RIG 700HD – Review

Name: RIG 700HD
Developer: Plantronics/Poly
Official platform availability: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Reviewed on: PlayStation 4 Pro, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Price: 129.99$
Acquired: A headset was provided from the publisher for review purpose

We had the pleasure to talk with some of the people behind the gaming headset series RIG at Gamescom this year and took two of their new headset home for reviewing them. RIG 700HD is one of the new headsets and one of the biggest sales pitch is that the headset is ultra-lightweight. So let’s put that to the test and see how the headset performs after multiple long gaming sessions and Esports matches.

Features

• Game/chat balance dial
• Adjustable mic monitoring
• Up to 30ft of wireless range
• 40mm drivers with bass tubes
• Up to 12-hour battery life
• Ultra-lightweight

The Good

The very first thing that impressed me after I unboxed the headset is the weight of the headset. It is incredibly lightweight if I compare it with my Xbox One controller you might sense how much the RIG 700HD weighs. The Xbox One controller weighs approximately 280g / 9.9oz compared with the headset that weighs 241g / 8.5oz. And to figure out if they really are the lightest headset on the market I compared it to some of my gaming headsets such as the Razer Kraken, Corsair and HyperX headsets, those weren’t even near enough to bother finding the exact weight, and after a quick search on Google I found out that the closest one is the Turtle Beach Recon Spark which weighs 246g / 8.7oz.

Nowadays with lots of diverse headsets in various price ranges, there are minimum aspects that difference the headsets when it comes to audio quality in the headset on each price category. Without going into a lot of technical specifications and the minor details, the RIG 700HD delivers a great sound experience with music, videogames, chatting and movies. When I review gaming headsets, I put a lot of my time figuring the noise cancelation, comfort after hours of playtime and in this case, battery lifetime.

What does the 12-hour battery mean to you?
Well, lets put it this way, I had gaming sessions with approximately 5-6 hours long on multiple days. I didn’t have to charge my headset until four days of gaming! That is impressive!

And the best part, especially for me as I use spectacles, was the comfort after long-time gaming sessions. I didn’t encounter pressure on my ears nor top of my head after hours of gameplay, and that is just because of the lightweight headband and ear cups. The ear cups itself are comfortable as well and doesn’t create a heatwave, so you don’t need a towel to wipe away your hardcore gaming sweat.

I live in a house with two floors, my gaming room is on the second floor at one of the ends and my fridge with let’s say “adult soda” is in the kitchen on the other side of the house and first floor. The house is 117m2, with lots of walls and other equipment blocking the signals, but I still manage to communicate with my friends on Discord while I get my “adult soda”, and sadly they can also hear me pee if I forget to mute myself.

On the Plantronics website, they say that the headset is compatible with PC/Laptop, and on the brochure, I got from Gamescom it also says that it is compatible with Xbox One and PlayStation 4. But I thought the headset connects with a USB port, so why not test connecting it on the USB port on the docking station for the Nintendo Switch. I can assure you, the headset works 100% on the Nintendo Switch as well with all the goodies the headset can deliver.

The Bad

I actually have to be really “picky” to find negative things about the RIG 700HD, as this is a great gaming headset. The limitations of the headband must be one of the things that might set back a few people, there are a few default settings on the headband you can choose, and I might believe some people struggle with this because of too much hair, etc.

Even though the design is cool and slick, the looks might be a bit “too easy”. The “gold” and black is a cool combo, but I wish it could be more variety in colors. And on the personal note, the lack of RBG lights. Another small issue I encountered was the distortion of high levels, especially in scenarios where it is a lot of explosions or other high-level sounds. And the last personal issue I had with the headset was the lack of software. This isn’t a huge dealbreaker, but I like to have the option to be able to manage microphone settings, volume-mix and other funny settings you can fool around with to create the best sound experience for you.

Specifications