Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS review: a feature-packed gaming headset that just falls short
The RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS gets so much right
đ Review Score: 3.5/5 â âGood!â
â
Pros:
đ¨ Graphene drivers arenât usually included at this price range
đ¤ Simultaneous Bluetooth audio lets you also take calls when gaming
đ¤ The microphone is excellent for chatting with your teammates
đ The charging dock is a convenient addition
đ Super easy to customize and make compatible with multiple devices
â Cons:
𤍠It doesnât get loud enough
đ¤ The soundstage is rather narrow
đ The flip-to-mic mute mic is a bit of a pain to use
đś Not designed for listening to music
The Shortcut Review
The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS delivers in almost every aspect and redefines what you can expect from a gaming headset for under $200. Itâs packed with features, including the option for simultaneous Bluetooth and gaming audio. It comes with a premium-feeling charging dock that has RGB lighting and means youâll never run out of battery.
The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS also has a full-bandwidth microphone with flip-to-mute and 40mm graphene drivers, which are often reserved for headsets in the $250 to $300+ range. Compare that with other options in this price range, and itâs hard to beat the RIG R8 Pro HS on paper.
However, what should be a home run for Nacon falls short in a few, hopefully fixable, ways. For starters, the headset simply isnât loud enough. When playing The Last of Us 2 on PS5, Iâd have loved for a bit more volume to really take advantage of the headsetâs graphene drivers. Everything sounds detailed and clear, but it feels like itâs locked behind a needlessly low volume level.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS specs đ ď¸
Price: $179.99
Drivers: 40mm graphene drivers
Battery life: Around 60 hours
The headset has also been specifically tuned for first-person games. And while that will be fine for most people, it isnât the best setup for music or media consumption. The flip side is that imaging is excellent, allowing you to pick out key audio cues. But I never felt that the soundstage was wide enough or expansive for an immersive experience, making things sound a little confined and narrow for my taste.
The headsetâs microphone, as good as it is, is also let down by being too flimsy and feels rather cheap. The bendy boom arm can help you position it to your liking, but its flexible nature makes the flip-to-mic functionality slightly awkward.
Still, for $179.99, the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS mostly succeeds. If youâre looking for a headset that ticks all the boxes bar noise cancelling, itâs a tempting option. Just be aware that there are few compromises that come with its competitive price. Read my full Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS review below.
A review unit was provided by Nacon.
What I loved about the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS â¤ď¸
đ¨ Graphene drivers. Graphene drivers are often reserved for more expensive headsets, as they deliver greater accuracy and less harmonic distortion. For games with multiple sound sources, it can be hard for traditional plastic diaphragms to keep up, but this isnât the case for graphene drivers as they can deliver rapid, accurate vibrations while maintaining high fidelity. At this price point, Naconâs decision to use graphene drivers is extremely pleasing.
đ¤ Simultaneous Bluetooth audio. Like high-end headsets, the RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS lets you enjoy Bluetooth and game audio simultaneously, allowing you to scroll through TikTok while waiting for a match, or listen to your favorite podcast when youâre playing PowerWash Simulator.
đ Take a call while gaming. You can also answer any incoming calls when connected to Bluetooth, and still hear your gaming audio. Thatâs not something we usually see and means you donât have to stop gaming whenever your mum calls.
đ The charging dock is excellent. You never need to worry about your headset running out of battery (though itâs rated for 60 hours), as the docking station is super easy to use and looks great, too. With RGB lighting and a well-built magnetic fit, the RIG R8 Spectre Pro HSâs dock is a fantastic addition, and far superior to other docks Iâve tested like the Astro A50 Xâs. It can also house the headsetâs 2.4GHz USB-C receiver, or be simply used for charging.
For $179.99, Naconâs new headset delivers premium features that many of its direct rivals miss out on.
đŁď¸ Crystal-clear mic. There was a time when gaming headsets were usually plagued by terrible microphone quality, but the introduction of full-bandwidth mics with 16-bit/48 kHz resolution is becoming the standard. The RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS is armed with an excellent mic, which can be positioned to pick up your voice easily, and lets you hear yourself clearly by adjusting the sidetone level.
đ° Competitively priced. For $179.99, Naconâs new headset delivers premium features that many of its direct rivals miss out on. Youâre getting graphene drivers, a full-bandwidth mic, a charging dock, and dual-wireless audio, and even extra benefits like multi-system switching if you purchase an additional USB-C adapter. Itâs a fantastic value-proposition.
đ¨ Customizable mod plates. You can personalize your headset via Naconâs Snap+Lock Mod System, which lets pop off the plates on the earcups and easily switch them out with unique designs. The ear cushions can also be easily removed, making the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS more customizable than many alternatives.
đą Bluetooth app works well. You can change the EQ, update your headset, change the microphone gain, and adjust the sidetone using the RIG R-Pro Navigator app. Itâs super easy to use and makes a nice change from needing to download another piece of software for PC or Mac.
What I disliked about the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS đ
đ¤ˇââď¸ Not loud enough. At maximum volume on PS5 and PC, the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS doesnât get as loud as Iâd like. Not every game is mastered the same, leading to some being noticeably quieter than others. You can improve the situation slightly by creating a custom EQ with boosted levels, but I still wish there was more headroom to play with.
đ§ Fairly narrow soundstage. Even though Naconâs headset has been designed with 3D spatial audio in mind, I was never truly wowed by the soundstage, mainly because it never felt âwideâ enough. Everything sounded as though it was confined within a narrow space inside my head, which I couldnât rectify, even when creating a new EQ. Thereâs a chance this could improve with cloth earcups, but the headset would still need to deliver more volume.
At maximum volume on PS5 and PC, the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS doesnât get as loud as Iâd like.
đ¤ Flimsy flip mic. The microphone on the RIG R8 Pro HS may sound fantastic, but its flip-to-mute feature is at odds with its bendable design. It bends all the way to the pivot point, which means when you try to flip it up or down, it isnât as sturdy as Iâd like and makes it harder to get past the resistance present when the mic is turned on and off.
đś Not designed for listening to music. The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS has been custom-tuned for first-person shooters, which means it has a boosted upper mid-range to help pick out crucial audio cues. It means it isnât the best headset for music listening, though listening to some of my favorite go-to tracks didnât sound terrible by any means, especially after I created my own EQ setting.
Should you buy the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS? đ¤
Yes, ifâŚ
â You want a feature-complete gaming headset that offers more than similarly priced rivals.
â You play a lot of games with friends and want a top-class microphone.
â You want to listen to Bluetooth audio while you game.
No, ifâŚ
â You like a headset that has lots of volume to spare.
â You want a headset that delivers a wide, expansive soundstage.
â You want a gaming headset thatâs also tuned for music.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcutâs Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadarâs Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.