Logitech G735 Review: Not the First White Headset

Logitech’s new Aurora Collection is designed for gamers who value “comfort and style” (as well as performance), and who game with a focus on creativity and community rather than competition. The collection is designed to be “gender-inclusive,” and also just generally inclusive, and the new Logitech G735 headset is trying pretty hard to do that. 

The Logitech G735 is a wireless headset featuring Logitech’s “Lightspeed” 2.4GHz wireless tech as well as Bluetooth, designed in the collection’s signature “White Mist” colorway and “soft zonal lighting.” It supports Dolby Atmos and Windows Spatial surround sound, as well as dual audio mixing(say, a smartphone and a PC). It has a detachable boom mic and removable earcups, and Logitech sells mic-and-earcup accessory packages ($20 each) in “Pink Mist” and “Green Flash.” 

The G735 costs $230, which puts it at the very top of the Logitech G lineup (on par with the Logitech G Pro X Wireless). While this price isn’t insane — the best wireless headsets tend to be more expensive in general, and there are several headsets on our list of best gaming headsets that are more expensive — but it’s absolutely on the higher end. And if you’re paying over $200 for a headset before any Logitech G promo codes, it’d better be a pretty damn good headset — not just a pretty one.

Specifications

Design and Comfort

The G735 is a lightweight wireless headset with a detachable boom microphone and removable ear pads. It comes in the base colorway “White Mist,” which is primarily white with gray-lavender accents, and can be customized with accessories in “Pink Dawn” (coral-leaning pink) or “Green Flash” (neon lime green).

The G735 has a lightly-padded headband covered in white leatherette and white plastic earcups with padded over-ear ear pads (covered in the same white leatherette). While I’m not too worried about keeping the other pieces in this collection clean, all this white leatherette definitely concerns me — it looks and feels nice out of the box, but we’ll have to check back in a few months.

The headset has “soft zonal lighting” around each earcup, pre-tuned out of the box with the Aurora Collection’s “signature” pastel pink-and-blue lighting. The lighting is separated into two zones on each earcup; I don’t love that you can see a clear delineation between the two zones. I don’t usually pay much attention to lighting on headsets, because I can’t see it, but lighting and aesthetic is a big part of this collection — and the clear demarcation between the lighting zones definitely takes away from the soft, seamless look this headset is going for.

In designing the G735 to be more inclusive, Logitech says its team took several factors into consideration, including “smaller head sizes,” “hair,” and “piercings.” I’m not sure exactly what Logitech changed while considering these factors, but the headset is pretty comfortable — it weighs 9.6 ounces (273g) and has height-adjustable rotating earcups. Adding to comfort are the super soft earcups and the headset’s low clamp force, which is actually a little too low. The headset started sliding off whenever I tilted my head back. I actually have a pretty big head, so this seems like it’ll be an issue for people with smaller head sizes.

The right and left earcups are marked inside, as well as with braille on the headband, which is a nice, inclusive touch. The left earcup holds the power button, volume wheel, and mic mute button, as well as all ports — USB-C for charging, 3.5mm aux, and 3.5mm mic. The right earcup has a connectivity button and an audio mixing paddle. The G735 supports dual audio mixing, meaning you can be connected to two different devices via Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless (or aux) and listen to both devices simultaneously. This is handy for not missing notifications or calls on your phone while you’re gaming.

In the box, the G735 comes with a detachable boom mic, 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle, USB extender, and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. The headset has a 3.5mm port for an aux connection, but an aux cable is not included, nor can one be purchased in the collection. This seems like an oversight, considering the collection does feature replacement USB-C cables with cloud-shaped cable charms for $10.

I am a little disappointed that the 2.4GHz wireless dongle is USB-A and not USB-C for mobile gamers.

The G735 does not come with a case or a carrying bag, but Logitech is selling a $40 heart-shaped carrying case (which fits both the G735 headset and the G705 mouse, plus cables and accessories).

Audio Performance

The G735 sports 40mm drivers with a wireless frequency response of 20 - 20,000 Hz, which is pretty normal for a decent gaming headset.

Audio quality on the G735 is okay — just okay. It’s not bad, but it’s not great: The mids are definitely scooped, and the bass is pumped up a little — it’s not overwhelming, but it started to sound pretty muddy during Kaskade’s “POW POW POW” and Lorde’s “Royals.” This type of audio profile isn’t the worst — a lot of people find it pretty appealing — but there are plenty of headsets and headphones with a similar (and less muddy) sound, that are pretty and come in lots of colors (I’m looking at you, Beats Solo3).

The G735 sounds better while gaming, especially if you use Logitech’s software to enable and configure DTS surround sound (the headset’s soundstage feels pretty narrow, but this can be fixed somewhat with software). Gamers will also appreciate the low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection. The Bluetooth connection is also pretty low-latency on these headphones — thankfully, since the 2.4GHz dongle is USB-A and not USB-C.

The G735 doesn’t have active noise cancelation (ANC), but the soft earcups actually do an excellent job of passively blocking noise. Logitech mentioned that the G735 was designed to work with different wear styles, including over/under hair. I usually wear my headset over my hair when I’m on camera (yes, because it looks better), and I was pleased to find that the earcups still created an excellent seal even with my hair in the way.

Microphone

The G735 has a detachable microphone that plugs into the left earcup. I’m not a huge fan of detachable microphones (because I’m prone to losing small parts), but Logitech loves its detachable mics. The mic is flexible and cardioid (unidirectional) and does a good job of picking up your voice without picking up everything else. Logitech supports the microphone with its Blue Vo!ce software, which does a great job of making your voice clearer and crisper (and also has an EQ and effects to adjust how you sound).

Features and Software

You can manage the G735 using Logitech’s G Hub software suite. G Hub includes settings and customization options for the audio, mic, and lighting. This includes access to an audio EQ, a mic EQ with preset voice effects and sample sounds (from sister brand Blue), and “Lightsync,” where you can change lighting colors and effects (and sync the lighting across other connected Logitech G products).

It’s a pretty robust software suite — even though I prefer a flat audio EQ, the Blue Vo!ce microphone enhancements are definitely useful for tweaking how you sound.

Battery Life

Logitech rates the G735’s battery life at 16 hours with the lighting turned on and the volume at 50 percent, and 56 hours with the lighting turned off and the volume at 50 percent. I checked the G735’s estimated battery life in G HUB periodically as I tested the headset, and it seemed fairly accurate. Over 50 hours without lighting is excellent — Logitech is really pushing the lighting in this collection, but lighting seems like less of a must-have on a headset.

Bottom Line

The Logitech G735 is…fine, as far as gaming headsets go. It’s lightweight, but there are lighter headsets. It’s comfortable, but not so comfortable you won’t notice you’re wearing it (unless it falls off your head and then you’re actually not wearing it). It’s white and aesthetically pleasing, but companies have been making headsets and headphones with more than just “performance-driven gamers” in mind for…longer than they’ve been making them for that demographic — this is not the first white headset we’ve seen. (Also, it’s a little too white — good thing these earcups are replaceable.)

The G735 is OK, and it does some things very well — it offers great passive noise cancelation, my hair did not get caught in the headband even once, and it has excellent battery life if you turn the lighting off (and it’s decent with the lighting on, considering). But this headset just doesn’t feel all that special, especially when there are an abundance of headsets in white — Sony’s new Inzone headsets, for example.