The Gioteck EX-05s is essentially an upgraded version of the Gioteck EX-05 headset. While the original headset did a great job overall, it did have a few issues. These issues included the sponge like material featured on the ear cups, which made your ears feel hot and sweaty after prolonged use. Granted, the headset was comfortable; however, the build quality of the headset was not entirely the best. Adding to its faults was the fact the microphone was on the right hand side of the headset.
The Gioteck EX-05s improves on the previous model in quite a few areas. The sponge on the ear cups has been replaced by a leather style material, which keeps the ears cooler and provided better comfort overall. Just try not remove the leather style covers as they are rather tedious to get back into place. The overall design quality of the headset is rather superb and feels solid and durable.
The noise isolating microphone has been shifted to the left side of the headset, which is essentially something that I personally preferred. I’m not sure why, but it does feel slightly awkward having a microphone sitting the right hand side of your face.
I have a tendency to push headsets to the limit, as some may have read in my previous headset reviews; however, the EX-05s seemed to withstand my rigorous testing sessions rather well. On a sound note, the headset performs well, but it seems to lack the bass featured in headsets in the same price range. They do not sound tinny at all, but more bass would have been nice. Overall, I have spent many hours playing Battlefield 4, COD: Ghosts, Sniper Elite 3 and even Murdered Soul Suspect using these headphones. As stated before, the headset lacks bass, but apart from that the sound quality is absolutely fantastic.
One thing that I like about the Gioteck EX-05s is the fact that it is compatible with PC, Mac, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to test it out on the Xbox One as of yet as the console only launches in September here in South Africa.
One thing I particularly dislike about the headset is it comes packaged with more wires than any other product I have seen. These tend to get tangled, which can ultimately become a great irritation. While each wire has its use, it would have been nice have the option to unplug some of the permanently attached inputs.
One thing I did notice is the fact that there is no clip on the control, which means that it will pretty much hang in mid-air. This can be countered however… well if you are the resourceful type.
Conclusion:
For a RRP (Recommended Retail Price) of R699, the Gioteck EX-05s are well worth picking up. They feature a solid, stylish design that not only looks good, but also allows for comfort. While my only major gripe with the headset is the monumental amount of wiring, it ultimately performs well.
Score: 8.5/10
Darryl Linington
