The Sound BlasterX H5s are an affordable option for uncomfortable gamers

By Joshua Smith Published August 28, 2016

Who said you need to have all the bells and whistles when simply trying to upgrade your gaming audio setup? With most premium options from Turtle Beach to Astro asking for wads of cash, gamers on a budget are looking for a more pocket-friendly option. The Sound BlasterX H5s are the latest headset from Creative Labs, promising comfort along with premium audio quality and functionality in one headset for just $100. Is that even possible?

Related: Creative iRoar review

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In this video avid gamer Joshua Smith goes hands-on with the H5s to see if they can really deliver for the price. With an “old-school” analog connection, will gamers be ok doing without the convenience of Bluetooth? Though light-weight, will the make of the H5s please those looking for a little extra style? Find out what’s what with the latest from Creative Labs in this quick video review.

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Joshua Smith

Former Video Contributor

Just another not so ordinary kid living this thing we like to call life.

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QuickCharge: This Week in EV

Gaming

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s Stranded mission had me hooked for hours, yet left me wanting more

I spent hours sneaking through North Korea, scavenging supplies, and clearing outposts, and I’d happily do it all again.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Stranded mission gameplay

For years, Call of Duty’s campaign mode has used big, scripted set pieces to tell the overarching story amid all the adrenaline-pumping action. The 2023 Modern Warfare 3 tried to shake up the established formula by introducing a handful of short open combat missions, and I genuinely liked the idea, but the game's overall negative reception seeped into how those missions were received.

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Computing

The $1300 Acer Predator Atlas 8 handheld is finally US-bound, and its pre-orders are already sold out

Acer’s first gaming handheld to launch in the US arrives November 1 with Intel Arc G3 Extreme hardware.

Intel Arc G3 Extreme Hands On with Acer Predator Atlas 8

Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.

Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.

Computing

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2026) Review: Almost everything I want from a gaming laptop, except the price

Quick Take

Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.