Image: Alex Walker (Kotaku)
While I wouldn’t be too eager to take the latest ASUS headset for a spin on the train or the sidewalk, the latest aural offering in the ROG line does have one very neat advantage: it’s built to work with everything.
The headset was one of a string of products announced ahead of Computex this year. It’s not the flashiest announcement – headsets rarely are – but there’s a neat hook that makes it super relevant for gamers of all brands.
Called the ROG Delta, the headset uses a USB-C to USB-A connection so it can be used not only with PC, but with mobile phones, consoles and the Nintendo Switch. There’s a USB 2.0 converter to ensure compatibility, although ASUS ROG staff stressed that the company’s Aura Sync functionality – which lets you control the LEDs around each earcup – will only work on PC and mobiles. (There is a notch on the left side, though, to disable the lighting altogether.)
A shot of the ROG Delta next to one of ASUS’s new gaming laptops, the Scar II. Image: Alex Walker (Kotaku)
Something the ROG engineers stressed heavily was the inclusion of ESS 9218 Quad DAC audio chip. It’s not new tech as such – LG V20 owners got to enjoy the same tech in that phone, provided they were plugged into the headphone jack. Its presence in the ROG Delta, however, is part of a pitch targeted at FPS gamers.
One key push was the headset’s almost 120 dB signal to noise ratio, which should supposedly result in improved sound quality. (The short version: a better signal to noise ratio means the level of the audio signal is higher than the noise, meaning you get more sound accuracy and detail.)
The only test available at the day was a ROG STRIX Scar II laptop running Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, although there wasn’t enough time for a proper test. CS:GO‘s 3D sound processing was also enabled in the settings, which most players disable due to the excessive reverb. Whether it’s a setting I’d leave on with the ROG Delta headset, however, is only something I could answer after extended testing.
Nonetheless, the ability to use one headset across multiple systems is a huge drawcard. It’s relatively comfortable as well, and the design is on the larger side.
There’s no word on pricing or availability as of yet, although the previous line of ROG STRIX headsets are available in Australia. We’ll keep you posted when we know more, and when units become available for testing.
The author travelled to Computex 2018 as a guest of ASUS.
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