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Plantronics have chosen to use a white and grey colour scheme for the GameCom X40 which reflects the colour scheme that Microsoft used for the original range of Xbox 360 consoles. Rather than having a brilliant-white glossy plastic finish like some competing products, Plantronics have used matte plastic throughout in the construction of this headset which is sure to stand the test of time better.
The design of the GameCom X40 is probably the most simple of any headset that has ever passed through our labs. At a glance, the headband that extends between the two earpieces appears to be a single unbroken piece, giving the design an subtle elegance. The headband isn't actually a single piece, though, as it can be adjusted on either side for comfort.
On the back of the right hand earpiece there is a roller switch which lets us adjust the game volume. You can also adjust chat volume using a similar roller switch on the back of the left earcup and you can mute the microphone using the small switch above this. These are a little bit of a pain to use in game as you have to let go of the controller with one hand. With the SteelSeries 5XB headset, all these controls are located on the Spectrum AudioMixer unit that attaches to the bottom of the controller which is a far better location in our opinion.
The microphone is attached to the left earcup and can be stowed up against the headband when not in use. When it is folded down, you can extend the flexible boom of the microphone so that it is ideally positioned for your mouth. This microphone is a uni-directional model with noise-cancelling.
When we looked at the Sharkoon X-Tatic SX headset a few weeks back, we noted that the way it connected to the Xbox 360 was far too complicated and required many separate cables. Plantronics have streamlined the connectivity greatly though by combining the control unit into the headset itself. This does mean you have two cables coming from the headset – one for game audio and the other for Xbox live Chat – but this is much better than the mess created by Sharkoons system.
Three connectors break out at the end of the main cable for you to hook up the headset to your Xbox 360. Power is supplied to the headset through a USB connector which fits into the back of your Xbox and audio is supplied via two RCA connectors. The use of RCA connectors could pose a problem to those who use an HDMI to connect their XBOX to their TV.
Unless you have the special audio adapter (pictured above) that is supplied with the official Xbox HDMI cable then you won't be able to use this headset. Plantronics could have easily avoided this by including an RCA to 3.5mm connector which could be plugged directly into your TV which would only have added pence to the cost of the product. Unfortunately, this also means that you can't use the GameCom X40 with your PC or MP3 player.
