We’ve been waiting less than patiently for the latest Gears of War game to make its way to our Xbox 360s, and finally the wait is over. What better way to make the gaming experience complete than to purchase your very own Gears or War 3 branded Tritton headset? The AX180 headset from Tritton is one of the more affordable options in the headset maker’s arsenal, but that doesn’t diminish from the impeccable sound quality provided by this product. With four-play co-op offered in Gears of War 3 for the first time in the series, a high quality headset has never been so important for your gameplay.

Appearance

The standard AX180 from Tritton is a perfect picture of simplicity, with only the Tritton logo adorning the earphones. It’s the appearance of this unit that has received a wonderful upgrade in honour of the release of the new third-person Gears of War shooter. The manufacturer certainly hasn’t been shy in incorporating as many references to the game as possible, with the familiar red skull of a logo decorating the earphones beautifully, and a large ‘Gears of War 3’ appropriately inscribed along the top of the headband. Even the included Audio Controller is marked with a smaller logo of the game. Despite how prevalent Tritton have made it known that this is a headset for the game, the design does not look at all over the top.

Build

As already mentioned, the AX180 is at the lower end of Tritton’s array of headsets on offer, however this doesn’t seem to have had much impact on the build quality. The headset feels particularly durable, despite its lightweight nature. One feature that many gamers will appreciate is the flexibility found in the microphone itself; you won’t have the worry of accidentally snapping the mic from the headset. The microphone is also detachable, should you wish to get it out of the way for your solo gaming.

Your AX180 headset will connect to your Xbox 360 via USB; making this a device usable over multiple platforms should you wish to hook your headphones up to your PC or PS4. Innovative features incorporated within the design provide you with the ability to alter the volume of voices and games independently. You can even choose to hear your own voice if you desire, with the use of the Selective Voice Monitoring (SVM) technology.

Sound Quality

The inbuilt speakers within Tritton’s AX180 headset are designed to provide rich and full stereo sound, and they certainly succeed in capturing the atmosphere of your favourite games, without disturbing your nearest and dearest. The microphone also delivers wonderfully clear voice commands, essential when enjoying the all new Horde mode with a friend or playing through the co-op campaign.

It’s the Audio Controller found close to the headset on the long cable that really helps to improve the audio of your gaming experience though. Sensitive dials allow you to set up your own custom sound settings, should you wish to turn up your teammates in your ears, or turn them down to enjoy the audio that the game has to offer. It’s so simply to make adjustments that you can easily alter your setup for a cut-scene or instruction sequence, should you need to pay more attention to the game itself.

Conclusion

The Tritton Gears of War 3 AX180 headset is an affordable and feature-packed unit, perfectly branded to fit with the release of one of our favourite third-person shooters. With excellent sound quality, great appearance and a high-quality build, this is a headset that won’t let you down.