There are some really amazing gaming headsets out there for both PC and console. There are also those with an eye-watering price. Fancy features come with the dollar amount to match, which can sometimes put you off.
If you're on a tighter budget there are still plenty of good headsets out there. I've been trying out the Trust GXT 322 recently, and while its name isn't very imaginative, it's a solid pair of cans for a pretty good price.
$51.92Bottom line: A little on the large side, but with some visual flair and solid sound quality it's a good shout in the budget segment.
Pros:
Lightweight.Awesome looking camo finish.Universal for PC, Xbox, and PS4Short cable perfect for use with controllers.Cons:
Quite large.Microphone isn't detachableFabric can start to get uncomfortable after long sessionsWhat you'll love about the Trust GXT 322
The price is the first thing pretty great about this headset, and while it's just over $50 in the U.S., in the UK it's recently been on sale as low as £19.99 — an excellent value at discounted prices.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Sensitivity | 112 dB |
| Frequency response | 20 - 20000 Hz |
| Driver size | 50 mm |
| Impedance | 32 Ohm |
| Pick-up pattern | Unidirectional |
It's a closed-back headset with a fairly traditional design, but the one I have here is in a pretty fetching camo paint job. On the headset, you get a simple scroll wheel for volume and a switch to mute the microphone, both on the left ear cup. The microphone doesn't detach, but it folds up out of the way when not in use and is flexible enough to get a good position in front of your mouth.
The headset itself is really light and fairly comfortable. The padding on the ear cups is thick and soft and gives you a great fit around your ears. It's a traditional design, no suspended ski-band style here, with a simple adjustment for each side of the headset up and down, no horizontal motion.
The GXT 322 is universal, supporting Xbox One, PC, and PS4. For console, the headset connects over 3.5mm to the controller, while PC uses the included splitter cable for the separate microphone input and headphone output. At least on the Xbox One, this means you can use the built-in audio mixer to control your game and party chat balance.
The attached 3.5mm cable is also pretty short, so when you are connected to a controller you don't have to deal with it getting twisted or tangled around anything. It gives you just enough length to comfortably hold the controller without pulling on the headset.
Sound quality is basic, but of good quality. There's no fancy virtual surround sound support here, but there's strong bass to feel those explosions and a pretty crisp sound with plenty of detail. The microphone doesn't sound as good and lacks noise cancellation, but it's perfectly fine for party chat.
What you'll hate about the Trust GXT 322
This thing is big. Thankfully it's all plastic and not very heavy, but it's a large headset that you might think twice about packing in a bag to take on the road. It doesn't fold, either.
The microphone is also permanently fixed to the headset, which makes it unlikely you'll double up and use this as a pair of headphones. Music actually sounds pretty good through them, but personally, I wouldn't ever leave the house wearing headphones with a microphone attached.
Probably the biggest complaint is the fabric that lines the headband and the ear cups. It has a very slight rough texture to it, not smooth like velour or leatherette would be. After a long session, it can become really irritating against the skin. If you're playing for a while, make sure to take it off every so often and give your head a break.
Bottom line on the Trust GXT 322
If you're looking for a good quality, budget headset, I've no issues recommending the Trust GXT 322, with the caveat that you'll have to take it off fairly frequently to make sure your skin doesn't start to get irritated.
The choice of fabric is really the only negative I can see with it, because for the £30 ($50) it costs it's really very good. The sound is good quality and has plenty of volume, the cable doesn't get all tangled up and in this camo finish it even looks brilliant. I wish the microphone detached, but small quibbles.
It's a no frills, no fuss affair, and the better for it.
