Logitech today announces a new G Pro X 2 Lightspeed gaming headset that features Graphene audio drivers. You’ve probably heard of graphene, the miracle form of carbon that many have promised over the past 20 years will transform the world of technology. While we haven’t yet seen graphene used to make space elevators or speed up the internet, Logitech is using it to design headphone drivers that are lightweight.
“By using graphene, we’re able to create a driver that’s both incredibly stiff and at the same time almost incredibly light,” says Chris Pate, principal product manager for the Logitech G Pro line. “This delivers hi-fi sound with ultra-low distortion, giving professionals the power they need to reach their maximum potential.”
Logitech uses a 50mm graphene diaphragm for the audio driver in the G Pro. In-game sound reproduction has been great for the past few days, but I haven’t noticed much of a difference from my daily SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.
On the G Pro X 2, the ear cups rotate. Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
However, the surround sound support and DTS sound fantastic in first-person shooter games where you need to hear footsteps clearly, and I’ve definitely noticed that it’s easier to hear which direction a grenade is being thrown or the sound a weapon.
Logitech believes this graph implementation should lead to more accurate decision making for professional gamers and give them a competitive edge. Being 39 years old and still trying to get into first person shooters, I think I lost my competitive edge almost 20 years ago. All that can help is music (or gunshots) to my ears.
Aside from the graph, what I particularly like here is that Logitech has added Bluetooth support and even 3.5mm aux cable connectivity. Bluetooth is great if you want to connect this gaming headset to your phone on the go, or if you pack the headset away and forget the dongle that enables the Lightspeed wireless connection.
The G Pro X 2 features Bluetooth, a 3.5mm jack and USB-C charging. Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
Logitech has also more than doubled the battery life of the original Pro X gaming headset. It now lasts up to 50 hours on a single charge via USB-C. That’s more than the 20 hours on the original X Pro, and I haven’t had to charge the Pro X 2 after a few days of hands-on testing.
There are also some subtle and welcome changes to the Pro’s design. I use the Pro X 2 for more than eight hours a day and it’s super comfortable for the long run. Depending on your preference, there are replaceable ear pads made of imitation leather or velor. Both are included in the scope of delivery alongside a simple carrying case and the detachable microphone.
The microphone hasn’t changed at all from the original Pro X, which is rather disappointing. I’m not a fan of headset mics anyway, so I mainly use the Pro X 2 paired with an XLR mic instead.
The Pro X 2’s surround sound options. Screenshot by Tom Warren / The Verge
Logitech’s switch to DTS surround sound on the Pro X 2 instead of Microsoft’s Windows Sonic Surround is certainly welcome. You can set the multi-channel surround modes to be optimized for gaming, entertainment or sports, and each virtual surround sound element can also be individually controlled with an overall bass level.
However, Logitech’s G Hub is rather basic for audio control. The equalizer is very basic and while there are options to create new EQ presets, it lacks the customization found in the SteelSeries Sonar features.
Logitech will start selling the G Pro X 2 gaming headset on May 30th. The price is 249 US dollars in the USA and 269 euros in Europe. That’s $20 more than the original G Pro powered by graphs.
