Acer Predator Gaming Headset – Hardware Review
Acer has decided to open their own charm offensive, not only by releasing a spiffy looking line of computers and tablets for gamers, but also by lining up with other brands creating perfect peripherals to match their new set-ups. This brings us to the first piece of their gaming lineup, namely the Predator Gaming Headset, which might bear the Acer brand name but is actually developed by SteelSeries. SteelSeries is rather renowned for its gaming peripherals and thus Acer decided to leave it to the pros, instead of having to develop their own technology from scratch. Whether this pays off, we’ll have to wait and see, but for now let’s dive into the specifics of their third-party created headset.
Design
Acer’s Predator looks like a rather standardized headset, if it weren’t for the barebones look the top of the device has, as the outer headband consists only out of two flexible plastic pipers, while the inner headband is only a piece of leather with cloth, that actually keeps everything in place. The ear cups look fairly good, especially with the red accents, which match their line of gaming devices. Truth be told, perhaps the retractable microphone, which almost completely disappears in the left ear cup, is one of its best looking features. The microphone itself is rather slim, but you’ll be able to make your headset look quite spiffy in a matter of moments if you’d rather just listen to music.
The headset is further accentuated with the Acer brand name on the left ear piece, and the SteelSeries logo on the right one, but in reality it’s the Predator name that steals the show on the inner headband. Overall everything looks good, albeit with some very typical design choices, such as the gridded exterior of the ear cups.
Comfort
The Predator proves to be quite comfortable given its rather simple exterior. The ear pads enclose your entire ear, and thanks to the rather soft leather-ish padding, you’ll have two soft pillows warding your ears. While the cups may have this leather-like substance, they hardly cancel out any area noise, thus you can hear pretty much everything that is going on around you. Like always this is a matter of personal taste.
Even though the ear cups have ample padding to provide you with enough comfort for longer periods of time, the inner headband actually doesn’t really have any thick padding, but it encloses your head rather softly, thanks to the ‘rubber bands’ that are attached to the plastic hinges on the outside of the ear pieces. While we’re not completely sure if this attachment system will actually survive for that long, it’s still a rather comfortable solution compared to the stereotypical headset on the market. In a way it’s rather reminiscent of Plantronics’ RIG 500HS, albeit with a slightly more flimsy way of attaching the inner headband.
Acer’s headset is rather light in weight and it doesn’t grip your head too tightly, making sure it won’t provide too much stress and strain when wearing it during your longer gaming sessions. Nonetheless, just like the lack of cancelling the environment noise, the tightness and weight is again a matter of personal preference.
There are a few smaller issues with the device however, especially with the inner headband and retractable microphone that might cause a bit of discomfort. If you put on the headset, you’ll often find yourself adjusting the inner headband properly, before it’s actually in the right place, a minor issue, but sometimes it actually feels as if the rubber bands are about to snap when moving it around. The retractable microphone might look good, but if you wish to pull it out with only one hand, you’ll simply pull off your headset, rather than get the microphone out. While the latter means there is enough force to keep the microphone in place, it doesn’t really feel as smooth as one would expect.
Specs
- Universal 3.5mm mic and audio jacks
- Combo audio adaptor
- 50mm driver units
- Retractable and flexible microphone
- Volume control dial and voice mute switch
Overview
The Predator presents you with two connection options, namely the standard cable has two standard jacks (audio and microphone) which make the device a matter of plug and play, without having to use up one of your precious USB ports. Nonetheless, the developers added a small connection piece to turn the two jacks into one, making it even easier to connect, if you have the proper port.
Acer’s device comes with an extremely simple control box that is actually a tad too small to find easily when you need it. While it has the two most desired functions one could ask for, namely volume controls and a mute switch for the microphone, it feels as if the developers could have done a bit more with it. As the headset is capable of presenting the user with a proper bass, it would have been nice to have a few direct options to regulate the bass or something along those lines. That being said, the sound quality of the Predator proves to be crystal clear and rather crisp with a very pleasant sounding bass.
Conclusion
Acer’s Predator Gaming Headset proves to be a worthy addition to your gaming set-up, be it in combinations with Acer’s new line of gaming devices or with your own gaming rig. The headset is comfortable, light and durable, albeit a bit simple when it comes to its overall options. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a new peripheral, this one might please you.
Acer Predator Gaming Headset - Hardware Review,
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