Logitech G51 Surround Sound Speaker System

(Review) - With a successful line of "G" series of gaming products, Logitech continues to mint new products under the same brand. A brand that caters to hardcore gamers with customizable options and differentiating features to wow the gamer in you, the "G" series has been successful, very successful, in fact. To continue with that tradition, Logitech brings us G51, a 5.1 surround sound speaker system for PC gaming. Although the speakers are compatible with consoles and PCs, they are PC optimized with a number of interesting updates that will have you drooling. All that at an affordable price point.

Logitech's speaker styles are very retro and hardcore and logically so. They sport a vibrant design that scream gaming and ultimate entertainment with shades of black and silver for a sophisticated, classy look. As is the case with 5.1 surround sound speakers, they naturally include five speakers and a subwoofer. One interesting thing to note about the design is personal customization. You can now download Logitech's software and artwork, print it, remove the outer covers from the satellites and insert the new print outs. They definitely give the speakers, oh, shall we say, an interesting look. We like it. It adds a little pizazz to the otherwise standard design. Cool!

In addition to the standalone speaker units, Logitech has moved much of the application functionality to the tangible remote control. Up until now, we have been able to work with volume controls (for all satellites + subwoofer), headphones jack, mic jack, mute button and a power button all integrated in the remote control (or the "control pod"), but there's a new button for "Matrix Surround Sound." You can flip the switch between gaming and music modes with this feature to convert 2.1 audio into 5.1 artificially. Surprisingly enough, this trick works well enough to make it enjoyable.

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Earlier in the review, we mentioned you could also connect these speakers to a gaming console. It's possible, but if you already have a standalone entertainment setup with superior quality speakers, we wouldn't recommend replacing those with the G51. The G51 is great for PC gaming, but for some reason, they lack that same oomph with console gaming. This could have a lot to do with the lack of a dedicated sound card that could make a substantial difference in the end result.

Logitech's G51 speakers are excellent, mindblowing and downright amazing for the price tag they carry. For a mere $199.99, you are getting a heck of a bargain. That's $199.99 MSRP. When they ship in October, we expect the price to fall well below Logitech's suggested retail price, which will make them even lucrative. The audio performance was superb with more than enough bass, crystal audio quality, lack of static disturbance and an overall wholesome sound. While we enjoyed the speakers very much, we would certainly appreciate some "soft" tweakability through an application. Unfortunately, Logitech does not let you do this. However, if you have a third-party sound card, you should be able to work with a number of options with your sound card's driver utility. If you are looking for a new 5.1 speaker set for the upcoming shopping season, there's nothing better than Logitech's G51 surround sound speakers, especially for the price tag they carry. We'll put this as another win in Logitech's ever successful "G" series of gaming products. Rock on, Logitech, rock on!

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