Logitech G435 Lightspeed review

Logitech’s wireless gaming headsets have been branching out aesthetically for a little bit, with products like the sturdy G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED and the colorful and lightweight G733. Now the company is back with an even lighter, even brighter (color depending) gaming headset — the Logitech G435 Lightspeed is built with sustainability in mind, and it makes some pretty big design departures.

Is it worth a pickup, or just a well-intentioned diversion?

Editor’s note: this Logitech G435 review was updated on May 26, 2023 to include answers to FAQ submissions, clarify the microphone compatibility with the Nintendo Switch, add to the alternative recommendations section, and update formatting.

What is the Logitech G435 Lightspeed like to use?

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed looks exceedingly simple. Depending on the color scheme you chose, you could even say it almost looks like a toy. Logitech doesn’t come right out and say it in any of its marketing materials, but it’s pretty clear this is a gaming headset designed for kids. Visually, it has a lot in common with more recent plastic Logitech gaming headsets like the G733 Lightspeed and the G335, with a handful of pretty significant departures.

The headset doesn’t have the suspension band of those two more expensive options, instead opting for a hollow, all-plastic frame and a headband wrapped in fabric. If this headset were heavy, the lack of actual cushioning in the band might be a problem, but it’s 163g — lighter than just about any gaming headset we’ve reviewed — so it’s really not an issue. The ear cups are a little on the small side, but the mesh fabric covering is comfortable, and the headset’s clamping force is slight enough that it doesn’t feel egregious.

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed offers a pretty nice gaming experience. The headset is super lightweight and the ear pads are soft, which is definitely conducive to long gaming sessions. The battery performance also means you’ll be able to fit a decent handful of sessions in before you need to charge it.

The Logitech G435 isn’t compatible with Logitech G Hub, so there’s no software option for something like virtual surround sound. It’s not too big of an issue, given most gaming platforms now offer their own solution.

How do you control the Logitech G435 Lightspeed?

Using the Logitech G435 Lightspeed is a little more complicated than it seems at first. This gaming headset has scant few controls, but a decent number of additional features, and it doesn’t use Logitech’s G Hub companion app. A mic mute button, power button, and buttons for increasing and decreasing volume line the back edge of the left headphone. Apart from controlling the features you’d expect, different combinations of buttons also govern Bluetooth pairing, switching between Bluetooth and USB wireless connections, and toggling the headset’s built-in volume-limiting feature. Here’s what the buttons do (functions with multiple buttons listed as “hold” need to be held at the same time):

One more thing—arguably the most significant thing — indicating this is a headset for kids: the Logitech G435 can limit audio output to either 100dB or 85dB. 85dB(SPL) is particularly important, as that’s the volume you need to hit to start risking noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and children are even more susceptible than adults. You’d have to listen for 8 hours on end at 85dB(SPL) to damage your hearing, but gaming sessions are routinely hours long (at least, they certainly were when I was a kid). However, in our testing, we found that while the volume limit works, it doesn’t work as well as it should. Set to the 100dB limit, the headset can hit up to 110dB(SPL), and set at the 85dB limit, the Logitech G435 Lightspeed can reach 99dB(SPL) — it does limit, but it’s well over the specified level, meaning there’s still potential for hearing damage if you’re listening for more than 8 hours.

We’ve reached out to Logitech to clarify the capabilities of the G435 Lightspeed’s volume-limiting features and will update you when we have more information.

How does the Logitech G435 Lightspeed connect?

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed has two ways of connecting to your device of choice. For gaming, the headset uses a USB-A wireless RF dongle to connect with lag-free audio to your PlayStation 4 and PlaytStation 5, docked Nintendo Switch (though the mic won’t work with most games), and PC.

The headset also connects using Bluetooth to connect to your mobile device, undocked Nintendo Switch, and whatever else supports the standard. The G435 supports the AAC and SBC codecs, so iOS users will even have access to high(er) quality audio streaming — Android users may want to stick with SBC, though.

There’s no support for Bluetooth multipoint, nor can the headset connect via the USB dongle and Bluetooth simultaneously, which many gaming headsets can do. There’s also no wired listening option.

How is the Logitech G435 Lightspeed’s battery?

Logitech claims the Logitech G435 battery can last 18 hours on a single charge, but in our testing, we found it well exceeds that. At a consistent output of 75dB(SPL), the G435 lasted 24 hours, 15 minutes on a single charge. Battery performance like this isn’t the very best you can find in a gaming headset, but it’s not far off. There’s no quick charging option, but the headset charges using USB-C.

Does the Logitech G435 block out noise?

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed offers pretty mediocre isolation performance for a gaming headset. Putting the headset on, it feels like this inability to block out noise is largely due to the headset’s plastic construction. Something about the cheap-feeling plastic doesn’t appear to keep sound out very well, though it’s unclear if that’s the real cause or the rather porous, lightweight ear pads. Regardless, don’t expect this gaming headset to block out much of anything. If you’re playing at home, it’s probably not a huge deal, but this headset uses Bluetooth, and this kind of isolation performance means walking around or sitting in a cafe isn’t much of an option.

How does the Logitech G435 Lightspeed sound?

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed (cyan) sounds better than most gaming headsets. Compared to our house curve (pink), the headset under-emphasizes sub-bass sounds, and adds a little emphasis to bass and midrange sound. The treble response drops off sooner than we generally expect, but there’s arguably not many noticeable sounds above 10kHz in music, video games, and movies for you to miss.

Lows, mids, and highs

Listening to Leave Me Aloneby I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME with the Logitech G435, the instruments all come through very clearly, with very little auditory masking. The bass is a little quiet, but it never gets lost in the clamor of the drums and synth, and the same goes for the rhythm guitar. You should have a similarly solid experience with music of most genres, though tracks that rely on a lot of droning bass may feel like they lack the degree of oomph you’re expecting.

In game, frequency response like this shouldn’t cause any problems, regardless of what you play. The lack of sub-bass emphasis may mean that the rumble of explosions and gunfire is a little less impactful, but that might actually be preferable in competitive situations. They’ll still be the loudest kinds of sounds in a given scene, regardless. The slight emphasis in upper-bass and midrange sounds means that voices on Discord may come through a tiny bit more clearly too.

Since the headset only supports connections over USB dongle or Bluetooth, there’s no way to play on Xbox consoles, but gaming on PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch all work great. The G435 handles the surround sound demands of something like Knockout Cityusing the PlayStation 5’s 3D audio very well. The headset also handles the din of the battlefield in Halo Infinite multiplayer on PC very well.

How is the Logitech G435 Lightspeed microphone?

The Logitech G435 Lightspeed brings a new type of microphone to the gaming headset space. The headset uses two embedded beamforming mics to simulate a boom microphone experience, and the results are pretty good. To be clear, this microphone doesn’t sound quite as good as the boom microphones of even other Logitech gaming headsets, but it sounds considerably better than most embedded headphone microphones. You shouldn’t have any trouble coming through clearly in voice chat, and bass tones don’t have any issues sounding loud. Listen for yourself:

Logitech G435 Lightspeed microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Logitech G435 Lightspeed microphone demo (Office conditions):

Should you buy the Logitech G435 Lightspeed?

If you’re looking for a wireless gaming headset for your kid, or you’re just trying to be a little more environmentally conscious, you should consider the Logitech G435 Lightspeed.

If the Logitech G435 actually limited audio output as much as it’s supposed to, it would probably be the best wireless gaming headset for kids on the market. It’s still a solid, simple wireless option, but as it stands, it’s no better for kids than any other lightweight gaming headset. This is still a fantastic option for the eco-friendly among us — headphone companies are generally pretty far from being sustainable enterprises, but Logitech is making some serious headway.

What should you get instead of the Logitech G435 Lightspeed?

If you’re looking for a gaming headset for your kid, the Puro SoundLabs PuroGamer remains one of the only truly good options. It’s a comfortable wired gaming headset, with a decent mic and a volume limiter that actually works and it costs $79 at Amazon.

If you like the idea of a gaming headset that doesn’t need software to be good, the HyperX Cloud Flight S has a bunch of features and they’re all loaded onto the headset, plus it sounds good, feels good, and has great battery life. It costs $279 at Amazon.

Gamers who prefer a wired headset, just about anything that uses a 3.5mm connect should scratch that itch. Look to options like the HyperX Cloud Alpha ($69 at Amazon), the EPOS H3 Hybrid ($87 at Amazon), or even the JBL Quantum 50 ($34 at Amazon)—they all sound great.

For a solid software experience bundled together with your wired heaset, we recommend the Razer Kraken V3 ($63 at Amazon). You get access to Synapse 3 (Windows), where you can change the color of the headphones’ LED and equalize the sound. You can also edit the surround sound options through the app.

If the idea of buying a cheap headset you’ll need to replace in a year or less isn’t attractive, it might be worth shelling out a little more for something that may last. The Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED is the company’s new top of the line headset, with a sturdy metal build, fantastic comfort, tons of connectivity options, and great sound. For $249 at Amazon, it’s quite a markup compared to the G435, but it might be worth it in the longrun.

Frequently asked questions about the Logitech G435 Lightspeed