GamerEscape

Fun little fact about me for you all – I’m something of a collector of cowboy boots. Just a random thing that started a few years back. But it’s starting to look like I may end up becoming a collector of gaming headsets, because I’ve been sent yet another one for you to check out!

Hailing from the mid-range under $90 price point, we have the green camo RIG 600 PRO HS (HS is PlayStation branded, and its nearly identical cousin the HX is Xbox branded, but all work with either as well as PC). The version of the 600 PRO we tested with a “acid camo” print design is available now as a GameStop exclusive.

Inching Forward

This stylized 600 PRO is largely an iteration on the previous year’s model. Physically, it seems to be identical, except for a neon green-black-white “camo” look applied to the ear cushions and ear piece exteriors. I’ll be honest, there’s some irony in making a very brightly colored camo print aesthetic, as it calls attention rather than blends in to one’s surroundings. It is lightweight and the ear cups are comfortable, perfect to don quickly for a casual gaming session. While the 900 MAX I reviewed last is excellent in just about every way, the weight comfort factor is certainly a reason to consider the 600 PRO.

It really isn’t my style, aside from the fact that I don’t give too much importance to the appearance of a headset. Outside of a livestream, no one is going to see it, not even you, since it’s on your head. But I suppose it is a point in its favor if you are specifically looking for a break from the ordinary all-black that dominates the gaming headset market. It’s not unreasonable to expect there might be some interest in something like this.

That being said, there have been some quality-of-life improvements over past headset models, both of the same model and models higher up the RIG line.

Iterative Improvement

Sound-wise, this version of the headset is mostly identical to the version we covered previously. It does, however, improve a little on the overall user experience. When powered on, the audio comes through right away, and ducked as the female headset voice gives you the rundown on the power and battery status, operating mode (Bluetooth or USB dongle), and connectivity status. On previous models I evaluated, the voice takes longer to go through this status info and you can’t hear any game audio or music until she’s done talking. This is a welcome change, even if it’s just a small part of the use experience. The microphone remains the same and, as I expressed then, is difficult to fold out. Although I suppose it is nice that it folds completely into the unit, making it a bit more compact.

For some reason, the PlayStation (HS) branded version still doesn’t include Dolby Atmos, despite my understanding being that the PS5 does support it. This means this model will sound a bit more… flat, with both the highs and lows not quite being ideal without the audio enhancements that Atmos provides. It’s still a good choice, particularly for 2D gaming, but without Atmos included it’s not going to be as good as higher models in the Nacon lineup as far as the sound experience.

Overall the sound quality is comprable to other headsets in its price range. But since it appears that only the HS (PS5) model, and not the HX model, recieved the Acid Camo treatment, if you like the look of this headset but want Dolby Atmos, it would seem you may be out of luck.

One Step Forward, One Step Back

In my early days reviewing sound-related products, I was somewhat dismissive of the impact of Dolby Atmos support. But after having used two previous Nacon RIG headsets for quite a while, I’ve come to appreciate it a lot, and find that does improve the sound experience noticeably over the models without it.

This makes it unfortunate that this specific version of the 600 PRO does not include it. However, the Acid Camo 600 PRO does present some usability improvements (Though I’d still prefer a longer mic arm over the short stubby one in all 600 PRO models), which at least partially makes up for it.

If you care much about the appearance of the sound device you place over your ears, go ahead and give this one a go. While the “Acid Camo” look might not be my style, it could certainly be yours. If, on the other hand, aesthetics are a low priority for you, I would push you towards the HX version (not available in the Acid Camo variant) for the Atmos support, or go higher up the RIG lineup if you can spare a little more cash. While this year’s 600 PRO does offer some minor improvements, it still lacks Dolby Atmos and this really prevents me from scoring it higher than the previous version.

~ Final Score: 7/10 ~

Review unit provided courtesy of Nacon. Photos courtesy of Nacon.