Competition can only be a good thing, especially when looking at premium PC goods like wireless gaming headsets. Traditionally, removing cables from good headphones would result in a significant jump in price. So the entry of another player into the game means that we can expect more competition and consequently lower prices.

And Victrix is a company born out of competition, a young company whose main goal has been to make the best esports peripherals for pro gamers and streamers who want to be considered pros.

The recent Gambit series is an attempt to condense the more high-end Pro AF kit into something affordable that you can take home with you; the Gambit wireless gaming headset uses the same 50mm drivers as the more expensive pair, but the headband and ear cups are made of slightly less expensive materials. In other words, no slow-return memory foam here.

The end result is a headset that also features Pro AF design notes and audio, but inevitably has a cheaper look and feel. Still, the Gambit is lightweight, with a battery integrated into the design to allow for wireless connectivity.

The esports DNA can be seen in the game/chat audio controls and on-ear volume dial, and the flip-to-mute microphone also speaks to that heritage. And also the more console-oriented leaning. This is a licensed PlayStation and Xbox product, but that means it will work just fine on a PC.

As for PC gaming and general PC use, it is not without its oddities. On my system, they are recognized as Xbox controller headphones and follow suit the moment you turn them on and connect them to the USB wireless dongle. I'm also lucky enough to have a volume dial on the earcups. I'm not sure why, because my system's volume control didn't play ball unless I dove into the volume mixer (which is frustratingly hidden in Windows 11) and adjusted the volume of certain apps.

As for Gambit's audio, it sounds pretty good. A little top-heavy for my taste, and some of it sounds a little spiky to my ears. The bass is there, as one would expect from gaming headphones, and it works while gaming. Sound reproduction is also relatively detailed, and they provide clear cues of position while walking around the battlefield in Battlefield.

But back to the standard Razer Blackshark V2 Pro, one of the best wireless gaming headsets, and the difference in quality is stark: with Razer's redesigned drivers and driver chamber combination, the audio is much richer, and the sound is perhaps even better. richer, perhaps indicating that actual sound is not necessarily important to Victrix's ambitions as a gaming headset manufacturer. They also feel much better anchored to the skull.

The wireless connection is solid and responsive, and the 16-hour battery life is welcome, if not noteworthy. It is odd, however, that there is no power-saving feature to shut down the headset when not in use. I have run out of battery power by forgetting to turn it off, and there seems to be no way to check the remaining charge level other than a low-battery tone when the battery is near empty.

Razer's set is nominally much more expensive, with an MSRP of $180, but this long after its initial release, the Blackshark V2 Pro is pretty much always on sale. Right now it's $150, but it has also been as low as $130 on Gambit.

Additionally, I'm a snob and if I'm going to pay $100+ for a gaming headset, I want it to look sharper than the Gambit. The headband feels solid and durable, but the plastic frame does look a little cheap. The peep hole for the coiled purple cable is a nod to the better looking exposed metal/floating cable look of the Pro AF headset, but it looks a bit odd in this design. And while we're talking about design, I do like the physical volume control, but the Gambit's labor-intensive dials make it awkward to pick up during a match.

It's a tough call, as I have nothing against the Victrix Gambit, but the audio is excellent, if unspectacular. However, for similar money, there are more comfortable wireless gaming headsets. If the Gambit were a $60 headset, I would happily recommend it as a responsive wireless headset.