PuroGamer volume limiting headset review: Works as promised, but isn't anything special

I've had the privilege of reviewing several headsets in the past from brands you may not have heard of, and others that come from company's like Razer, which are known for making some of the best peripherals in the business. You may not have heard of Puro Sound Labs, but it makes decent, if unexceptional accessories, including its PuroGamer volume limiting headset, which I've gotten to test for a couple of weeks now. I can't say I'm blown away or extremely impressed, but it's still a good headset — just nothing special.

I'm also not the target audience for it. The PuroGamer is for people who worry about hearing loss thanks to its volume limiting feature. I haven't experienced hearing loss, nor do I really worry about it happening. If I'm being honest, I don't crank up the volume all that high anyway on my regular headset.

Beyond that there isn't anything exceptional about this headset. It does what it does fine and has features like inline controls that'll appeal to most people. It certainly won't replace my Razer Kraken X anytime soon.

PuroGamer Volume Limited Headset What I like

Right off the bat I knew I'd like the headset for its inline volume controls. Most of my other headsets have volume and mic controls on the earpiece itself, leaving it a guessing game as to how much I was adjusting it and whether the mic was even muted. There isn't much you can do when you have a wireless headset, but for wired headsets I much prefer an inline control, which the PuroGamer headset has. Everything it clearly labelled and easy to use.

One of the most important aspects of a headset — aside from comfort — is its audio quality, and PuroGamer delivers in that regard. It's nothing incredible, but it's better than your built-in television speakers, especially considering you're getting directional audio out of the ears. That's all you can really ask for with a $70 headset — good, not amazing.

As we previously mentioned, this headset has one niche feature. It gets its name because it limits the volume output to 85 dB in order to promote healthy hearing. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), prolonged exposure to sounds of over 85 dB can cause hearing loss. Playing a video game is a prime example of being in an environment where this prolonged exposure (of about two hours) can occur. Loud explosions, gun shots, and shouts are certainly common occurences in video games.

If you're worried that the game still won't be loud enough, don't be. This is more than enough for most games to still sound loud, so it generally doesn't feel like you're being restricted.

Moving away from the audio itself, I also liked that it had a detachable microphone. I'm used to microphones either retracting or bending out of the way, but these still look awkward in public. The simplest solution? Detach it altogether.

The carrying pouch that's included with the headset is a nice touch, too.

PuroGamer Volume Limiting Headset What I don't like

The moment I put on the headset and turned on my Xbox One (the headset is compatible with PS4, Xbox One, PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch), I was nervous because I couldn't really hear anything. I turned up the volume to max, but no dice. This changed when I started up Borderlands 3 to make my way through the latest DLC — suddenly it was working perfectly. When I tested it again, I just realized that I couldn't hear the normal sounds on the Xbox home screen because it was abnormally quiet. I understand limiting the volume to a degree, but the volume balancing between menus and games is a problem. I found that menus like this in particular were affected the most.

I also found that while it was comfortable enough with my glasses, it was the least comfortable out of all the headsets that I own. I even tried on one of my other pairs of glasses to see if that'd help, but it only did so moderately. I'm not saying the PuroGamer headset is uncomfortable, but if you wear glasses, you'll start to notice some pressure on your head after a while.

When it comes to adjusting the size of the headset, there's not a good indicator for how much you are doing so, either. You'll hear and feel clicks as you adjust the length, but there aren't any visuals to help guide your judgement, meaning it's all too easy that the left or right side could hang lower or higher than the other. This is a bit of a nitpick, but still something that I noticed.

Should you buy the PuroGamer Volume Limiting Headset? Probably not

If hearing loss is something that you're worried about or are already dealing with, then you should absolutely consider picking up this headset. It still provides loud enough audio that, barring extreme hearing loss, you'll be able to enjoy. However, for most people who won't have that problem or aren't too worried about it happening, you can find better headsets elsewhere.

3 out of 5

The PuroGamer volume limiting headset from Puro Sound is trying to appeal to a niche market, and it works as intended — at least as far as I could tell with my time with it. I obviously can't conduct scientific tests as to whether or not this actually helps prevent hearing loss versus other headsets, but I like it regardless. It's a solid headset that provides good audio — though nothing special — and it's comfortable to wear for the most part as long as you don't wear glasses. It won't stand out in the crowd, but it's a decent option if you're looking for a headset under $100.