Mad Catz F.R.E.Q.4 Gaming Headset Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Mad Catz F.R.E.Q.4 Gaming Headset was designed to be a more affordable headset. I mean, it’s not the budget focused F.R.E.Q.2 but it does pack in a LOT of impressive hardware while keeping the cost low. Unfortunately, that seems like such a tempting idea that it’s sold out. You can keep an eye on stock and prices in the UK here. In the US it’s available for just $64.99.

Overview

I’ve had a little bit of an internal conflict about this headset, as it’s not without its issues, but it seems Mad Catz are well aware of its shortcoming too. The price of this headset is low, and that reflects on the issues it has. Well, actually I’d say it compensates for them more than anything and as a result, the headset becomes excellent value for money.

Build Quality and Design

It’s a bit old hat really, these are the style of headsets we saw 5-10 years ago more than what we see now. It’s not ugly, but it’s not exactly a looker either. That being said, I love a nice looking headset, but I can’t see it while it’s on my head, so who gives a smeg. It’s very comfortable, it’s not too heavy, the ear cup padding is forgiving, and at the end of the day, I’ll take that over looks. The build quality is basic but durable. Such as the hard-wired cable, it’s a bit chunky, but it is robust, so no real issues there.

Performance

While not the most refined headset in the world, it’s certainly competitive in this price range. They’ve put a strong focus on quality drivers here, and they pack plenty of punch. I think the out of the box sound is a little boosted, but I do like the sound. You can EQ it to suit your taste though and the surround features and RGB customisation make the software a pleasant addition overall. The microphone stands out too, with ENC to filter out background noise. Overall, you’ll struggle to find a better sound at this price range.

Should I Buy One?

The design is a bit old-school, but the hardware is right here in the present. If you want decent audio this is a really interesting option, especially since you get surround processing, ENC, powerful drives, and RGB at a price that isn’t going to hurt your wallet.