Buying gaming headphones is a little scary, especially since there are so many different varieties that are available that seem to offer all of the audio bells and whistles that your average gamer might not necessarily appreciate. Buying budget gaming headphones is even scarier, especially since you don’t want rubbish audio quality when playing through the latest AAA blockbuster or when you want to sound crystal clear when planning tactics with your friends if playing online. Sometimes you don’t want to make sacrifices to the quality of sound you’re getting, but you don’t want to pay over the odds either.
Fortunately, the Gioteck TX-50 is a budget headset that offers good quality sound, is comfortable to wear, and is ultimately affordable with the £30 price tag. I’ve been using mine for a good while now and I’ve been impressed by its performance across all facets of its design.
Firstly, it’s worth pointing out that there’s wide compatibility for the Gioteck TX-50, with the standard 3.5mm headphone jack compatible with most devices (unless you’ve got an iPhone). It’ll plug directly into your Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 controller or laptop, whilst it can also be used on an Xbox One controller provided you have the Headset Adapter. It comes with a volume slider that allows you to quickly change volume with ease, meaning you don’t have to fuss around with any in-game audio or the buttons of the Xbox One’s Headset Adapter either – that may seem like a standard feature, but it’s something that isn’t available on the official PlayStation Gold Headphones (my previous headphones) when not using it wirelessly.
Speaking about wires, the Gioteck TX-50’s wire is a decent length so you won’t have trouble using any of your devices from a distance. It’s not so long that it would get in the way either… it’s just right. Ok, I’ll admit that I may have got it knotted up a little here and there, but that’s more of a problem I have with being messy as opposed to an issue with the headphones.
Now I’m no connoisseur of gaming headphones so I’ll admit that this is no form of expert opinion, but I have zero complaints with the audio quality of the Gioteck TX-50. Everything sounded clear throughout each game I’ve played, whilst the volume levels and balance of audio always felt on point with the sound of bullets flying past me or explosions destroying the environment feeling particularly impactful and booming. This was especially apparent when playing online with friends, where I was always able to hear them clearly whilst still being able to appreciate any in-game audio – sure, a separate volume control for in-game and voice chat audio would’ve been nice, but it wasn’t necessary here. It’s just really good stuff, and whilst I have no doubt that it’s not as high quality as the headphones that are closer to the £100 mark, it still left me impressed.
The quality of the microphone is something that a lot of gamers can’t really tell the difference with, especially since you’re not necessarily going to be listening to yourself through the headset. Fortunately, I had no complaints from any of my friends that I played with, with the microphone quality proving clear and at a decent volume throughout. The microphone itself is flexible in design so you can shape it into a position that best suits you when playing too, whilst it can also be rotated to face upwards out of the way so it doesn’t feel intrusive when you don’t need to use it.
It’s worth noting that you can easily mute your microphone with a quick flick of a switch on the headphone wire, so you don’t have to fuss about manually unplugging the headset if you don’t want your friends to hear you shouting at your cat that has just jumped in front of the TV – that’s always a plus in my eyes. Again, it’s the sort of feature you’d expect on most gaming headphones anyway, but it’s one that I’ve seen missing in the past.
Comfort-wise, it’s hard to complain about the Gioteck TX-50. There’s a soft cushioning on the earpieces that make them sit comfortably without anything digging into your ears at all, whilst the headphones themselves can be extended to fit any head size too (my head is massive and they fit comfortably). The only real complaint I had with the design was that the plastic frame could feel a little bit cheap, with mine actually cracking a little on the rim after extended use. In fairness, this hasn’t affected the performance of the headphones in the slightest and it’s only on the rim so it’s not as if it’s real damage, but it does show that the Gioteck TX-50 isn’t quite perfect. Still, I’ve used them for well over a hundred hours now and they’ve never felt uncomfortable at any time, so it’s hard to complain too much.
Summary
Despite being a budget headset, the Gioteck TX-50 offers high quality in all facets of its design alongside a very affordable price. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t doubt that the audio quality won’t be as amazing or offer as many features as your higher end gaming headphones, but I was never left dissatisfied with what was on offer and found everything crisp and clear throughout – whether that was when playing an action-packed AAA single player game or mocking my friends whilst beating them in FIFA.
Simply put, if you’re after a good quality gaming headset at a very affordable price, you can’t go wrong with the Gioteck TX-50.
Find out more about the Gioteck TX-50 on the official website through this link.
