Final VR500 Review: Excellent for Gaming, Even Better for Music
Disclosure: I received the Final VR500 free of charge for review purposes. This did not influence my opinion, and the brand did not see or approve this review before publication. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I recently reviewed the Final VR3000 + Condenser Mic, and I came away very impressed by how well it worked for gaming.
The Final VR500 is a slightly different proposition. It is still designed with gaming very much in mind, but visually it looks much more like a traditional pair of wired earphones. There is no large boom microphone sitting next to your mouth, and personally, I prefer this simpler design.
Once again, I split the testing between myself and my son. He used the VR500 extensively with his PS4, while I concentrated mainly on music.
And interestingly, we came away preferring different Final models.
My son still prefers the VR3000 for gaming. I prefer the VR500 for music.
How I Tested the Final VR500
As with my VR3000 review, I decided not to pretend that I spend hours gaming every day.
My son does, so he used the VR500 with his PS4 and gave me his thoughts on the overall gaming experience, sound positioning and microphone.
I concentrated on music, using the VR500 as a normal pair of wired earphones.
The Final VR500 is a very good pair of wired gaming earphones, but I actually enjoyed them even more for music. My son found the gaming performance excellent on PS4, although he still prefers the VR3000 because the condenser microphone feels more natural for chat. Personally, I prefer the VR500: the sound feels more natural to me for music, and I much prefer the simpler, traditional earphone design.
The Good
- Excellent sound quality for the price
- Very good positional sound for gaming
- I prefer the VR500 for music
- Clear vocals and good instrument separation
- Simple, lightweight earphone design
- Comfortable for longer listening sessions
Not So Good
- The inline mic feels less natural for gaming chat than the VR3000 boom mic
- Dedicated gamers may still prefer the VR3000 setup
Design: I Prefer the VR500
Testing the Final VR500 for gaming and music. I particularly liked the simple earphone-style design and the sound quality for everyday listening.
One of the first things I noticed is how much more conventional the VR500 feels.
For me, that makes them considerably easier to use throughout the day. I can connect them to a laptop, listen to music or watch a video without feeling as though I am wearing a gaming headset.
They are lightweight, discreet and easy to put on. There is less going on around your face, and for everyday listening I think that makes the VR500 the more attractive option vs the VR 3000.
Gaming Performance
My son has spent a lot of time gaming with the VR500 and his opinion is very positive.
He thinks the sound quality is excellent and had no problems identifying where sounds were coming from during games. The VR500 gives a very good sense of positioning and separation, which is obviously one of the most important things when you are playing games where sound can help you understand what is happening around you.
He has been using them a lot, which is probably the most useful endorsement I can give them.
However, when I asked him which Final model he preferred specifically for gaming, he chose the VR3000.
The reason is simple: the condenser microphone on the VR3000 feels more natural for gaming and chatting with other players.
The VR500 still works very well, but the VR3000 feels slightly more purpose-built for that particular job.
For Music, I Prefer the VR500
A closer look at the Final VR500. The compact design feels much more like a traditional pair of earphones than a dedicated gaming headset
This is where things become more interesting for me.
I liked the VR3000 with music. In fact, I was surprised by how good they sounded considering they are primarily marketed as gaming earphones.
But after listening to the Final VR500, I think I prefer them.
There is something about the presentation that feels very natural.
Vocals are clear, instruments are nicely separated and there is enough detail to make music genuinely enjoyable rather than simply acceptable for a gaming product.
The VR500 also feels more like a pair of earphones I would naturally reach for when I want to listen to music. The simpler design plays a part in that, but ultimately it comes down to the sound.
For my ears, I prefer the VR500 to the VR3000 for music.
Final Verdict
The Final VR500 ended up being one of those products I enjoyed for slightly different reasons than expected.
My son has been very happy using them for gaming on his PS4. The sound quality is excellent, positioning is convincing, and they work very well as gaming earphones.
But personally, it is the music performance that impressed me most.
I prefer the sound of the VR500 to the VR3000 for music, and I also prefer the simpler design. They look and feel like regular earphones rather than gaming equipment, which makes them much easier for me to use every day.
If I were choosing purely for gaming, I would probably follow my son's preference and take the VR3000 with its condenser microphone.
But if I wanted one pair for gaming, music and general everyday use, the VR500 would be my choice.
That, for me, is what makes them so good.
Jerome.
Final VR500 review after testing with PS4 and music. Excellent gaming sound, a simple earphone design and, for me, even better music performance than the VR3000.