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Millions of people have a gaming headset on their desk, and Logitech is one of the more trusted players in the space, with a wide catalog between its G and Astro brands.
A new contender for your money has entered the game with the Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED, a wireless, design-forward, midrange hero device that makes a good showing for itself.
In a rare change of pace, this headset also lowered its retail pricing before it was released, making it an even better value for those who want an attractive and reliable audio companion… As long as Windows PC is their primary platform.
I always have at least a few headsets or headphones lying around, and I’m constantly testing them with gaming, music, video conferencing, and more. Audio quality, performance, and battery life need to match the cost you’re paying to earn my recommendation.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Logitech. Logitech had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Logitech G522 review: Pricing and specifications
The Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED is a mid-range wireless gaming headset, sitting below Logitech’s most premium offerings with a retail price of $159.99 at Logitech.
That’s actually $20 less than the pricing Logitech initially gave me ahead of the headset’s announcement, and I do think $160 feels like an appropriate price for the G522.
You can also get the Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED for $159.99 at Best Buy. Wherever you go, the headset is available in both white and black colorways.
|
Spec |
Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED |
|---|---|
|
Drivers |
Logitech PRO-G biocellulose drivers, 40mm diameter, 20-20,000Hz frequency response, 24-bit/48KHz audio resolution |
|
Microphone |
Omnidirectional, detachable, 70-20,000Hz frequency response, 16-bit/48KHz audio resolution |
|
Hardware features |
LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting, power switch, suspension headband, dual-layer memory foam cushions |
|
Software features |
Logitech G HUB & G Mobile app support, Blue VO!CE microphone integration, advanced headset/microphone equalizer, DTS:X spatial audio support |
|
Connectivity |
LIGHTSPEED 2.4GHz wireless via USB Type-A dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, wired via USB Type-C |
|
Battery |
Up to 90 hours (no lighting), up to 40 hours (default lighting), USB Type-C charging |
|
Weight |
290g (0.64lbs) |
|
Warranty |
2-year limited |
In the box, you’ll find the Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED wireless gaming headset, the LIGHTSPEED 2.4GHz USB Type-A dongle, the detachable microphone, and a USB Type-C to USB Type-A charging cable.
Logitech G522 review: What I like
The Logitech G522 may not benefit from the luxurious materials and designs of more expensive headsets, but Logitech still concocted an eye-catching design that — in my opinion, at least — makes this headset stand out in the price range.
It’s predominantly plastic, sure, available in black and white flavors, but with colorful accents (green for white, purple for black), vibrant RGB lighting in each earcup, and aesthetically consistent lines and details. More importantly, it’s also very lightweight at just 290g, and is overall one of the more comfortable gaming headsets I’ve tested in the category.
The earcups are spacious, the memory foam cushions are soft and wrapped in breathable fabric (they’re also replaceable), and the suspension headband spreads the minimal weight evenly.
Beauty and comfort are here, but the G522 is also practical. All of its controls and ports are neatly lined on the left earcup, including the detachable microphone, USB Type-C port for charging and audio, mic mute switch, volume wheel, Bluetooth pairing button, and power switch (not a power button, interestingly).
As you may have gleaned, the G522 does support Bluetooth connectivity with most devices, as well as wired audio, but you’ll mostly be relying on the LIGHTSPEED wireless. The USB Type-A dongle is compact, and wireless performance is really good… Except for the range, which feels lower than some competing 2.4GHz standards.
Under the hood, the G522 is powering dual 40mm, biocellulose drivers, which Logitech claims it has redesigned with isolated acoustic modules to improve earcup synchronicity, multi-layer audio detail, and bass response. Audio resolution is also competitive, letting you enjoy higher fidelity music than a lot of budget and mid-range headsets.
Logitech claims to have redesigned its drivers with isolated acoustic modules, which should noticeably improve audio quality.
I don’t know about all of that, but the G522 does sound great. Audio is clear and responsive, with crisp low-end and meaty mids. I’ve noticed some distortion at higher frequencies, but it’s hard to complain about this audio performance at $160.
Recording is handled by a slim, detachable, omnidirectional microphone with a competitively wide frequency response and high resolution, as well as a built-in LED indicator for muting.
It’s a really good microphone for the price range, but it’s really Logitech’s software that brings the added value here.
The Logitech G522 can be configured with the Logitech G HUB PC app and Logitech G mobile app, and syncs your settings as you switch between.
The G HUB app is where you’ll find most of your settings, with plenty of in-depth customization for the LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting, full frequency-based equalizers for the drivers and microphone, a sample for building your own soundboard, community-created and custom presets, and more.
The microphone options in G HUB are especially impressive, drawing from Logitech’s expertise with Blue.
The microphone options are especially impressive, pulling on Logitech’s legendary experience with its Blue brand to let you tailor settings like input gain, high-pass filter, gate, noise reduction, compressor, and de-esser/de-popper.
It’s clean software with a good number of options, and the G522 also supports DTS:X spatial audio if you want surround sound (which I don’t recommend for music, but can be great for games and movies).
However you configure or use the Logitech G522, you won’t have to worry about battery life. During my testing, Logitech’s estimations of 40-90 hours (depending on your lighting) may actually be modest; I haven’t had to charge the G522 yet.
Logitech G522 review: What I don’t like
The G522 nails the three core pillars of a good headset: comfort, audio quality, and wireless performance/battery life, but there’s definitely room for improvement.
I’ll start with the design side of things. The G522 looks great and it’s certainly comfy, but the suspension headband only provides two levels of adjustment; you’re out of luck if you can’t get the perfect fit with that.
I’m also a little concerned about how this plastic headset will hold up to years of abuse, particularly where the headband attaches to the earcups. Movement is necessary to adjust to your head, but I don’t have a ton of confidence in how durable this connection is.
I’m a little concerned with how this headset will hold up to years of abuse.
Then there’s the multi-platform support. 2.4GHz and Bluetooth ostensibly cover all the bases, but the Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED sadly lacks Xbox Wireless support (I know why, but I’m still disappointed), 2.4GHz works with PlayStation but is obviously designed with PC in mind, and Bluetooth almost feels like an afterthought despite the mobile app integration.
That’s mostly due to the lack of any media controls beyond volume. You can’t play/pause or skip/rewind tracks from the headset controls, even though other headsets accomplish this with a multi-purpose Bluetooth button.
Logitech G522 review: Also consider
Logitech G522 review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if …
- You want a design-centric wireless PC gaming headset.
- You want a headset microphone with lots of options and features.
- You’re looking for a lightweight, comfortable headset.
❌You should not buy this if …
- You want great multi-platform support, especially for Xbox.
- You tend to throw your headset around a lot.
With both G and Astro brands under its belt, Logitech has a lot of experience building high-quality gaming accessories — especially headsets. I’m not shocked that the G522 LIGHTSPEED is great.
This headset puts its best foot forward with its refined aesthetics, but it also sounds great, lasts for hours, and gives you plenty of options to customize the microphone and sound profile.
I wish the G522 supported Xbox consoles and that it included media controls to rank among the best Xbox headsets, but there are plenty who’ll just be happy to add a new Logitech headset to their desk. Personally, though, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 (Gen 3) is still the sub-$200 champion, so consider if it’s worth spending that extra $40.
You can buy the Logitech G522 LIGHTSPEED in black or white for $159.99 at Best Buy right now.
Logitech has added an excellent wireless gaming headset to its audio family with the G522 LIGHTSPEED, which pairs a standout design with polished audio and a long-lasting battery. This is a headset for the PC gamers, for sure, but it absolutely gets the job done in style.