More and more companies are branching out. Gaming headset companies are releasing consumer headphones and vice versa. SCUF Gaming, known for their customizable game controllers, which we’ve reviewed and really like, have also entered the gaming headset market.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Our SCUF H1 review looks at the company’s first wired gaming headset that gamers can personalize with interchangeable speaker tags and other options. Read on to see how SCUF Gaming fared with its first headset.
Specifications
The SCUF H1 wired gaming headset has the following features and specifications:
- Precision-tuned 50mm High-Density Neodymium Speaker Drivers
- High-Bandwidth Uni or Omni-directional Microphone
- Adjustable Synthetic Leather Headband
- Synthetic Leather or Hybrid Synthetic Leather/Cloth Ear Cushions
- Interchangeable Magnetic Speaker Tags
- Universal 3.5mm Cable with in-line volume control
- Connectivity: 3.55MM Audio Jack Port
- Headset Weight: 0.8 kg (1.76 lbs)
- Compatible with consoles (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch), PC (Windows, Mac OS, Linux), & Mobile/Tablet (Android, iOS, iPad OS)
What’s in the box
- SCUF H1 gaming headset with interchangeable speaker tags
- Detachable omni- or uni-directional microphone (user choice)
- Braided detachable 3.5mm jack cable with in-line controller
- Quick Start Manual
- Safety Information
Design
When I first took the SCUF H1 wired gaming headset out of the box, I was very impressed that it had actual machined aluminum components. They definitely look good, and they should, considering they are based on the CORSAIR Virtuoso (SCUF’s parent company). The headband is thick and wrapped in synthetic leather. It is pretty flexible as well, maybe even more so than other headsets I’ve tested in the past. There is enough padding that the headset to be comfortable against the top of your head. The SCUF Gaming logo is printed in white on the top.
Where the headband meets the earcups is where the adjustments take place. The top component is a machined aluminum piece with the SCUF nameplate printed on it. On the inside, an L or R is etched, so you know which ear goes where. Pulling down on the earcup reveals a thin metal piece with a plastic back and lines with numbers so you can easily match each side. Just underneath this metal piece is where the earcups swivel back or forward a full 90°, allowing for optimal adjustment when worn. An inverted U-shape, as is normal, arches down and attaches to the round earcups. This arm is also crafted from machined aluminum with shiny bevelled edges.
The earcups themselves are round and matte black on the outer shell. Roughly 3 3/4-inches in diameter, they taper inwards to about 2 1/2-inches in the center. In the center sits a magnetic interchangeable speaker tag. Our review unit came with a white speaker tag with some wavy grey designs on them. The speaker tags come off pretty easily, are thin, and attach and align within four small holes on the earcup. The left earcup has a custom USB-B slot for the detachable microphone and a 3.5mm audio jack for the included cable.
Our review sample came with the hybrid ear cushions. The outer ring is covered with synthetic leather, while the inner portion covering your ear is made from a softer fabric for more comfort. The inside of the ear cushion, which covers the drivers, is a black mesh.
The microphone is high quality as well. Our SCUF H1 came with a uni-directional microphone. Both the connection piece and the microphone itself are also crafted from metal. The microphone end is quite thick and looks sharp with its stamped design and round end. Being uni-directional, there is a microphone port on the inside and outside of the microphone.
The included 3.5mm audio cable is nice and consists of a braided finish and an inline remote. Surprisingly, the inline remote is plastic. It has a volume wheel in the middle and a switch to toggle the microphone mute. The cable itself is just under six feet in length, perfect for just about any setup.
Customization
The headset is pretty customizable when you order it from the SCUF website. To start off, you choose white or black as your base colour. Next, you can choose between 31 speaker tags (at the time of this review). Black and white are free; red, blue, green, or light grey will cost you an extra $10. There are also five camp designs for $15 and 20 designer speaker tags that will add an extra $20 to the price. There are six available colours for the speaker tag outer ring. For ear cushions, you can choose synthetic leather or hybrid, the latter having a softer cloth finish on the inside where the ear cushion rests against your head. You can also choose between black and light grey. The last two options are choosing a uni- or omni-directional mic in black or light grey, and finally, which of the two colours you want the 3.5mm cable to be.
As far as customizable headphones go, you can do a decent job of finding a mix of colours and speaker tags that suit your taste. Having a choice between two different microphones is a nice touch as well.
Fit & Comfort
While the design looks all nice and dandy, wearing the headset is a different story. I wouldn’t say I have a small head, likely more average to a bit larger than most, being a grown man. When I placed the SCUF H1 on my head for the first time, I was pretty disappointed. The ear cushions feel a bit squishy and loose, for lack of a better term. Shaking my head slightly back and forth, and the headset easily moves around on my head. Tilt my head forward, and the headset starts to slide down off my head. It’s almost as if there isn’t enough clamping power, which makes sense given the headband’s flexibility. And heavy. The headset weighs 1.76 lbs, which is a lot to have sitting on your head for any length of time…
This really was the toughest headset to score for design. While it looks and feels higher quality than the price suggests with its machined aluminum components and ample padding, the heavy weight and loose fit really put a kink on things… There’s a lot to love about the design, but a comfortable fit goes a long way when it comes to a gaming headset at the end of the day.
Sound Quality
As far as sound quality is concerned, the SCUF H1 sounds pretty decent with its 50mm drivers. Whether playing connected to a PC or the Xbox Series X controller, everything from Heroes of the Storm to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla sounded good. On the Xbox, toggling Windows Sonic definitely added a boost. Unfortunately, you’re pretty much stuck with the default sound profile when playing on a computer.
On the music front, they fare pretty well. I’d like to see a bit more bass here, but the highs, mids, and lows are pretty evenly balanced.
Microphone Quality
Given that you can choose between two microphone options keep in mind our review unit came with the better uni-directional microphone. While gaming with friends, they mentioned that I sounded crisp and clean with no distortion or reverb. They mentioned I sounded a little quiet, though, and moving the mic right against my mouth didn’t seem to make a difference. When asked if they could hear me typing on my mechanical keyboard, the response was that they barely could and didn’t really notice it until I asked.
Unfortunately, the SCUF H1 does not have mic monitoring, which is a pretty big omission when it comes to gaming headsets. I found myself talking louder because I couldn’t hear myself, and even my wife asked why I was yelling when she passed through while I was gaming.
Price/Value
The SCUF H1 wired gaming headset starts at US$129.99, which is a pretty decent price given the construction materials used. As reviewed, our headset clocks in at $171.95 — pretty much the top tier when it comes to price. While $10 to upgrade to a uni-directional mic is pretty low, the range in prices for the speaker tags is a bit more puzzling. Considering the design is just a printed plastic disc in an outer ring, having three price points based on design is an interesting marketing choice.
Unfortunately, while they look nice, it’s tough to justify this price given the fit, at least for me.
Photo Gallery
Wrap-up
While well constructed and decent sounding, the SCUF H1 wired gaming headset is a little hard to recommend given its loose and heavy fit.
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Last Updated on March 31, 2021.
