Known far and wide for their stylish designs and high-end performance gaming products, Republic of Gamers gives us the all-new ROG Delta S USB-C Wired Gaming Headset. I’ve been fortunate enough to put this flashy beast to the test.

Unboxing this latest edition to your gaming arsenal is a treat in itself, opening up the box and being greeted with the welcome message, “Welcome to the elite, Republic of Gamers community.” This is not only a nice touch but also gives a sense of excitement as you dive in to retrieve your glorious bounty within. Let’s begin by taking a tour of this extremely bold-looking beauty. The headband is very flexible and sturdy, cushioned with memory foam, and bound in a soft and flexible leather that is embossed with the Republic of Gamers branding.

Ear cup adjustment sliders are a combination of black plastic on the inside and chrome steel on the outside. Completing the bold look and premium feel is the rather interesting D-shaped ear cups on a dual swivelled hinge for foldability and adjustment to fit even the biggest of heads. Made from matte black smooth plastic and accented with signature ROG logo RGB lighting, the cushioning on the ear cups is a thick, soft memory foam bound in a quick cooling leather with a textured accent on the outer edges, and weighing in at a very comfortable 300g, it’s perfect for those long gaming sessions.

It’s compatible with PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Mobile, and Nintendo Switch using either the USB-C connection or the included USB-C to USB-A adaptor cable that is included in the box. Eager to begin putting the ROG Delta S USB-C Wired Gaming Headset through its paces, I immediately reached for my Switch OLED and plugged it in via the USB-C connection. Finding the perfect volume is a quick and simple flick of the volume rocker on the left ear cup, and after getting a couple of wins in Fortnite and completing a few more levels of Ultra Age, I was hooked on the level of quality of audio that was being delivered.

It wasn’t until I connected it to my PC and installed the Armoury Crate software that I realised just how far the hooks were in, unlocking the true potential of the industry-leading, hi-fi grade ESS 9281 with Quad DAC technology. In layman’s terms, you’ll hear every tone with the highest of quality, clean, crisp, and true-to-life. I was blown away by hearing tones in my music that my other headsets just clearly miss.

Chatting up a storm with friends both in-game and hanging out in Discord was by all accounts crystal clear, and thanks to the ASUS AI noise-cancelling mic, we were able to be free of the background noise of my doggos stuffing around in the lounge room behind me. Need to take a call and mute your mic? Pressing in on the volume rocker will mute your mic, and if you’re anything like me and forget you’re muted, a red led light on the mic stem indicates that the mic is muted. And to top these bad boys off, they come equipt with exclusive ASUS Essence drivers that have an airtight chamber design, and audio signal diversion technology which work together to produce very impressive immersive audio.

The Armoury Crate software is the ultimate companion for the ROG Delta S USB-C Wired Gaming Headset, allowing you to completely customise your listening experience to your heart’s content, letting you choose a preset sound profile from the drop-down box or create your own profile scenarios, customise the RGB lighting on the headset with a variety of preset effects or create a completely custom RGB effect with Aura Sync.

You can even update the mic firmware from within the application. For those audiophiles out there who want the perfect mix, you’re in luck with fully adjustable EQ settings. I found the software pretty easy to use and very flexible, and I enjoyed customising the RGB to fit my mood. One thing to note about the RGB is that I noticed an increased battery drain while playing on the Nintendo Switch with the RGB on, but thankfully, this can be turned off with the switch on the left ear cup.

Overall, the ROG Delta S USB-C Wired Gaming Headset is by far the most impressive headset I’ve used to date. Packed to the brim with industry-leading, high-end audio technology that delivers a sound unlike any other. Hearing everything with such true-to-life sound and gaining a competitive edge in games brings pure joy to any listening experience. Being so highly compatible with a wide variety of devices certainly makes it easier to justify the pretty hefty $349 price tag, but shopping around might see you snag this insane beast for a little cheaper.

SPECS 

Headphones: 

• Drivers: 50mm Neodymium magnet
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• Frequency Response: 20~40000 Hz

Microphone:

• Pick-up: Unidirectional
• Sensitivity: -40dB
• Frequency response: 100~10000 Hz
• AI Noise Cancelling
• Hi-Fi DAC: Ess 9281 Pro
• Hi-Fi Amp: Ess 9281 Pro
• 7.1 virtual surround sound

Written by: Gary Nielsen