Verdict
The Nacon RIG 600 PRO HS offers outstanding value for money with app connectivity, great audio quality and a design any gamer is sure to enjoy.
Pros
- Excellent value
- Dual connectivity so you can stay connected to your smartphone while gaming
- Lots to customise with the RIG companion app
Cons
- Limited headband adjustment may not suit all head sizes
- Love it or hate it microphone design which can be awkward to locate
- No wired option
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Dual connectivity:Simultaneous connection to its low-latency dongle for gaming and Bluetooth for your smartphone ensures you’ll never miss a call. -
Good audio performance:The 40mm drivers deliver a well-rounded sound profile which can be customised further through the companion app. -
Durable design:While headband adjustments are limited to three positions which may not suit all, this results in a more durable design compared to the usual click-clack mechanisms.
Introduction
Aiming at multi-platform gamers on a budget, the Nacon RIG 600 PRO HS offers dual connectivity through Bluetooth or a dedicated low-latency 2.4GHz dongle. At a very reasonable $100 price point, it’s not the cheapest of gaming headsets, but it offers a serious step up from more budget devices in features and audio quality. Here’s my full review.
You’ll find a similar feature set in the same price bracket from the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 wireless, SteelSeries Arctis 1 wireless, and Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2, and Corsair HS55. The latter is the only one to offer simultaneous dual wireless connectivity. None of them appeal aesthetically as much as the Nacon RIG 600 Pro however.
Design and Features
- Durable, industrial design aesthetic
- Innovative but limited adjustment mechanism
- Comfortable mesh-fabric earcups
- Dual wireless connectivity
With dual connectivity from a proprietary 2.4GHz USB-C wireless adaptor and Bluetooth 5.1, you can connect both your gaming console or PC as well as your smartphone simultaneously, so there’s no need to interrupt your Call of Duty session because of an incoming call. In dual mode, it will switch over to handle your call automatically. Just be sure to hang up before screaming at your teammates again.
Battery life is good enough for casual use, offering 24 hours over Bluetooth and 18 hours over the USB-C wireless adaptor but only 10 hours in dual mode.
In terms of design, the RIG 600 Pro oozes an industrial aesthetic with a gantry-like headband that Nacon claims is almost indestructible.
While I’m not going to test it to the limits of that claim, it feels like it would hold true in daily use. You’ll find some discreet RIG branding on each earcup, and overall, there’s no doubt that this is a gamer’s headset.
The RIG design language is the same across the Nacon range; if you’re familiar, you’ll immediately recognise it anywhere. The only thing lacking is some random RGB LEDs, which I think we can agree is no great omission.
You’ll usually find some weakness in headset bands that utilise a click-clack adjustment mechanism – there’s none of that here. Instead, the cups detach from the band and can slot into three different length adjustments. It feels like a solid mechanism that is still easy to adjust.
However, I worry whether the limit of three size settings will mean it’s difficult to get a precise fit. I needed to use the large setting, but I don’t think my head is that big, so I assume anyone with a truly large noggin may have trouble. Equally, you may find the medium setting too small, or the bottom setting too long. Your experience may vary, and you won’t know until you’ve got them in hand to try.
At 240g, the headset is lightweight, and the mesh fabric on the earcups and headband is unobtrusive.
The controls are fiddly, with small buttons. Furthest up the left earcup is the mode switch button; letting you jump between Bluetooth, Game, or Dual. The middle button is multifunctional – play/pause with a tap or hold it down for Siri – that sort of thing. A physical dial controls volume, and an even smaller, indented button controls the power. There’s also a USB-C charging port.
There is no 3.5mm wired option; the RIG 600 Pro is wireless only. One other small quirk: the HS version I have in for testing is compatible with most devices and the Sony PlayStation 4/5, but not the Xbox. An HX model is available for Xbox compatibility (but not PlayStation).
Audio and Microphone
- Great quality audio from 40mm drivers
- Customisable EQ, and more, with the companion app
- Zero noise isolation
While the soft mesh earcups are comfortable and completely envelop your ears, they offer almost no passive noise isolation, allowing all environmental noise through. The same is true in the opposite direction – anyone sitting next you can hear whatver vocals or game content you’re listening to.
40mm drivers provide powerful bass, and the sound quality overall is superb. For £89.99/$99.99, I don’t expect mindblowing results but it goes to show that bigger drivers are not always better. The Acer Predator Galea 365 I reviewed featured 50mm drivers that sounded truly dire by comparison.
To get the best from the RIG 600 Pro, you’ll want to download the 600 Pro Navigator companion app. This lets you configure the sound via different profiles that encompass an EQ, mic level, voice prompts, as well as run through a helpful headphone test to ensure the buttons are working correctly and update the firmware if needed. That’s a lot of functionality and customisation for such a budget-friendly headset.
Microphone quality is acceptable. It features built-in noise cancellation that can’t be disabled, with high levels of noise making things quite hissy, but in most environments it’s fine. Being able to monitor your voice is also helpful, though less necessary than some headsets because of the overall lack of external noise isolation. The fixed microphone position might be annoying for some, but I had no problems with it.
I appreciate the lack of faux surround sound features; there’s no “virtual 7.1” here. Like all headsets, it’s stereo, and any virtual locating of sounds should be done on your host machine before being mixed down to your ears.
Rather than opting for a detachable mic, the RIG 600 Pro features a foldable mic that goes above and beyond the usual foldable nature, and can be completely hidden away inside the left earcup when not in use. It falls short in a few areas, though. It’s a little hard to locate when wearing the headset, leaving you fumbling around for a few seconds, and if it is used then you’re left with an odd-looking cavity where the microphone would go. It’s also a short, fixed position arm, so you can’t bend it around to suit your face or preferences better.
It automatically mutes when folded, and using the app, you can enable a monitoring feature so you can still hear your own voice above the in-game sounds.
I rarely want to talk in online games, but I appreciate it being there, hidden away for when I do need it. Detachable mics are fine if you want to permanently disable voice chat (in which case, buy some headphones, not a headset) – but they have a tendency to be lost if you’re not careful.
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Should you buy it?
You should buy if you’re looking for plenty of features and good audio at a budget-friendly price
The Nacon RIG 600 Pro offer exceptional value with features like dual connectivity, robust design, and superior sound quality that are rarely found at its price point. If you’re a gamer who wants to enjoy premium headset functionalities without breaking the bank, this model provides a competitive edge with its distinctive style, durability and seamless multitasking capabilities between devices.
You should not buy if you need a highly customisable fit
While the RIG 600 Pro offers several innovative features, its headband adjustment is limited to three preset sizes, which may not accommodate all head sizes perfectly. If you have a particularly large or small head, you might find it challenging to achieve a comfortable and precise fit.
Final Thoughts
Most gaming headsets tick two or three boxes when it comes to price, comfort, features, design, and audio quality. Finding one that ticks four is rare. In my opinion, the Nacon RIG 600 Pro ticks all of them. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect, of course. The sound quality is superb, considering the price, but not comparable to a high-end headset. The microphone is mediocre, but gets the job done.
The only real downside is that the limited headband adjustments won’t suit everyone, and if you have a really big head, it’s probably not going to work for you at all. For the price, I’d say the Nacon RIG 600 Pro offers the best value on the market, but if you want to keep the cost down to as little as possible then you can opt for the Turtle Beach Recon 70 or the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2.
How we test
We use every headset we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by using it in a variety of games, as well as playing music in order to get the full experience.
We also check each headset’s software (if applicable) to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Used as our primary gaming headset for at least a week.
Tested with a variety of games.
Also tested with music playback.
FAQs
Only the HX version of the Nacon RIG 600 PRO HS works with Xbox consoles (the HS model is designed for PS5 and PC).
