ASUS ROG Strix Wireless gaming headset review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing3. ASUS Strix Wireless gaming headset4. Testing5. Final Thoughts6. View All Pages

ASUS has made a big push into the peripheral game in recent years, offering some unique looking products as part of its Strix line up. That owl-eye aesthetic continues with the latest entry in that range, the ROG Strix Wireless gaming headset. 

Along with those big orange earcups, it features virtual 7.1 surround sound, customisable audio through the Sonic Studio, 10+ hour claimed battery life and a decent wireless range.

We have quite enjoyed the previous iterations of the Strix headset, whether it is the second edition, or the 7.1 surround version. We did have consistent problems with a creaky plastic frame though, so considering this one features wireless operation, we hope ASUS has fixed that up.

Features

• Low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless connection.
• Dual-antenna design for better and more stable audio transmission.
• 7.1 virtual surround sound.
• Full audio control with Sonic Studio.
• Wide compatibility with gaming consoles, PCs, Mac, and mobile devices.
• 10+ hour battery life for marathon gaming without interruption.
• Full PS4 compatibility, with working on-headset buttons.

Specifications

General

• Weight: 350g.
• Cable length: 1.5m
• Microphone: Detachable 3.5mm.

Headphones

• Driver diameter: 60 mm.
• Driver material: Neodymium magnet.
• Impedance: 32 Ohm.
• Frequency Response: 20 ~ 20000 Hz.
• Sensitivity: 98 dB.

Microphone

• Pick up pattern: Uni-directional.
• Frequency response: 50 ~ 16000 Hz.
• Sensitivity: -40db.

The packaging for the ASUS ROG Strix wireless headset is quite eye catching. Not only does it give you a look at the bright orange eye of the headset earcup, but you get a flash of colour underneath the Strix logo. It is all translucent plastic though, so can get quite a good look at the headset before buying if needed.

The rest of the box details some of the most important features of the headset, specifically highlighting points on the back with a noted diagram.

Along with the headset itself, you get a small accessories box which comes complete with a quick set up manual and warranty notice, as well as a number of additional cables.

There is a USB-micro USB cable for charging purposes, a boom microphone, a 3.5mm splitter and a 3.5mm extension.

The ASUS ROG Strix headsets have always been eye catching and this one is no different. It features the same ‘owl eye' look on the ear cups and a bold, orange and black colour scheme – though to save on battery, these ones do not light up when in operation.

The overall construction is sturdy but flexible. I would not have a problem throwing these in a LAN bag, knowing they will make it out at the other end without damage.

The orange and black theme continues on the inside of the ear cups too, though the colouring there is a little darker and richer, with a little more red influencing the overall tone. The ear cups are memory foam padded with a leather cover and are very soft and supple to the touch.

Each ear cups can also be rotated slightly in its base, which should make the fit that much more comfortable, especially for those with slightly out of the ordinary head or ear shapes.

The ear cups are rather large to cater to all ear sizes, so do not expect this to seem subtle when you are wearing it. You may get the odd look when out and about if you use this as your day to day headphones.

The left ear cup features four buttons which control volume up and down, microphone muting and a power switch. The other side features a trio of connectors: one for the mic boom, another for micro-USB charging cable and a 3.5mm connector as a back up wired solution for when the battery is low, or when wireless is not available.

 

The headband uses a blend of a main plastic band, as well as a leather/memory foam padded strap, which features high quality orange stitching and a STRIX logo written in an italicised text across its circumference.

The microphone plugs in easily – it can only go in one way, so you do not have to worry about getting it on backwards. When plugged in it is still impressively flexible, letting you bend it whatever way you like.

Testing the ASUS ROG Strix wireless headset involves using it to play a number of games over a couple of weeks, covering various genres and types of games. It was also used as my day to day music listening headset during work hours, as well as watching a couple of short films to gauge its ability to cover all forms of entertainment.

I also experimented with the Sonic Sound studio to see how well the customisation of the headset's sound holds up.

Gaming wise the ROG Strix Wireless is a very capable piece of kit. I tested it in explosive, action packed titles with bullets flying and explosions rattling my ears and in more atmospheric games where setting and mood are more important. Regardless of genre or game, I found this headset to be more than capable.

In games like Subnautica, the gentle bloop of bubbles was just as well represented as the distant roar of a stalking Reaper Leviathan and in Kingdom the coins plinked and plopped to the ground as I raced from end to end trying to keep my towers up right.

In virtual reality titles like Handguns, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, I found the report was excellent, with clear differences between the different firearms and the thumping techno beat in Space Pirate Trainer gelled well with the zaps and barks of the various weapons on offer.

The Sonic Studio is simple, but effective, with a number of tweakable options. 

Something that was nice to see, or rather hear, was that even when the volume was at its peak, I did not hear much in the way of distortion. It is difficult to be as precise when your ears are wincing, but unlike a lot of weaker headphones, these ones do not seem to roll over and wave the white flag when the volume is cranked. I would like the volume to go even higher, but I am likely in the minority.

Thanks to the virtual surround sound elements of this headset, it does a good job of keeping you in the centre of the game world you are playing in. Sounds pan nicely from ear to ear and you do get some measure of front and rear sound. It is not perfect of course and surround sound fans will want to aim for a headset with true surround sound, or better yet, a dedicated speaker set up, but for the average gamer looking to add a bit more atmosphere to their games, these will suffice.

Movies sounded great too and there was a decent split between audio sources, so I never found dialogue muddied by the action or that sound tracks stepped all over important sound effects.

It is rare to get a decent gaming headset that also sounds good when music is playing, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ASUS ROG Strix Wireless. It has a deep and powerful lower end that can give you thumping, as well as powerful deep bass and the mid-range is strong too.

The equaliser lets you customise your sound even more, with a number of preset or custom options.

Comfort wise, the Strix Wireless is pretty solid. It sits nicely on your head and does not move around much at all, even during vigorous VR gameplay. That said, I did find it gets a bit warm, especially if you are jumping around a lot.

That, combined with the fact that ASUS still has not fixed the creaking headset frame problem that has been present in all of its Strix line, leaves me to recommend that this not be used as a VR headset replacement. While I think it works very well as a VR headset, the creaking frame can be quite irritating and it seems crazy that ASUS has yet to fix this after years of the same issue arising.

To its credit, the creaking seems slightly less apparent with this latest headset, but when moving the head to look up it still makes a strange, shuddering creak which can be quite disorientating in quieter games.

The range of the headset is impressive. It is rated at 15m, which I found doable when there was a clear line of sight. With walls and other blockages in the way, expect something closer to seven metres, but that is still enough for you to wander around a room or disappear into another without breaking the connection.

I also really liked how portable it was. Although large, the ROG Strix wireless earcups can be rotated to sit flat against your chest, or inside a bag – making it much easier to carry around. The detachable microphone also helped in that respect.

Speaking of which, it works very well indeed, with nice, clear audio that does not pick up much background noise at all. Unlike some headsets too, the noise cancelling does not seem to impact the user's voice, which is a pleasant surprise.

Background noise cancellation is very good. If you have a noisy house, this headset does a fine job of making you forget that for a short while.

Battery life was also solid. I managed just over eight hours on my first run, so saying they last up to 10 hours seems quite accurate.

Right off the bat I can happily report that the ASUS ROG Strix Wireless gaming headset is one of my favourites that I have reviewed in the last year. It ticks a lot of boxes and almost hits every mark right on the nose. I just wish there was a little more consideration when it comes to the materials used in its design.

Beginning with the positives though (and there are many), this is a great sounding headset. Whether playing games filled with gunfire and explosions, or quiet and serene experiences, it does an excellent job of reproducing the audio range of the digital world.

Although the virtual 7.1 surround sound is not about to replace a true surround headset or speaker set up, it is nice to have it there to slightly improve the atmosphere of some games. Other features available in the Sonic Studio software, like bass boost, voice clarity and compression are all quite situational and feel like they would be dependant on personal preference.

More of a surprise though was that these headphones sound good when playing music too, which is not something you can say for every gaming headset. They are not too bass heavy, though are still weighted to the lower end of the spectrum and deliver a solid sound, with plenty of volume.

The cans themselves are also sturdy, but flexible and rotate flat, so can be easily stored or transported. They are also comfortable over long periods. I could not test console compatibility myself, but ASUS assures us that this headset works perfectly in wireless mode with the PS4.

I just wish they did not creak. Creaking headset frames are something that we have seen time and again with the Strix range and ASUS has not completely fixed it yet. This latest set are certainly better than others we have tested previously, but looking directly up or down will cause some headset creak, with a shudder that can take you out of the game at times.

That is not something you are likely to do when staring at a monitor, but wireless headphones are something that a lot of VR early adopters are interested in and while these are great for that in most respects, the creaking really can reduce the overall experience. As they are otherwise excellent, it is a little disappointing.

They also get pretty warm over long periods, so play somewhere well ventilated if you are going to be moving around a lot.

This headset is a really solid choice for wireless gaming, with great sound quality, a decent bit of back end software and strong comfort. It damn near approaches a perfect score, but unfortunately the creaking frame and overheating bring it down from that top spot.

You can pre-order the ASUS ROG Strix wireless gaming headset on Overclockers for £110. The planned release date is the end of August, but will be dependant on stock we're told.

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Pros

• Sounds great playing games, movies or music
• Comfortable over long periods thanks to great padding.
• Wireless function works well over a long range and battery life is close to 10 hours.
• Good noise cancelling abilities.
• Unique look.
• PS4 and Xbox One (with adapter) compatibility.

Cons

• Plastic frame creaking still present from previous Strix headsets.
• Gets quite warm during frantic play due to large, over the ear design.
• Thick plastic frame design may not be to everyone's tastes.

KitGuru Says: The ASUS ROG Strix wireless gaming headset is arguably the best it has ever produced. It sounds and feels great – I just wish they had completely eliminated the creaking issue.

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