Cooler Master CH331 Gaming Headset Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Cooler Master CH331 has an MSRP of just $49.99 or £49.99 here in the UK. That’s bloody cheap for a headset with all these features, and while there are some compromises in the design, I think it’s fair to say they’re reflected in the price, making this a good value product overall.

Overview

Cooler Master has been making gaming peripherals for a long time now, so it’s no surprise that they’re pretty good at it. The Cooler Master CH331 isn’t their greatest headset ever, but it’s certainly one of the strongest contenders at this price range, and getting a headset that’s both good and cheap isn’t easy. For around the same price, their main rivals all offer basically the same, 50mm drivers, hard-wired and identical microphones. However, it comes down to the build quality, performance and aesthetics.

The build quality is decent enough, and bonus points for the aluminium mounting arms on the side, as at this price range, cheaper finishes or plastics would have been expected. There’s also good-quality PU leather and memory foam on both the headband and the ear cups, giving it a very nice premium-quality look and feel.

I think you can tell the headset is a bit more affordable due to the plastics. They’re a matte finish, but they do have that slightly glossy look to them too. That’s to be expected though, and again, it is reflected in the price. If they wanted to use more expensive materials, it’d put the price up and then I’d expect more from the drivers and amp to match, and things just spiral out of control from there. It’s a cheaper headset, but it’s well made, simple as that.

The cable is hard-wired, that’s a shame, but there’s nothing really wrong with it. It’s seriously long though, the on-cable controller is 50mm down, and even then, you have around 150cm beyond that. That’s about 7ft long, so if you have a PC that’s a bit out of reach, it’s a big win, if you don’t, you may want to bundle up the excess with a Velcro strap.

The on-cable controller is like something from a 70’s Sci-Fi movie, I’m thinking Silent Running (1972) would have a fourth bot; Huey, Dewey, Louie and CH331, but it would just be the in-line controller. I mock, but it does work just fine, and I’m grateful it’s there, it’s actually pretty useful, but the design needs to be improved on future models for sure.

Should I Buy One?

The Cooler Master CH331 isn’t a perfect headset, but it doesn’t hide its issues either. It’s comfortable to wear and has good ergonomics. The powerful drivers pack a serious punch in terms of volume and bass that put a smile on my face while playing games, watching movies and listening to music. Plus, the surround processing is surprisingly excellent, and at this price, it’s a very competitive headset.