The Logitech G535 Lightspeed has lightweight comfort, great performance and wireless connection at a reasonable price
- Manufacturer: Logitech G
- Model: G535 Lightspeed
- Price: £109
- Supported Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
- Reviewed on: PC
- Supplied by: Logitech
Logitech G535 Lightspeed Review
The G535 Lightspeed is a lightweight wireless headset born as the more affordable brother to the G733 we reviewed a couple of years back. Whereas the G733 was packed with everything you could ask for and more, the G535 trims its features a little to become more cost-effective, but it also learns from some of the G733’s missteps.
Design and Build
The G535 is framed almost exactly the same as the G733, with a slim, flexible, plastic coated frame with a suspension headband rather than integrated padding, embracing the ski-goggle-like material trend that started with Steel Series. The frame is nothing special, but it’s clean, lightweight and can withstand me twisting it and sitting on it with next to no issues (yes I actually sat on my headset).
My one qualm with the frame’s general design is with the way it attaches to the cups. I have always loved a good amount of swivel in my headsets, as it allows for a better seal, reduces pressure on soft tissue and generally improves the fit. The G535 has almost none, it is angled slightly and has a small amount of give, but it’s hardly enough for my personal taste, I can still feel that slight imbalance of pressure towards the back. This will always be subjective to each person but I can imagine that this will only become more apparent the wider your head.
Working side by side with the frame is the suspension headband. I always used to dislike this style of headband; I hated messing with the ridiculous velcro attachment of my old Steel Series, but Logitech has completely changed my opinion. Since the G733 I have welcomed the ski-goggle-style band with open arms, and the G535 is no different. The band replaces a head cushion and rather than velcro there are two multi-slot attachment points to choose from on each side. These headbands provide a great deal of comfort, distributing the weight and force across a wider area and conforming to the shape of your head, unrestricted by the frame.
As an added bonus, the Logitech ones are usually reversible with reversed colourways and patterns to give you a little customization. These bands work so well that I hope Logitech can convince Astro to implement them in their range, too.
One last major pro I really have to give these bands is how well they have done for me with VR. I have found that wearing these style headsets with my Oculus Quest 2 makes for a far more comfortable feel in long sessions. The lightweight nature of the headset definitely doesn’t hurt this either.
Moving on to the cups, this is where 99% of the difference between the G733 and G535 lies. Design-wise they are almost identical having the same shape, but the G535 does not feature RGB strips on the front. This is an easy way for Logitech to reduce the price of the G535, and although I quite like the RGB on the front of the G733 I can fully appreciate why it’s absent from the G535. The flip-to-mute microphone on the G535 is fixed, meaning there is no physical mute button. As a result, the controls on the G535’s cups are limited to a charging port (USB Type C), an ON/OFF button and a volume dial.
Audio Quality
The most significant difference, however, is one you can’t see. While the G733 has the 40mm G PRO drivers (that absolutely slap), the G535 has the non-G PRO variety. Although you may think it wouldn’t make much difference, it really does, as when compared side by side the G535 feels muffled, quiet and muted in comparison to its flashy RGB brother. By no means does this mean the G535 does not perform well, it absolutely does, but in a side-by-side comparison, the advantage falls clearly in the corner of headsets that sport the G PRO drivers.
The audio overall is fairly good. I’d say it has a decent sound quality but it doesn’t feel as alive and vibrant as the G733. The standard 40mm drivers feel almost flatlined and restricted, almost as if a piece of foam had been placed in front of a set of G PRO drivers. This becomes most obvious when you get into loud situations with a lot going on, as you find the audio getting muddier and lacking the punch and clarity you are looking for.
The soundstage also suffers, it’s just not up to snuff in comparison. If I didn’t have multiple Logitech headsets with G PRO drivers to compare with I would likely feel better about the G535 as the sound quality is still great in the grand scheme of gaming headsets. When there’s only around a £20 price difference between the G535 and the G733, I would urge you to pay the extra.
The microphone on the other hand is quite the opposite story. It is a fantastic microphone and Logitech appears to have solved the crackling issue I had with the G733. The microphone is Discord certified which the G733 is not despite its slightly higher price point and full use of Blue voice. I can confidently say that the mic is one of the best parts of the G535 as it is crystal clear from my experience. One slight downside, depending on your preference, is that sidetone is not on by default and it seems to only function when the G HUB app is open.
The earcups themselves are dual-layered with memory foam and finished in a sport-like fabric, providing amazing comfort and great noise isolation. Whilst it doesn’t quite match leatherette in terms of noise isolation they are more than adequate and the memory foam makes for an almost pressure-free fit. I’d also say it’s a plus that they are extremely breathable, reduce sweat and work well with glasses, which I find most harder leatherette cups do not.
Connectivity and Battery
Connectivity-wise, the G535 pairs automatically with the included USB dongle. Simply connect the dongle to the USB port on your PC or PS4/5, power up the G535, and the headset will automatically connect. The G535 uses Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless technology and I have had no latency issues, as well as being able to actually walk around my flat without much trouble or dropouts.
Charging is carried out via USB-C (cable included), with fairly fast charging and an expected game time of 33 hours, which is excellent. I can’t dispute this, as although I haven’t actually timed my usage, I have never had them die, despite only having charged them once since having them.
As far as improvements and negatives, I would have preferred a swivel mechanism for the earcups to aid fitment, and I’d definitely have liked a bump up to the G PRO drivers. I would also mention again that sidetone doesn’t work without the app open, but I’m sure that can easily be fixed or implemented with a firmware or G HUB software update.
Summary
The Logitech G535 Lightspeed is a fantastic lightweight headset with plenty to offer, but it is overshadowed by the G733 which is only £20 more expensive and improves on the G535 in nearly all areas bar the microphone. Regardless of which other Logitech headsets outshine it, however, it is still a great option, especially for those that do not care for RGB and are more concerned with communication over audio quality.
