RIG 800 PRO HX Headset Review

For all the RIG headsets that we’ve used over the years, it’s the range-topping 800 series which is our favourite. Having been heads-on with the 800LX Dolby Atmos Special Edition Headset back in 2020, as well as taking in every other product in the RIG range – the 300 PRO HX, 400HX, 500 PRO HX and 700 PRO HX – rarely have we spent time gaming without the RIG exoskeleton in tow. 

But it’s a brand which has gone through some changes over the years; Poly selling on RIG to NACON in recent times. And with that has come a few minor changes, slight amendments to the norm, as the new owners have looked to raise the levels just enough to tempt gamers into the latest version. . 

With that in mind we get to the RIG 800 PRO HX headset, Designed for Xbox. Basically put, take what was provided back in 2020, make the mic a bit more flexible, throw in a charging dock and sign off as job done. That dock does make a world of difference though. 

Covering the basics first and if you know a RIG headset, you’ll know the RIG 800 PRO HX. It comes with the now iconic – in our eyes – exoskeleton frame; a super lightweight offering which means that rarely will you ever notice a RIG headset sat upon your head. It’s pretty ridiculous how much this thing weighs in fact, coming in at a smidge over 300 grams in weight. For a top-of-the-range headset that is rich in features, that’s extremely impressive. It is however a tad heavier than the 800LX. 

That plastic exoskeleton has been fitted with a slightly padded, suspension styled headband, ensuring that it takes even more weight off your head when in use. It’s extremely comfortable to wear, whether that be for minutes or hours at a time. We’ve had some of our longest gaming sessions with this thing on our head and not once have we ever wanted to remove it. Is it THE most comfortable headset on the market? It’s not far off. 

Enhancing that comfort is the usual RIG push-to-fit headband adjustment, doing away with a normal headband slider. Again, it’s something we really like, especially useful for gamers who don’t share their headsets – you’ll know that this one is set-up for you, every single time you grab for it. With three settings on each side of the headband, pushing a clip to the desired notch is easily done. 

Further, the earcups are equally great. Oval in shape and covering your ears in full, the pleather and cloth outers are super squidgy to the touch, moving just enough to flex as needed. They are deep and massively immersive too, so you’ll never feel the internal material that covers the 40mm audio drivers resting on your ears. 

If you’ve not worked it out by now, we love how the RIG 800 PRO HX headset feels in use. 

Carbon-stylings around the externals of the earcups and across the plastic exoskeleton headband ensure it looks good too and whilst we’d suspect that many will complain about the plasticky, slightly mechanical, extremely industrial visual vibes, we’re big fans of the ‘RIG look’. It has certainly allowed the brand to find its own space in the gaming world. 

We’re also big fans of how it sounds. The RIG 800 PRO HX headset, Designed for Xbox comes with 3D audio and Dolby Atmos built in and that means you’ll have one of the finest audio experiences that you could possibly imagine. Granted, it doesn’t get near something like the Audeze Penrose X – something that to us is the finest sounding Xbox headset money can buy – but equally NACON and RIG aren’t looking to compete there – this is a much cheaper headset in price terms. 

Ultimately the 800 PRO HX sounds more than good enough for everyday gaming sessions and we’ve found real joy in using it on the daily over a few weeks. Similarly, voice out is handled well, with the latest 800 changing up its mic to a more flexible version than before, flipping up out of the way when need be, muting as it goes. A mic monitor button on the left cup should mean you can dial that in as you need to. 

The left cup also hosts the volume controls that you will need in order to make the most of the RIG 800 PRO HX. Easy to find and highly tactile with plenty of notches, there’s a main volume wheel alongside a game/chat dial. An on/off power button just needs a depress for a couple of seconds to fire the headset up and into use, with a well defined voice letting the user know exactly when the headset is on, connected and how full of battery charge it is. Set-up is easy, and we’ve not experienced a single drop in connectivity. 

The only real let-down for the on-headset offerings is the inclusion of an old-school Micro-USB port. The sooner USB-C comes in here, the better. 

Thankfully you will rarely, if ever, need to use this charging port as the RIG 800 PRO HX comes with a four-pin charging connection on the bottom of the right cup – and it’s with this in which the headset finds its 24-hours of power. 

That is thanks to a separate charging dock, one that connects to your console via USB-A. Connecting this up and then throwing the headset onto the dock should mean that it is pretty much fully charged whenever you need it, a bright LED on the front signifying how power is kicking around. The charging station also doubles as the wireless connection between headset and console, thanks to an included USB-A dongle; sliding the dongle into the dock ensures everything is neatly kept in one place. There’s even an Xbox/PC switch on that dongle, allowing you to use the 800 PRO HX on the device of your choice. 

This dock is the one real major change between the 800LX and the 800 PRO HX, doing away with a previous wireless connectivity unit. We’re fully on-board with the change too as not only does the docking station keep the promise of 24-hour charge in your headset for when it is required, but it doubles up as a brilliant storage solution. Throwing it on takes a second, connecting via the four-pins immediately. 

We’ve been big fans of the RIG line of headsets for a good few years, enjoying the slight amendments and new features that have dripped out over that time. But it’s in the RIG 800 PRO HX, Designed for Xbox, with which we have the best RIG headset available. Super lightweight, sounding great and complete with a charging dock, there’s little to not like about the latest iteration of the RIG line. 

Huge thanks go out to NACON for providing us with the RIG 800 PRO HX, Designed for Xbox for review. You can grab a unit for yourself by visiting NACON direct. You should expect to pay €199.90. And if you don’t play on Xbox, you can grab the RIG 800 PRO HD for PC or the RIG 800 PRO HS for PlayStation too.