A Sophisticated Evolution
For years, RIG have been synonymous with lightweight headsets. Running a mechanical style and design, if you had been in the market for a gaming headset that was capable of withstanding the heat of a gaming session, it would have been RIG who produced it.
We’ve used tons of RIG headsets in that time, from the very cheap right up to the more expensive range toppers – the 300 series, 400 series, 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 ranges. For the most part, we’ve enjoyed every single one, and whilst at no point have RIG managed to topple the likes of SteelSeries or Audeze for audio quality, they have more than served a purpose. They are perfect for everyday use, and they’ve been supremely comfortable to wear too; all-dayers and all-nighters.
But now RIG are changing tact slightly. Gone is that mechanical vibe, along with that bendy exo-skeletal look that has been associated with the brand. Now, instead, something more sophisticated has taken its place – the RIG R8 PRO HX headset. It’s still RIG, just different. More grown-up, if you will.
SPECTRE
The RIG R8 PRO HX is the ‘Designed for Xbox’ edition of the R8 PRO; codename SPECTRE. It’s got Xbox branding all over the box, ensuring it is set-up for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC play. Nothing out of the ordinary there eh, but this one also comes with dual wireless and Bluetooth capabilities, graphene drivers powering the audio, and a base station that is nigh on perfect. In fact, we absolutely adore the base station.
All black in colour with just the most subtle of brandings, the RIG R8 PRO HX is not cut from the usual RIG cloth. This one feels a step up from older headsets and is much more of a looker, capable of standing out as a quality product. It’s still pretty plasticky, and it can still be thrown around just as much as the RIGs of old, but this time around things just feel a bit more substantial, a bit higher in quality.
Priced at just a smidge under £200, this is easily one of the more expensive RIG headsets that have ever come to market, kicking around alongside that of the 900 MAX HX. That price though does still see it run at a considerably lower price point to some other brands… We’re not sure there’s much else on the market that justifies nearly twice the asking price of the R8 PRO HX.
Design and Comfort
Anyways, visually the R8 looks good on the head. A plastic headband is well supported by a good amount of cushioning underneath, whilst a huge RIG logo proudly runs along the exterior, complemented by a little Nacon tag. From there, the old snap-lock adjustment system that we loved so much (once in place, it’s always in place) has been removed for a more standard slidable headband. It’s fine, it slides and all, and is reasonably stiff enough to ensure that it doesn’t shift much once on head. But personally, we adored the snap system so much that it feels like a downgrade. Of course, if you share your headset with others (is that a thing, do people actually do that?!?!) then this will be more optimum.
The earcups themselves are good too. Oval in design, they easily cover the entirety of your ears, cupping nicely as they go. With a fabric front and pleather sides, they feel decent on head, however we have issues with the actual padding in place here. See, we’ve been using the R8 PRO HX for a few weeks now, but have found pressure on the ears after a couple of hours of use, with some slight rubbing on the internal drivers. It’s not a complete deal breaker, and a quick pull away from the ears to allow an ease of that pressure is fine, but it’s far from ideal. It’s not something we’ve experienced with many headsets previously, aside from some really, really cheap offerings from years back, but it’s a shame. We’re putting it down to a lack of padding on the cups, and they really do squish down fairly hard as the R8 clasps your skull.
Further, those earcups play host to a 4-pin charger that sits nicely on the docking station (more on that in a bit) on the left side, whilst the right cup is where all the fun starts. You’ve got a USB-C port on the bottom if you need it (you won’t!), as well as a multi-function button that is mostly used for power. There’s also a standard volume dial that is nicely notched, a Bluetooth button and more.
Breaking the Golden Rule of Gaming
What we find super strange is that the flip-to-mute mic is also situated on the right hand cup, which, in our opinion, goes against all gaming, and many audio, standards. We’ve lost count of the amount of headsets we’ve used over the years, but think this is the very first we’ve ever had on our heads that has that mic on the right hand side. It’s weird, frankly, but it is something you get used to fairly quickly. We can only think that the reasoning is that the removable battery is hidden away in the left cup and so mic placement was dictated by that.
And in terms of that mic, it’s very much as you would expect from a high-end piece of kit. There’s a neat bit of bend included to ensure you can get the mic placed pretty much where you want, but from there, the comms that go through it very much seem to be as clear as you could ever want. We’ve not had a single complaint, whether that be through calls or gaming chat. But yeah, we’ll say it again. The right side? Nah, it’s the wrong side.
But that’s pretty much the negatives out of the way. Because aside from the lack of earcup cushioning and that weird mic placement, we like the cut of the R8 PRO’s jib.
Immersive Audio
We like the audio it provides too. Powered by graphene drivers, RIG are selling this as a headset that deals with high fidelity, ultra-low distortion Dolby Atmos audio, allowing for players to gain total immersion. We’re not going to stray very far far from those thoughts here, as the R8 PRO HX gets about as loud as you could need, without any muddiness at all. In fact, across the dozens of hours and tens of games we’ve used this headset for, we’ve never been left wanting with the audio that comes out of the 40mm drivers. All the audio you’d find in some of the biggest blockbusters has been delivered with aplomb, and we were especially taken with using the R8 with Aphelion; this headset certainly aided in the cinematic immersion that game plays on.
And if you must have some numbers, you’re looking at frequency responses between 20Hz-40Hz, <0.5% THD on the harmonic distortion scale and a wireless latency of < 20ms. Yeah, we made a point years ago to take specs and wotnot with a pinch of salt, but if that’s your bag, RIG probably have what you are looking for.
With full wireless capabilities, across dual stages, making the most of the wireless dongle-powered offering when connected to Xbox, or enjoying the ease of Bluetooth to our phones for some Game Pass cloud play, this is a headset that has covered bases easily. And with it sitting on its own unique dock, it’s ready to go at all times, powered up for hours of play.
The R8 PRO HX Docking Station
And yes, that dock. We love it. A black unit that blends in nicely with the rest of our kit, we’ve found it to be a cracking spot to place the R8 PRO when not in use; with it hands-down better than leaving the headset laying around the place. It’s easy to place the headset and some RGB lighting on that dock helps, as does the fact that the all-important wireless USB-C dongle sits neatly inside. One simple cable from that dock to your console is all that is needed.
But what is most lovely to know is that every single time you fire up your console, and every time you turn to the R8 PRO for your audio needs, it will be fully charged. And even if you miss placing it in its little home for a night or two, the promise of 60+ hours of use is nothing to be sniffed at. If you’re playing for more than 60 hours in one go, you really do need to take a long hard look at yourself…
Stability on both the wireless, and the Bluetooth, connection has been a dream throughout too. The RIG R8 PRO HX has not missed a beat once connected to numerous devices and that means it’s been our go-to for quick sessions or gaming and audio listening. Longer sessions? Yeah, we can’t put down our Maxwell 2, but this one is more than capable of sitting alongside that beast of a headset.
So what more can Nacon and RIG throw at us? Well, it goes without saying that there’s the RIG Navigator App available (of course there is!) for tweaking of settings and more, and it’s nice that the R8 PRO HX is slightly customisable too, with SNAP+LOCK Mod Plates available if you should wish to switch out the side panels or ear cups (perhaps for something a little more bulky?). We like the all-black stealth look, but there’s no doubt that personalisation and customisation is a key part of gaming, and to accommodate options is always for the best.
A Premium Contender with Minor Quirks
Ultimately though, it’s good to see Nacon and RIG trying something new in the audio space, putting previous successes behind them, leaving that history in search of all-new lands and glory. And for the most part, they’ve done a stellar job with the RIG R8 PRO HX.
Aside from the need for a bit more cushioning around the ear cups, this is a headset that can easily go toe-to-toe with other premium brands. It sounds great, it looks cool, and it comes with all the features you could need. The docking station and ease of use very much seal the deal.
Huge thanks go out to Nacon for providing the RIG R8 PRO HX headset for review. Pick one up for yourself from Nacon direct.
