Earlier this year, Logitech announced three new headsets at CeBIT, including the successor to Logitech's Premium USB Headset 300, the 350. While there have been mixed reviews regarding Logitech's previous entries into the USB audio market after the acquisition of Labtec, the quality of the Headset 350 blew my head (and eardrums) away.

Package Content
- Logitech Premium USB Headset 350
- Quick start guide
- One year limited warranty

Design
At first glance, I never really expected much from the Logitech Premium USB Headset 350. Compared to my Altec Lansing AHS-502 analog headset, the Logitech headset just seemed so thin and wiry. The headband is about half-an inch wide and contains no padding, while the actual ear pads are thinner and don't provide a seal around the ears.

Looks can be deceiving however, because when I actually put the headset on it was actually exceptionally comfortable, and did not fatigue my neck with its lightweight design. Also, while the thinner ear pads didn't provide a seal around the ear to isolate outside noises, they didn't put much pressure on the ears, so the headset was comfortable after several hours of gaming. And as an added bonus, I could actually hear my teammates shouting commands without using TeamSpeak.

Another example of why not to judge this headset's usefulness by its appearance is the microphone. Unlike my Altec Lansing headset and the older Logitech USB Headsets 200 and 300, the microphone does not end in a flexible wire for optimal positioning, but rather the microphone is one solid piece of plastic that only moves up and down.

Despite the lack of positioning, the microphone was right in the optimal placement of right next to my mouth instead of in front of it, so I did not have to worry about breathing too hard. As an added bonus, when the microphone isn't being used and is tucked next to the head band, it blends in perfectly and doesn't stand out like an antenna.

One of the differences between the Premium USB Headset 350 and the cheaper 250 model is the inline remote. About 22" down the line from the right headphone is the Logitech control pod, where clicking on the Logitech logo will mute the microphone and clicking either end of the ring surrounding the logo will change the operating system's volume. Because the headset is digital, you do not have to worry about an analog wheel that creates noise when turning it three years down the line. At the same time, and this can be said for all USB audio products, changing the volume through the operating system may not take place instantly, especially while playing a game or doing anything particularly CPU intensive.

Regardless, the control pod is especially handy for those without multimedia keyboards, and the edged feel of the volume ring makes it easily distinguishable from the mute button. The only real complaint I have here would be that the control pod needs to be placed about 4 or 5 inches further down the line for attachment to a belt loop.