CONCLUSION

   Although SteelSeries was kind enough to send us the new 5Hv3 Gaming Headset at launch we just started testing it just 12 days ago with game titles like Call of Duty Ghosts, Battlefield 4, Batman Origins, Injustice League, X-Com Enemy Within and Need for Speed Rivals. Now i can't say that i recall how the 5Hv2 Headset performed roughly 3 years ago when i was testing it but the new 5Hv3 produced good audio clarity with good mids/highs while playing games especially when paired with the X-Fi Titanium HD soundcard. However much like with most gaming headsets around its price range it didn't manage to impress us with the amount of bass it dished out something which was particularly clear when listening to Jazz, Rock and Heavy Metal songs (or with large explosions in games and movies). Regarding its build quality some people may not like that most of it is made out of plastic but let's not forget that in order to use heavier materials you will have to sacrifice comfort and for a LAN event oriented gaming headset SteelSeries obviously couldn't do so. Personally I’ve been using many headsets made almost entirely out of plastic for many years now (including the Siberia Red again by SteelSeries which i always carry around with my Qosmio laptop) and not even once have i encountered an problem with them. Of course the 5Hv3 has more weak points due to the detachable design but unless you really punish your headsets you shouldn't have a problem with it. Finally we were positively impressed with the uni-directional microphone since it worked very well even when whispering but unfortunately since it's not a noise-cancelling microphone it records outside sounds as well.

   The new 5Hv3 Gaming Headset may not be a virtual surround one like its predecessor the 5Hv2 (thus no USB virtual surround soundcard in the bundle) but since it’s a brand new product it's actually more expensive and currently retails for USD79.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 77Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). Of course at launch the 5Hv2 was quite more expensive but naturally 3 years later that's no longer the case (not in retail anyways). Overall with the 5Hv3 SteelSeries has once again introduced a good Stereo Gaming Headset and although it's not very strong in terms of bass levels the really negative thing about it is its price tag something which will most certainly change as time goes by. For now however due to its overall audio clarity, detachable and lightweight frame, retractable microphone and swappable cables the 5Hv3 Gaming Headset is certainly worth a look if you’re out for a new gaming headset.

PROS

- Audio Quality (Mids/Highs)
- 3 Pieces Separation (Suitable For LAN Events)
- Retractable Microphone
- Mute Button/Volume In-Line Controller
- Detachable Cable
- Compatible With Computers And Mobile Devices

CONS

- Bass Levels
- Price (For Some)
- Amount Of Plastic Used (For Some)