Yowu Selkirk 3G is a stylish and fashionable headphone with cat ears that light up in multiple colours. For the past couple of months we have been using the foldable headphone and will be sharing our review here. Yowu Selkirk 3G Cat Ear Headphones are built for gaming and seems like they will appeal more to females.
Never mind the 3G in the name, the headphone does not come with 3G network support or a built-in 3G phone. The 3G branding signifies that it is the 3rd generation of Yowu’s range of Cat ear headphones.
It also distinguishes it from the closely related Yowu Selkirk 3S. SelKirk 3G is more or less like an upgrade to the 3S with the addition of Virtual 7.1 channel surround sound and noise reduction microphones, which combine to make it more suitable as a gaming headset. The Selkirk 3G also has a faster charger.
Yowu Selkirk 3G is just a fashionable headphone with support for both wired (via USB with USB Type C to Type A cable) and wireless (via Bluetooth) connectivity.
You can connect it to your smartphone, tablet, or computer via Bluetooth. You can also connect the headset to your computer using the USB Type C to USB Type A cable provided in the box.
The headset is available in three colour options: black, blue, and pink. We got black for our review. Here is our Yowu Selkirk 3G Cat Ear Headphone review starting with the unboxing.
Yowu Selkirk 3G Unboxing
The first thing I noticed when I saw the box was that it was bigger than I expected it to be. It looks premium and makes you want to see what is inside.
Inside, the Yowu Selkirk 3G comes with its own hard case which is great because it makes it easy to store the headset for safe keeping. The case can also come handy when traveling.
Aside the case you would also find the very brief user manual, the charge adapter and an unusually long USB Type C to USB Type A cable.
The case has a zipper that opens all the way through the front and sides of the case.
Inside the case you would see the folded headset. The foldable design makes for a more compact storage and packaging.
In the Box
- The Yowu Selkirk 3G Headset
- Charging Adapter
- 1.8 metres USB Type C to USB Type A Cable (for charging and wired communication)
- User Manual
Yowu Selkirk 3G Headphone Specs
- Wired or Wireless Headphone
- Black, Blue or Pink Colour options
- Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX support
- 10 Default Light Colour Option
- Countless Customizable Light Colour options via the App
- Virtual 7.1 channel sound
- Noise Reduction Microphone
- 10Hz to 20kHz audio frequency range
- 105 dB/mW Level of Sensitivity
- 1.6 hours charging time
- Battery Life: 3 to 20 hours (Lights on), up to 48 hours (Lights off)
- 1000 mAh Rechargeable Li-Po Battery
YOWU RGB Cat Ear Headphone 3G Wireless 5.0 Foldable Gaming Headset with 7.1 Surround Sound, Built-in Mic & Customizable Lighting and Effect via APP, Type-C Charging Audio Cable-Black
The Design
The Yowu Selkirk 3G comes in a foldable design that makes for a more compact storage. The cat eared headset is good to go once unfolded.
However, the headband is adjustable, which means you can extend the headband to cover a larger area using a slider on both sides of the headband. The extendable design comes handy if you have a lot of hair on as the headphones can be extended on both sides of the headband to give a comfortable fit.
The ear cups are large and round and together with the cushions completely cover the ear. They are also comfortable to wear for hours without any issue.
The only downside is that the cushions are made of synthetic leather which means that sooner or later cracks will appear. However, for the past couple of months with good care on our part our review model still looks good as new.
There are three buttons on the lower-end of each of the cups. While the left cup houses the buttons you need for power and for controlling the lights and light modes, the buttons on right cup is for controlling music and audio and volume controls as well as answering and ending calls.
A USB Type C port for charging and for wired communication with a computer as well as the microphones are located on the right cup.
The Cat Ear on the headband lights up in the front and a little bit on the back. The sides of the cups also lights up. Overall, the Yowu Selkirk 3G offers a gorgeous design that would surely turn heads.
Headphone Performance
Gorgeous? Sure. But, the Yowu Selkirk 3G is first a headphone and its credential has to depend on its ability to deliver as a headphone.
Though a tad heavy, the headset is comfortable to wear. The cushions on the headband and on the cup makes it comfortable to wear for hours.
Yowu Selkirk 3G supports Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX, a feature that makes it a good gaming headphone as it eliminates latency (delays) in the audio while gaming. This creates a less frustrating and a more enjoyable gaming experience.
You can also connect the headset to your computer with the provided USB cable. You do not even need a driver for the basic connection. It is plug and play. However, to enjoy the superior quality virtual 7.1 channel surround sound on your computer, you will have to download the driver and install it on your Windows computer. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 are currently supported.
The audio quality is great for listening to music, gaming or for when you are answering call. The headset offers a built-in mic and does not support you plugging in an external mic, which might be a let down depending on your needs.
The headphone completely covers your ear. Add the built-in noise cancellation capability and you have a headphone that will give you an immersive experience from the distractions of noise in your environment when playing games and all.
The Beautiful Lights
The lighting design is one of the most outstanding feature of the Yowu Selkirk 3G. The Cat Ear lights up from the front and a bit from the back. So also does the sides of the cup.
They give a very gorgeous and stylish look to the Yowu headphones, making you want to have one when you see someone wearing it. However, I get the impression that the headphones would be more attractive to females.
You don’t just get one light colour, you get 10 different colours by default enabling you pick a colour that best represent your mood or matches your outfit. The 10 default colours are: Green, Peach, Orange, Wathet, Cyan, Red, Blue, Yellow, Purple, and White.
However, if you download the app you can customize the colour of the light to many more colours (a lot more than 10). When you customize a colour you can name and save it for future reference.
However, the color customization still needs a lot of work as its capabilities are still very limited. With the way the colour selector UI is setup there is a huge limit to the number of colours you can create.
Aside picking different light colours, you can also pick a colour mode that best matches your mood. The default Natural mode is where a particular light colour is on continuously.
There is also the blinking mode where a particular color light comes on and off at a very fast pace and breathing mode where a colour light repeatedly dims and brightens up slowly.
If you are feeling a lot of energy, you can try the YOWU mode. This mode is better experienced than explained.
Good Button Placement for Easy Operation
The button placement on the Selkirk 3G is great making it quite easy to use. You have three buttons each on the left and right cups.
The left cup houses the power button and the buttons you need to control the light while the right cup houses the buttons for controlling audio and answer calls.
By separating the buttons, it makes it easy to operate without even much thinking. With just a few minutes or hours of use you would be able to figure out which buttons to use without much thought.
When you are wearing the Yowu Selkirk headset the outermost button on the left cup is the power button. The middle button is for selecting the lighting mode while the innermost button is for changing the light colour.
As for the right cup, the outermost button (marked – or minus) is for reducing the volume of the audio, while the innermost button (marked + or positive) is for increasing the volume. The middle button can either be used to play or pause the audio (music) or video. The middle button is also what you press when you want to accept an incoming call or end it when you are done.
For example here are a few of the most popular operations you would perform with Yowu Selkirk 3G:
| Operation | How to |
|---|---|
| Turn on the Headphone | Press and hold the outermost button on the left cup for about 3 seconds |
| Turn off or turn on the light | Press the outermost button on the left cup |
| Change Light Colour | Press the Innermost button on the left cup |
| Change Light Mode | Press the middle button on the left cup |
| Answer an incoming Call | Press the Middle button on the right cup |
| End a Call | Press the Middle Button on the right cup |
| Play a Audio or Video | Press the Middle Button on the right cup |
| Pause Audio or Video | Press the Middle Button on the right cup |
| Increase Volume | Press the Innermost Button on the right cup |
| Reduce Volume | Press the Outermost Button on the right cup |
All these controls are also available on the Selkirk app for Android and iOS.
Connecting to a Computer
The Yowu Selkirk 3G can connect to my computer via Bluetooth and USB. However, I found the connection via Bluetooth to be less than seemless.
I noticed that the headphone was having a hard time connecting to my Windows 10 HP Pavilion 15 laptop. When I connect it, it plays for a while and then I can nolonger hear anything.
Even the volume buttons and the play and pause buttons does not seem to work when this happens. So, it looks as though the headphone is frozen and can no longer function when connected via Bluetooth.
Everything works perfectly when connected via the USB cable. The sound quality is good, just make sure to download and install the Selkirk 3G 7.1 Surround Sound Audio Driver. This should improve the sound experience. Download the one for your operating system. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 are currently supported.
When connected via USB, both the speakers and mic works quite well. I was able to record some voiceover using the headphone connected to my PC and audio quality was good.
This means I can see the Yowu Selkirk 3G being useful for podcasting or for voicing videos.
However, the one snag with using the headphone via a wired connection to your PC is that the outstanding lighting functionality is not active when connected via USB. This can be a bit of let down especially if you want to showoff.
Battery Performance
Yowu Selkirk 3G comes with an impressive battery endurance. The headphone can play for up to 48 hours with the lights off and when the lights are on you can play for over 10 hours without needing a charge.
You do not need to charge for too long to enjoy the amazing battery life as the headphones can be fully charged in just an hour and 36 minutes. This is thanks to the fast charging capability compared to previous generation.
You may also be interested in Best TWS Wireless Earbuds.
Conclusion
The Yowu Selkirk 3G is hands down the most gorgeous headset available today. The stylish designs combined with the lights makes it a head turner in any gathering. We are yet to see anyone who disagree with the fact that the headsets are gorgeous.
Where opinions vary is on its utility as a headphone or even a gaming headset. While the sound quality is good and built-in mic decent, the snag with connecting wirelessly on PC and gaming consoles like PS4 is an issue especially if you are big into gaming.
However, if you are looking for a gorgeous headphone with great battery stamina and good audio with a good enough mic for recording your podcast or voicing videos, the Yowu Selkirk 3G is a good choice.
