Sharkoon SKILLER SGH40W review

It's time for another headset review, this time featuring Sharkoon's new SKILLER SGH40W. Sharkoon has already released several headsets in the SGH series, but no wireless version. As Sharkoon puts it: “With the SKILLER SGH40W, Sharkoon's wireless headsets are making a powerful comeback!”. This is Sharkoon's first new wireless headset in a long time. The company previously offered the X-Tatic AIR models, but those headsets are no longer available, and it took quite a bit of searching to find anything about wireless headsets from Sharkoon at all. Apart from the SKILLER SGH40W, of course, which we're reviewing today. So, enough about Sharkoon's past. LET'S GO! 

The SGH40W is a compact headset that fits comfortably around my ears. The hybrid ear cushions, made with breathable fabric and synthetic leather, feel very comfortable. That's welcome during long evening gaming sessions, as the last thing you want is sore ears from an uncomfortable headset. Sharkoon has put some thought into the microphone: it's detachable and comes with a pop filter. That's handy when you're on the go and want to enjoy music without looking as though you're about to pilot a plane. Personally, I really appreciate this. You can charge the headset while gaming using the included USB charging cable. Not that you'll need to very often, since up to 35 hours of battery life gives you plenty of gaming time. It's also worth knowing that you'll need the charging cable for the PlayStation 5 and the TRRS cable for the Xbox Series S/X. Both are included! I also want to point out that Sharkoon's website says the SGH40W has ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation), but it doesn't. I took the specifications from their website and read through them. Sharkoon, I think you've made a small mistake. It happens, but just to be clear: this Sharkoon headset does not have ENC noise cancellation. 

Specifications:

General

Type: Stereo headset

Design: Over-Ear

Connection: Wireless/TRRS

Wireless connection: 2.4 GHz

Maximum range: 10 m

Frequency range: 2.400 – 2.480 GHz

Weight without cable: 319 g

Headphone specifications Driver diameter: 53 mm

Impedance: 32 Ω ± 15%

Frequency range: 20 – 20,000 Hz

Sensitivity: 105 ± 3 dB @ 1 kHz

Max. power: 30 mW

Volume control: ✓

Microphone specifications Pickup pattern: Omnidirectional

Impedance: 2.2 kΩ

Frequency range: 100 – 10,000 Hz

Sensitivity: −45 ± 3 dB @ 1 kHz

Detachable microphone: ✓

Flexible microphone: ✓

Microphone mute: ✓

Type: Lithium-ion

Capacity: 1,500 mA/h

Battery life: approximately 35 hours

Charging method: Wired (USB)

Cable and connections Modular cable: ✓

Gold-plated connectors: ✓

TRRS pinout: CTIA

Software features Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC): ✓

Compatibility PCs/Notebooks: ✓

Tablets/Smartphones/MP3 players/Notebooks (TRRS): ✓

Supported operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux

PlayStation 5: ✓

Xbox Series S/X: ✓**

Package contents:
SKILLER SGH40W
USB nano receiver
TRRS cable
TRRS to 2x stereo plug adapter cable
USB cable*

First impressions:

My first impression is positive. I find the headset comfortable to wear, and the Sharkoon's controls are easy to use. Everything is self-explanatory and feels good. I've used headsets that have too many buttons or buttons that simply don't feel nice to press. That's not an issue with the SGH40W.  It also feels like a relatively lightweight headset to me. I'll be assessing this headset on several points, and you've just read about one of them. The other things I always consider important are sound quality, microphone performance, and any extra features the headset offers. 

Sound quality:

I always read up on a product I've received before writing a review. Sharkoon's website says the SKILLER SGH40W delivers powerful, balanced sound. “The SKILLER SGH40W's 53mm drivers deliver powerful sound that is perfectly optimized for gaming and voice chats, with rich mids and deep bass.” That's true: the mids are rich and sound very pleasant. The bass is deep and powerful, too. Sharkoon is certainly right about that.

But you can probably sense a caveat coming. I definitely don't agree with the claim that the audio is balanced. So I did a little research online, as I'm not familiar with all the different frequency ranges. I found that the bass, or low frequencies, produces deep sounds, such as a bass guitar. Then there are the mids, which are important for the human voice and most musical instruments. Finally, the highs determine the clarity and definition of the sound. When I read that, it clicked. The treble on this headset isn't good. Something is missing: the sound isn't entirely clear, and it lacks some definition. Other than that, the sound is GREAT!

Microphone:

I don't really have much to say about the microphone. It's decent and feels sturdy, but there's nothing special about it. There is a mute button on the headset, which is very handy. If something suddenly happens and you don't want to disturb other people in your meeting or game, you can easily press it. You hear a brief beep when you mute the microphone, but nothing when you unmute it? I don't quite understand that. Sure, it's unlikely to happen, but if you make an awkward movement and accidentally unmute the SKILLER headset, you won't notice. I'm certain of that. Still, it's not the end of the world 🙂

Conclusion:

This is a basic but good headset. My overall impression is positive: it feels comfortable and compact. The fit is excellent, and the sound is good in the midrange and bass. However, the specifications on Sharkoon's website said it had ENC?? I don't quite understand that, because it doesn't. The microphone is decent and detachable, which is handy if you're out and about with this headset and still want to enjoy music. The buttons feel good, too, so all in all, it's a good headset. I just think 60–70 euros is quite a lot for Sharkoon's SGH40W. There are much better headsets on the market these days.