MSI Immerse GH50 Gaming Headset $75

SITTING AT the budget end of the headsets we have in this battle is MSI with its Immerse GH50 cans. They are a decent-looking pair, with a gunmetal-gray finish and an RGB MSI emblem sitting proudly on each cup. The RGB is quite subtle, at least.

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The design relies on a simplistic approach, with no physical buttons on the headphones, instead opting for an in-line remote. This houses the volume control wheel, mute button, 7.1 virtual surround sound button, and vibration activation control. The materials on the cups and the headband are comfortable, but thanks to the tight tension of the headband they are not the comfiest pair, fitting a little too snugly on your skull.

Bearing in mind the price, this headset produces a powerful sound, with bass at the forefront. MSI’s vibration system is its take on haptic sound. As gimmicky as it may come across, it plays well in certain aspects. In bass-driven songs, it puts you in the middle of the sound. On the flip side, the GH50 suffers from a lack of clarity at the high end, muddying the sound, and the vibration system can overpower what you are listening to, squashing the mids and highs.

As for gaming, the directional audio is superb. It feels like you’ve been chucked right into the game. Unfortunately, the virtual 7.1 surround sound feature is a bit lacking— in fact it actually appears to lower the audio quality in some cases. Your best bet is to leave it turned off and have the vibration activation control on.