Review: ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless Gaming Headset

Is ASUS’s latest addition to its line-up of gaming headsets worthy of your consideration?

 

The ROG Delta S Wireless adds on to the already-lengthy lineup of “Delta” gaming headsets that carry the Republic of Gamers moniker by ASUS. Being the sole wireless offering within the ROG Delta series, the Delta S Wireless sports digital AI-powered beamforming microphones, and boasts wireless connectivity either via Bluetooth, or a 2.4GHz connection via an included USB Type-C dongle.

Packaging & Contents

The packaging of the ROG Delta S Wireless is well-made and conveys a great first impression. It comes in the usual black and red colourway that has come to be associated with the Republic of Gamers brand image.

On top of the headset itself and the USB Type-C wireless dongle, ASUS has included the following accessories as well:

• Spare set of fabric ear cups (in addition to the protein leather ones already pre-attached to the headset)
• 1m USB charging cable (male USB Type-C to male USB Type-A)
• Female USB Type-C to male USB Type-A adapter
• Quick start guide
• Warranty information booklet

The included USB charging cable is of the premium variety, with a braided cable and solidly-built connectors that feel pretty durable, while the USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter is an essential for end-users who have gaming devices that do not have a USB Type-C port.

Specifications

• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, or 2.4GHz connection via the included USB Type-C dongle
• Driver Type: 50mm neodymium magnets
• Impedance: 32 Ohms
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20000Hz
• Active Noise Cancellation: No
• Microphone: Digital beamforming microphones with AI-powered noise cancellation
• Battery: 1800mAh, up to 25 hours of battery life; up to three hours of battery life with a 15-minute fast charge
• Weight: 318g
• Supported Devices: PC, Mac, Playstation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch, Android devices

Aesthetics & Build Quality

With the ROG Delta S Wireless, ASUS has gone for a black and white colour palette with this headset, with the white bits having a pseudo-pearlescent finish. On the whole, the Delta S Wireless’s appearance is surprisingly muted for a ROG product – this is largely due to the fact that it does away with RGB lighting of any sort, seeing as such RGB LEDs would probably reduce the battery life of the headset.

The construction of the headset is predominantly of plastic, with a soft-touch finish for the matte sections of the ear cups that lend a premium feel to the headset. This is contrasted by a smooth finish with the ROG logos in the center section of the ear cups, which have subtle line motifs to lend some visual interest to the headset. All in all, the Delta S Wireless is very well-built, in spite of the fact that it’s constructed almost entirely out of plastic – no creaks and wobbles were discerned during the period of time in which this headset was being reviewed.

The ROG Delta S Wireless comes with an audio control wheel that allows users to increase/decrease the volume, and also mute/unmute the microphone. A multi-function button right next to the audio control wheel serves as a play/pause button when pressed once; pressing the said button twice or thrice in a row allows users to move forwards and backwards respectively for their music tracks. Finally, pressing and holding the button for seven seconds will enable Bluetooth pairing mode for the headset.

Beneath the multi-function button is a mode switch that allows one to switch on and off the headset – placing it in “BT” mode allows it to – you guessed it right – connect to a device via Bluetooth, while “2.4” mode allows for a connection via the included 2.4GHz USB Type-C wireless dongle. Beneath the mode switch is a recessed opening for the USB Type-C charging port.

The other ear cup houses the storage recess for the included USB Type-C 2.4GHz wireless dongle, which is perfect for safe storage of the dongle when on-the-go. It snaps into the recess by means of a magnet to ensure a secure fit.

Size adjustments are available for the headband, naturally, with just the right amount of clamping force to ensure a firm fit on the head without being uncomfortable. The top of the headband is well-padded too so as to ensure maximum comfort.

Wearing Comfort

One thing that the ROG Delta S Wireless has going for it, is its wearing comfort – the headset is supremely comfortable to use for extended periods of time, even for users who wear glasses. This can be attributed to a combination of factors such as its light weight, decent amount of padding on the headband as well as on the ear cushions, and overall ergonomics. I tested the headset while playing some PC games for two consecutive hours, and am happy to report that no discomfort was experienced at all.

Audio Quality

The sound signature of the ROG Delta S Wireless can best be described as balanced, with the bass being a little on the weaker side right out-of-the-box. This isn’t a problem though, as ASUS’s Armoury Crate application has a built-in EQ section that allows for tweaks to create a sound profile that suits your needs. I had a blast using the headset during testing in games, where every single detail, from the thunderous booms of gunshots, to environmental noises such as the footsteps of enemies, were produced with crystal-clarity, and certainly helped my gaming performance along. The headset has the chops for music and movies too, and this is helped along by the plethora of audio options that can be tweaked within the Armoury Crate application.

Microphone Quality

The ROG Delta S Wireless has built-in beamforming microphones with an AI-driven noise cancellation feature. While the microphone audio quality is decent, the AI noise cancellation feature is a bit of a hit-and-miss unfortunately. The AI noise cancellation feature can be enabled through the Armoury Crate application, and users are afforded three levels of noise cancellation to choose from: Low, Medium and High.

During testing, the noise cancellation feature was great in removing background noise of the consistent sort – think the hum of an air conditioning unit, traffic noises and the like. However, the feature’s performance became a bit of a hit-and-miss when it came to filtering out unwanted background speech, keystroke noises and mouse clicks, even on the High setting.

Software

ASUS has an all-in-one application called Armoury Crate that can be used to tweak the settings of the brand’s extensive line-up of products, and the ROG Delta S Wireless is no exception. Within the Armoury Crate app, users are granted access to a multitude of settings that can be tweaked so as to maximise the performance of the headset.

For instance, the Sound Optimisation section of the app allows for the selection of different sound profiles to suit the task at hand – the FPS mode did a great job of fleshing out additional audio detail when tested with games such as Far Cry 6 and Fortnite, and truly elevated my audio experience as I was putting the headset through its paces.

Enabling the 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound feature of the Delta S Wireless is also done in-app, and this feature allows for the creation of a virtual soundscape that simulates a 7.1 surround sound audio setup for a more immersive audio experience.

The various noise cancellation features of the Delta S Wireless are also configured via the Armoury Crate app, and users can also adjust power settings for the headset and update their headset’s firmware through the app too.

Conclusion & Pricing

The ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless is a gaming headset that delivers good audio quality in a solidly-built wireless package. The headset is exceptionally comfortable to use especially for extended periods of time, and is backed up by ASUS’s Armoury Crate application which packs bells and whistles for end-users to tweak and customise to their heart’s content. That said, the headset’s AI noise cancellation feature could do with some improvement, where even at the highest setting, unwanted background speech and keystroke noises were still picked up, which could in turn affect the gaming experience of your teammates who are on the receiving end of your voice communications.

The ROG Delta S Wireless has a recommended retail price of S$299 Singapore dollars (~US$215).

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The headset featured in this article was a review unit provided on loan from ASUS Singapore.