator until the 11th hour. Don’t regret the final decision one bit. Probably wouldn’t have regretted the Predator either. Great monitors and pretty much identical.

So many decisions to make. I won't do the build until uni is over this semester so I've still got about another month before I actually do it. Hoping that the month allows me to get an i7-8700k or an i7-8600k otherwise I'll look at getting an i7-7700k to build with. Or maybe even look at Ryzen given that I won't have to change the motherboard for a few years if I want to upgrade the CPU... so many decisions hahaha.

 

[Anzac16]

What gaming headset's do people here use? I've currently got a pair of Gen2 Astro A50's however the battery is starting to really wear down now after a few years of good hard usage. Gone from getting 8ish hours of charge when they first came out to only getting about 5 now at most which is starting to push my limits on it. Prefer a wireless set of headphones after getting so used to them over the last few years.

Been looking around but every headset these days seems to have a knock on it. Really like the look of the Steelseries Siberia 800's and the Arcitis 7 however not sure on the comfort level on the more circular designed ear pads. Otherwise apart from that it's out of another pair of A50's or maybe a pair of Logitech G933's but I've heard they've got some QC issues.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[dwwaino]

What gaming headset's do people here use? I've currently got a pair of Gen2 Astro A50's however the battery is starting to really wear down now after a few years of good hard usage. Gone from getting 8ish hours of charge when they first came out to only getting about 5 now at most which is starting to push my limits on it. Prefer a wireless set of headphones after getting so used to them over the last few years.

Been looking around but every headset these days seems to have a knock on it. Really like the look of the Steelseries Siberia 800's and the Arcitis 7 however not sure on the comfort level on the more circular designed ear pads. Otherwise apart from that it's out of another pair of A50's or maybe a pair of Logitech G933's but I've heard they've got some QC issues.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I have Astro A50 gen 3 for my PS4 and they really addressed the battery life issue. They claim 12+ which would be accurate as I’ve never had them run flat during a gaming session. I was using the gen 2 prior to that too and was lucky for them to last longer than 4-5 hours. My only knock on the gen 3 is the dock but it uses contacts for charging and sometimes can be a bitch to get the headset to sit right to recharge.

I started using the gen 2 set on the PC after getting the gen 3 for console (replaced various analog sets I was using because I was doing a bit of music recording at the time) but the lack of customisation software for PC is disappointing. A month or two back JB had a huge sale Logitech stuff so I thought I would take a punt on the G933 RGB since they were under $150. Definitely worth it. Build quality might not be the same as the Astro stuff but sound quality is on par and since there is included software for EQ and the choice between both Dolby and DTS 7.1. I could be wrong but I think only gen 3 A50s offer that sort of level of software control and are limited to Dolby 5.1 which I agree is trivial issue when it’s only simulated surround and lots of people prefer Dolby to DTS anyway.

If I was looking to spend top dollar on a PC gaming headset again the Siberia 800 is top of my list to check out. But when the G933 was that cheap I wasn’t going to pass it by.

 

[Anzac16]

I have Astro A50 gen 3 for my PS4 and they really addressed the battery life issue. They claim 12+ which would be accurate as I’ve never had them run flat during a gaming session. I was using the gen 2 prior to that too and was lucky for them to last longer than 4-5 hours. My only knock on the gen 3 is the dock but it uses contacts for charging and sometimes can be a bitch to get the headset to sit right to recharge.

I started using the gen 2 set on the PC after getting the gen 3 for console (replaced various analog sets I was using because I was doing a bit of music recording at the time) but the lack of customisation software for PC is disappointing. A month or two back JB had a huge sale Logitech stuff so I thought I would take a punt on the G933 RGB since they were under $150. Definitely worth it. Build quality might not be the same as the Astro stuff but sound quality is on par and since there is included software for EQ and the choice between both Dolby and DTS 7.1. I could be wrong but I think only gen 3 A50s offer that sort of level of software control and are limited to Dolby 5.1 which I agree is trivial issue when it’s only simulated surround and lots of people prefer Dolby to DTS anyway.

If I was looking to spend top dollar on a PC gaming headset again the Siberia 800 is top of my list to check out. But when the G933 was that cheap I wasn’t going to pass it by.

Yeah the newer A50's definitely look a lot better on the battery life front which is nice. I still love my A50's but the battery life on the older Gen is just rubbish compared to what you can get now.

How do you find the build quality of the Logitech G933 and have you used it with console yet? I'll multi-platform with whatever headset for PS4 and PC. I would like something with the Dolby just in case. I use it on and off with my A50's, not a huge fan for some games but for others it nice.

Astro's definitely are more console focused but I've found they work well on PC for the most part.

 

[dwwaino]

Yeah the newer A50's definitely look a lot better on the battery life front which is nice. I still love my A50's but the battery life on the older Gen is just rubbish compared to what you can get now.

How do you find the build quality of the Logitech G933 and have you used it with console yet? I'll multi-platform with whatever headset for PS4 and PC. I would like something with the Dolby just in case. I use it on and off with my A50's, not a huge fan for some games but for others it nice.

Astro's definitely are more console focused but I've found they work well on PC for the most part.

Actually haven’t tried the G933 with a console yet. I’m pretty sure they’re compatible but not sure of the setup or how they would be connected as they connect to the PC wirelessly via a USB dongle thing. Build quality isn’t bad, but just doesn’t feel as rugged as the Astros with the metal construction. Comparing them side by side on the PC though it sounds like I’m getting better surround with the G933 in games. G933 also don’t come with a stand. Not too fussed myself but some people care about those sorts of things.

It’s a hard call when trying to split the top shelf stuff. If I was to make a general call I would say A50 for console and G933 for PC. Would love to check out the Siberia 800 if I ever see them for a good price.

 

[Anzac16]

Actually haven’t tried the G933 with a console yet. I’m pretty sure they’re compatible but not sure of the setup or how they would be connected as they connect to the PC wirelessly via a USB dongle thing. Build quality isn’t bad, but just doesn’t feel as rugged as the Astros with the metal construction. Comparing them side by side on the PC though it sounds like I’m getting better surround with the G933 in games. G933 also don’t come with a stand. Not too fussed myself but some people care about those sorts of things.

It’s a hard call when trying to split the top shelf stuff. If I was to make a general call I would say A50 for console and G933 for PC. Would love to check out the Siberia 800 if I ever see them for a good price.

Have seen pretty much any headset work with the PS4, especially the USB ones and work okay. Most of them are just plug and go but you'll only get stereo with the PS4 unless you use an optical cable from my knowledge. Not fussed on a stand at all, had one for my A50's and hardly used it given the space requirement's I've got, just got in the way more than it did anything good.

It's a tough call. At this stage for me it's pretty much out of A50's, Siberia 800, Arcitis 7 or G933.

 

[dav3]

I have Astro A50 gen 3 for my PS4 and they really addressed the battery life issue. They claim 12+ which would be accurate as I’ve never had them run flat during a gaming session. I was using the gen 2 prior to that too and was lucky for them to last longer than 4-5 hours. My only knock on the gen 3 is the dock but it uses contacts for charging and sometimes can be a bitch to get the headset to sit right to recharge.

I started using the gen 2 set on the PC after getting the gen 3 for console (replaced various analog sets I was using because I was doing a bit of music recording at the time) but the lack of customisation software for PC is disappointing. A month or two back JB had a huge sale Logitech stuff so I thought I would take a punt on the G933 RGB since they were under $150. Definitely worth it. Build quality might not be the same as the Astro stuff but sound quality is on par and since there is included software for EQ and the choice between both Dolby and DTS 7.1. I could be wrong but I think only gen 3 A50s offer that sort of level of software control and are limited to Dolby 5.1 which I agree is trivial issue when it’s only simulated surround and lots of people prefer Dolby to DTS anyway.

If I was looking to spend top dollar on a PC gaming headset again the Siberia 800 is top of my list to check out. But when the G933 was that cheap I wasn’t going to pass it by.

For $300+ you'd be better off getting some proper headphones and a modmic.

 

[dwwaino]

For $300+ you'd be better off getting some proper headphones and a modmic.

For audiophile and production purposes I have a set of Sennheiser HD280 and a pair of Rokit 6 monitors. I don't like them for gaming. Give me an overpriced but proper gaming headset any day.

 

[dav3]

For audiophile and production purposes I have a set of Sennheiser HD280 and a pair of Rokit 6 monitors. I don't like them for gaming. Give me an overpriced but proper gaming headset any day.

Unless you need isolation, something open would probably be better due to the bigger soundstage. Throwing a modmic on something like a Sennheiser 599 or Philips X2/X2HR would s**t over anything those gaming brands put out there, or if you must get a "gaming headset" look at something like the Audio Technica ATH-ADG1X (it comes in open and closed models).

 

[Gold Member]

Unless you need isolation, something open would probably be better due to the bigger soundstage. Throwing a modmic on something like a Sennheiser 599 or Philips X2/X2HR would s**t over anything those gaming brands put out there, or if you must get a "gaming headset" look at something like the Audio Technica ATH-ADG1X (it comes in open and closed models).

Yeah I was perving on those Audio Technicas the other day as an upgrade on my $59 Thermaltake cans...

 

[Mr_Moogle]

What gaming headset's do people here use? I've currently got a pair of Gen2 Astro A50's however the battery is starting to really wear down now after a few years of good hard usage. Gone from getting 8ish hours of charge when they first came out to only getting about 5 now at most which is starting to push my limits on it. Prefer a wireless set of headphones after getting so used to them over the last few years.

Been looking around but every headset these days seems to have a knock on it. Really like the look of the Steelseries Siberia 800's and the Arcitis 7 however not sure on the comfort level on the more circular designed ear pads. Otherwise apart from that it's out of another pair of A50's or maybe a pair of Logitech G933's but I've heard they've got some QC issues.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Don't buy a gaming headset. They are all rubbish. Save a little money and get yourself a proper set of heapdphones will good positional audio. You can buy a mic separately as they aren't expensive. If your using them purely for PC gaming get a pair of open back headphones. They have lot more sound leaking out of them but they generally have a better sound stage which is what you want for gaming.

For a budget price I'd recommend the Audio Technica AD700X. These are fantastic for gaming with a superb soundstage. You will be able to pinpoint exactly where your enemies are. They are a little low on bass but you don't want boomy, muddy bass when your gaming as it only makes it harder to hear where your opposition is. You can pick these up for $179 on PC Case Gear.

Reviews here:




Iirc the ATH-ADG1X are essentially identical to the AD700x but it comes with a mic built into the headset. Problem is they cost about $299 so you'd be better off getting the AD700X and sourcing a separate mic.

Personally, I use the Sony MDR-MA 900's. These have an amazing soundstage are a little better and comfier than the AD700X but they are discontinued and can't find them online for a reasonable price.

Lachlanlikesathing is a great youtube channel for headphone reviews so check it out if you get a chance.

https://www.youtube.com/user/lachlanlikesathing

 

[dav3]

For a budget price I'd recommend the Audio Technica AD700X. These are fantastic for gaming with a superb soundstage. You will be able to pinpoint exactly where your enemies are. They are a little low on bass but you don't want boomy, muddy bass when your gaming as it only makes it harder to hear where your opposition is. You can pick these up for $179 on PC Case Gear.

Part of the reason I went the Philips route, bass on the X2 is more present than other open-backed headphones but it's far from boomy. With the current Ebay special you can get them X2HR (the new model) for $239. There's also a "cheaper" version called the SHP9500 but you can't seem to get it in Australia and importing one comes in at close to the X2 price.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Part of the reason I went the Philips route, bass on the X2 is more present than other open-backed headphones but it's far from boomy. With the current Ebay special you can get them X2HR (the new model) for $239. There's also a "cheaper" version called the SHP9500 but you can't seem to get it in Australia and importing one comes in at close to the X2 price.

I've heard these are good for gaming. For $239 they would be a steal for sure. Definitely better than the AD700X's. The only concern I have about these is the weight. One of the reasons I wen't with Sony's MDR MA900's a couple of years back was because of the weight/comfort. I've never a felt a more comfy headphone than these. Depends on your preferences though. Some people prefer heavier more solidly built headphones. The Sony's are extremely light weight and fantastic for long gaming sessions but some people may perceive them as flimsy. The X2's are much bulkier, stronger looking headphones in comparison.

 

[Matera92]

What gaming headset's do people here use? I've currently got a pair of Gen2 Astro A50's however the battery is starting to really wear down now after a few years of good hard usage. Gone from getting 8ish hours of charge when they first came out to only getting about 5 now at most which is starting to push my limits on it. Prefer a wireless set of headphones after getting so used to them over the last few years.

Been looking around but every headset these days seems to have a knock on it. Really like the look of the Steelseries Siberia 800's and the Arcitis 7 however not sure on the comfort level on the more circular designed ear pads. Otherwise apart from that it's out of another pair of A50's or maybe a pair of Logitech G933's but I've heard they've got some QC issues.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

http://audio-technica.com.au/products/ath-adg1x/

You'll never buy another headset again.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I can see a few people recommending the ADG1X's. These are basically a re-badged version of the AD900X with an inbuilt microphone which is obviously better suited for gamers. I have to stress though, only buy the ADG1X if you can get it at a decent price. The main issue I have with them is that they cost around $60 more than the AD900X's which seems like a lot to pay for an inbuilt mic. The quality of the inbuilt mic is supposed to be very good though.

The prices at PC Case Gear are..

Audio Technica AD700X = $179
Audio Technica AD900X = $239
Audio Technica ADG1X = $299

Personally I bought myself a Speedlink SPES clip on Mic for $10 on sale and it's been fantastic. It all depends how much you want to prioritise having 1 less cable in your setup. I've always thought having an inbuilt Microphone in my headphone is something I can live without but everybody is different.

If I had a $300 budget I'd sooner take Dav3's advice and choose the Philips X2HR and buy a separate clip on mic. The sound quality will beat out the Audio Technicas which are a little low on bass. You really can't go wrong either way though. The AT's are still great and all of their options will kick the living s**t out of any gaming headset.

 

[dav3]

I've heard these are good for gaming. For $239 they would be a steal for sure. Definitely better than the AD700X's. The only concern I have about these is the weight. One of the reasons I wen't with Sony's MDR MA900's a couple of years back was because of the weight/comfort. I've never a felt a more comfy headphone than these. Depends on your preferences though. Some people prefer heavier more solidly built headphones. The Sony's are extremely light weight and fantastic for long gaming sessions but some people may perceive them as flimsy. The X2's are much bulkier, stronger looking headphones in comparison.

They're certainly very solid but I can't say I'd had any issues due to the weight, they're incredibly comfortable........... although my gaming sessions aren't as long as they used to be.

I've read that the Beyerdynamic DT770's are good if you're after something closed as they've got a pretty decent soundstage.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I'd go with closed back headphones if portability is important. You don't want to take open back headphones to a public space because you will just piss people off. I generally prefer open back for stay-at-home headphones.

Beyerdynamic is German made awesomeness. A little pricey but very well built.

 

[dwwaino]

I had a pair of DT990s for recording years ago. Overkill for gaming though using onboard DACs. Gaming audio is digital and compressed and it’s ridiculous to justify audiophile gear for it, especially when we’re getting into the realms of high impedance headphones and requiring amps to drive them. Most of the Beyerdynamic DT range, HD598/599, and some of whatever else has been mentioned are better suited for music. I’m looking at a pair of HD650s soon for mixing to upgrade my current Sennies and I’ll still stick with my G933 for gaming. All the codecs are pretty much the same and the built in DAC is comparable to the S1220 chip (Asus’ rebadged ALC1150 as far as I know) on my mobo. Then you have the people who want to use their headsets for both PC and consoles will need the branded gaming headsets anyway for simulated surround. Basically all you’re paying for are the features and the drivers in the cans.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I had a pair of DT990s for recording years ago. Overkill for gaming though using onboard DACs. Gaming audio is digital and compressed and it’s ridiculous to justify audiophile gear for it, especially when we’re getting into the realms of high impedance headphones and requiring amps to drive them. Most of the Beyerdynamic DT range, HD598/599, and some of whatever else has been mentioned are better suited for music. I’m looking at a pair of HD650s soon for mixing to upgrade my current Sennies and I’ll still stick with my G933 for gaming. All the codecs are pretty much the same and the built in DAC is comparable to the S1220 chip (Asus’ rebadged ALC1150 as far as I know) on my mobo. Then you have the people who want to use their headsets for both PC and consoles will need the branded gaming headsets anyway for simulated surround. Basically all you’re paying for are the features and the drivers in the cans.

I really think you are underating the importance of high quality audio in videogames. Go and play Alien Isolation and try to tell me having proper audiophile headphones doesn't add to the experience. Same goes for just about any competitve online FPS where you need positional accuracy. I think a person's money is always better spent on an all rounder which will perform well in a wide variety of applications. Cheaper gaming headsets always sound terrible and imo most of them aren't even fit for gaming and will generally sound bad for movies/music. You mentioned the G933's but these are high end $200 gaming headphones which are in the same price bracket as entry level audiophile headphones anyway.

I see where you're coming from when you mention the extra price of requiring an amp but there are plenty of entry level audiophile headphones that don't require amping. Personally, I picked up a second hand Mixamp ($90) for my MD MA900's because I wanted more sound across a wide variety of consoles & my PC but the headphones still sounded great in most applications even without the amp.

 

[BEaston]

gaming headset...

 

[dav3]

I really think you are underating the importance of high quality audio in videogames. Go and play Alien Isolation and try to tell me having proper audiophile headphones doesn't add to the experience. Same goes for just about any competitve online FPS where you need positional accuracy. I think a person's money is always better spent on an all rounder which will perform well in a wide variety of applications. Cheaper gaming headsets always sound terrible and imo most of them aren't even fit for gaming and will generally sound bad for movies/music. You mentioned the G933's but these are high end $200 gaming headphones which are in the same price bracket as entry level audiophile headphones anyway.

I see where you're coming from when you mention the extra price of requiring an amp but there are plenty of entry level audiophile headphones that don't require amping. Personally, I picked up a second hand Mixamp ($90) for my MD MA900's because I wanted more sound across a wide variety of consoles & my PC but the headphones still sounded great in most applications even without the amp.

I think he's just saying that higher quality headphones are a little wasted due to the overall quality of audio samples in games, they still make it sound better and something with greater soundstage will make it more immersive, but from a sound quality point of view game audio isn't as good as what you'll find on other mediums. Simulated surround sound is something I haven't personally heard in years, but seems like a gimmicky "software" version of creating a soundstage.
Personally if I had a choice between forking out $200-300 for a "gaming headset", and $200-300 for "audiophile" (f**k that word gets abused these days) headphones, I know what I'd choose..... even if they are overkill they can be used for anything are will most likely last a lot longer than the plastic s**t gaming companies put out there.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Personally if I had a choice between forking out $200-300 for a "gaming headset", and $200-300 for "audiophile" (f**k that word gets abused these days) headphones, I know what I'd choose..... even if they are overkill they can be used for anything are will most likely last a lot longer than the plastic s**t gaming companies put out there.

Yep. This is pretty much the point I was trying to make. If you're going to drop 200-300 dollars on headphones you may as well get something decent which can be used in a wide variety of applications. I don't really see the point in a high end gaming headset.

Factoring in the cost of an amp is a fair argument against high end headphones though. If you buy a set of passive headphones like the Beyerdynamics DT's mentioned and also require a decent amp you can easily be looking at spending anywhere from $400-700 all up which is massive overkill if your purely buying them for gaming. No denying that.

I guess my advice is be careful to choose a headphone which either doesn't require amping or try to source a second hand amp on the cheap. Just out of curiousity, do the Philips X2HR require amping? Reviews suggest they don't which would be handy to somebody not wanting to spend more than $300.

 

[dwwaino]

I really think you are underating the importance of high quality audio in videogames. Go and play Alien Isolation and try to tell me having proper audiophile headphones doesn't add to the experience. Same goes for just about any competitve online FPS where you need positional accuracy. I think a person's money is always better spent on an all rounder which will perform well in a wide variety of applications. Cheaper gaming headsets always sound terrible and imo most of them aren't even fit for gaming and will generally sound bad for movies/music. You mentioned the G933's but these are high end $200 gaming headphones which are in the same price bracket as entry level audiophile headphones anyway.

I see where you're coming from when you mention the extra price of requiring an amp but there are plenty of entry level audiophile headphones that don't require amping. Personally, I picked up a second hand Mixamp ($90) for my MD MA900's because I wanted more sound across a wide variety of consoles & my PC but the headphones still sounded great in most applications even without the amp.

Gaming audio is digital and horribly compressed to keep the sizes down. Audiophile headphones are overkill purely for gaming because due to the compression alone. Any headset with only two drivers whether that’s connected by a 3.5mm jack, USB cable or some fancy pants receiver is going to be using some kind of software to create a 3D sound stage. It’s all digital and then it just comes down to the quality of the drivers in the cans. Top shelf branded gaming headsets like the G933, A50, Siberia 800 ar going to comparable to the similar priced audiophile ones. Just like Sennheiser HD201 sound as s**t as a similar priced Turtle Beach. I agree construction on the gaming ones are cheap and that’s why the A50s have been my favourite ones in a long time, but I’ll be arsed if someone is going to try and tell me spending the same if not more on a pair of 300ohm headphones and an amp is doing to deliver me some magical gaming experience over the comparable gaming headphones. If you listen to music, watch movies, do whatever else then go for your life. It’s a different story for my recording space upstairs. This is where my HD280s aren’t even cutting it and need the HD650s. Would love the HD800s but good luck convincing my wife that $1k+ for headphones is a good idea. Especially after I have added two new guitars and a $4k PC already this year. Horses for courses imo.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I'm nitpickming here but one of the things I hate about gaming headsets is how damned ugly they can be. Like a lot of PC gaming gear, manufacturers go way too crazy with the coloured plastic. I'm looking at buying a mechanical keyboard right now and it's the same damn problem there too. Why do they think gamers all have terrible taste?

 

[Gold Member]

Any better than average gamer on YouTube, Twitch or any competitive league will recommend a good analogue stereo headset.