The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS proves that headsets can still be great value in 2026

Date:
Sat, 02 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Description:
A wireless, base station model with similarities to Nacons existing R5 that impresses with tight, distinctive, low-distortion audio.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: one-minute review Nacons making moves lately. In the past couple of years, its 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 R5s 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 doesnt entirely offset a short headband design, which can create an awkward fit with the lower earcup portion fanning out, so its 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, its simple to set the R8 up with either console (Im 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 its nice to have the option of a wired USB connection in your back pocket if you find yourself without charge and dont want to leave the headset on the base station to charge.

Theres 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 thats 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. (Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk) 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 Nacons 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 hasnt revealed the UK MSRP
yet, however, so quite how bargainous this will be to UK consumers remains to be seen. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

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 doesnt 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 Swipe to scroll horizontally 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, its 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. Its 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 principles 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 theyre 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. Thats it. Theres no functional benefit to this, of course, but just like the keyboard makers offering barebones kits, its bang on trend to provide some customisation options. (Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk) 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 alls forgiven.

Elsewhere, youll find a power button, a notched volume scroll wheel, a multifunction button, and a Bluetooth sync button. Its 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, its impressive that all that functionality exists in the first place, and some of those actions can be handled by the RIG Navigator app instead.

Its feature-rich and versatile, with an attractive, chunky look, and its 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 Id like them to. Its a really small detail. The sort of thing you only really notice if youve been reviewing headsets for 15 years. But I noticed
it, so Im telling you about it. (Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk) Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Performance Tight, distinct audio character Easy to pair with multiple devices Dual wireless is always a perk Im pleased, but not surprised, to report that the audio performance of these R8 drivers is really strong. Nacons 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 wont 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.

Its also really resistant to distortion. At max volume, using Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless, my veteran ears didnt 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. Its 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 dont 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. (Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk) That doesnt mean its so specialist that it cant perform in a musical or cinematic
setting. But its disciplined low-end response and fast articulation mean its 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 youve used an Astro or Fractal headset with a similar system before: set the receiver to either PS5 or USB/PC mode (Im 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 its 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 cant dial in a precise RGB code or lighting pattern, but there are numerous color, lighting strength, and behaviour presets accessible via the button.

Its 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. (Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk) Should you buy the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS? Buy it if... You
like device-hopping The base station and super-desirable dual wireless connectivity make this a great option if you want to take calls while you play. Customisation is your thing Swappable earcup plates and cushions are a defining feature of this model, so youve got a chance to express yourself.
You prefer to tweak via an app than physical controls The RIG Navigator app
is much easier to use than the multifunction button on the headset itself, so this is one for those who dont mind another download. Don't buy it if... You havent tried the Fractal Scape yet Both models offer very similar feature
sets and both perform very well at a similar price point, so your individual comfort wearing each one will be the decider. Youre a lefty Well, ok, you can still buy it if you like. But having the mic and physical controls all on the right feels a bit odd. Youre probably only going to use it with one device Itll perform very well on that device, but your money could be better
deployed on audiophile-grade drivers or more luxurious comfort than the multi-device functionality this offers. RIG R8 PRO HS headset: Also consider Dont feel alright with the R8? Consider these rival wireless offerings. Swipe to scroll horizontally 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) Fractal Scape Its like you wandered into an Apple store
and asked one of the geniuses to design your perfect wireless gaming headset. Minimalist, gorgeous, sounds great, and offers the same multi-device compatibility.

For more information, check out our full Fractal Scape review View Deal
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Look one notch below Razers bells-and-whistles, ANC-enabled flagship model, and youll find a price-performance sweet spot in wireless gaming headsets thats still yet to be beaten outright. No base station, though.

For more information, check out our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review View Deal 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: doesnt 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. Its proven a fine companion during both these activities.

Its the PS5 version, which arrived here to test, so Ive been using my review sample on PC, PS5, and my iPhone, where the RIG Navigator app also resides.
On PS5, its been pumping out the sounds of NBA 2K26 , on PC, its been capturing the hammy moans of Dead Rising (the original, not the remaster, obviously), and on my phone, its been subjected to more YouTube slop than Id care to detail.

I can confirm that while it does capture the audio landscapes of Peter Jacksons punishingly dull Hobbit trilogy perfectly well, it does nothing to improve the overall experience of watching those films.

First reviewed April 2026. Nacon RIG R8 PRO HS: Price Comparison No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/nacon-rig-r8-spectre-pro-hs-review


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