While controllers are compatible with most headphones that use the 3.5mm jack, it’s time to step up your game and invest in a real gaming headset. At some point, your earbuds just won’t cut it for a certain type of gamer.
Once you’ve made that jump, the wide price range can be daunting. Gaming headsets can range from $20 to several hundred, so the bid is less about cost and more about value.
I’ve used a lot of high-end headsets in my time, and they tend to last. I’ve used some cheaper options as well, and they can come with their share of problems that’s too great to justify. But that’s not the case with the RIG 500 Pro Gen 2. For those getting their first pair of gaming headphones, or for those who need a versatile backup plan, it makes a strong case for your attention.
RIG 500 Pro HC Gen 2 headset review: A smart entry-level headset
You might immediately notice that the RIG 500 Pro has a very similar form factor to the 700 Pro, which has become common for RIG products over the years. The beauty of this is that despite being half the price of its supposedly better sibling, the 500 Pro has a part-metal frame. The 700 lacks this entirely, but it does make the 500’s Gen 2 design feel more robust and mature.
RIG wants to stand out from the Astros and Turtle Beaches it sits alongside on every store and digital shelf, and in your hands the 500 Pro feels like a smarter, safer choice.
It’s comfortable, too, and features the brand’s traditional auto-sizing headband that retracts or retracts to fit virtually any head. My eight-year-old son and I shared the headset with it during my review time, and not having to resize with every swap is a small but appreciated feature.
Another nice feature the 700 doesn’t have is a flip-to-mute mic. In live multiplayer, having such a feature is always better than looking for a mute button on your earpiece. The 500 Pro has in-line volume controls and reliably locks in at full volume when you want it, so you can’t graze your settings on your shirt or have pets climb up on you.
When you don’t need the microphone, it’s also easy to detach. I’m someone who even plays my single player games with a headset just for their immersive qualities, so I like being able to take the mic off when not needed.
The best thing about the 500 Pro is certainly the two-year Dolby Atmos activation key that comes with the package. While this is a step back from other recent RIG products that offer lifetime access, the 500 Pro is best used by beginners looking to purchase their first gaming headset. With that in mind, you might want to replace it or make it your plan B before that license expires anyway. Of course, if you want to expand it, you can do so by using the built-in app on consoles and PC.
In today’s landscape, 3D audio is absolutely crucial for a good headset, and it’s quite remarkable to see a peripheral like this — with an MSRP of $60 — offer such an outstanding feature. That said, overall audio quality is a step down from the RIG 700, which makes sense given their price delta, but it was still a bit of a surprise as in many ways this is actually the better value between the two.
There’s a noticeable drop in audio fidelity on the 500 Pro — Ambient sounds and those in the foreground of a game mixed more — That’s not what you expect from a headset. Like its double-priced sibling, the 500 Pro doesn’t cancel out external noise as well as it should.
RIG wants to position itself as a brand for competitive gamers, but I cannot recommend the 500 Pro to such gamers because they still have to contend with internal distractions like garbage trucks outside, kids running around, or whatever others may be around. Not to mention a competitive environment.
One of my favorite genres is Battle Royale, so I always run every review headset through the Battle Royale test. In this genre more than any other, I believe that directional, crystal clear audio is vital.
I only managed a few rounds with the 500 Pro before switching to another similarly priced headset, albeit one that lacks some of the better features of the 500 Pro such as B. Inline volume. But ultimately, that sound profile is key to distinguishing the good headsets from the great ones — the ones you can rely on to deliver vital in-game information and the ones that just turn speakers on your head — and that’s how the 500 Pro might let you down.
Still, it’s odd to see how this headset sometimes outperforms the supposedly better ones in its own family. You could get two 500 Pros for the price of one 700 Pro, and given the 500’s versatility, maybe you should.
The 500 Pro HC not only works with Xbox and PC, but also with PlayStation platforms, laptops, phones and really everything else. When tethering gamers with a 4.9-foot cable, the 500 Pro might not seem as modern as some other headsets, but it can remain multi-faceted, and for $60 you probably won’t find a wireless headset anyway.
RIG 500 Pro HC Gen 2 headset review – The final result
Advantages
- Durable, comfortable frame
- Dolby Atmos 3D audio at a bargain price
- The detachable microphone with flip-to-mute function is a great entry-level headset
Disadvantages
- It lacks proper noise cancellation for competitive gaming
- The inline volume slider feels out of place and it’s cheaper than the rest of the headset
The RIG 500 Pro HC Gen 2 offers a better form factor and some desired features that its pricier sibling and some rivals don’t have, like the flip-to-mute mic and Dolby Atmos 3D sound respectively, but ultimately doesn’t deliver a sound profile , which is reliable enough to convince me that this should be everyone’s go-to headset for gaming like war zone, over watch or PUBG.
When the game is on the line, the 500 Pro can leave you hanging. However, as an entry-level headset with a price tag of a single new game and a shelf life of at least a few high-quality years of social multiplayer or immersive single-player gaming, it’s a much wiser choice.
[Note: Nacon provided the RIG 500 Pro HC Gen 2 headset used for this review.]
