Closer Examination, Build Quality and Comfort

The XPG Precog is based on a dual-headband design, which many of us are big fans of because it makes us completely carefree when it comes to proper headset adjustment and usually results in good wearing comfort. The principle of the dual-headband design is simple—instead of having to adjust the "height" of your headset, just putting it on your head will have the inner headband stretch as necessary. The outer headband consists of what feels like two thick metal wires covered in rubber, while the inner one is suspended on a flexible metal loop. Considering this is a rather bulky gaming headset, the dual-headband design is probably the best one XPG could have gone with.


If aggressive gaming aesthetics are what tickles your interest, then you'll undoubtedly like the XPG Precog. The ear cups are perforated on the outside, and there's a system of red LEDs underneath these perforations. The illumination can be turned on and off by flipping the switch on the in-line remote control. Underneath the LED lighting system, the ear cups are completely sealed, so don't be mistaken into thinking that the Precog offers an open-back design.


Several plastic parts of the headset have a chrome finish. The idea was to make the whole thing look more premium, but I have to admit it doesn't resonate with me. To my eyes, the chrome details make the headset look cheaper than it is.


The inner headband is very soft and nicely padded, so it applies absolutely no discomfort or excessive pressure to the top of the head. The same goes for the angled ear cushions. They're extremely soft and do a good job of keeping up with the weight of this headset, making it completely comfortable. While I'm not talking about "you'll forget you're wearing it" level of comfort here, I was definitely able to use the XPG Precog for several hours without taking a break, with no issues whatsoever. The ear cushions can easily be removed and replaced.


The entire headset is very flexible, and the ear cups can be rotated by 90° in both directions. The overall build quality of the XPG Precog is very good indeed.


The supplied microphone is detachable. It connects to the left ear cup. Considering the size of the headset, it's not very likely anyone will use it on the go despite its mobile device connectivity. This is why I feel a pivotable microphone would be a better choice, as you could actually move it out of your peripheral vision during your solo gaming sessions. Sure, a detachable microphone can be fully removed or attached between sessions, but it's a hassle.


The microphone arm is unusually long and very flexible. While it won't stay in every single position you might bend it to, I had no trouble placing it in a way that resulted in optimal voice pickup. The capsule itself is protected with a pop filter that makes it look more professional.


Two more ports can be found on the left ear cup. The USB-C port is used to connect the headset to most supported devices (PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices). In case you can't or don't want to connect it digitally, there is also an analogue option. XPG even supplies the Precog with a secondary in-line remote controller with a volume dial and microphone mute switch should you decide to go down the analogue route.


When USB-C connection is used, you'll find a bulky USB sound card with a couple of on-board controls some 50 centimeters down the cable. The front is dominated by a large volume dial, which can be pressed as a button to mute/unmute the microphone. Below it is a sound profile slider with three positions: Music (no filters applied), 7.1 (surround sound), and FPS (tailored specifically for first-person shooters). I'll discuss all three options in the sound quality section of this review. The sound card gets unusually warm when the headset is used. Not so much that it could burn your skin, but warm enough to make you wonder if it's working properly.


On the left side of the remote is a switch that activates or deactivates the red LEDs in the ear cups. The switch on the right side controls the ENC feature of the microphone. You can use it or not, depending on how noisy your surroundings are. The microphone sound samples for both of those cases are available in the microphone performance section of this review.


The USB sound card terminates in a USB-C connector, which can be plugged directly into any mobile device. This way, you can use the built-in sound profiles, including 7.1 surround sound, even when connecting the XPG Precog to a smartphone or Nintendo Switch. You can also plug this connector into an extension cable, which terminates in a standard USB Type-A connector you'll use to connect the headset to your PC or PlayStation 4.


In case you decide to use your own sound card, or want to use an analogue connection for any other reason, you'll be interested to know that the XPG Precog comes with an additional, compact in-line remote control. It has a volume dial and a microphone mute switch. It terminates in a 4-pole TRRS plug (3.5 mm), but XPG also supplies a 3-pole TRS splitter cable, which is needed when using the analogue connection on a device with a separate microphone input and headphone output.