Trust Thian gaming headset review: solid audio performance on a budget

You've got plenty of choice when it comes to the best gaming headsets on the market at the moment, but the Trust GXT 391 Thian is here to give you a value-for-money choice: it works on Windows, macOS, the PS5, and basically any device with a 3.5 mm audio jack.

We've been putting the Trust Thian through its paces and you can find our thoughts below. Trust is marketing it as a gaming headset but it will of course also do for music, video calls and so on – the question is whether or not it's the right purchase for your specific needs.

You should find the answer below. If you need help rounding out your gaming setup at home, then we've got lots more expert advice to give you – be sure to check out our guides to the best gaming laptops, the best gaming phones, and the best gaming chairs.

Trust Thian gaming headset review: design and setup

At this stage we're used to what Trust offers: hardware that's solidly built and affordably priced, even if it does lack some of the premium flourishes and high-quality materials that come with more expensive gear. The Trust Thian finds that balance again, offering a well put together headset that doesn't feel cheap or flimsy but doesn't exactly give off a feeling of luxury either. The only colour option is black with white accents.

The headset is made out of leatherette earpads that are comfortable to wear, and there's a strip of foam at the top of the headset too. We should mention that this device is partly made out of recycled materials, giving it extra eco-friendly points. It's lightweight in use too, tipping the scales at 213 grams (0.47 pounds). On the left earcup you get volume and microphone mute buttons for easy access.

Setting up the headset wirelessly is as simple as plugging in the supplied 5.8 Ghz wireless USB-A dongle and turning on the Trust Thian – the connection is established in a couple of seconds and you can get listening pretty much straight away (if your computer only has USB-C ports, you're going to have to find an adapter from somewhere). There's also the wired option with the 3.5 mm audio cable (measuring 1.2 metres or almost 4 feet) that you get supplied in the box.

There's no software you can download with the Trust Thian, just the settings on whatever platform and device you're using it with. It would be nice to have some audio effects and perhaps an equaliser to play around with, but you'll need third-party solutions for these. It's another area that might make you think about paying more if you need a more advanced gaming headset.

Trust Thian gaming headset review: features and performance

First and foremost, audio sounds great through the Thrust Thian headset, whether it's the sweeping sound effects or a game or an album you're playing over your favourite music streaming service. Both audio at louder volumes as well as quieter, more delicate sounds are well handled, and performance from the 40 mm drivers holds up across the whole of the supported 20-20,000 Hz frequency spectrum.

At the same time, you won't mistake this headset for one costing much more and positioned up at the premium end of the market: it doesn't quite have the richness, depth or bass kick of headphones that will cost you five or ten times as much. You get a decent level of audio quality for the price you're paying, which is all you can ask for really.

The same can be said of the performance of the microphone attached to the Trust Thian. You can't detach it from the headset unfortunately, but you can fold it up out of the way, and it does give you a decent amount of flexibility in terms of positioning. It also comes with its own pop filter to keep your voice sounding crisp and clean.

Trust says you can expect around 13 hours of battery life between charges from the Thian gaming headset, which more or less matches up with what we experienced in our testing. Charging is handled via a rather short USB-C to USB-A cable, included in the box – the USB-C end fits into the headset, and as with the wireless dongle, you'll need an adapter if your charging from a computer or hub that doesn't have any of the larger USB-A ports.

Trust Thian gaming headset review: price and verdict

Check out lists like our guide to the best PC gaming headset, and you'll see that the Trust Thian is up against plenty of stiff competition. On the one hand it doesn't particularly stand out: audio quality is fine without being stellar, there's no bundled software, and it isn't particularly noticeable in terms of its aesthetics either. There is a danger than the headset will just get lost in the crowd.

On the other hand though, the headset is really straightforward to set up, works with computers and PlayStations wirelessly (and everything else with a cable), has decent battery life, and gives you a perfectly acceptable level of audio performance. As long as you're not expecting too much from the Trust Thian, it'll serve you well.

You can check the widgets embedded on this page to get the latest online prices for the Trust Thian gaming headset, but at the time of writing you can pick this device up for around £60 in the UK. That's very reasonable – one of the cheapest options around in fact – so everything else has to be considered in that context.

Like the majority of other Trust gadgets that we've come across, the GXT 391 Thian headset is going to suit those who want to upgrade their hardware setup without paying out a huge amount of cash. This headset certainly won't disappoint for the amount of money that you're paying, though if audio quality really is a priority for you, you might want to consider something a little higher in terms of its price point.

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