Logitech G Pro X review: The best headset Logitech’s made yet

Great looking. Great sounding. Cheap. Usually you can only pick two of the three—and yet Logitech’s here to prove that old adage wrong with its new G Pro X gaming headset. Ostensibly geared toward esports enthusiasts (hence the “Pro” moniker), the G Pro X is a perfect solution for the masses as well, or at least the masses who can still stomach a wired headset.

Let’s get right to it.

Note: This review is part of our roundup of best gaming headsets. Go there for details on competing products and how we tested them.

Round and round

The G Pro X may be Logitech’s best-looking headset yet. That’s quite a feat, given how much I loved the soft curves and piano black of the G533.  Hot damn, though—retro-futurist is the term I keep reaching for, as if Logitech somehow built a gaming headset for the 1940s, or at least lifted the aesthetic from broadcast equipment of the era.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

I suspect Logitech’s acquisition of Blue Microphones has something to do with it. I can’t say for certain, but the G Pro X has decidedly more in common with Blue’s throwback Lola and Mix-Fi lines than anything Logitech’s done before. On the other hand, Logitech only acquired Blue last summer, so that’d be a tight turnaround for the G Pro X—so maybe Logitech devised this new look independently. But I have my suspicions.

It doesn’t really matter. Point is, the G Pro X looks fantastic. It’s very basic, flat-black with a leatherette headband, metal forks, and pill-shaped earcups. The only adornment is a metal disc on each ear, emblazoned with the Logitech G logo.

Simple as it may be, these metal discs are also my favorite design feature. The first time I picked up the G Pro X, I found myself rubbing the side, round and round and round. In pictures the disc might look like flat steel, but it’s not. It’s etched with dozens of ultra-fine concentric circles, and when you trace them with your finger it feels like the side is spinning—but it’s not.

It has nothing to do with the quality of the G Pro X, right? Or maybe it does. I’m sure you could make an argument that it speaks to Logitech’s attention to detail. You could—but I just think it’s a neat illusion.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

Logitech packages two sets of pads with the G Pro X. Leatherette is the default, but there are alternate microfiber pads included as well. I swapped for the latter and never went back—the fabric seems identical to the material Astro’s used on the A40 and A50 headsets for years, a personal favorite. It gets warm, but it’s so damn soft I’m willing to put up with it.

Comfort is overall extremely high, though it takes a few days to properly break in the headset. Be prepared for a tight fit at first. Padding is extremely generous though, and while the G Pro X is slightly heavy, it never felt uncomfortably so.

My only “complaint,” really, is that it’s a wired headset. That surprised me honestly, as Logitech’s been very gung-ho about wireless everything these past few years. The G Pro X comes with multiple cables though, and on PC you’ll probably use the detachable 3.5mm male-to-male cable into the USB dongle, for 7.1 support and other software effects—including Blue-branded microphone tech. More on that later.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

I can deal with wires, though I do hope Logitech makes a wireless version of the G Pro X at some point—or at least a wireless headset with the G Pro X’s aesthetic. The bigger issue is that Logitech’s gone the way of cheap in-line controls instead of building them into the headset. A control box hangs about a foot below the headset, with a chintzy volume wheel and mic-mute toggle. Given how luxurious everything else feels, this control solution is a bit disappointing.

Pro-grade

We’ve established that the G Pro X is Logitech’s best-looking headset. It’s also its best-sounding.

Again, no small feat. We’ve recommended the G533 for a while now, and had good things to say about the recent G935 as well. The G Pro X outshines them both, in my opinion. Not by much, mind you, but it’s one hell of a headset.

Like the G935, the G Pro X has a fairly even-keeled sound. There’s a bit of a bump on the bass end, and an additional one in the vocal frequencies, but nothing too substantial. The G Pro X sounds even clearer and more precise than the G935 though.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

I test headsets with music playback because the flaws tend to come through better. Logitech’s headsets have been pretty good at handling music in the past, but the G Pro X holds its own against the dedicated Sennheiser headphones I have lying around, as well as the Audeze Mobius we reviewed last month—both headphones that cost two or three times as much.

Particularly laudable is the G Pro X’s width, the amount of “space” the sound seems to take up. Broader is better, as the mix sounds more natural. The G Pro X outperforms any gaming headset I’ve tested on this front except perhaps HyperX’s efforts.

And if you’re curious how this applies to games? Wider headsets have better directionality, thus helping you pin down where those shots are coming from.

Like most Logitech headsets, a bit of bass boost might be in order for those who like their explosions to kick them in the teeth full-force. Luckily you can pump it through Logitech’s G Hub software if you like—or try presets from esports organizations like Team SoloMid. Personally, I’ve stuck with the crystal-clear default sound, but alternatives are there if you want them.

Masterful mic

The microphone is Logitech’s real coup. Usually we dedicate about a paragraph to any headset’s mic, and the takeaway is almost always, “Well, it works.”

Logitech’s acquisition of Blue is paying dividends though. I’m not sure the G Pro X’s microphone is physically any better than you’d find on most headsets. It’s a flexible-and-detachable design, with your standard cardioid pickup pattern. Pretty normal.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

G Hub gives you a ton of software control though, all Blue-branded, and the results are stunning. The “Broadcaster” presets make the G Pro X sound, if not quite on-par with a standalone desk microphone, then pretty damn close. It’s the most flattering headset mic I’ve used, and the difference between the unfiltered input and the doctored output is miraculous.

Does it matter? Maybe not, if you’re just voice-chatting with friends while playing your favorite shooter. There’s a reason most headset mics don’t aim beyond “it works.”

But you could do more with the G Pro X, probably. It might not be the best solution for recording a podcast or other production work, but it would suffice—and that puts it in exclusive company indeed.

Bottom line

Logitech’s G Pro X is the company’s best headset yet. The only hurdle? Price, I guess. I actually think the G Pro X is eminently reasonable at $130—and presumably cheaper, once it’s hit perpetual Amazon sale, as all these headsets do. Still, it’s a “steep” price for a wired headset, by 2019 standards.

It’s not really, of course. You’ll find wired headphones for hundreds of dollars more, and as I said the G Pro X competes handily against sets two or three times the price. I’ve gotten used to the convenience of wireless at my desk though, and you’ll find Logitech’s own wireless G935 for the same $130 sticker most days.

Again, fingers crossed there’s a wireless G Pro X incoming. If you’re not bothered by wires though, then absolutely, give the G Pro X a look. With excellent sound fidelity and a top-tier microphone, it’s easily the best all-around gaming headset on the market.