Introduction, setup and in-line remote
PC peripherals giant Logitech has added to its range of business headsets with the H570e. Designed for use on VoIP (voice-over-IP) calls placed over the internet in noisy offices, it's certified for use with several unified collaboration (UC) platforms and is also suitable for home use thanks to its impressive sound and recording capabilities.
The Logitech USB Headset Stereo H570e (to give it its full name) is in many ways a more stripped-down version of the Logitech H650e (£69.99/around US$110/AUS$133), shedding some of that headset's features to bring the cost down to a more palatable £42.99 (around US$68/AUS$82).
That makes it Logitech's most affordable business-grade stereo headset, with only the mono version of the H570e coming in lower at £39.99 (around US$65/AUS$79). For companies looking to deck out its employees with something a little more upmarket than the many budget headsets available at half the cost, the H570e fits the bill.
I'm a big fan of Logitech's gaming headsets and was won over by the G30's (and later, the G930's) quirky nature and solid build quality back in the day. The H750e is clearly aimed at a different audience with different needs, but the company's consistency in design and attention to detail is evident even at this lower price bracket.
Deja voice
The H570e is almost identical to the H650e in terms of appearance. It has a a completely black microphone boom (the H650e's is partially silver) that lacks an in-call red-light indicator and positions the speakers slightly deeper into the ear cups, but that's about it. As its name suggests, it connects via USB and is not wireless like the more expensive Logitech H820e (£139/US$180/AUS$264). Its cable is a good length and allows for plenty of space between the headset and computer.
The H570e's construction is dominated by black matte plastic that wraps around a metal frame, allowing the ear cups to be raised and lowered into a comfortable position. Its build quality is good, with very little creaking to be heard in its plastic band when giving it a twist, and removing the leatherette ear cups requires some force. If you went out of your way to snap or break it then you probably could, but it's tough enough to survive general wear and tear.
The H570e is very light, weighing just 111 grams versus the H650e's 120 grams, which makes it comfortable to wear for long periods. The headset's controls, which allow you to answer and mute calls in addition to raising and lowering volume, are located on an inline-remote attached to the USB cord. It's easily accessible and shows a red LED when muted, with a green LED when a call is incoming.
The H570e can be setup in seconds. Because it's plug-and-play, connecting it to a PC or Mac means that it's immediately recognised, allowing it to be selected on the respective OS's control panel and configured in supported UC apps. It works with Lync and Jabber out of the box, but Skype requires a plug-in, and certain apps such as Apple's Facetime aren't supported at all.
Call quality, microphone and verdict
The H570e is designed for use in busy offices and has a number of features to stave off unwanted noise coming from the surroundings. They include acoustic echo cancellation that cuts out unwanted noise escaping from the speaker's mouth into the microphone, noise cancellation which blocks background noise, and wideband audio - essentially a headset's sound quality equivalent of TV's full-HD video - makes sound crisper during internet VoIP (voice-over-IP) calls.
I used the H570e as my main headset in the busy TechRadar Pro office and found that most, if not all of the dozens of callers I questioned to over the course of three weeks could hear me clearly above the music and hubbub of noise going around me. I also used it at home to watch YouTube videos, listen to Spotify and try some light gaming on Steam. It fared well during a bout of Team Fortress 2, rendering crisp weapon sounds and players' in-game voices with clarity.
Games with voice support will benefit from the microphone's noise-cancelling capabilities, and the boom can be easily rotated and tucked away if you're not the chatty type. For music, the H570e is adequate for steaming services such as Spotify and YouTube, but a distinct lack of bass means it won't earn a place among audiophiles' setups.
In terms of accessories, the H570e does away with the accessory bag that came with the the H650e. The leatherette ear pads that cover the ear cups can be replaced, adding to the headset's longevity.
Final verdict
Logitech's H570e isn't the cheapest headset out there whether you're a business user or consumer, but its build quality, comfort, overall sound quality and sound-enhancing features elevate it budget offerings lower down the ladder. If you're looking for a headset that's compatible with big-name UC services out of the box, the H570e is quick to setup and easy to get to grips with.
If features like an in-call LED indicator on the microphone boom and carry case aren't important, the H570e's lower price compared with the H650e make it the better value option whether buying in bulk or for an individual. The most important aspects of a business-grade headset, call and microphone sound quality, are both very good on the H570e, making it an adaptable option for business and home users.
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