Gioteck HC2 Gaming Headset – Decal Edition Review

Recently I reviewed the EPOS SENNHEISER GSP 601 headset which is a high end, power horse of a gaming headset, so you may be expecting something similar. Amazingly, the Gioteck HC2 Gaming Headset costs only 10% of the EPOS, but it certainly doesn’t perform 90% worse. If you’re on a budget, like with the other Gioteck products that are available, then this might be the perfect headset for you. The HC2 is compatible with PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch and PC and even mobile, so you can use it on pretty much anything.

Thanks to Gioteck for providing not only this headset to review, but also one to giveaway! Keep a close eye on our Twitter for details on how to win your own very soon. Provided you are reading this shortly after publishing and not you know… years later!

Specifications

First of all, let’s see what the HC2 has to offer for us. There is no software as this headset is simply plug and play. If you’re not someone who is technically minded, or simply don’t really care about the small print you can skip this section!

• Colour: Black, with 3 Decals
• Cable length: 1 metre
• Driver size: 40mm
• Microphone type: Removable Boom Microphone
• Noise-cancelling microphone: No
• Ear cup type: Over-ear
• Ear cup material: Leatherette
• Foldable: No
• Adjustable headband: Yes
• Interface: 3.5mm Audio Jack
• Wireless: No
• Volume control: Wheel control
• Mute: Yes
• Manufacturer’s Guarantee: 1 year
• Includes 1 Meter PC Splitter Cable for desktop PC use

Design

The HC2 is an all plastic build, but it doesn’t feel cheap, maybe a tad brittle. It’s matt black except for a glossy black plastic that extends from one ear to the other over the headband. You could simply leave these as black, like in the pictures, or these can be replaced with the included decals in this edition. There are two Camo decals, one dark and one light, and a Cubes decal, which is reminiscent of Minecraft. The headband is deep cushioned for comfort so you don’t have plastic rubbing against your head, and the earcups soft padding are gentle to your ears.

The headband also extends to fit your head like most headsets. There is also a removeable boom microphone, which is a great feature if you mainly play Solo and don’t require the mic to just use the headphones. The mic itself is rigid and plugs in with a 3.5mm jack, which only has minimal movement when plugged in. There is a mic mute button along with a volume wheel on Overall the HC2 has a pretty standard but nice style, you just need to be careful as it’s not the sturdiest headset available.

Functionality

At such a low pricepoint, I wasn’t exactly hopeful the HC2 would have great quality sound, and in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t. What it does have, is no less than impressive. Although the vocals might not be super crisp, the audio is surprisingly loud with good quality from the 40mm speaker drivers, and incredible stereo sound separating not only distance but also individual noises. Listening to a song, you can hear every instrument exactly where they should be. You will be immersed in a horror movie as you can hear a bang from the corner of the room, or keep your wits about you as you fight off hordes of enemies in your game.

The HC2 also has great punchy bass, adding to any explosion, plane crash, heavy machine gun or whatever powerful moments games have to offer. This is great for gaming, and as it’s compatible with pretty much every console, you don’t have to worry about being tied down. If you’re an online gamer, you’ll also be happy to know that the microphone is good quality, delivering clear audio to your friends or enemies. The microphone is not noise cancelling however, which is understandable, but if you live in a loud environment than everyone else will hear that too. I’ve included an audio sample of the mic, the first clip is the raw sound whereas the second clip I have applied noise cancelling so you can hear the difference.

Verdict

Honestly I can’t complain about this headset, I think it’s absolutely brilliant value for money and can challenge competitors sold at higher prices. If there’s anything to grumble about, it’s the build quality, as I could see it breaking rather easily. Bought for a child, I’m sure they could break it by either bad handling or in a rage from losing a game. Used responsibly however, the HC2 is the perfect entry level headset that could suit you perfectly until you really want to invest in a high quality set. Also as it’s Black Friday week, you can grab these even cheaper, as low as £12.99 from Smyths!

Thanks to Gioteck for providing this product for review.