Plantronics GameCom 777 PC gaming headset

The Plantronics GameCom 777 PC headset isn't the most attractive gaming headset out there, but it is competent and comfortable to wear once properly adjusted. The included Dolby USB adapter adds a wide soundstage and the audio quality is good for gaming or listening to MP3s.

The Plantronics GameCom 777 headset is not particularly inspiring to look at. Bland, matte grey plastic is used for the headband and ear-cups, with a few shiny black accents. It certainly isn't as stylish credentials as the Razer Carcharias, but it’s what is beneath the surface that counts.

The Plantronics GameCom 777 is comfortable to wear. We initially found the headphones too tight and constricting, but they soon loosened up to comfortable clamping levels after a short amount of wear. Plush felt ear-cups and headband padding make for a comfortable and even distribution of pressure, although it can get slightly too warm after marathon gaming sessions.

Audio from the GameCom 777 headset is well suited to games, blockbuster movies and compressed MP3 music files. The headphones are heavy on mid-range sound, with vocals more prominent than other sounds. This may speak towards the headset's use as a team-communication device in games, where hearing your team-mates is of utmost importance.

Treble seems to be a little cut-off and recessed higher in the ranges, with electronica and classical musical sounding a little muffled and lacking clarity at higher volume levels.

Bass is well reproduced and is tight with no excessive decay, but we would have liked it to be a little more prominent. As it stands explosions sometimes feel simulated rather than realistic — an extra serving of low-range bass would help this.

The Plantronics GameCom 777 PC headset is able to connect to a PC either using the regular 3.5mm headphone plugs — the cord is around two metres long and has a bulky in-line volume control — or the supplied USB adapter. We definitely prefer using the adapter: it adds Dolby Headphone virtual surround sound. It must be run from a powered USB port (meaning it won’t work through an external connector such as the one on the Logitech G15 keyboard) but the expanded soundstage and positional audio are definitely worth it.

With Dolby Headphone enabled, we were easily able to distinguish sounds from different directions in Call of Duty: World at War, and music had an expansive feel.

The Plantronics GameCom 777’s boom microphone is another nifty addition. Clipping into the headband when not in use, it swings down and extends for perfect positioning. The microphone sounds clear at normal speaking volumes, while background noise is well blocked.

All up, the Plantronics GameCom 777 is a good package. For a mid-range price you get good sound quality with the convenience of a USB Dolby Headphone add-on, decent comfort and sturdy construction.