I’ll get straight to the point. These gaming earphones retail at £19.99, and I’ve seen them online for even less, at £16.99. But are they any good?
These are the VR500 gaming earphones from Final. For those of you unaware, Final is an audio brand from Japan that produces headphones, earphones, and other audio products. The VR500 has been designed with gaming in mind, although it can, of course, also be used for listening to music or watching content.
They come in a matte grey finish and feature a traditional in-ear design with rubber tips that sit comfortably inside your ears. In the box, you get a selection of different-sized tips to help achieve a comfortable, snug, and secure fit.
These are wired as well, which is apparently back in fashion these days, right? They feature a traditional 3.5mm jack plug and a 1.2m cable, which is a good length considering they’ll likely be used with a handheld console, controller, or PC. Built into the cable is an inline microphone with a single button, positioned perfectly below your chin to pick up your voice.
These are completely plug-and-play. There’s no app support, no software to install, no settings to configure, and no controls beyond the single button on the microphone. Just plug them into your device and get going.
Features include:
- Specialised acoustic design for precise sound imaging
- Newly developed high-precision drivers
- Compatible with all gaming genres (FPS, fighting, open-world, adventure)
- One-button controller with microphone
- Award-winning Type-E eartips in five sizes
In terms of comfort, I found them comfortable overall, although I did find myself adjusting them every so often to make sure they stayed in place. I realised I was expecting each earbud to have a stem, as that’s how I naturally insert earbuds and earphones. These don’t have stems; instead, the cable comes directly out of each earbud. It’s not a problem by any means, but it did take a little getting used to.
I swapped the default rubber tips for the smaller ones, which suited my ears better. I could comfortably wear these for an hour or two of gaming without any issues.
When it comes to performance, they were more than acceptable and enjoyable to use. Yes, I’ve heard better, but referring back to the sub-£20 price point, you shouldn’t be expecting the very best. I used these with my PC, Steam Deck, and Nintendo Switch. Audio quality was good for the casual games I played. Everything sounded clear and well-balanced, with a slight hint of bass. They were enjoyable to use and certainly better than the built-in speakers, especially on the Switch.
Positional accuracy is fairly good too. I played some Overwatch while using them and could clearly hear enemy footsteps and movement.
I also listened to music and watched video content, and again, the experience was more than satisfactory. YouTube videos sounded good, and music playback was enjoyable as well.
In terms of microphone quality, it’s fine. Speaking to people through my Steam Deck worked well enough. I could hear them clearly and, more importantly, they could hear me. I feel these are better suited to casual and mobile gaming. If you regularly spend four-hour dungeon sessions on your favourite MMO, these probably wouldn’t be my first choice.
All in all, these are a pretty decent pair of earphones that will be more than enough for casual gaming on the move. Personally, I wouldn’t use them with my PC for more serious gaming sessions or lengthy Discord chats, but for everything else, they perform surprisingly well.
Given the price tag, they’re a bargain and an easy recommendation for anyone on a tight budget. The variety of included ear tips is also a nice bonus.
For more information, head over to the official Final website.
