I’ve had the pleasure of using a lot of Xbox One headsets over the course of the last few years. I’ve had cheap one-ear chat oddities attached to my head, I’ve had mid-range, mid-specced on-ear options and I’ve been treated to some of the highest end Xbox gear you can think of. I’ve also been privileged to have spent a lot of time with a number of headsets from the RIG range for Xbox One, with the 400HX, the 500 PRO HX and the 700HX all providing great sounding options. But that latter range of kit by Poly – the RIG range – is topped by one beastly wireless headset that comes with pretty much everything you could wish for – the utterly stunning RIG 800LX for Xbox One.
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The RIG 800LX Dolby Atmos Special Edition for Xbox One is, without a shadow of doubt, one of the best sounding, most comfortable top-end wireless headsets I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. And even though it comes in with a lesser price point than the likes of the Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox One, personally I think this one possibly trumps the lot.
You see, whilst the Razer Nari is a hefty old headset, one that is weighed down by a superb build quality, gel-infused ear cups and some of the best audio tech you can handle, the RIG 800LX is built around an ultralight frame that allows it to come in considerably less in terms of sheer weight. And that’s a godsend, as the lighter a unit that is placed on your head throughout your gaming sessions, the more comfortable you’ll be, and the easier it’ll be to see your gaming skills come out on top.
In fact, the 289 gram weight of this headset is crazy low, especially for a top-end set of cans that deliver so much in terms of wizardry, and this means they can be flung around without a care in the world. Props just have to go out to the team at Poly for being able to create such a product.
The RIG 800LX looks good too and, whilst the all-black design is only slightly broken up by the odd bit of white trim in terms of logos and wiring, the industrial-styled design that the RIG range uses works well. With the same push-in/out adjustability to the outer headband that has been proven to work in the other lower specced cousins of the range, and a padded inner headband that sits nicely on your head, getting comfortable with the 800 is a cinch. And this is helped by the fact that the noise-isolating earcups are well padded affairs too, housing dynamic 40mm drivers and being more than large enough to cover both ears to immerse you into your gaming landscape.
These drivers deliver in terms of audio too – and if we’re honest that’s the main draw of any top-end headset. Loud, crisp, super clear and bereft of any form of distortion even when dialled up to the maximum volume, I’ve never been left wanting in terms of the sounds that have been produced by the RIG 800LX. In fact, thanks to the inclusion of the brilliant Dolby Atmos system, there is a chance that your gaming sessions could be even more immersive with these in tow, letting you pick out exact positions of enemies, hear the deepest roars of engines whilst in any racer and feel the pounding bass of a soundtrack. With the power of the Xbox One Dolby Atmos App – access to which can be found by redeeming the included code that comes with the headset – even if you had previously been more than happy with what your headset delivered, the magic of Atmos creates a whole new world. Nicer still is the opportunity to flick through four different equaliser settings direct on the headset, letting you listen in to Pure, Seismic, Intensify and Vocal Focus options.
So, the sound coming in is great, but what of that going out? You know, in terms of party chat? Well the RIG 800LX comes with a solid flip-to-mute mic that has been well worked into the left earcup. Whilst there is no flexibility on this mic, from testing, you won’t need it as voice chat has been nigh-on perfect at all times, with party members more than happy with the sound of my dulcet tones pushing through. It’s great to just be able to flip it down, chat, and not have to worry about the positioning of any mic boom in order to let your online friends and family hear you perfectly. Pushing it out of the way in order to mute the online scene is just as simple.
This left earcup also houses a couple of volume dials (main volume and a switcher for game/party volume), along with the on/off/pairing button. The pairing is easy with you just needing to plug RIG’s base unit into your console via USB before connecting the headset. The initial setup is on point, and then it works every single time from there on out with a confident AI voice letting you know that pairing is successful, that the headset is on and the current battery level every time you switch on.
The power plan for the RIG 800LX is nothing short of spectacular too, promising 24 hours of gaming before you need to worry about charging via the in-built micro-USB. Not only is 24 hours worth of gaming a perfect amount, but I’ve got zero reason to call Poly out for overestimating the battery life either – in my tests it’s been as close to 24 hours as you need to worry about.
It’s fair to say that I’ve been mighty impressed by the RIG 800LX Dolby Atmos Special Edition Headset for Xbox One. But then, after spending time with other RIG headsets previously, I always thought that would be the case. If you’ve got a bit of cash to spare, need a wireless headset and wish to take in some Dolby Atmos fanciness without going totally overboard in terms of outright cash, then you cannot go wrong with the RIG 800LX. It’s perfect for both the shortest and longest gaming sessions, ensuring that you will become fully immersed in the virtual world, whilst managing to block out the real one.
Massive thanks go out to Poly for providing this headset for review. If you wish to pick up the RIG 800LX Dolby Atmos Special Edition Headset for Xbox One then you should visit Plantronics direct. You’ll be able to pick it up for £159 or even cheaper on Amazon. And that, quite frankly, is a bargain for a wireless Dolby Atmos powered headset.
Related: Unboxing the RIG 800LX Dolby Atmos Special Edition Headset for Xbox One.
