Dolby Atmos Wireless? Yes, with Logitech G435 headphones

Index

Characteristics and technical specifications of the Logitech G435

Logitech has introduced a revamp to its mid-range with its new G435 headphones. And he has done it in full color. The most striking thing about these new helmets are their three new color combinations, being able to find them in shades black and fluorescent yellow, blue and raspberry (the model that we are going to analyze) and in raw white and lilac, thus differentiating itself from the typical black-only headphones that we are so used to.

The Logitech G435s have two types of wireless connections. The first one is LIGHTSPEED, the proprietary protocol of this manufacturer that gives us a robust connection with maximum performance and with the lowest possible latency. And we can use this both on PC (Windows and macOS) and on PS4 and PS5. And it also has a connection Bluetooth low latency to be able to connect them to any other compatible device, be it a PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or a smartphone. In either of the two connection modes, these headphones offer us an autonomy of up to 18 hours.

Another of the strengths of these headphones is their weight. If we have used wireless headphones on other occasions we have surely realized that, after a while, due to their weight, they end up bothering the head. The Logitech G435s they weigh only 165 grams, so they are one of the lightest and most comfortable that we can find. Its dimensions, on the other hand, are standard, neither the largest on the market nor the smallest. These are sized at 163mm long, 170mm wide, and 71mm thick.

These G435s have some 40mm drivers, which offer us response frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with a passive impedance of 45 ohms and a sensitivity of 83.1 dB SPL / mW. The maximum volume that we can achieve with them is about 100 dB, having the option of applying an optional limiter to 85 dB. They also have two microphones, in beam formation, which have a frequency response from 100 Hz to 8 kHz.

The charging connection is USB type C, but the cable is only for charging, as these models do not work over USB. And they don’t have a minijack connection either.

Other details to highlight is that the plastic parts contain a minimum of 22% recycled material, the paper packaging comes from FSC-certified forests, and with every purchase, Logitech funds high-quality certified carbon offsets. With all this, it seeks to reduce to zero the carbon footprint generated in the manufacture of these units.

Finally, we must indicate that the Logitech G435 are compatible with the technologies Dolby Atmos, Tempest 3D AudioTech and Windows Sonic Spatial Sound. However, they do not include the Dolby Access license in Windows as other models do, so if we do not want to pay, we can only activate the Windows Sonic sound.

External analysis

These headphones come in a cardboard box of the same type as the other peripherals of this manufacturer. In this box gray and blue colors predominate, and on the front we can see a photo of these. In our case, the color blue and raspberry.

On the back we can find some additional details of the headphones. For example, we can see where the micro is located (something that, surely, goes unnoticed by many), the estimated battery life and the connectivity it offers us.

We open the box, and the first thing we will find is another smaller box, inside which we can find a USB-A to type-C cable, the LIGHTSPEED wireless receiver and all the documentation.

The USB receiver is blue in color, and it is quite small in size, so it will not disturb either a desktop PC or a laptop.

The cable, as we can see, is rubber (it is not braided) nor does it have gold-plated connectors. And, also, we will have a Logitech sticker and the warranty and start-up manuals.

Along with the box that we have just seen, we will also find the headphones as such. These, instead of being wrapped in plastic, come inside a paper cover, which helps reduce contamination. A detail from Logitech.

As we have already said, these headphones are blue and raspberry in color. Or what is the same, blue, pink and purple. They have a very simple and symmetrical design, and they are also surprisingly light. The latter has surprised us a lot (for the better).

In the left earphone is where we will find all the controls. We can see a status LED that will allow us to know if they are connected or not, the power button, two controls to raise and lower the volume and a button to mute the microphone. We will also have the USB type C connector at the bottom.

The mic pad is made of fabric, very comfortable. What has not convinced us is that on the inside they do not have a single fabric to separate the drivers from the ear (and protect them, incidentally, against sweat or dust).

Each of the headphones is connected to the headband through a cable that rises in the form of a corkscrew, and we can adjust the size of the headband to adapt it to our head.

We should also highlight the microphone, which is located on the left earpiece. Instead of leaving the helmet, as other models do, or being foldable, it is directly internal, which helps us to make the use of the helmets more comfortable (but it can translate into a lower quality when there is noise).

Although it seems that the headband of the helmets opens little, in reality it is more than enough even for large heads. The foams of the headphones adapt perfectly to the contour of the head, and, thanks to their lightness, we can use them for many hours at a time without getting tired.

On the side, the headphones look very simple and understated. They fit the ear and little else, offering us the best possible experience.

They even look very good, and very concealed, even seen from above.

Start-up and testing of the Logitech G435

The truth is, Logitech has made setting up and commissioning these headphones as simple as possible to the point that we literally don’t have to do anything. If we connect them through the USB pin, they will automatically connect to the PC or the console and will start working from minute zero. If we connect them by Bluetooth, the same.

For switch between Bluetooth connection and LIGHTSPEEDWe simply have to turn them on and hold down the mute button for a few seconds. We will see how the LED blinks dark blue (Bluetooth) or magenta (LIGHTSPEED) depending on the active connection.

In this case, it doesn’t matter if we have the Logitech G Hub installed or not. Not only will the program not recognize the headphones, but when we connect them, we will see a message on the G Hub that will indicate that these specific models can be used without the program.

Default, these headphones come limited in volume to 85 decibels. It is recommended not to deactivate this limitation as a precaution, since while at 90 dB we can hear sound for up to 8 hours a day without appreciating short-term damage, at 100 dB it only takes 2 hours to produce irreversible damage. Despite this, we can deactivate this limitation by pressing and holding the mute and volume up keys for 3 seconds to get the 100 decibels that your controllers offer us.

Conclusion: are they worth it?

After having several high-end models, this time he wanted to bet on the mid-range. And, also, do it in a very striking way. For this, it has brought us one of the lightest wireless headphones that we can find on the market, with the possibility of connecting them both through its own wireless protocol and via Bluetooth. In this way, the possibilities are unlimited (PC, consoles, mobiles, tablets…).

It has a more than acceptable sound quality. In addition, it integrates the necessary codecs to reproduce surround sound, either through Windows Sonic, or other protocols such as the aforementioned Dolby Atmos or Tempest 3D AudioTech. Thanks to this, we will be able to feel each sound.

Something that we did not like is that, although it may be due to our specific sample, we have found defects. Specifically in the pads. As can be seen in the following image, the pad is raised, or not properly seated, on the back of the left earphone. It is not something critical that affects the operation of the headphones, but it is something “ugly”, and shows a lack of quality control, taking into account that this is a product of 80 euros.

Despite this small detail, we are facing more than acceptable headphones, both in sound quality and in connection possibilities. But what we liked the most is its weight, being comfortable even in long gaming sessions. And the volume limitation is appreciated to protect our ears in the long run (and it is not that they are heard low precisely).

For all this, we have decided to grant these Logitech G435 our award of gold.