Sennheiser GAME ZERO Review: For Detailed Gaming

Audiophiles are very familiar with Sennheiser. After all, it is a respected brand in the world of audio devices. Naturally, the moment Sennheiser GAME ZERO came along I was instantly hooked.

Immersion Quality Tested Over

Audiophiles are very familiar with Sennheiser. After all, it is a respected brand in the world of audio devices. Their products range from noise-canceling earphones to DJ style headphones.  

It’s been a few years since Sennheiser invaded the gaming world, and the German audio company did not disappoint – their Sennheiser GAME ONE became one of the cult favorites. 

Naturally, the moment Sennheiser GAME ZERO came along I was instantly hooked. Audiophiles and gamers could be a real pain in the ass when it comes to satisfying their multiple requirements, and any manufacturer seeking to meet them in battle deserves respect. Let’s find out how well does Sennheiser perform. 

9.4
  • CLOSED BACK - Closed back design featuring tailored leatherette double layered memory-foam ear pads for the maximum acoustic seal to block outside noise.
  • XXL EARCUPS - Modern, lightweight yet robust design featuring XXL ear cups
  • NOISE-CANCELING MIC - Crystal clear conversations ensured with the professional quality noise-canceling microphone that automatically mutes when boom arm is raised.
  • FOLDABLE - Foldable design featuring a volume control located on the right ear cup with two cables included for multi platform compatibility
  • VOLUME-CONTROL - A built-in volume control on the right ear cup of the Game Zero headset allows for on-the-fly adjustments. 

Build and Design 

Sennheiser GAME ZERO is black with metallic red highlights. This set is old fashioned in appearance but still oozes class. The simply designed headset features black ear cups and black frame. You also have the beautiful Sennheiser logo embellished on the ear cup and the headband. 

This is also a light headset. Its 300g weight means less bulk and better portability. Speaking of portability, the cable is removable, so you won’t have to worry about tangling wires. You could make this set even more compact by turning the cylinder-shaped hinge and folding the ear cups towards the headband. When folded you can stow it away in the carrying bag provided with the package. 

Headband 

The GAME ZERO headband is well-built and generously padded. The band itself is made of metal, reasonably flexible and connected to the ear cups by two sturdy metal pins. It is crafted really well and will survive heavy-duty use. 

Ear Cups 

Unlike the Sennheiser GAME ONE, which is open-backed, the GAME ZERO is close-backed. Though it does not heat up as other headsets, my ears did get a bit warm wearing them. This is an understandable and common issue with leatherette furnished headsets. The ear cup design is well sealed, so it gives pretty decent insulation. 

Connectivity and Controls 

The GAME ZERO is a wired headset. You already know the wire is detachable. You have the option of switching between the two headphone jacks included depending on whether you use it on PC or consoles. The wires are ample and with sufficient length to allow you to play at a reasonable distance from your gaming machine. 

Controls-wise, you have the option of muting the mic by simply putting it in an upright position. There will be a certain click indicating that the mic is turned off, thus you can be certain you’re on mute. On the right ear cup, you can find the volume knob.  

Sound Quality 

The audio performance of the GAME ZERO is superb as should be expected from Sennheiser. I tested it on some Spotify binge and was impressed. The Bass is decent while mids and highs are balanced. There is a certain richness in the notes and muddy sounds are absent. 

When I tested the GAME ZERO for gaming, I expected nothing short of perfect performance given the manufacturer’s reputation. The headset performed well overall. However, while it exceeded in some areas, it kind of performed poorly in others. Let me explain. 

I used The Witcher 3 as a test subject. It is the perfect guinea pig as the music score of this game is superb. I was blown away. I must say that the atmospheric ambiance is perfectly captured. For FPS gaming, I played PUBG and I could hear my enemies’ footsteps clearly. The gunshots were also immersive and explosions – realistic. Hats off to Sennheiser for capturing such gamer goodness. 

Now to the weird part. You know how epic the dialogues in Mass Effect 3 are. The way Commander Shepard speaks has the conviction that will get you hyped up. When I used GAME ZERO during gameplay, voices sounded distant. After all, you are supposed to be hearing them from right in front of you for the sake of those fiery motivational speeches. 

I know that some headsets using immersive equalizations will sometimes produce an odd, echoing effect with voices. Good thing most of them have software included, so you could tweak them to your liking. However, GAME ZERO has no such software, so fixing them is hard. But don’t fret, though it is not as good as dedicated software, there are online third-party equalizers that you can utilize when you are playing on your PC. 

Microphone 

GAME ZERO’s microphone is devised to eliminate background noise. Though it is pretty effective, I would not call it perfect. It does a good job minimizing background pickups like AC hum or PC fan, but high-frequency noise like dogs barking can still be picked up, even be it to a minimum level. If you need a microphone for streaming, consider that the built-in mic might be insufficient for that purpose.

Final Verdict 

The Sennheiser GAME ZERO is a great audio device from a company with a known history of manufacturing excellent audio products. If you are in need of immersive gaming headphones, the GAME ZERO is a strong candidate. 

Its premium quality and weight make it a comfortable and wearable piece of gear. Yes, it is not perfect, but the atmospheric and amazing audio quality might overshadow that weird quality of voice-overs. 

9.4
  • CLOSED BACK - Closed back design featuring tailored leatherette double layered memory-foam ear pads for the maximum acoustic seal to block outside noise.
  • XXL EARCUPS - Modern, lightweight yet robust design featuring XXL ear cups
  • NOISE-CANCELING MIC - Crystal clear conversations ensured with the professional quality noise-canceling microphone that automatically mutes when boom arm is raised.
  • FOLDABLE - Foldable design featuring a volume control located on the right ear cup with two cables included for multi platform compatibility
  • VOLUME-CONTROL - A built-in volume control on the right ear cup of the Game Zero headset allows for on-the-fly adjustments. 
Tracy has been working for RealGear since the first day it went online. She reads every e-sports related newspaper and website. She is a huge Twitch.tv fan and a gamer with a soft spot for Lineage 2, WoW, and Guild Wars 1 and 2. She says she does not suffer from PvP insanity, she enjoys every minute of it. Tracy defines herself as a person who’d spend two hours customizing a character rather than indulging in an activity that would not be as nearly rewarding as playing games and testing hardware.

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