Logitech G Yeti GX microphone review – credit where credit is blue

The Logitech G Yeti GX is the most recent addition to the long-running lineup of Yeti microphones that began life beneath the model title, Blue, however which have since been swallowed up by the gaming peripheral titan, Logitech. Lots of these earlier Yeti fashions had been much-loved for his or her versatility and sound high quality, however the brand new Yeti GX is a a lot easier choice, simply with the addition of RGB lighting.

Effectively-recognized relating to a few of the greatest gaming microphones, any new addition to the long-lasting Yeti line-up may be anticipated with bated breath. On this case, hopefully, breath that may nonetheless be picked up with crystal clear readability that you simply’d anticipate from any high-quality microphone. Whereas the Logitech G Yeti GX does its job effectively sufficient for what it was meant for, there’s little to make this new entry to the Yeti lineup stand out from the gang.

Execs

• Compact design
• Customizable ring of RGB lighting
• Distinctive desktop stand
• Appropriate with growth arms

Cons

• Not ideally suited for functions outdoors of streaming/gaming
• No audio monitoring
• Sub-par audio high quality

Logitech G Yeti GX design

The design of the Yeti GX retains hints of the look of its predecessors, such because the flat-based metallic stand and side-mounted, hinged arm, however there’s a lot that’s totally different too. As a substitute of that traditional, nearly retro aesthetic of earlier Yeti microphones, the Yeti GX sports activities a black pill-shaped design, that’s as cute as it’s compact.

The microphone itself sits round 5 inches in size, with it reaching slightly below 7 inches in whole with the included desktop stand. On the front-facing aspect of the machine sits the Logitech G brand, which illuminates when the RGB lights are in impact. Beneath the glowing G brand, and surrounding the circumference of the underside of the microphone, you will discover the pièce de résistance of the Yeti GX – one thing no gaming {hardware} on this fashionable age is seen with out – the customizable RGB lighting.

With the assistance of the accompanying G Hub software program, these lights may be custom-made to play a large number of animations and are, for all intents and functions, the primary attraction of this new Yeti microphone.

The USB-Kind C port is encircled by these lights however is positioned off-center to make means for the curve of the desktop stand. Whereas the place of the ability wire is a small nick decide I’ve with a variety of PC gaming peripherals (I’m taking a look at you, many gaming keyboards), I like how Logitech intuitively made positive the cable place was barely to the aspect, to keep away from harm when colliding with the accompanying metallic desktop stand.

The stand itself is without doubt one of the extra distinctive options of the microphone. Usually, microphone stands are fairly uniform, however Logitech has gone for a curved S-shaped stand, which makes it stand out from its contemporaries.

The Yeti GX comes with a small adaptor for ⅝” and ⅜” growth arms, which you should buy individually, and regardless of the distinctive design of the desktop stand, it looks like utilizing an alternate stand is what was meant for this mic. The stand itself isn’t peak adjustable, so you want to be leaning in fairly near be in place in your voice to be picked up clearly. Should you’re tall, that may be uncomfortable. That is hardly a novel drawback with this mic – practically all streaming mics have quite brief included stands – however any kind of adjustable growth arm will tremendously improve the consolation and comfort of utilizing this mic.

When the mic is connected to the desktop stand, you additionally don’t get the complete impact of the ring of RGBs, that are so outstanding that I doubt Logitech had the intention for them to be hidden from view. Having a growth arm connected would imply you’ll be able to angle the RGB lighting – and the spectacle they create – to be in full view of your webcam, and your streaming viewers.

On the back-facing aspect of the microphone is a small RGB strip that denotes the ‘Sensible Audio Lock’, a scrollable and clickable wheel that helps forestall your audio clipping throughout recordings, or whereas streaming. The Sensible Audio lock lights up white, inexperienced, or crimson to point whether or not or not your audio is peaking, and by default will mild up as cyan to point that it’s turned on. Apart from the mute button beneath that wheel, that’s it relating to buttons or another handbook management.

Logitech G Yeti GX sound high quality

The Logitech G Yeti GX is a dynamic microphone with a supercardioid pickup sample. What that principally interprets to is that the Yeti GX is most delicate to sound coming from the entrance, least delicate to sound from the perimeters, and considerably delicate to sound from the again.

This can be a good selection for a streaming microphone, because the sample helps forestall any un-wanted room noise sneaking in from the perimeters, and whereas the sensitivity to rear noises means any errant flies buzzing in entrance of your display could possibly be picked up, more often than not this a part of the mic is simply dealing with the quiet expanse of your monitor. What’s extra, the development of this mic signifies that this sensitivity is masked by the again of the microphone being bodily in the best way of any sounds coming from the rear. Because of this, the Yeti GX does an okay job of damping any undesirable surrounding audio.

Nevertheless, it’s clear from this mic’s total sound high quality that it is meant primarily for streaming and never a lot else. Like a variety of middle-aged ladies, I’m a co-host of a podcast, and when offered with the chance to document my audio utilizing the Yeti GX, I opted to stay with my standard Rode microphone as an alternative. By way of audio assessments, the Yeti GX didn’t present the identical heat and tone I’d need from recording hours of speaking, nor does it include a pop-shield that will assist fight any harsh sounds, although once more that is frequent for streaming/gaming mics and there are many methods so as to add an after-market pop-shield (although Logitech doesn’t make its personal, in contrast to Elgato with its Elgato Wave mics).

You’ll be able to enhance the sound high quality in some respects by turning on ‘Blue VO!CE’, an audio filter discovered throughout the G Hub, that will increase the acquire, and provides some filters, like a compressor, limiter, and ‘de-popper’ to enhance the general sound high quality. Nevertheless, I’d a lot quite resort to utilizing a better-quality microphone with a bodily pop defend connected.

But, when enjoying Useless by Daylight on-line with my mates, yapping away on Discord, it did the job, making for a transparent step up in high quality over most headset microphones. That’s as long as I stayed in roughly the identical place all night. In any other case, I had a stark reminder why a growth arm is required to make the Yeti GX really shine.

Logitech G Yeti GX software program

The proprietary software program for all Logitech G {hardware} is ‘Logitech G Hub’, and whereas it’s not the perfect accompanying software program I’ve ever used, it’s not the worst both. When you get the G Hub rolling, the free software program supplies a myriad of customizable choices to push the capabilities of your microphone even additional, and this actually opened up the capabilities of the Yeti GX.

It was via the G Hub that I found what the Yeti GX is all about. As long as your microphone is plugged in, you’ll see a illustration of it on the G Hub splash display, and as soon as chosen, that’s the place you’ll be offered with what Logitech’s ‘LIGHTSYNC’ expertise has to supply.

All in all, there’s seven LIGHTSYNC preset results out there to you from the get-go, various from a hard and fast coloration impact to a pulsating ‘respiratory’ animation, to my favourite, the audio visualizer. Precisely because it sounds, the RGB colours change in accordance with the audio enjoying round you, and thru G Hub you even have the power to pick precisely what particular person colours are being utilized.

Should you’re a streamer, it is a fantastic addition, because it means you’ll be able to particularly decide the colours to match that of your figuring out brand or branding, giving your setup that further “Je ne sais quoi”. Otherwise you may be like me, and alter the colours to various levels of pink and blast “I’m Simply Ken” to see the RGBs change accordingly.

Exterior of the presets, you may have the ‘freestyle’ choice, the place you’ll be able to individually change the colour of the G brand on the microphone, in addition to the person RGBs that make up the ring of lighting. It can save you your most well-liked coloration setup right here, or transfer onto animations, the place you’ll be able to choose between any given pre-existing coloration patterns, or make one among your very personal.

The G Hub software program isn’t restricted to only customizing the RGB lighting of the microphone, as right here is the place you too can fine-tune the audio high quality, in addition to get entry to the vary of ‘Blue’ branded amusing voice results, and a library of sound samples to make use of when streaming, or chatting to your pals by way of platforms like Discord.

It’s a solidly developed piece of software program, with all of the customizable choices specified by an easy-to-understand means. Whether or not it’s the microphone equalizer choices, voice samples or the lightsync choices, every menu is represented by clearly identifiable icons. Though, it doesn’t really feel as intuitive as different ones I’ve used, and I do query why there’s a supplied library of audio samples, that includes nauseating air horn sounds. Nontheless, you’ll be able to’t knock Logitech for offering a sturdy piece of accompanying software program.

Logitech G Yeti GX value

The Logitech G Yeti GX value is $129.00 / £139.99, making it a reasonably costly choice that gives middling worth contemplating its fundamental function set. It may be bought immediately from the Logitech web site or by way of Amazon.

Must you purchase the Logitech G Yeti GX?

The Logitech G Yeti GX has rather a lot to dwell as much as, being a brand new addition to a beloved line of microphones, a few of which I nonetheless hear folks swear through the use of even to today. But, the Yeti GX doesn’t fairly stand out from the gang of Yeti microphones that got here earlier than it. Should you’re in search of a microphone that may do all of it, and be used for recording audio, like you probably have a podcast speaking concerning the newest PC video games, I’d look elsewhere, even via the pre-existing Yeti catalog.

By way of getting hands-on expertise with the Yeti GX, it’s evident that it was purely designed with gaming and streaming in thoughts, and there isn’t a lot room for that to vary. Whereas you need to use the G Hub software program to push the bounds of the audio high quality, I wouldn’t depend on the Yeti GX to supply the heat and readability of older Yeti microphones you could be extra acquainted with.

If the Logitech G Yeti GX isn’t for you

Should you’re nonetheless in search of a gaming microphone that’s appropriate with mainstream growth arms, the Elgato Wave:3 is perhaps simply what you’re in search of.

If you would like your gaming microphone to placed on a present, the HyperX QuadCast S is as flashy because it will get. The microphone provides up a full show of RGB lighting, which can assist set the temper for all of your upcoming streams, or future gaming classes.