The Edifier Hecate GX05 earbuds are designed with gamers in mind they come with RGB lights and an ultra-low latency as you are provided with a 2.4GHz dongle to name a few of the features. The Edifier Hecate GX05 are currently available for £92 via Amazon.
First Impressions
The Hecate GX05 earbuds are standout from the crowd, They are dual connectivity and offer a good fit paired with a sci-fi aesthetic and RGB lights which will attract a gamer looking for a pair of buds. Price-wise the GX05 earbuds are currently available for £92 which seems like a good price point but let’s take a deeper look if they are worth the investment.
The Key features of the GX05 include:
- Dual wireless mode
- 2.4GHz Bluetooth mode
- 10mm dynamic drivers
- Ergonomic design comfortable to wear
- RGB lighting effect
- Sci-fi cool design
- Fast Charging
- ENC Dual Microphone Noise Cancellation
- Dual Connection
Unboxing/Design
The Hecate GX05 earbuds come in a weighty triangular charging case made from Zinc alloy. This is a strong durable material that guards well against scratches and catches the light nicely. The case also comes with three stripes of customizable RGB lighting that look great on this gaming mat background and provide vibes of the game Cyberpunk 2077.
The RGB lighting switches on when you turn its signature sliding which allows you to take both the earbuds and the Bluetooth dongle out of the case. The RGB lights can be set to the typical rainbow scheme or can be changed to a variety of presets that are changed using the button at the base of the charging case.
Overall, the case is very standout compared to my Beats earbuds, but they struggle to fit into my pocket as easily as the case of my Beats.
In addition to the earbuds and the case you are also provided with a charging cable, carry bag, USB-C dust protectors, spare tips to adjust the size, a user manual and a USB-A to USB-C converter just in case like my Chromebook you have a USB-C port on your laptop.
Finally, the GX05 has an IP54 rating which safeguards the buds against sweat & dust but unfortunately, they are not waterproof.
Battery Life
The GX05 is an area that needs improvement you are only given 16 hours of battery life in total with only 4 ½ hours of battery life on a single charge which is a bit below par compared to other brands on the market at a similar price. The reason for this could be the battery life is being used by the RGB lighting and low latency (15ms) so there is no delay in you seeing the picture and receiving the sound. When the battery life is low the bottom blinks red rapidly and when they are on charge all three indicators slowly flash blue.
The Buds themselves
The GX05 earbuds feature a small LED strip that powers on when you turn the wheel and when you place them into your ears they fit snugly in the ear once you select the right ear tips as this will improve the sound quality.
Moving on to the controls on the buds they are simple to use with either a short tap or longer press for the controls. If you tap twice this will pause/play the sound on either bud. In addition to that both buds can be used for call controls, track controls or power. The right bud also can switch between the game & music modes by tapping three times. The only negative when it comes to the controls is the lack of volume control which has to be done via your device.
Regarding connectivity for gamers, they feature a 2.4GHz dongle that reaches up to 1000Hz which should be ideal for most gaming scenarios. You can also connect secondary devices via Bluetooth but the result of this creates a lag of 2 seconds which is standard. For that ultra-low latency for gaming, you can use the USB-C dongle that can be found in the case and Edifier has also provided a USB-C adapter which means you can connect to almost any device.
Performance
The Edifier Hecate GX05 earbuds have two listening modes:
- Gaming Mode
- General Mode (Music & Making Calls)
We have been testing these for a few weeks now and overall, after a few teething issues they paired well regardless of the device I used them.
Gaming Performance
We have tested these using a Nintendo Switch and have played a variety of games and I was pleased with the musical score it really did stand out. The sound was dynamic and precise with the buds feeling secure in my ear.
You won’t notice any detectable latency regardless of using the Bluetooth or USB-C connection. However, latency is hard to notice unless you are an extreme gamer.
General Performance
Even though these are designed for gamers at heart you can still use these to listen to music and make calls. When listening to music the sound quality was ok they are clear with a decent bass, however, they do sound a little distant compared to other buds in a similar price range.
Making calls using the GX05 is disappointing I used these in my garden office, and I was told they barely picked up my voice. What you did get was a lot of external sound bleeding into the mics making my voice sound distant.
Verdict
If you are looking for a pair of gaming earbuds that are not only comfortable but come with all the extras like RGB lighting, then I can recommend them. However, if you consider you only get 4 ½ hours on a single charge I feel gamers who want to play for longer will be disappointed.
I was also disappointed with the general performance taking a call on these are not ideal and listening to music was not the best experience I have had from Edifier. If you look at the bigger picture and use these for their primary design and that is gaming, you won’t be disappointed.
The style of these earbuds with that cyborg design makes them stand out but with the list of obvious flaws, I find it hard to score these high. Nice design but with poor sound quality and a low battery life I think your money will be better spent elsewhere.
Product Rating
Design: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Features: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
Audio Quality: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value for Money: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overall ranking: 3.7 out of 5.0 stars – 3.7 stars
HECATE by Edifier GX05 Wireless Gaming Earbuds – £92 via Amazon
Thanks for reading this review, please continue to support us and check out our other reviews and follow us on Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter below.
Recent Comments