By: Jimmy Smith
Gaming headsets have become almost as important as the controllers they are often connected to. Hearing that footstep, reload or other indicator can win you the match. Is there an amount of money you have to spend to get a quality headset? Well if you thought that before, throw it out the window now. Our review of the Plantronics RIG 400HS for PS4.
HOW DO THEY LOOK?
Edgy and sleek are two words that come to mind. They are made of a light-weight plastic that can feel a little cheap if you prod and poke around. But for $50 everything is on point with what you would expect. The design is really what helps mask that, based on the looks these could be a $200 set.
The one issue we did have was the lack of an easier way to adjust the headband. Unlike most that you slide the ear cups up and down the band, the RIG 400 series has you take off the ear cups and move them up and down on three fixed points. While this works fine if one of the three points fits perfectly, it doesn't exactly give a precise fit for everyone.
If that is the negative, here is the positive. These are some of the most comfortable headphones we have ever tried. Not just headsets, but anything that goes over your ears. With breathable fabric over-the-ear cups and a plush headband, you can rock these in the heat of war and often forget they are even on. Playing R6 Siege and BF1 for hours in these is a comfortable experience.
HOW DO THEY SOUND/WORK?
Remember $50. That is the key here, remember how much you spent to get them. That doesn't mean this is ok or that these sound like $50 but understand that these are not Astro or even the higher-end RIG sets.
Although the Rig 400HS works fine with PCs, mobile devices and even Xbox Ones, it's advertised primarily as a PS4 headset.
The sound is ok. I hear the things I want to hear but feel like some of the directional sound is lacking. Its hard to determine where things are coming from all of the time. Knowing where your opponents and teammates are before you see them is vital in a first-person shooter, and the RIG 400HS didn't communicate that information very well.
Tonally the RIG 400s are actually not bad. The crack of a sniper rifle to explosions all reproduced quite well in our ears. Dialogue and music really do a little better here over sound effects but its a close race.
On the other hand, the
microphone is a thing of beauty. Both detachable and bendable, the mic
on the RIG 400HS is extremely easy to connect, disconnect and mold to
fit your preferences.
There is no software for tweaking but that is ok. Its an out of the box worker that does the trick in most situation. The RIG 400HS's only real special feature is its inline volume control. You can adjust the audio without diving into the PS menu system to do so.
It's an entry level headset that will be a great gift for your young gamer. It is especially great because now you don't have to hear the game yourself. At $50 you can't go wrong with the comfort and conservative sound output.
GRADE:B+
Gaming headsets have become almost as important as the controllers they are often connected to. Hearing that footstep, reload or other indicator can win you the match. Is there an amount of money you have to spend to get a quality headset? Well if you thought that before, throw it out the window now. Our review of the Plantronics RIG 400HS for PS4.
HOW DO THEY LOOK?
Edgy and sleek are two words that come to mind. They are made of a light-weight plastic that can feel a little cheap if you prod and poke around. But for $50 everything is on point with what you would expect. The design is really what helps mask that, based on the looks these could be a $200 set.
The one issue we did have was the lack of an easier way to adjust the headband. Unlike most that you slide the ear cups up and down the band, the RIG 400 series has you take off the ear cups and move them up and down on three fixed points. While this works fine if one of the three points fits perfectly, it doesn't exactly give a precise fit for everyone.
If that is the negative, here is the positive. These are some of the most comfortable headphones we have ever tried. Not just headsets, but anything that goes over your ears. With breathable fabric over-the-ear cups and a plush headband, you can rock these in the heat of war and often forget they are even on. Playing R6 Siege and BF1 for hours in these is a comfortable experience.
HOW DO THEY SOUND/WORK?
Remember $50. That is the key here, remember how much you spent to get them. That doesn't mean this is ok or that these sound like $50 but understand that these are not Astro or even the higher-end RIG sets.
Although the Rig 400HS works fine with PCs, mobile devices and even Xbox Ones, it's advertised primarily as a PS4 headset.
The sound is ok. I hear the things I want to hear but feel like some of the directional sound is lacking. Its hard to determine where things are coming from all of the time. Knowing where your opponents and teammates are before you see them is vital in a first-person shooter, and the RIG 400HS didn't communicate that information very well.
Tonally the RIG 400s are actually not bad. The crack of a sniper rifle to explosions all reproduced quite well in our ears. Dialogue and music really do a little better here over sound effects but its a close race.
There is no software for tweaking but that is ok. Its an out of the box worker that does the trick in most situation. The RIG 400HS's only real special feature is its inline volume control. You can adjust the audio without diving into the PS menu system to do so.
It's an entry level headset that will be a great gift for your young gamer. It is especially great because now you don't have to hear the game yourself. At $50 you can't go wrong with the comfort and conservative sound output.GRADE:B+