Logitech G522 Lightspeed review: what the new wireless gaming headset can do

Logitech has released new gaming headphones G522 Lightspeed. This is a full-size model with RGB backlighting and a stylish design. The headphones have a serious voice quality through the detachable microphone, as they use the Blue Voice function, which is available in the software of their famous Blue Yeti microphones. In this review, we’ll have a closer look at them, test them in games, look at their capabilities and settings in the proprietary software, and more.

Technical specifications of Logitech G522 Lightspeed

Connection type	Wireless
Construction	Closed
Case materials	Plastic
Speaker diameter	40 mm
Impedance	45 ohms
Frequency range	20 – 20,000 Hz
Headphone sensitivity	83.1 dB
Frequency range of the microphone	70 Hz – 20 kHz
Connection	Bluetooth 5.0, Lightspeed
Interface	USB Type-C
Battery life	Up to 90 hours without backlight, up to 40 hours with backlight
Dimensions	201×184×81 mm
Weight	290 grams

Packaging and equipment

Logitech G522 Lightspeed come in a square box with the brand’s movie colors. On it, we see photos of the headphones, their names, and various technical information about the model.

The box contains the headphones themselves, a detachable microphone, a manual, a USB receiver for wireless connection to devices, a USB-A to USB-C cable, and documentation.

Design and ergonomics of the Logitech G522 Lightspeed

Logitech G522 Lightspeed resembles other popular models of the brand: Logitech G435 and Logitech G733. They have an unusual, futuristic and ascetic design. This is a full-size closed model. The body is made of smooth matte plastic with minor glossy stripes on the cups. The dimensions of the model are 201×184×81 mm, and it weighs 290 grams with a microphone.

The gaming headphones have a flexible, reliable design. The headband has a cutout and a rubber band is attached to it. The latter acts as a filler, adds to the unusual design, and has two positions.

Depending on this, you can adjust the size to fit the user’s head. The headband itself does not move, as in conventional designs of this kind. The size is changed through the fasteners on the cups.

The cups can be called oval, although their shape is still slightly stylistically changed.

On the outside, we see an oval area with RGB lighting and the G logo in the middle.

The ear cushions are made of fabric, with a soft filler with a memory effect inside. The speakers are covered with textile covers with L and R written on them.

There is nothing on the left cup. The right one has all the controls and other ports: A 3.5 mm microphone jack and its activation button, a USB Type-C port for charging or wired connection, an on/off button with an LED indicator, a switch between connection modes (Bluetooth or LIGHTSPEED), and a volume control wheel.

You can wear a gaming headset for hours without feeling any discomfort. For example, during testing, I sat in them literally full-time for a week without any problems. It’s also worth noting the fabric strip under the headband, which securely fixes the head without putting pressure.

Fabric ear cushions are definitely better «breathable» and it will be easier to use headphones in the heat, but, of course, in this case, the level of passive noise reduction is slightly reduced. In my opinion, this is an adequate price for such things, and the noise reduction is not too much. Of course, this is not the level of a full-fledged active mode, which is not available here, but it also cuts off a lot of ambient noise, which is enough.

Features, sound and microphone of the Logitech G522 Lightspeed

Logitech G522 Lightspeed is equipped with 40 mm Pro G drivers. The declared sound reproduction here is in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The impedance is 45 Ohms, and the headphone sensitivity is 83.1 dB. The frequency range of the microphone is 70 Hz – 20 kHz.

The gaming headset has a balanced, bright sound, but the detail is a bit lacking. The emphasis is on the bass, although it is still softer, and the middle. The sound character can be changed with presets in the proprietary software.

But when connected to a PS5, it cannot be changed, and here I was a little short of the middle. It seems that when connected to a console, the headphones either change their profile or lose some bass and midrange. And while the former is still enough, the latter is not so much.

Nevertheless, the overall sound is good, and the headphones turned out to be excellent in various game genres, including shooters, where they have a good positioning. It’s fun to play action games, races, etc. It’s a universal headset for everything, including multimedia, so Logitech G522 Lightspeed is also fun to watch movies or TV shows or YouTube videos.

But these headphones are the least suitable for music. The aforementioned not-so-great detail is noticeable, but if you’re not an audiophile, you’ll probably be fine with them here. Because the sound is surround, the headphones are loud, there are enough bass and midrange, the highs are not so bright, but still enough.

Logitech G522 Lightspeed has a detachable omnidirectional short microphone. It bends, but not much. Basically, it sounds just fine, but the developer has added a super bonus that makes the voice sound much better.

To get the most out of it, I recommend turning on the Blue Voice function in the G HUB app. Previously, it could be activated with Blue Yeti microphones, and now it has been added to the regular microphone of the gaming headset.

It’s a cool thing that significantly improves voice quality, and there are various presets. All of this can be recorded and listened to immediately to choose the right one for you. I highly recommend trying it because with the activation of Blue Voice in these headphones, you can not only communicate with colleagues or teammates without any problems, but also conduct your first streams.

Connection, software, and control

Logitech G522 Lightspeed connects to devices wirelessly. This can be via Bluetooth 5.3, for example, to a smartphone or tablet, or via 2.4 GHz thanks to the included USB receiver to laptops, PCs, and PS5s.

The gaming headphones have two apps at once: G HUB and Logitech G. The former works on PCs and laptops, and the latter, which is simpler, works on smartphones and tablets.

G HUB has many features, and all functions are organized into four main tabs. The first one is about sound. Here you can «tweak» the sound to your preferences: there is an equalizer and ready-made profiles for movies, music, games, and more. In addition, the headset supports spatial sound. However, to activate it, you need to install the DTS Sound Unbound application.

In the microphone tab, we see an advanced equalizer, testing tools, and a set of ready-made settings. And the cool Blue Voice feature that automatically improves voice quality. It’s the one I talked about above.

The third tab is the macro sampler. You can assign actions to buttons or save combinations. All this works quickly and intuitively. The fourth tab contains RGB backlight settings. Here you can choose effects, change colors, light patterns, and more. And most importantly, the backlight can be turned off.

All Logitech G522 Lightspeed controls are located on the left cup, and at first, it seems inconvenient because there are a lot of buttons, knobs, and switches in a limited area. But after just a few first uses, it becomes clear that everything was adequately thought out.

Because, for example, the headphone on/off button is oval and is activated by moving up or down, and the headphone activation button is also oval, but it works by pressing it. The Bluetooth button is small and round, and so on. That is, you just need to feel and press all the buttons once or twice, and you will know what each button does and what it is responsible for and not get confused between them at all.

Logitech G522 Lightspeed autonomous operation

Logitech G522 Lightspeed has a built-in battery of unknown capacity. It’s claimed to last 40 hours with active RGB backlighting and up to 90 hours without it. Charging takes up to two hours. It’s cool that you can use the headphones while charging via USB-C.

For a full week of use for 6-10 hours, I was not able to put them to sleep. However, I mostly listened to music in the background at about 20% volume, sometimes played games, watched TV shows or videos at 50-60% volume and listened to music at 70-80% maximum.

That is, the headphones should be able to withstand the stated time. Let me remind you that usually in such situations, the manufacturer tests the battery life at 50% volume.

User experience

The brand-new Logitech G522 Lightspeed made a pleasant impression, as does most of the manufacturer’s equipment. I like this company, I use their various gadgets, so I know roughly what to expect, what it will be like, etc.

The gaming headphones performed well. This is probably an update of the popular Logitech G733 and it is successful. However, in my opinion, the RGB backlighting is unnecessary here because it is not visible to the user, but this is a gaming segment, so Logitech and other manufacturers shove it everywhere. It’s good that they allow you to turn it off. But let it be, maybe someone really needs it.

Their style is cool, at least for me. It’s simple, futuristic, and modern at the same time. Of course, this is always a matter of taste, but I like the design of this Logitech gaming series.

The headset seems to be large, but you hardly feel it on your head at all. It is lightweight for its size, soft and flexible. I worked for hours in it and after a week of using it, my ears or head didn’t hurt at all, nothing pressed anywhere.

If you play on a PC or laptop, I advise you to connect via a proprietary dongle because there is no delay. Probably, there is, but it is so minimal that it is not noticeable at all. The signal quality is also good, so it can easily penetrate several walls.

As in many gaming headphones, the microphone is removable. And that’s good because this way you can use the headset not only at home, but also take it outdoors. And I’ve already mentioned the microphone itself. In my opinion, the Blue Voice function makes it a very serious advantage over other models.

Price and competitors

At the time of writing, the Logitech G522 Lightspeed is sold everywhere for the same price 6999 UAH. In my opinion, the price tag is adequate for this category and capabilities, but it will definitely be expensive for some. Moreover, there are more than enough competitors in this segment. And some of them are from Logitech itself.

If you need something well-known and serious from the manufacturer, then there areLogitech G Pro Xwith a price tag starting at UAH 3600. There are also similar to the hero of today’s review Logitech G435 andLogitech G733 with price tags starting at UAH 1800 and 3700, respectively.

Among the well-known competitors, we highlight HyperX Cloud III Wireless (price from UAH 3999) andSteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 (price from UAH 4099). We also highlight the following new products Hator Hator Phoenix 2 Wireless with a price starting at UAH 3,600. And if you need something simpler, there isHator Hyperpunk 3 Wireless (price from UAH 2179) andA4Tech Bloody GR280 (price from 1380 UAH). In the latter case, the manufacturer was definitely inspired by the popular Logitech headphones.