REVIEW – The RIG 800 Pro HS gaming headset is a comfy over-the-ear gaming headset with a great mic. But how do they sound? Well, sit a spell and I’ll tell you.
What is it?
The RIG 800 Pro HS is a gaming headset with some great features that can’t overcome its audio issues to justify the price.
What’s in the Box?
- RIG 800 Pro HS gaming headset
- USB A to USB Micro cable
- Charging Base
- USB Wireless adapter
- Quick start guide
- Warranty pamphlet
- Safety Information
- Customer support information
Hardware Specifications
- WIRELESS
- Lag-Free 2.4 GHz Digital RF
- Dedicated USB Wireless Adapter
- 10 m Range
- 1800 mAh Battery
- MICROPHONE
- Frequency Response: 100 Hz – 10 kHz
- Sensitivity: -45 dBV/Pa
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >42 dB
- Pick-Up Pattern: Uni-Directional
- SPEAKER
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Drivers: 2 x Dynamic 40 mm with Matched Bass Tubes
- FEATURES
- Ultralight Headband Frame
- Snap-In/Out Ear Cups
- Dual Material Ear Cushions
- Power On/Off
- Volume Dial
- Flip-to-Mute Mic Boom
- Base Station with Charge Dock
Design and features
The RIG 800 Pro HS headset is designed primarily for the PS4 and PS5 with compatibility for PCs. There are three models available in the 800 Pro series. The other two are for the Xbox and PC. I requested the PC model only to find out they aren’t available in the US yet.
The cans came well packaged in retail packaging with clear instructions on fitting them for my rather large noggin and getting these things juiced up. You get two choices on how you want to charge them. You can connect the included USB cable directly from a power source to the left ear cup or connect the charging base to your power source and just set the headset into it.
I chose the charging base. It’s pretty cool because they use magnets to help you guide the cups into the correct position so a set of pogo pins align with the contacts on the right ear cup. So, if you’ve got space in your entertainment set up, you can place the charger in one spot and the RIG 800 Pro HS gaming headset has a permanent home. You also don’t have to worry about wearing out the USB connector on the headset itself. While charging, the light on the charging dock is red and then goes out once fully charged. Not exactly sure why they decided to go with Micro USB at this point in time. USB C would’ve been my choice since that’s where everything seems to be headed.
The wireless dongle is 2.4 GHz, not Bluetooth, thankfully. I connected it to my PC and was able to roam around my house with no disconnects. In fact, it was only after I reached the far end of my house that audio started to clip in and out. I didn’t fare so well with the PS4. It started clipping then disconnecting and reconnecting once I went to another room and got a couple of walls between us. I can’t explain that. Maybe it’s because I used a USB 3 hub on my PC and the PS4 is USB 2? What I liked about the dongle, though, was there’s a slot for it in the charging base. So as long as the charging base is connected to a PC or PlayStation, it can live there while still connecting the headset to your source. I saw no noticeable difference in performance if it was in the base or directly connected to my source. The LED lights up blue when you first connect it to a USB power source. I should mention it’s USB only, there’s no separate wall-wart power option.
Connecting the headset to the dongle was extremely simple. Press and hold the power button for a few seconds to power on the RIG 800 Pro HS, then the robot lady living inside tells you the battery level and that you’re connected. The LED on the dongle is red while disconnected and turns purple once the connection is made.
Success! Ready to roll!
Wearing the RIG 800 Pro HS gaming headset is very comfortable. The cups are thickly padded with a ventilated cloth that goes over the ears. The stretchy adjustable headband is perfect.
The cans themselves pop in and out of three different holes to allow for different-sized heads. I wore them all day while working attending Zoom and Teams calls, listening to music, and watching a movie or two. If my boss asks, it was for research purposes only!
The mic on the RIG 800 Pro HS seemed to be very good. Others could hear me clearly with no complaints during my virtual meetings. The mic boom is very flexible allowing it to be positioned just right and it can be muted simply by flipping it up.
The controls are easily accessible on the rear of the left cup. On the bottom is the volume dial, then moving up there’s the power button. Finally, above the power button, there’s the mic monitor level dial. There’s no fiddly touch controls to learn.
Here comes the part where I tell you the problems I have with the RIG 800 Pro HS gaming headset. Audio isn’t very dynamic. The highs are meh. There’s no crispness in the higher frequencies. Sometimes they seem to be missing altogether. Mid-range, however, seems to be spot-on. Vocals and voices can be heard perfectly. The bass is nothing to write home about either. It’s not until you get to some of the really low frequencies that they become noticeable. By the time you get there though, the audio starts to get muddy so I can’t recommend them for movies or music, but this was on the PC.
On the PlayStation, things were a little better but not much. Like on the PC, chat worked well according to my kids. They could hear and be heard just fine with no complaints. I don’t play many online games, nor do I have friends that do so I don’t have any to chat with. I tried movies and music again and was still disappointed. The audio is just alright. To make sure it wasn’t just one movie streaming service, I also played a Blu-ray with no noticeable difference in quality.
For the price of the RIG 800 Pro HS gaming headset, there are other models out there I would look at. My son’s Hyper X headset is half the price, and he prefers them over the RIG 800 Pro HS. My daughter has a set from Razer and she too said she’d stick with what she has. These things could be great if the audio could be improved. They’re comfortable, the range while on PC is great, and the charging base is pretty slick. I would like to try the PC version to see if there’s any difference in the audio experience. Maybe with some different drivers or software, it could be improved.
What I like
- The self-adjusting headband
- The thick, plush ear cups
- The charging base
- The range I got while connected to the PC
- The performance and adjustability of the mic
- The wireless dongle can be housed and used in the charging base
What I’d change
- Audio quality. It’s middle of the road at best
Final thoughts
The RIG 800 Pro HS is a decent gaming headset, but the price demands it be better. There are better options available at the same price or less.
Price: $149.99
Where to buy: riggaming.com and Amazon
Source: The review sample was provided by riggaming.com
