Total noob Q about USB headsets

Llamaman · 27 Feb 2013 at 10:45

Hi

I'm about to buy a Clevo-based laptop and have heard that the on-board audio is a bit naff.
I was intending on buying a decent set of headphones anyway (as it'll be used in a shared room), but was wondering if I should take the opportunity to buy some USB cans with an internal sound card to bypass the Clevo headphone port. Would quite like a surround set too.

I assume all USB headsets must have an audio chip in them to work, but for the surround sound sets, do you also need to have surround support on the laptop or is all the decoding done by the headsets?
Is it better to get an external USB card with 5.1 out and a headset with 5.1 connectors, or just bypass an external card and get a complete USB headset?

My budget is up to £100.

Llamaman · 27 Feb 2013 at 11:52

Oh, and forgot to mention - I don't do any online gaming, so could consider virtual surround via an external sound card and a set of stereo cans, if this would be a better solution than a surround headset.

Llamaman · 27 Feb 2013 at 13:58

No-one? Is it cos I is furry?

I've done a bit more research elsewhere and it seems like a USB headset is the way to go as the Creative X-Fi external boxes seem to get mixed reviews about reliability/drivers.

Will probably get either the G35s;
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SP-070-LG

or the corsair 1500s;
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SP-007-CS&groupid=702&catid=1058&subcat=692

JamieH · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:04

Plantronics Gamecom 780 or Corsair Vengeance 1500 both get my vote over the G35s.

Llamaman · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:54

Thanks for the advice - especially as both are cheaper than the G35s!

Phixsator · 27 Feb 2013 at 20:16

Corsair Vengeance 1500 gets a second vote from me.

Nitram · 1 Mar 2013 at 10:32

Corsair Vengeance 1500.......I would also advise getting these

Llamaman · 1 Mar 2013 at 10:54

Cheers everyone. 3 endorsements of the 1500s is enough to convince me