Logitech G522 Lightspeed: Mid-Range Wireless Gaming Headset

Logitech has been in the PC gaming space for decades, building a reputation for reliable, user-friendly gear. From their iconic gaming mice and keyboards to the G Pro X, G733, and even the Astro series, Logitech’s headsets have covered just about every tier of the market.

Funnily enough, almost all of my gaming headsets, keyboards, and mice have been from Logitech, for as long as I can remember. My G15 Keyboard and G502 mouse are still going strong, and my old G930 Gaming headset only ever needed its rechargeable battery swapped out to gain a new lease on life. They’ve always been great bits of kit, and that long-term reliability is part of why Logitech has a strong reputation today.

The new Logitech G522 Lightspeed effectively takes over from the G733 as Logitech’s mid-tier wireless all-rounder. It sits between the esports-focused Pro X and the more console- and streaming-friendly Astro models, aiming to deliver comfort, versatility, and strong wireless performance. Priced at $299 RRP, it enters a competitive space where expectations are high. The feature set mostly justifies that price, but whether it truly represents good value will come down to what you prioritise and while it ticks plenty of boxes, it also comes with a bit of a quirk.

 

tl;dr

The Logitech G522 Lightspeed is an excellent mid-range wireless gaming headset ($299 RRP) that succeeds the G733, offering great value if you prioritise comfort, battery life, and versatility.

 

Design and Comfort: Lightweight Build Meets Long-Session Play

At around 290 grams, the G522 is deceptively light. The headband helps to distribute the headphone weight evenly across the top of your head, while the memory-foam earcups keep things soft without clamping too tight. Breathable mesh helps keep your ears and head cool, which will be welcome in long sessions. The trade-off is a build that leans heavily on plastic – but you can feel good about that because it’s made of 27% recycled material. It doesn’t feel cheap, but it lacks the more premium finish. Adjustability is also limited (with about 2cm of travel for the headphone cups), though once it’s set, it stays put.

 

The Detachable Mic: Broadcast-Quality Sound with an Awkward Design

Logitech have clearly put effort into the mic, and it shows. With Blue VO!CE presets in G Hub, your voice comes through crisp and broadcast-quality by gaming headset standards. There are also several fun presets for different effects.

The awkwardness appears in the boom design. It doesn’t have much flexibility for fine positioning (not that you need much), it can’t be stowed away on the headset, and because it’s detachable, it’s another piece you could easily misplace. For me, that’s the biggest issue. My old G930 headset had a stowable mic, and that was a feature I really appreciated.

Sound Quality: PRO-G Drivers Shine After G Hub Equaliser Tuning

Out of the box, the G522’s tuning is incredibly neutral. Bass doesn’t hit as hard as you might expect, mids feel constrained, and highs can lack clarity, so if you want to get the most out of your investment, some EQ tweaking in Logitech’s G Hub is essential. Presets like Bass Boost or Media add energy, and DTS Headphone 2.0 provides useful positional audio for gaming. Once you’ve tuned the equaliser settings, though, the G522s come to life and make for genuinely enjoyable listening.

This time, I tested playback with George Benson’s “This Masquerade”. The first thing that stood out was the soundstage. It feels expansive, with percussion and cymbals spaced wide apart. Benson’s guitar sits cleanly in the centre, while the warm-toned bass guitar underpins the track without overpowering it. Vocals have a smooth presence, though they still sit slightly recessed compared to what you’d hear on a more audiophile-focused pair of headphones.

Where the G522 shines is in layering, thanks to its PRO-G 40 mm drivers. You can pick out individual instruments in the mix, and nothing gets muddied even when the track becomes more complex. That sense of spaciousness carries over into games as well, where directional cues are clearer than you’d expect from a headset in this range.

This tuning carries over nicely into the gaming experience too. The PRO-G drivers provide strong clarity and separation between in-game music, effects, and voice chat. Nothing feels lost in the mix, and you can push it further using G Hub’s equaliser to tailor the sound to your liking. For an even wider soundstage, you can enable DTS Headphone 2.0 directly through the app.

In Company of Heroes 3, voices, music, and effects all came through cleanly. Explosions, machine gun fire, soldiers yelling, and Discord chat were all intelligible, with no distortion or loss of detail. The G Hub app’s FPS preset emphasises gunfire, footsteps, and clarity, but you can easily experiment with custom or downloadable profiles to find what works best for you.

Tri-Mode Connectivity and Excellent Battery Life

The G522’s tri-mode connectivity gives you three ways to connect: Lightspeed wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, and USB-C wired.

Lightspeed wireless is the mode you’ll likely use most on PC (or PS5). It connects via the included USB dongle and provides ultra-low latency audio, meaning there’s no noticeable delay between what happens on-screen and what you hear. It’s best suited for gaming.

Then there’s Bluetooth, which turns the G522 into a versatile everyday headset. You can pair it with your phone, tablet, or even a smart TV and use it for music, podcasts, or calls without swapping cables or dongles. Switching between Bluetooth and Lightspeed is quick, though it’s worth noting that you can’t use them simultaneously. In other words, you can’t game over Lightspeed and take a phone call over Bluetooth at the same time.

Lastly, the USB-C wired connection is useful when you want zero battery anxiety. It also allows for ultra-low latency audio playback and charges the headset while you use it.

 

Battery life is solid, though the figure depends on how the G522’s are used. Logitech quotes up to 90 hours of continuous playback with RGB lighting switched off, using Lightspeed wireless at moderate volume. With lighting enabled, that estimate drops to around 40 hours. Over Bluetooth, you can expect similar performance to Lightspeed, though slightly less depending on your volume levels. In sleep mode, the headset naturally lasts much longer, but that isn’t what Logitech is advertising here with the 40 and 90-hour claims are based on actual listening time.

I was able to go a full week with mixed use before needing to recharge.

 

Software and Customisation: G Hub Unlocks the G522’s Full Potential

Logitech’s G Hub software is critical to have the complete experience with the G522. The EQ, DTS spatial audio, mic filters, and RGB controls are all accessible, and it’s reasonably straightforward to use.

Once the app is installed, you’ll be able to select from several different equaliser presets, customise your own, or even download other Logitech user’s custom presets from their online community. This is a feature I’m a big fan of, as I’ve found great presets for music/media and gaming. You’re also able to pick different mic filters for your voice, such as FM and AM, interestingly. You can also update your headset firmware, using the G Hub software which I did do, and the whole process took under 10 minutes to complete.

The eight-zone RGB looks neat on your desk, and will pop if you’re streaming – even if you can’t see it while you’re wearing the headset.

 

Final Verdict

The Logitech G522 Lightspeed headphones are a great bit of kit that you can wear comfortably for hours at a time thanks to their light, airy feel – whether you’re gaming or listening to media. The sound quality is very good once you’ve tuned the EQ to your liking, and it holds up well across a wide range of content. Music sounds balanced and detailed, and in games, positional cues are clear and accurate.

Battery life is excellent, and mic performance is strong, although the detachable boom design won’t suit everyone. It’s a capable performer that delivers clean, consistent voice capture, but I still miss the convenience of a stowable mic like my old G930.

At $299 RRP, the G522 sits in an interesting spot. It’s not exactly cheap, and there are strong competitors at similar or lower prices. Still, if you value long-session comfort, great battery life, and a headset that can handle gaming, calls, and everyday media use with ease, the G522 offers a well-rounded and compelling experience that will provide you many years of enjoyment.

DRN wishes to thank Logitech for sending us the G522 for review.