Acer Predator Galea 311 – Hardware Review
It’s been quite a while since we last featured some gaming peripherals from Acer’s Predator lineup. We only saw a glimpse of the new products several years ago, and back then most items came at a premium price. Now, however, it seems the Predator subbrand has become a bit more budget-friendly, and we were lucky enough to try out several items from the current products. We’ll be starting off with the Galea 311, a fairly traditional gaming headset that looks quite classy. While the headset didn’t have that many special functions, we did quite enjoy our gaming sessions with the Galea 311.
Design
The Galea 311’s design is very classy. You’ll get treated to a black matte headset, with only the Predator logo on each side, and the Predator brand name on the top of the headband. The overall bulky design is supported by a steel frame that becomes visible when you adjust the headband. As a whole, the headset doesn’t have that many intricate design features. We did love the somewhat retro (yet futuristic) microphone design. There is also a very modestly designed control box incorporated in the cable.
Comfort
Even though the headset has ample padding in its headband, as well as its ear cups, the Galea 311’s grip is quite tight. If you prefer a somewhat looser headset, you’ll have to wear this one for quite some time before things ‘loosen up’. Nonetheless, those who prefer to properly feel the headset they have on and don’t mind a tighter grip will certainly enjoy the experience with this one. We loved the fact that the headset doesn’t shift its position when we move around a bit. In many cases such as this, it’s a matter of personal preference. We enjoyed the experience, but simply had to adjust a bit to the tight grip. This is also probably due to the metal frame supporting the headband.
The adjustable microphone can just be rotated at a certain angle, but in most cases, you’ll just pull it all the way down. When doing the latter, you’ll make sure the microphone isn’t in your peripheral vision and it just feels natural this way. The microphone satisfyingly clicks into place for each of its available positions, and it’s easier than just guestimating what setting you usually prefer. Not having defined positions is still common for many microphones that can be adjusted by a rotating ‘arm’.
Specs
- Weight: 331g
- Connection: 3.5mm jack
Overview
Acer’s Predator Galea 311 is a plug-and-play device. You’ll simply have to plug in the 3.5 mm jack, and you’re good to go. This device does not require any additional software, and it has the base functions you need. The device has a small control box incorporated in the braided cable that allows you to adjust the volume settings and also (un)mute your microphone. Other than that, this device has no extra features concerning audio profiles or bass settings. That being said, in most cases we do prefer a simple setup and not too many bells and whistles.
The sound quality is superb. While the bass isn’t always as deep as we want it to be when playing certain games or when listening to music, it does suffice for a lot of competitive games. The sound is crisp and crystal clear, and our fellow gamers on the receiving end also received crisp audio feedback when we spoke. The microphone works properly, and this is actually in most cases all you need to enjoy a good gaming session.
Conclusion
Acer’s Predator Galea 311 is a great and affordable gaming companion that covers all the most important aspects. While the tight grip took some time getting used to, we did enjoy our gaming sessions with this headset as it provides clear audio feedback, has enough comfort for longer gaming sessions, and has an easily-accessible control box to mute your mic and adjust volume settings. For the price Acer is charging for this one, you can do far worse.
Acer Predator Galea 311 - Hardware Review,
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