RIG R8 PRO HX review: A customizeable wireless gaming headset

The RIG R8 PRO HX (and R8 PRO HS for PlayStation) is a wireless gaming headset aimed at competitive gamers, with unique features such as swappable plates, dual-device connectivity, and graphene drivers. If you’re a competitive gamer on their ranked grind, is the RIG R8 PRO HX a good in-between option that blurs the line between a competitive gaming headset and wireless convenience? I tested the RIG R8 PRO HX to find out.

What’s it like to use the RIG R8 PRO HX?

The build of the RIG R8 PRO HX is mostly plastic, but it doesn’t feel cheap, at a solid 364g. Just like the RIG R5 MAX HD, you can customize the look of the headset with the SNAP+LOCK system, which lets you swap out the plates on the side of the headset. Once magnetically snapped in place, the side plates do not feel loose at all, though they are a bit difficult to remove, and aren’t compatible with the R5 series headsets. In addition to checking out the mod plates that RIG sells, you can actually 3D print your own side plates, if you have your own 3D printer, which is a neat way to customize your headset to your exact liking. RIG has stated plans to add more SNAP+LOCK-supported accessories in the future. As those products are released, we’ll come back and update this review accordingly.

The headband and earpads are a combination of fabric and pleather. The earcups are deep, with a nice memory foam cushion, which is comfortable on my head. You can easily swap out and replace the ear cushions, which should extend the usable lifespan of the product.

I find the headband puts a bit of pressure on the top of my head, which can get a bit annoying over time, but not enough to be uncomfortable. The sliders to adjust the headband are slightly grating, but have excellent dampening. In terms of fit, I was able to wear the RIG R8 PRO HX for around 5 hours before the weight started to become apparent, and it got a little warm. Still, I can push through 8-hour gaming sessions without much issue with this headset when needed.

All the controls you might need are on the right-hand side of the headset. The button on the top is to switch connections. Underneath that are playback controls, followed by a volume scroll. The scroll is tactile with large bumps, but it can change volume mid-bump depending on the device, which can make fine-tuned volume adjustment using the headset difficult. Below that is the power button. It takes a bit of time to get used to all the controls, but I can reliably identify all the tactile buttons just by feel. You can mute the microphone simply by flipping it up, which is convenient. That said, having the boom mic on the same side of the headset as the rest of the controls can make reaching the controls a bit awkward.

The included base station for charging is a nice, hefty unit, with large silicone feet and three cable management routes. The dock has a USB-C port in the middle, alongside the RGB button. The USB-C port fits the wireless dongle, but it only works as a passthrough. The dock itself is charging only, and when the headset is docked or undocked, it automatically turns off and on. There’s an RGB button on the base station to quickly cycle through the built-in presets. What I did find a little annoying was that I would need to flip up the mic to dock the headset into the base station. On the plus side, this ensures you never dock it incorrectly and end up with a dead headset.

What are the best features of the RIG R8 PRO HX?

You can explore customization features for the R8 PRO headset inside the RIG Navigator app, which is available on both Android and iOS. What’s nice is that there’s no log in neccessary to use the app, so you don’t have to worry about your personal data. You get a bunch of features, including a basic and expert equaliser. In expert mode, you get a full 8-bands to dial in the EQ to your exact liking. If you’re having issues with the RIG R8 PRO HX there’s a tester function where you can check each button. Given that the battery lasts long enough, it’s nice that I can turn off the automatic shut-off function, since it shuts off when charging in the cradle anyway.

How do you connect the RIG R8 PRO HX?

There are three connection options with the RIG R8 PRO HX. You can either use the 2.4 GHz USB-C wireless transmitter, Bluetooth 5.2, or a wired connection through the USB-C port on the headset itself.  The RIG R8 PRO HX has dual connection capabilities, which means you can pair the headset to one device via Bluetooth and another device via the transmitter at the same time. With this feature, you can layer Bluetooth voice audio over the 2.4GHz connection to take calls while still hearing your game audio, though the game audio quality does take a hit while using this feature.  One thing to note is that audio from both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz simultaneously is only possible when the audio through Bluetooth goes through the HFC(Hands Free Calling) protocol. Apps such as Discord and Facebook Messenger still count as a call, so those will layer on top of the 2.4GHz wireless signal. General audio from streaming services like YouTube or Qobuz will make the audio fully switch over.

The headset supports PlayStation 4 and 5, Switch 2, PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. If you want to stay connected to multiple devices at the same time, you can pair up to four transmitters to a single headphone. You can purchase additional transmitters for $19.99 per transmitter. This is a great feature to have, where instead of having a multitude of cables connected to various devices, you can wirelessly switch between devices with the transmitters.

While the connection over the transmitter doesn’t have any perceivable latency, I did notice a slight latency when using Bluetooth. However, I doubt that most people would be using the Bluetooth connection for gaming anyway. For the lowest latency, you can always directly plug in to the USB-C port.

The only issue I have with the dongle is its size and orientation. Having an offset and wide USB transmitter isn’t great for some setups. In general, I would rather have the bulk of the transmitter jutting out so it doesn’t block multiple ports on my computer.

I also noticed an intermittent buzzing sound when the R8 PRO HX is hunting for a Bluetooth signal. Pairing the headset to a device stopped the buzzing, but even then, I noticed a subtle hissing in the background, primarily on the left earcup. It wasn’t too much of a bother, but it’s something you may notice if you aren’t playing any sound through the headset.

How long does the RIG R8 PRO HX’s battery last?

The RIG R8 PRo HX is rated to last 60 hours, so you don’t need to worry about it dying out on you during a gaming session. The base station is also a convenient way to remember to ensure the headset is always fully charged, as you’ll likely just leave the headset on the station in between sessions.

A great perk for device longevity is the fact that the battery itself is easily replaceable. You can pop off the left plate, giving you free access to the battery.

How well does the RIG R8 PRO HX attenuate noise?

In our lab tests, the RIG R8 PRO HX does a more than acceptable job blocking out noise with passive isolation from the memory foam ear cups. Our testing shows that the earcups reduce the loudness of external noise by 67%. Unfortunately, there is no active noise cancellation, but that is something we don’t typically see in gaming headsets at this price point. That said, I find the ear cups can still muffle clacky keyboard sounds and dull my sister wailing her lungs out to the tune of “Golden“.

How does the RIG R8 PRO HX sound?

The target audience of the RIG R8 PRO HX is competitive gamers, and I find it performs well for this use case. I also find it decent for music listening, though it’s not necessarily designed for that.

Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)

The chart below shows how the sound of the RIG R8 PRO HX was assessed by the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics.

The RIG R8 Pro does well overall, with a score of 4.3, which is slightly higher than the average gaming headset. The Timbre score is higher than most gaming headsets, which means most people find that the headset sounds good. The Distortion scores are better than most gaming headsets. The graphene-coated drivers are doing the heavy lifting for the score here. What’s impressive is the Immersiveness score. The score is much higher than most gaming headsets, where most people would find that they would easily be able to place where a sound is coming from.

Reviewer’s notes

Editor’s note: this review uses a hover-enabled glossary to describe sound quality based on a consensus vocabulary. You can read about it here.

How good is the RIG R8 PRO HX’s microphone?

The dedicated boom microphone on the RIG R8 PRO HX does a good job of reproducing voices. It struggles a bit with background noise, but the signal-to-noise ratio is more than acceptable. Check out our standardized microphone samples below to hear how the RIG R8 PRO HX microphone sounds:

RIG R8 PRO HX microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

RIG R8 PRO HX microphone demo (Office conditions):

RIG R8 PRO HX microphone demo (Reverberant space):

Should you buy the RIG R8 PRO HX?

For those seeking an all-in-one gaming headset with connectivity versatility, the RIG R8 PRO is a great contender. It does great in competitive gaming scenarios, the battery life is excellent, and the mic is decent. The included dock ensures it has a spot where it can charge reliably, so you won’t be running for a charging cable before the next match starts. For those who casually goes through the ranked grind, the RIG R8 PRO HX isn’t a bad choice.

RIG R8 PRO HX review: FAQs