Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum Review – Live Wire(less)

The Logitech G933 delivers phenomenal sound, a robust set of extra features and a number of ways to connect to your favorite devices.

Editor's Choice

Tom's Guide Verdict

The Logitech G933 delivers phenomenal sound, a robust set of extra features and a number of ways to connect to your favorite devices.

Pros

  • +

    Flawless wireless performance

  • +

    Great sound

  • +

    Very comfortable

  • +

    Works on PCs, mobiles and consoles

Cons

  • -

    Too bulky for easy transport

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Gamers are inherently a bit leery about wireless tech, but given how far it's come in the last few years, it's time to give it another look. Take, for example, the Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum headset ($200). This peripheral delivers phenomenal sound for both gaming and music, a robust set of extra features and a number of ways to connect to your favorite devices. It's a bit more expensive than the $150 G633 Artemis Spectrum, its wired counterpart. However, if you want one fewer wire in your life, it's definitely worth the premium.

Design

For most of this review, you could (and should) consult the Tom's Guide review of the Logitech G633 Artemis Spectrum — with a few minor exceptions, the G933 is exactly the same product. Like its wired counterpart, the G933 possesses large, plush ear cups that swivel, as well as a padded headband. It's a large device that takes a little doing to sit properly on the noggin, but once it's there, it's there until you take it off.

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The main difference between the G933 and the G633 is that it comes with a wireless USB adapter, and the way it's stored is one of the cleverest things I've ever seen in a headset. Each ear cup houses a removable panel: one for the battery, and one where the USB adapter clips in during transport. It's inconspicuous, and ensures that you won't lose the adapter when it's not in use.

For those who want to use the G933 with mobile devices, consoles or televisions, the headset also comes with three additional wires. There's a USB cable to charge it (which means gamers can also use it in a wired configuration, just like the G633), a 3.5 mm audio cable for mobile devices and game consoles, and a 3.5 mm audio jack connected to an audio in and an audio out for TVs, speakers and other high-end audio setups. The G633 doesn't come with the latter wire, so hardcore audiophiles should take note.

Comfort

Like the G633, the G933 has over-the-ear cups with soft fabric and a lot of give. The device is equally as comfortable as its wired counterpart, but has the added benefit of not needing a wire. Aside from that, it doesn't seem noticeably heavier than the G633, so you can still wear it for hours at a time without issue.

Putting the headset on can be a bit of a struggle due to the extremely pliable ear cups, and it still takes up a lot of room during travel (especially if you're going to take all the wires with you). Overall, though, the G933 feels pleasant, and that's one of the most important features a headset can offer.

Gaming Performance

I tried the G933 with Quake Live, StarCraft II: Whispers of Oblivion and Star Trek Online in order to test its FPS, MOBA (strategy) and Cinematic Gaming settings, respectively. Each time, I found that the headset highlighted something special about the genre.

In Quake Live, I could hear the gunshots and footsteps of my enemies above the minimal voice work and music. Star Trek Online, by contrast, put the voice acting and score front and center. The MOBA mode for Whispers of Oblivion was more of an in-between, but helped me keep control of my Protoss armies while still being able to hear the mission briefings.

I also tested out the regular audio cable with Assassin's Creed Chronicles China on the PS4 just to make sure that it worked as advertised with game consoles. While you don't have any equalization options for console play, PS4 games sound great on the G933, and you can use either an inline mic or the regular headset mic for chat.

I tested the headset mic during an office conference call, and co-workers told me that my voice sounded clear and audible, with no discernible fuzziness or imbalances. At times, I did sound a little distant or "hollow," they informed me, but no worse than through a regular telephone connection.

In Quake Live, I could hear the gunshots and footsteps of my enemies above the minimal voice work and music.

Features

The biggest feature of the G933 is its ability to connect wirelessly to a computer. This functionality delivers sound that's just as good as its wired mode, and boasts a considerable range, to boot. I wandered about 30 feet away from my desk, past a wall and through a great deal of wireless traffic before the signal even weakened, and a few more feet before it gave out. If you have a living room PC setup, the G933 is more than up to the task of providing sound for it.

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Other than that, its software functions just the same as the G633's, except that it will now display the device's battery life in the upper-left-hand corner. Logitech promises 12 hours of battery life on a single charge, and this seems more or less in line with my own experiences. As with the G633, you can play with equalizers, modify full RGB lighting on the earcups and assign different sound profiles to each game you play.

Music Performance

Music sounds great on the G933, whether you're listening wirelessly, via USB or through an audio cable. I listened to Bach's Violin Concerto in E Major as well as selections of music from Old Blind Dogs and the Rolling Stones, and each tune sounded crisp and balanced.

Bottom Line

The Logitech G933 takes an exceptional headset in the G633 and makes it wireless; it's exactly the same in every other respect. An additional $50 is a reasonable amount to ask for flawless wireless capabilities on a headset that is already extremely comfortable and provides phenomenal sound. Overall, the G933 is one of the very best wireless models on the market today.

Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi. 

  • xjumpmanx
    I love this headset. I had teh G930 but they had connection issues that ruined the headset for me. These new 933 are perfect have yet to have them cut out on me once. I prefer this headset to the more expensive Astro A50 at this point.
    Reply
  • Fifagi
    It's better G933 or Astro A50 2nd edition or SteelSeries H wireless...and why ?

    (i need to use it only whit pc, not console)

    thanks
    Reply
  • xjumpmanx
    17128883 said:
    It's better G933 or Astro A50 2nd edition or SteelSeries H wireless...and why ?

    (i need to use it only whit pc, not console)

    thanks

    I have owned the G933 and the A50. I would recommend the G933 over the A50 for gaming on PC. I hear sound effects I never heard with the A50 when I was using my G933. I also had to return one pair of A50 gen 2 due to charging issues and the Geek Squad guy who dealt with my warranty mentioned they have had quite a few returns due to charging issues with the A50 Gen 2.


    Reply
  • lacm81
    Does this work with consoles wirelessly via the usb dongle?
    Reply
  • Prinsenhoff
    Just like to add. The G933 works with the wireless USB dongle pugged into the PS4. The PS4 picks it up straight away with no user interaction. The PS4 menu lists the G933 connected and you can change the microphone volume level via the PS4 menu. The sound is also controlled by the rolling wheel on the headset. The microphone boom mutes when raised and un-mutes when lowered. When muted, theres a little red light on the end of the boom that is On when its muted. At the moment, it seems the wireless interferes with the PS4 internal wireless and causes disconnects on always online games (destiny). Im still testing this but i may need to use a USB extension cable and have the wireless dongle further from the PS4. Im still debugging this though and it could have been my ISP.
    Reply