The Saitek PH04AU GH30 Vibration Gaming Headset vibrates for realism during gaming and movies. Really. That’s what they say. Maybe it makes sense for games, you know, when you’re playing online and someone shoots your character in the back of the head in a way that leaves you alive. But watching movies?

Would you really want to sit down to try and enjoy The Godfather without disturbing your family and then suddenly feel your headphones go crazy? Or what about American History X? You get lost in the plot and then BOOM and there’s the the built-in microphone stuffed in your mouth out of the blue. And let us not forget the controversial end to the Sopranos. What if the headset buzzed right before it cut to black? Or what if it didn’t? The whole thing would take on a different meaning.

Really, Saitek, you’ve got a nice pair of Closed Leatherette Ear Cushions here, but wouldn’t it have been better to have just marketed this as a way for marathon gamers to stay awake? Or to have made a few slight adjustments and sold the concept to Harmonix as Rock Band: Phil Spector Edition? “The guy in the booth can feel every note as you go for the ultimate score!” You don’t have to thank us, Saitek, just a couple points on the back end will be fine.

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