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Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: one-minute review
Nacon’s making moves lately. In the past couple of years, it’s expanded its offering and, frankly, upped the quality of its products, giving the establishment a headache in every vertical from sim racing to – most pertinently – audio.
This new RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS is a wireless headset model with a base station unit, USB receiver, and dual wireless connectivity that builds on the R5’s design with additional functionality. Graphene-coated drivers deliver a really distinctive, tight sound with no discernible distortion at max volume, while snap-lock earcup plates and foam cushions offer some customisation potential and extended lifespan. To that end, an easily accessible and removable battery makes it easy to keep the charge life nice and high.
The chunky design is informed by very generous padding around the earcups and headband, which does provide a lot of comfort but doesn’t entirely offset a short headband design, which can create an awkward fit with the lower earcup portion fanning out, so it’s worth trying these on and ideally wearing them for a few minutes before committing to making them your new multi-device audio pick.
Speaking of multi-device, it’s simple to set the R8 up with either console (I’m testing the PS5-compatible version – the Xbox version is branded as HX) or PC via the base station or USB receiver, and then pair a phone via the Bluetooth connection. Battery life and wireless performance are both strong, and it’s nice to have the option of a wired USB connection in your back pocket if you find yourself without charge and don’t want to leave the headset on the base station to charge.
There’s a lot of value and performance here, then, making the R8 a great all-round package. But it does come with some fiddly bits: specifically, a multifunction button that’s been tasked with more functions than any single button should be given, and a single RGB button on the base station that offers only limited customisation.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Price and availability
- List price: $179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)
- Priced competitively against Fractal Scape & Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
- UK pricing yet to be confirmed
Any discussion of pricing and value in 2026 is inherently depressing, but Nacon’s found a really aggressive price point for this R8 package, considering all the features it brings to the table.
$180 for a base station and dual wireless feels about right, particularly considering the build and sound quality. Nacon hasn’t revealed the UK MSRP yet, however, so quite how bargainous this will be to UK consumers remains to be seen.
The pricing does put it up against two particularly strong rival options from Fractal and Razer, though. The Fractal Scape is a similar base station wireless model, which has the edge in overall aesthetics – or does it? Looks are subjective, after all.
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro doesn’t come with a base station, but its headband design and adjustability make it more comfortable, so there are no easy answers here when you compare the prices.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS |
|
Price |
$179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99) |
|
Weight |
12.8oz / 364g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Xbox Series X|S (Xbox version only), PS5 (PlayStation version only), MacOS, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless, wired 3.5mm/USB-C |
|
Battery life |
60 hours |
|
Software |
RIG Navigator app |
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Design and features
- Magnetic swappable earcup plates & cushions
- A replaceable, rechargeable battery
- All the cushioning
Like a certain infamously broken noughties racing game, this is a big RIG. Unlike Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing, however, it’s also an extremely competent one, which displays thoughtful design at every turn.
The chunky design serves a purpose beyond aesthetics, delivering plenty of cushioning around each earcup and below the headband. And since this model is on the heavier side, it needs that padding to keep you comfortable.
I love the swappable cushions, affixed by magnetic contact pads with a rubber ring around them to keep the connection snug and eliminate any rattle. It’s a great feature that means if and when your earcup cushions lose their plumpness or become tarnished, you can buy a replacement pair rather than shopping for a new headset.
That swappable magnetic snap-lock principle’s also been deployed on the outer earcup plates. Nacon sent a set of ‘AAA edition’ mod plates ($19.99) out with the review sample headset, and they’re very easy to install.
Once the existing plates are pulled away from their snap-lock magnets, you line up the new plates and let the magnets snap them into place. That’s it. There’s no functional benefit to this, of course, but just like the keyboard makers offering barebones kits, it’s bang on trend to provide some customisation options.
The physical controls layout is a bit unusual for being placed entirely on the right-hand earcup, likewise the microphone. It makes absolutely no difference to usage, but at some point in the last ten years, we all silently agreed that mics go on the left, and it is an affront to gaming convention to find this one on the right. It has a flip-to-mute function, though, so all’s forgiven.
Elsewhere, you’ll find a power button, a notched volume scroll wheel, a multifunction button, and a Bluetooth sync button. It’s possible to use this headset in a multitude of setups, using 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, or dual wireless, with the base station connected in several different ways, so the way Nacon has programmed the multifunction button to handle everything from chat mix to switching to wired mode to taking phone calls is… optimistic.
Then again, it’s impressive that all that functionality exists in the first place, and some of those actions can be handled by the RIG Navigator app instead.
It’s feature-rich and versatile, with an attractive, chunky look, and it’s comfortable enough. But I do feel that the headband length and adjustability are slightly lacking. My head is on the smaller size (not to brag), and I have the headband fully extended in order to find a comfortable position. Even then, the earcups fan out slightly at the bottom rather than tucking in as I’d like them to. It’s a really small detail. The sort of thing you only really notice if you’ve been reviewing headsets for 15 years. But I noticed it, so I’m telling you about it.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Performance
- Tight, distinct audio character
- Easy to pair with multiple devices
- Dual wireless is always a perk
I’m pleased, but not surprised, to report that the audio performance of these R8 drivers is really strong. Nacon’s very proud of its graphene-coated materials used in the drivers, the idea being that graphene allows for quicker, more responsive driver movement and thus a more precise sound bellowing its way into your ear.
And that principle really holds up here. This is a remarkably tight-sounding headset, able to voice basslines and low ominous rumbles with sufficient oomph while not losing any detail higher up the frequency response into snare hits, gunfire, or dialogue. The stated frequency response range is 20Hz-40KHz, and while I won’t pretend I headed to the lab to verify that scientifically, I can tell you it sounds about right. Meaty low end, plenty of space higher up.
It’s also really resistant to distortion. At max volume, using Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless, my veteran ears didn’t pick up any discernible unwanted vibration or fizz, which is very impressive and can be genuinely useful in sound cue-heavy games like PUBG: Battlegrounds or Arc Raiders.
Unusually for modern gaming headsets, the EQ response is actually quite distinctive and characterful. It’s noticeably tight, in the same way that SteelSeries’ Arctis headsets were noticeably flat when they arrived to such acclaim a decade ago. The best way I can think to describe that character – and don’t let this put you off, honestly – is that snare hits sound like Travis Barker or Lars Ulrich have been with their drum keys in and tightened the snare skin before recording.
That doesn’t mean it’s so specialist that it can’t perform in a musical or cinematic setting. But its disciplined low-end response and fast articulation mean it’s particularly tuned for gaming, which is as it should be.
Setting the R8 up to use with multiple devices via the base station is simple enough, particularly if you’ve used an Astro or Fractal headset with a similar system before: set the receiver to either PS5 or USB/PC mode (I’m using the PS5-compatible version) and plug either the USB-C receiver into the device, or connect the base station to the device via USB C to A cable. The base station charges the headset, and the rechargeable battery is accessible by removing the snap-lock plate, which can be swapped out and replaced whenever you like.
Stated battery life is 60 hours. After a week of usage, that stat holds up in the real world, though obviously it’s too early in testing to talk about battery degradation. Both the base station and USB receiver have RGB zones, which you can control via a button on the base station itself. That means you can’t dial in a precise RGB code or lighting pattern, but there are numerous color, lighting strength, and behaviour presets accessible via the button.
It’s always great to have dual wireless as an option, and it works well here, with the minor caveat that it took me a while to learn that in order to take incoming calls, I need to hold the multifunction button down for three seconds. Not especially intuitive, but functional.
Should you buy the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
RIG R8 PRO HS headset: Also consider
Don’t feel alright with the R8? Consider these rival wireless offerings.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS |
Fractal Scape |
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro |
|
Price |
$179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99) |
$199.99 / £169.99 / around AU$285 |
$199 / £199/ AU$349 |
|
Weight |
12.8oz / 364g |
11.9oz / 338g |
11.2oz / 320g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Xbox (Xbox version only), PS5 (PlayStation version only), Switch, MacOS, iOS, Android |
PC, Mac, Playstation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, iOS/Android |
PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch |
|
Connection type |
2.4GHz wireless, digital wired (USB-C), analog wired (3.5mm audio jack), Bluetooth |
2,4 GHz Wireless via USB-A dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, Wired via USB-C to USB-A cable |
Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (Hyperspeed dongle) |
|
Battery life |
60 hours |
40 hours RGB off, 24 hours RGB on |
70 hours |
|
Software |
RIG Navigator app |
Adjust Pro |
Razer Synapse (PC) |
How I tested the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS
- One week of testing on PC and PS5, with the companion app
- All connection types tested
- Confirmed: doesn’t make The Hobbit movies better
The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS arrived as I was recovering post-surgery and thus had very few available options besides: lying very still and watching things, and sitting very still and playing things. It’s proven a fine companion during both these activities.
It’s the PS5 version, which arrived here to test, so I’ve been using my review sample on PC, PS5, and my iPhone, where the RIG Navigator app also resides. On PS5, it’s been pumping out the sounds of NBA 2K26, on PC, it’s been capturing the hammy moans of Dead Rising (the original, not the remaster, obviously), and on my phone, it’s been subjected to more YouTube slop than I’d care to detail.
I can confirm that while it does capture the audio landscapes of Peter Jackson’s punishingly dull Hobbit trilogy perfectly well, it does nothing to improve the overall experience of watching those films.
First reviewed April 2026.
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