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Logitech Zone Wired review: Business-certified USB headset perfect for your remote work or office experience

Written by Matthew Miller, Contributor
logitech-zone-wired-4.jpg

Logitech Zone Wired - headset

9.3 / 5
Excellent

pros and cons

Pros
  • Comfortable memory-foam ear pads
  • Secure fitting headband
  • High quality boom mic system
  • Tangle-free braided cord
  • USB-A and USB-C connection support
Cons
  • Questionable center button on controller
  • Editors' review
  • Specs

It's been over two months since my engineering firm sent everyone home to work remotely, and most of the time, I have been using a Plantronics Voyager Focus UC headset with Microsoft Teams. It's a great wireless headset that has served me well, but I've also been looking at other solutions for extended periods of use when a wireless headset battery can't go the distance.

A couple of weeks ago, Logitech announced its new Zone Wired USB headset that is built and certified for business use with premium audio and reliable call quality. I've been using it for some important communications over the past week and it is easy to recommend at the affordable $129 price.

Also: Logitech Combo Touch keyboard and Pebble i345 mouse hands-on: Enhanced productivity for cheap Apple iPad owners

I find it interesting that so many people on my professional business calls are using Apple AirPods or other Bluetooth wireless headsets for video calls. These headsets are decent but have limited controls and battery life for getting work done. I am a huge user of wireless earbuds, but my Surface Pro 6 Bluetooth is way too flaky to rely upon for business communications so I stick to using wireless earbuds only with my smartphones.

Specifications

  • Microphones: Uni-directional main mic and omni-directional secondary mic
  • Speaker driver size: 40 mm
  • Speaker driver impedance: 32 Ohm
  • Cable length: 190 cm
  • Dimensions: 165.93 x 179.73 x 66.77 mm and 211 grams

Hardware

The retail package includes the headset, USB-A adapter, travel bag, and basic documentation. The 6.23 feet (190 cm) cable has a braided, tangle-free design so you won't be fighting cables during calls. At the end is a USB-C plug, so you can connect to modern PCs. My base computing platform is a Microsoft Surface Pro 6 with a single USB-A port, so I have limited connectivity options without using a Surface Dock. Thankfully, a USB-C to USB-A adapter is included, so I can use my single USB-A port for this headset.

There is an inline controller on the headset, located a couple of feet down from the left headphone. There is a large volume button on one side with three buttons on the face. One button is for mute, another is for play/pause, and the center is for connecting to Teams or hanging up a call. LED lights shine through the icons on the top and bottom with a purple or white LED around the Teams center round button.

The headband connecting the ear pads is Teflon-coated stainless steel with a comfortable soft silicone head cushion extended 180 degrees around the headband. The two ear pads have soft memory-foam covers that have proven to be comfortable for hours of usage.

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Each ear pad has a bit of movement built into the design so that fit and alignment on your head is optimized. There are no buttons or controls on the headband or ear pads. All controls are found down on the inline controller, which is my preference for a headset for work.

There is about an inch and half of extension on each side so that the headband can be adjusted for various head sizes. A microphone boom aligns vertically with the headband and is then lowered down for communications. While there is a default left and right, the boom goes both ways so you can flip the headset around and have the boom and inline controller on the right side if you prefer.

Logitech Zone Wired USB headset in pictures

Software

If you want to fine-tune your audio experience with the Zone Wired headset, you can download and install the Logi Tune desktop application. It is a simple utility that lets you adjust sidetone and mic levels while also choosing your preferred equalizer settings.

You can also use the software to test your mic and speaker in advance of calls, but the app is not essential for using the headset. The app can also be deployed throughout an enterprise environment.

The Zone Wired headset is also certified for Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business while it is also compatible with Zoom and Google Meet. We use Microsoft Teams for nearly all of our internal and external business communications, so I've been using it as my default headset with Teams.

While the purple LED matches Teams colors and the center button has a Teams logo on it, I have yet to find any useful function for pressing the Teams button while using the headset. It just works and since Teams is running all the time I do not need to have a button dedicated to opening such a critical service on my computer.

Daily usage experiences and conclusion

It seems I didn't have to look too far to find a solid wired headset for business communications and after a week with the Logitech Zone Wired headset it is clear it meets my needs. I've been using it for as much as six hours of calls a day over the past week and it has performed flawlessly.

Callers state that I sound good on my end and they sound perfect through the headset. The headset has noise-canceling mics so it is an asset to have when your surrounding remote work or office environment gets loud.

While the inline controller has been handy for volume and mute functions, I also like the quick flip up of the boom arm to mute my microphone. This has been great for those times when I have to take a bathroom break or tend to a rogue pet while on a call as I can flip up the boom and set the headset down.

Since I often may spend hours focusing on spreadsheets, I've been using the headset to enjoy music playing from my computer as well. In addition, I've connected the headset to my Android phones (they have USB-C ports) with music and phone calls working well too. Audio has good clarity, bass, and volume through phones and computers.

If you are looking for an affordable wired business headset, the Zone Wired USB headset is a great option at $129. It is built very well and performs wonderfully. Other than the purple LED to indicate I am connected with Teams, I haven't found much use for that center inline controller button though.