SureFire Harrier 360

Bang for your buck or just thumping bass?

- SAM LEWIS

YOU SHOULDN’T always judge a product by its price tag. After all, there are plenty of good budget headsets around the $50 mark. The SteelSeries Nova 3 and Corsair’s HS55 Stereo Wired are just two examples of well-rounded affordable gaming headsets at this price. But when a headset arrives promising high-performance 7.1 virtual surround sound, comfortable earpads, high-quality sound, and a highly-sensitive detachable microphone, we tend to be skeptical. So what’s the story here?

Our first answer to this question comes when we pick up the headset. It’s fairly light, which should help when wearing for long periods, but the choice of materials is poor and there's a sharp finish on the edges that, even for $50, is below what we’d expect. This is especially noticeable when you adjust the headset size on the forks. The quality is better on the headband and the earcups, as these contain a plush faux leather material. As soft as they are, the headset suffers from the fact that the clamping pressure is too tight. Even expanded to the max, the top of the earcups press too hard on your head, to the point where prolonged use can cause some discomfort.