A weirdly cool design with thumping audio.
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The Asus ROG Strix Wireless (See it on Amazon) (See it on Amazon UK) is the wireless version of the company’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) two-product line of Strix gaming headsets. The flagship ROG Strix 7.1 is a wired headset that delivers true 7.1 surround sound by stuffing 5 separate speakers in each earcup as center, side front, and rear speakers along with the subwoofer. The Asus ROG Strix Wireless I'm looking at costs $80 less than its wired sibling and, like most headsets, features only a single speaker in each ear. It offers convincing virtual 7.1 surround sound though, and is compatible in wireless mode with both PC and Playstation 4, but also includes a 3.5mm cable for wired operation, allowing it to be used with Xbox consoles and mobile devices too.
Design and Features
The Asus ROG Strix Wireless didn't impress me when I first unboxed it. Both the box and the headset itself are made from cheap-feeling plastic materials, so my first impression was that the whole package looked and felt cheap. After I removed them from the packaging and examined them closer though, I came to appreciate the bold, black-and-orange color scheme and the angular earcups. The headset features matte black surfaces with orange highlights, and each earcup features an orange circular pattern that look like owl eyes, which is certainly unique though it might not be your cup of tea. The inside of the earcups are also orange, and there is orange contrast stitching on the padded inner headband. They are definitely more "gamer" looking than the SteelSeries Arctis 7 and similar high-end headsets, and will certainly appeal to folks who don't want a headset that looks plain.
Though I dig the aesthetic, I don’t like the plastic materials Asus uses for the headset. The earcups are plastic, the volume buttons are plastic, and the headband is plastic. In contrast, the SteelSeries Arctis 7 is a wireless headset that costs a bit more at $149.99 but boasts a superior design and materials. Sure, its earcups are plastic, too, but they feature a soft-touch coating that feels more refined, and the Arctis 7’s headband is made of metal so it should hold up to better to abuse. The Arctis 7 also features an inner headband, but it was more comfortable and offers a bit of adjustment. The Strix Wireless’ headband is convenient in that it stretches to conform to your head automatically, but I found the fit to be a bit too tight on my admittedly large head (size 7 3/8 inches for a fitted baseball hat, if you are curious).
The oversized earcups feature thick padding that’s covered in a leatherette material. They are hexagonal in shape and fit over my ears comfortably. The leatherette material feels soft, and the ample padding provides a comfortable fit. But after about 20 minutes of use, with the size of the earcups and non-breathability of the leatherette material, they begin to get warm. If your gaming environment is a bit warm I’d recommend the SteelSeries Arctis 7 for the breathable -- but still soft -- fabric it uses on its earcups.
Asus puts volume controls and the power button on the outside of the left earcup. Next to the power button are volume up and down buttons, with a mute switch between them. The volume buttons have recessed plus and minus sign on them but it would be easier to locate the buttons if the signs were raised to give your finger some clue that you’ve landed on the right spot. Better yet, Asus could have opted for a volume dial like you get with the most headsets that makes adjusting volume on the headset a snap. The volume buttons on the Strix Wireless also emit a loud click that’s annoying to hear in your left ear.
The headset features a detachable mic on a highly flexible boom. I was able to position the mic to my exact desire but I couldn’t really move it out of the way when I wasn’t using it without detaching it. Other items you’ll find in the box: the 2.4GHz wireless adapter, a USB charging cable, 3.5mm audio cable for wired use, and a 3.5mm splitter cable in case your PC features separate mic and headphone jacks.
The Strix Wireless works with Asus’s Strix Sonic Studio software, but it’s PC-only, so even though it's compatible with the PS4 you can't use the software with that console. Without it, you can’t change equalizer settings or enable the 7.1 virtual surround sound. If you are on a PC, you’ll find the Strix Sonic Studio easy to use. It puts all of its settings and features on a single panel, which saves you from having to hunt around for a particular setting. It features a number of options, including an equalizer that lets you adjust the levels for low, mid and high frequencies. When you enable 7.1 virtual surround, you can set it as Balanced, Front-Panned, and Rear-Panned. Most gamers will keep it on the Balanced setting, but perhaps if you are playing a game where you are worried about the enemy sneaking up behind you, you’ll opt for Rear-Panned, which moves the side channels slightly to the rear to emphasize that area of the soundfield.
Gaming
My qualms with the Asus ROG Strix Wireless concern its design, and do not extend to its audio output. They deliver huge sound that places an emphasis on the bass response. In Overwatch, I loved the sound of Torbjorn’s rivet gun and Soldier: 76’s heavy pulse rifle with the headset. Both weapons feature heavy ordnance, and the the Strix Wireless had ample bass that let me not only hear these weapons but feel them. In Team Fortress 2, the constant explosions and cries for a medic had an over-the-top cartoon feel that sounded awesome. Still, despite the fat bass response, footsteps and dialogue sounded crisp and didn't get lost in the mix.
When I enabled the 7.1 virtual surround using the Strix Sonic Studio software, I was amazed at how well I could hear where the action was happening in a game. Each time I re-spawned in Team Fortress 2, for example, I could quickly locate where the battle was taking place just by listening. It was so useful to be able to hear if I was taking fire from behind me or from the left or right. As I spun my character, it was impressive to hear the sound of the battle move from the right side of the soundfield to the rear and then around to the right side and then front of me. The headset uses 2.4GHz wireless connection instead of Bluetooth for less lag. In testing, I could hear no evidence of the audio lagging behind the action.
The Strix Wireless features a big bass response, but I used the Strix Sonic Studio to increase the levels for the mids and highs so that I could hear dialogue in the games more clearly. Music playback sounded a bit muddy as well as its default levels but improved with the increases I made to the mids and highs.
In my microphone tests, the sound was crisp and clear with an effective muffling of background noises. Also, many mics make the speaker sound like they have a lisp, but there was no overemphasis on “s” sounds with the Strix Sonic Studio.
Purchasing Guide
The Asus ROG Strix Wireless is available has an MSRP of $119.99 but its price fluctuates according to supply. You can check its current pricing on Amazon:
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The Verdict
With big sound but also a big, bulky design that features too much molded plastic, the Asus ROG Strix Wireless is a mixed bag as it sounds great but looks and feels kind of cheap. It can also start to feel oppressive and hot after 20 minutes of use. For almost the same price as the SteelSeries Arctis 7 gets the nod though as it boasts a better design, superior comfort, and equally impressive 7.1 virtual surround sound.
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