The Logitech G435 Lightspeed is one of the most interesting gaming headsets launched this year. It’s unique in its focus on sustainability, and the beam-forming microphone is an interesting attempt at a low-key solution to big, flashy headset mics. It feels a little cheap, but it’s easy to justify buying this one. The Logitech G435 Lightspeed has a very simple appearance. Depending on the colour scheme chosen, it even looks almost like a toy. It is clear that this is a gaming headset designed for children, although Logitech does not make that clear in its marketing materials. Visually, it has a lot in common with recent plastic Logitech gaming headsets such as the G733 Lightspeed and G335, but with a handful of fairly significant departures.
The Logitech G435 Lightspeed offers a pretty good gaming experience. The headset is ultra-lightweight and has soft earpads, which are definitely suitable for long gaming sessions. It also has good battery performance, so you’ll be able to get through quite a few sessions before needing to recharge. Using the Logitech G435 Lightspeed is a little more complicated than it first appears. There are only a few controls on this gaming headset, but the additional features are decent and don’t use Logitech’s G Hub companion app. The microphone mute button, power button and volume increase/decrease buttons line the rear edge of the left headphone.
The Logitech G435 is suitable for wireless gaming. With a comfortable fit, just under 20 hours of continuous playback time, and a microphone, the overall performance is perfect. However, when connected via a USB-A dongle, there is a slightly high latency, which can interrupt gameplay. There are also no customisation features such as EQ or presets. The sound is rather warm, but there is a significant drop-off in the midrange, with vocals and lead instruments relegated to the back of the mix. Therefore, for a more consistent sound, you will need to spend some time adjusting the fit, seal and position each time you use it.
The headset is also compatible with PlayStation consoles via USB dongle and Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms via Bluetooth. We played a few games on these platforms and found similar sound quality; in games such as Tales of Crestria on Android, the connection process itself was easy, but conversation and sound effects were a little muffled.