With everyone having a portable audio device in their pocket with their mobile phone, online video calls taking place every day for work, school and personal purposes and the rise in gaming, we are all used to wearing personal audio listening equipment – take would be headphones, earphones or earbuds to you and me. Now that we are wearing this type of equipment more often and for longer, we want good quality items that are comfortable to wear, easy to use and affordable.
When it comes to audio equipment Edifier are experts with headphones, earbuds, speaker systems and soundbars. Edifier equipment is created with excellent sound quality in mind, but they also always look stylish with some of their speakers being very unique looking and their pricing is always very good from their budget to premium items. Over the years we have tried out and reviewed a number of Edifier speakers, headphones and earbuds and we have always been very impressed (if you want to read our reviews of the Edifier products we have tried out, click here).
Gaming, whether online or local, is becoming increasing popular. Gaming on systems such as Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo as well as PC gaming is getting bigger year after year – you can now even use your Xbox subscription to play games on your desktop PC or laptop. We have gaming consoles in our house and games are played by all members of the family. For the most part, games are played without headphones on but when we don’t want to disturb others or require communication between online players, we do use headphones (the kids play Roblox a lot on their laptops and do use gaming headphones when doing so). That means a good quality set of gaming headphones is a must. Last year (2020) we were lucky enough to try out Edifier’s GM3 SE Gaming Earbuds and really liked them, they are “lightweight, comfortable, have excellent sound, bass and vibration.” I prefer earbuds more than their over ear counterparts as I find most of the time that headphones are too heavy and bulky when wearing for longer periods of time, especially when gaming, but the kids prefer headphones as they are easier to handle and wear. Edifier have now sent us their Edifier G2 II Gaming Headset (over the ear headphones) and whilst the kids love them, I am converted and will be swapping the GM3 earbuds for the G2 II as they are comfortable and lightweight, even after extended use (it is just a pity that they don’t work with the Xbox).
The Edifier G2 II Gaming Headset features:
- 7.1 surround sound: 360° surround sound effect
- Professional software provided by Edifier allows 7.1 virtual speaker shifter, equalizer, environment effect for customized setting, and other functions like surround max, microphone echo, magic voice, microphone boost etc.
- Large 50mm NdFeB drivers deliver high ultra-clear audio precision which allow you to hear everything on the battlefield, while 7.1 surround sound effect recreates all the subtle and explosive parts of a precise 3D soundscape in a premium sound.
- RGB light effects with soft varied colours
- High-performance detachable noise cancelling microphone that reduces background and ambient noises for crystal-clear communication and delivers studio quality voice clarity
- Adjustable, flexible padded headband with an ergonomic frame, perfect for providing long-lasting comfort for hours of gameplay
- Compact design of soft leatherette earmuffs
- Comfortable and lightweight fit, weighting only 266g (9.38 ounces)
- Available in black, white and pink
- Multi-platform compatible with PC, PS4, Mac, Laptop, Desktop with USB connection, not for XBOX.
We have been using the headphones for a few days now and everybody loves them. They are light and easy to wear, you do forget that you are wearing them at times. The sound quality is perfect with the built-in 7.1 surround sound enhancing the gaming experience. We received ours in black, although the kids and their mum would have preferred them in pink with the cat ears!
Overall, the Edifier G2 II USB Wired Gaming Headphones with 7.1 Surround Sound are the perfect pair of budget-friendly lightweight gaming headphones. The comfort from short- and long-term wearing is fantastic, and the sound quality is just excellent.
We all found using them to be simple. Unlike headphones that you might use on your television set, the G2 II uses a USB connection rather than a 3.5mm jack, making them accessible for gaming systems including PC’s (unfortunately they don’t work with the Xbox). The USB connection also provides power for the LED lights. All you have to do is plug them into an available USB port and off you go (if using on a PC or laptop you will have to wait a moment or two for them to complete driver install). On PC’s and laptops, you can also download software to enhance sound features.
I generally don’t like wearing headphones for too long as the weight starts to irritate my head but with the Edifier G2 II Gaming Headset I found that I was wearing them a lot longer and didn’t have to remove them for any comfort reasons. The only issue the kids have with them is remembering to remove them when they and getting up! The padded adjustable headband cushions the head quite nicely, on the adults and children snugly, whilst the soft leatherette earmuffs cup the ears perfectly without any overheating of our ears or any pressure discomfort. Being only 266g they are ultra-lightweight, perfect for younger players and adults alike, and you really don’t know that you are wearing them most of the time.
As for the sound quality, they are just perfect. The sound is crystal clear, even at their loudest volume. The 7.1 surround sound when playing games is sublime, delivering gaming details with superb crystal-clear precision, all in 360° sphere around you. The accurate sound positioning ensures that you can make out exactly which direction the sound (gunfire, footsteps, engine noises etc.) is coming from, which in complex gaming is a must.
The microphone is detachable, which we much prefer as it allows the headphones to be much more versatile than gaming headphones with a fixed mic as it can easily be removed when playing games that do not require communicating with anyone else. These are also equipped with a nice little safety feature to prevent loss – with other headphones with detachable microphones that we have used the mic just plugs in using a 3.5mm jack, with the Edifier G2 II the mic works the same way but after plugging the mic in you rotate it to lock it into place to prevent loss. The microphone can be turned on and off from the in-line control unit on the cable (there is a red LED to let you know if it is on or off). The sound is perfect and very clear, using noise cancellation to eliminate as much background noise as possible for a better experience.
Also, on the in-line control unit you will find a button for lights, each earcup features dynamic RGB light effects with gradually changing soft varied colours. The lights add a tranquil atmosphere to gaming and each light is covered by a woven metal mesh, providing good protection and style. You do not need to have these on and can be turned on and off as needed.
The volume can also be easily controlled from the in-line control unit as it has a wheel on the side to adjust the sound level up and down with speed and ease.
The sound quality from the Edifier G2 II headphones is just excellent. The built-in sound card with 7.1 surround sound makes gaming a far superior experience.
For such good quality of build, design, style and sound these gaming headphones have the quality of being much more expensive than they are, they are budget-friendly enough to suit all pockets at under £60 and don’t compromise on quality.
They are available in different colour options of black or white and there is also a pink version available. The pink version is slightly different as they also feature cat ears on the headband.
The Edifier G2 II USB Gaming Headphones are an excellent quality comfortable pair of gaming headphones with crystal clear 7.1 surround sound effects. The price may be budget-friendly, but the quality is far superior and are perfect for all your gaming needs. We would give them 4.5 out of 5, it would have been 5 out of 5 if they had worked with our Xbox.
Rating: 4.5/5
RRP: £69.99
For more information, visit www.edifier.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
