headset and mouse wanted

[Manco]

As I said when asking about a new gfx card - which I'll postpone a bit - I'm completely out of the loop these days. Plus these are two things I want to rely on personal experiences for, instead of sales pitches because of how subjective they are.

What is the best price/quality headset around? It has to be decent in both films and games, needs to be sturdy (stress this) and fairly large cushioned ears. I'm looking at spending preferably about 60€, could go a bit higher if the difference is really worth it.

And I need a new gaming mouse, my old trusty Logitech G5 has become rather filthy and I could use some more buttons.
It seems the G500 became the new standard, but I'm also looking at the G700, the Razer Deathadder/lachesis/imperator and I'm open to every other brand as well

[mrmouth]

Unless you are competing for money then I think the cheapest well reviewed laser mouse should be ok. I got this 3-4 years ago for $20. Ive tried others and I cannot tell any actual difference. It's ugly, but whatever. No way I would spend over $25 for a mouse.

Ive sworn off headsets. This is all I could recommend along with the Zalman mic just below the picture. Best gaming/movie headphone under $300.

Or these but they are not as good for movie watching.

[snuggans]

i'm used to the ergonomics of Logitech's MX518 (optical), it's replacement, the G400 (optical), and the G500 (laser). they are very comfortable for people with larger than average hands, i have somewhat long fingers so it's perfect for me i feel. other mice just feel awkward now, including the shorter, newer and more expensive G9. since you've been using the G5 which is practically the same, i'm sure you know.

there is a big tracking difference between optical and laser. i know your G5 is laser but i think you should try out optical sometime, to me it's a world of difference. laser sensors can be occasionally jittery and it doesn't feel as smooth as an optical LED sensor.

i recently tried the laser G500, and returned it after a day. here's my newegg review for it:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Pros: -Same tried and tested FANTASTIC ergonomics of the G5 & MX518. Other mice just feel awkward now, even the shorter but newer G9
-Toggable angle snapping/prediction
-It allows you to set polling rate instead of jumping through hoops to overclock the USB port through changing WHQL signatures of system files.
-It allows you to set DPI
-Weights! Weights are such a great customization feature to get the mouse to weigh as much as you want it to.

Cons: -The mouse wheel is such a horrible mess that I've wondered how it ever got past QA. Here are its problems:
1. When scrolling, the mouse wheel will often (but not always) scroll an extra line or two after you let go of it or finish scrolling. This is rather annoying.
2. The mouse wheel WILL SCROLL BY ITSELF occasionally while moving the cursor. Sometimes I will be moving the mouse about and the page will scroll up or down once without me ever touching the wheel.
3. The wheel is so flimsy that when you change directions while moving the mouse, you will feel the wheel hitting something or shaking. You will also hear it.

- Lift off distance.
Not everyone lifts their mouse while using programs or gaming, but many of us do. We don't literally lift the mouse a visible distance off the table, we lift the mouse very small distances, probably millimeters, off the cloth pad to create room, or to center the mouse on the pad without moving the cursor on the screen
This lifting is a problem with the G500, and probably other laser mice, because the sensor tracks (albeit horribly) even while the mouse is not making direct contact with the cloth pad. This was not a problem with optical mice like the MX518.

i went with the MX518's replacement, the optical G400. i am so in love with this mouse.
the only true flaw i can see with the G400 is that i'm stuck with one of the older models which has angle snapping forced on which is not something you would want while playing FPS or such games. the newer models they are producing have it set to off.

it's particularly great and perhaps a little bizarre that i'm returning more expensive mice and falling in love with a cheaper one.



as for headsets, other than cheap $30 Logitech ones that kept breaking, i've only invested in Sennheiser PC350. the microphone for that is so amazing, the sound is great (although i wish it had a little bit more bass). it's closed acoustic so outside noise will be greatly reduced which might be a positive or a negative. i would add in a headset amplifier and mess with the equalizer to get that right amount of bass and treble. you could also go for it's upgraded version, the 360, which has some improvements, better padding, and is not a closed designed which is supposed to be better for sound according to audiophiles.

[Manco]

The G500, maybe the 400 if I can test it, is my default choice but I'm going to the physical shop tomorrow and with a bit of luck could try a few of the ones with more buttons and gizmo's. Maybe it's not necessary, but hey I only live once so I want to spoil my hand a bit.

As for the headset, I'm quite hesitant to go above +/-150€, but then again I do spend up to 5 hours a night with the damn thing on my head.

[Bolkonsky]

If you've got big hands, try a Sidewinder.

[Darkpriest667]

I have a razer death adder and love it... As for headsets it really depends on what functions and how much you want to spend. I've seen sannheiser headsets that go for almost two thousand dollars. So a price range would be nice.

[paradamed]

Razer Naga is a great mouse with the numerical keypad on the side. Very useful for games.

[Manco]

Went to the shop and got a g700, which felt a lot better in my hands than the Razer mice. The thumb buttons are great, I lose oversight of my keyboard a lot, so having a reload button and so on on the mouse really helps.
I had a bit of trouble choosing between the G500 and the 700, but the price difference was pretty small so I went for the one with more gizmo's.
Headset I went with the Sennheiser PC360, a bit more than I intended to cash out but it's incredibly comfortable on my head ( which is rather large , which means a lot of headphones/headsets have a tight fit and can end up hurting my ears) and from what I've heard in the last hour the sound is crystal clear. Haven't tested the bass yet though.

[mrmouth]

I thought you said you wanted some for movies? You just basically bought the HD555 with a mic on it to ensure you can never take them out of the house without looking like a complete knob. For that money you were in the general price bracket of some truly great audiophile headphones like the DT770/80 that also kill it when it comes to watching movies.

Or you could have gotten the hd558 and done the tape mod to get near hd598 sound quality.

The basement ladies and gentleman. So glad I could help...

[snuggans]

You just basically bought the HD555 with a mic on it to ensure you can never take them out of the house without looking like a complete knob.

[Manco]

I thought you said you wanted some for movies? You just basically bought the HD555 with a mic on it to ensure you can never take them out of the house without looking like a complete knob. For that money you were in the general price bracket of some truly great audiophile headphones like the DT770/80 that also kill it when it comes to watching movies.

Because I specifically wanted a headset... that was the entire point.
And who the wears huge headphones outside, regardless of the added mic, and doesn't look like a knob? Not that I even wear headphones outside.

Or you could have gotten the hd558 and done the tape mod to get near hd598 sound quality.

Which would have cost me... exactly the same. Only I'd now have to fiddle with a separate mic.