There’s no shortage of gaming headsets these days, as they come in a variety of flavours. Some are big! Others are tiny. You’ve got soft headsets, hard headsets, peripherals that look like they cobbled together from spare Robocop reboot parts and audio delivery systems that boast a more classical aesthetic.
You also get headsets with variable price points, and when the financial entry-point tends to skew towards the higher side of the spectrum then it’s natural that you raise your expectations as well. The Asus ROG Delta RGB is one such example of this idea, a premium-priced headset aimed at PC gamers but flexible enough to be used on a variety of other platforms as well.
That’s partly true, because while I did get the headset operating on PC and old-gen consoles, next-gen has so far eluded me. That being said, the ROG Delta RGB’s may just be the most comfortable cans I’ve ever strapped to my noggin.
That’s thanks to the overall construction, which features enough material to make cows breathe a sigh of relief that synthetic leather is the go-to texture for gaming accessories these days. The D-shaped ear cups may seem like a strange shape, but they feel bloody marvelous and can easily house the biggest of ears. There’s a genuine level of comfort present here, that’s combined with an aesthetic that stands apart from the rest of the pack with its more exotic design.
It also has a reassuring heft, but not so much that you’d need to go see a chiropractor due to a lengthy gaming session compacting your spine worse than Hulk Hogan’s decades of Atomic leg drops. The headband is also sturdy, wrapped in the same plush materials and can easily support a range of head-sizes. I know this thanks to my patented system for testing cranium dimensions: Adding several layers of beanies to my head and seeing how far I can get before I have to explain to a distributor how I broke the headset they sent me for review.
I will admit that this headset in particular leans more towards those gamers with big heads, as on my tiny brain casing there was a tad bit of looseness present. Not in a distracting way, but it could have been a touch tighter for my personal liking. Swiveling hinges and folding arms helps complete a package that I’d happily don during any lengthy session of gaming on the relevant platforms.
You won’t find too many features to make use of on the headset though, which may appear to fans of minimalism. There’s a microphone that can be detached from the left cup, a volume slider that has a neat roller setup to dial in the precise amount of noise that you’re looking for and a button to switch the headset from dim lights to full-on Monster Energy drink-shilling mode. Simple and efficient.
As for the connection? Welcome to the future, as the ROG Delta RGB uses a USB-C connection to jack into devices. There is an included USB-2 attachment and your mileage may vary with this method on input, but I personally prefer this setup for PC gaming specifically now that newer laptops have dedicated ports for USB-C.
So how’s it sound then? Solid! The surround sound definitely helped in whichever games I played, providing excellent audio feedback from various sources around me. My usual selection of PC games such as Gears Tactics, PUBG, Forza Horizon 4, and Gears 5 provided a layer of sound that could be described as beautifully cinematic. I especially liked popping them on for some musical relaxation as well while working.
Chuck on some Placebo, Blink 182, and Enya, and I was ready to sail away, sail away. On PlayStation 4, the Hi-Res ESS Quad-DAC truly did shine through games such as Ghost of Tsushima, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and DOOM Eternal. At one point I genuinely did feel like I was dashing through a hell-scarred Earth, ripping and tearing through demons while Mick Gordon’s excellent soundtrack set the mood to the devastation around me.
The weird thing is, despite it being labeled as having PS5 support, I’ve been unable to get the cans working on Sony’s new console. I don’t know if this is down to my own ineptitude or hardware issues but for now I’m relying on my good ol’ Razer Kraken when I need a hedset. If anyone does know what I’m doing wrong, please let me know below so that I can update this review. But for now? This headset is a PC and old-gen exclusive peripheral for me.
It’s also worth noting that on PC you can grab the The Armory software that allows for more fine-tuning of the audio experience, perfect for those users who scoff to the max at out of the box setups. You can also play around with the headset’s lighting and even sync it up with other Asus devices for the full spread of customisation.
Last Updated: December 10, 2020
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The Asus ROG Delta RGB commands a premium price, but it delivers a performance in the audio department that looks, sounds, and feels great. A comfortable and current-gen headset that has plenty of versatility, this striking piece of kit will make any media piped through it sound outstanding.
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