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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a full-size mechanical keyboard with dedicated macro keys, media controls and an aluminum build, choose Logitech G815; if you need a featherweight open-back headset for long sessions with precise positional audio and clear voice chat, choose Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK. These two don't compete for the same slot on your desk — one is an input device, the other is an audio device — so the "right" answer depends entirely on which gap in your setup you're trying to fill.
• Logitech G815 — biggest strength: Low-profile GL Tactile mechanical switches plus five dedicated G-keys, an edgeless volume wheel, full media controls and a USB 2.0 passthrough, all wrapped in an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy top plate.
• Logitech G815 — biggest trade-off: It's a wired, full-size 104-key board that weighs about 1595 g and needs Logitech G HUB to unlock its customization, so it's neither portable nor plug-and-play for macros.
• Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK — biggest strength: An open-back design with large-diameter 45 mm drivers, a detachable flexible boom mic and a sub-220 g weight that makes marathon sessions comfortable.
• Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK — biggest trade-off: Open-back means it leaks sound both ways, and it's a wired 3.5 mm headset with no active noise cancellation — not ideal for noisy rooms or commutes.
• Choose the G815 if you're building a desktop gaming station and want tactile typing, macros and media control in one slab of aluminum.
• Choose the ATH-GDL3BK if your priority is hearing footsteps directionally and talking clearly without a heavy headset pressing on your skull.
The G815 is a statement piece for a desktop setup. Its defining feature is the low-profile GL switch family — the Tactile version gives you a discernible bump right at the actuation point, so you get the speed and accuracy of a mechanical switch at roughly half the height of a traditional one. If you've used tall mechanical keyboards and found them fatiguing or just too chunky for a clean desk, the low-profile approach is the whole point here. You also get three switch flavors across the line — GL Tactile, GL Linear and GL Clicky — so the feel is a choice, not a fixed compromise.
Who should buy it: desktop players who live in a handful of games and apps, want macros a single keystroke away, and care about build quality and lighting. LIGHTSYNC RGB syncs across 16.8M colors with per-key customization, and G HUB ties it together — you can customize by game, connect to third-party apps like Discord, and download or share community profiles.
Who should skip it: anyone who needs portability. At 18.7" x 5.9" x 0.97" and about 1595 g, this is a stay-put board. If you don't want to install G HUB, you lose the macro and lighting depth that justifies the design. And if you mainly need audio, this does nothing for that.
Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK: Who It's For
The ATH-GDL3BK solves a different problem: it's an open-back gaming headset built to make positional audio obvious. The open-back design lets you localize sounds — an approaching opponent, for example — within an expansive sound field, which is exactly what competitive players chase. Large-diameter 45 mm dynamic drivers cover a 10 to 35,000 Hz range at 45 ohms, so the tuning is aimed at high-resolution detail rather than thumping bass.
Comfort is the headline number: it weighs less than 220 grams. That's genuinely light for an over-ear headset, and it's the spec that matters most once you're three hours into a session. The flexible, detachable boom microphone uses highly directional pickup for clear in-game voice, and the volume dial and mute switch are built into the left earcup so you're not hunting for inline controls.
Connectivity is flexible for a wired headset. You get two detachable cables: a 3.0 m cable with separate 3.5 mm mic and headphone plugs for PCs, and a 1.2 m cable with a single 3.5 mm TRRS plug for modern consoles. The metal enclosure and rounded over-ear earpads feel like a piece of audio gear first and a gaming accessory second, and both the earpads and headpad detach for easy replacement — a nice longevity touch.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for directional audio awareness → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (open-back design for localizing sounds in an expansive field).
• Best for long-session comfort → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (under 220 g versus the G815's ~1595 g slab on your desk).
• Best for macros and shortcuts → Logitech G815 (five dedicated G-keys programmable per game or app profile).
• Best for media control → Logitech G815 (edgeless volume wheel plus dedicated play/pause/skip/mute controls).
• Best for clean voice chat with a detachable mic → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (flexible, detachable boom mic with directional pickup and in-earcup mute).
• Best for build and desk presence → Logitech G815 (aircraft-grade aluminum alloy top plate, low-profile switches).
• Best for console-friendly wiring → Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK (the 1.2 m TRRS cable is made for modern consoles; the PC cable is the longer 3.0 m one).
• Best for a mouse or peripheral passthrough → Logitech G815 (dedicated USB 2.0 passthrough with its own cable).
If I had to pick one, it comes down to the hole in your setup. For a desktop gaming station where typing feel, macros and media control matter, I'd buy the Logitech G815 — the low-profile GL Tactile switches, aluminum build and G-key workflow are hard to replicate, and it's the more "complete" single purchase. But if your audio is the weak link — muddy positioning, a heavy headset, a mic nobody can hear — I'd buy the Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK instead. In my opinion, the GDL3BK is the better first upgrade for most players, because bad audio hurts you in-game more than a missing macro key ever will. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since both sit in different budget brackets depending on the day.
FAQ
It's wired with a 3.5 mm jack. The included 1.2 m cable uses a single 3.5 mm TRRS plug aimed at modern gaming consoles, while the 3.0 m cable splits into separate mic and headphone plugs for PCs. If your console has a standard 3.5 mm headset jack, you're covered.
Both. Open-back designs trade isolation for a wider sound field, so people nearby may hear your audio and you'll hear your room. If you game in a noisy space or need to stay quiet, that's the main reason to think twice.
For the basics, no — it's a USB keyboard. But the five G-keys, per-key LIGHTSYNC RGB and per-game profiles all run through Logitech G HUB. Skip the software and you're leaving most of the keyboard's customization on the table.
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