Introduction
Could Logitech’s latest gaming headset have arrived at a better time? With world events sending the price of fuel stratospheric and almost everyone having to tighten their belt a bit as a result, the G325 Lightspeed’s sensible price and crossover styling give it real budget appeal.
Ditching the boom mic in favour of integrated microphones mean it’s just as happy worn away from your gaming setup, while built-in Bluetooth and an included wireless dongle bring compatibility with virtually every console, handheld or other gadgets you own.
At $79/£70, it undercuts more traditional “leave at home” headsets and Logitech has had some fun with the colour options. Does that make it an affordable everyman?
Design & build: welterweight
Logitech has dodged the typical gamer aesthetic for the G325, but hasn’t gone full lifestyle either. RGB is entirely absent. With smooth ear cups and subtle branding it could easily be mistaken for a pair of musically-minded headphones. The fabric ear cushions and headband also make a nice change from the sweat-inducing faux leather found on most gaming headsets.
There was enough memory foam padding in each that I found it very comfortable to wear, helped by the sensible amount of clamping force and very light weight. The all-plastic build definitely contributes, though it does give the game away that this is a budget headset. There’s no soft-touch material here, and the ear cups sound a tad hollow.
Adjustment is a bit basic, with enough extension in the headband to suit most head sizes but only a small amount of swivel and pivot from the ear cups. That didn’t stop be getting a decent seal around my ears, but as they don’t rotate to sit flush around your neck, they wouldn’t be my first pick if regular travel was a priority.
You can pick up the G325 in black, white or lilac, each with a contrasting accent colour that add a splash of character. My black review sample had purple cable connectors between the headband and ear cups, plus purple volume buttons on the right ear cup; it’s different enough to stand out but nowhere near as shouty as some rival headsets. I’m a fan.
The right ear cup houses every one of the G325’s physical controls, which use the same layout as Logitech’s other recent headsets. You get power, Bluetooth pairing, volume and a microphone mute key, plus a USB-C port for charging or a wired connection. What you won’t find is any kind of playback button, meaning you’ve got to reach for your device instead. Not a problem when used solely as a gaming headset, but not great if you’re paired to your smartphone for music.
Features: keep it simple
The G325 Lightspeed doesn’t have a particularly long feature list, with a few notable omissions you might expect of a headset trying to pull double duty. There’s no wear detection, so your Bluetooth tunes will keep playing when you take it off your head. While it can pair with more than one device, only one connection can be active at once, and there’s no mixing and matching Bluetooth with Lightspeed for, say, listening to music on your phone between multiplayer matches on your computer or console. None of that is unusual at this end of the price spectrum.
Most PC gamers will default to a Lightspeed connection using the USB-A dongle, which proved flawless in my testing with no dropouts or interference anywhere in my home office. I could also go downstairs to grab a drink and stay connected. It worked natively with my PS5 console, and though you’ll need to plug it in to your controller using a Type-C cable, it’ll also work just fine with an Xbox.
Playing over the 2.4GHz wireless connection at around 50% volume, I got very close to Logitech’s 24 hour battery life claim. I only needed to plug in after several days of all-day wear during office hours and a few evening gaming sessions. Bluetooth will sap things a little quicker, and it’s true there are gaming headsets that can manage ten times the endurance – but they cost considerably more.
Does the lack of a boom microphone affect the clarity of voice communication? Yes, but not to a huge degree. The integrated mics have a pickup frequency range that stripped out some of the bass from my voice, leaving me a little hollow and higher-pitched over in-game chat than I am in reality. No-one ever complained about not being able to understand what I was saying, though, which counts as a job well done for the G325.
Logitech has used beamforming tech to zero in on your voice, along with optional AI-powered noise reduction to cut down on background distractions. It works well for music and tones, but can be tripped up by anyone else speaking nearby – or chatter coming from a TV. You can adjust this through Logitech’s G Hub PC software, which also has a bunch of sound EQ presets to pick from plus a 10-band equalizer if you really want to get granular with the customisation.
Sound quality: get what you pay for
With 32mm dynamic drivers that cover a 20-20,000Hz frequency range, the G325 Lightspeed doesn’t hide any real surprises on the audio front. This headset is primarily tuned for gaming, with most focus placed on the spectrum covering dialog, weapon sounds, explosions, footsteps and breaking glass.
Overal clarity is good, with Leon S Kennedy’s gruff one liners cutting through Resident Evil Requiem‘s more hectic action setpieces. The finer details I’d expect from a more expensive headset aren’t present, though, and there’s not very much in the way of sub-bass. The soundstage isn’t the widest, either, even for a closed-back headset. A Razer Kraken V4 Pro has a lot more low-end rumble; a Steelseries Arctis Nova Elite does precision and detail like little else. But both cost several times as much as the G325.
Used for music and movies I really noticed the absence of extreme low-end, leaving film trailers and TV spots just a little hollow. Pythius’ In My Head, usually a squelcher of a track, wasn’t quite as impactful. You can restore some punch with a quick trip to the EQ settings in G Hub, at least.
There’s no active noise cancellation here and the fabric ear cups don’t provide a huge amount of passive isolation, so I’d often hear my mechanical keyboard clacking away underneath my game audio. That’s not really a dealbreaker unless you’re coming from another headset with ANC, though.
Logitech G325 Lightspeed verdict
Logitech has threaded the needle between bargain basement fare and more feature-packed mid-range headsets, making the G325 Lightspeed a budget star. I found it comfortable to wear, found battery life to be very respectable, and liked how it doesn’t pick sides when it comes to console support. Sound quality is very respectable for the money.
The plastic construction and somewhat hollow feel don’t let you forget this headset was built with price very much in mind, and it’s hardly the last word in low-end oomph. Gamers wanting more customisation or software features might also find it a little lacking. But if you’re trying to avoid splurging on new tech, it’s a great kind of compromise.
Logitech G325 Lightspeed technical specifications
Drivers32mm dynamicFrequency response20-20,000HzConnectivity2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, USBANCNoBattery life24 hours (claimed)Weight212g
