If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly gaming headset that doesn’t compromise on sound or comfort, the RIG R5 Spear PRO HS immediately catches the eye.
With graphene-coated drivers and a flexible flip-to-mute mic, it seems to promise a solid gaming experience across consoles, PC, and mobile. But does it really deliver on performance, clarity, and value for money?
In this review, I’ll break down the design, audio quality, comfort, and overall usability to see whether the R5 Spear PRO is worth adding to your setup.
Design and Build Quality
I have to say, the RIG R5 Spear PRO HS makes a great first impression in the looks department. The overall aesthetic is clean and modern, with a sleek matte black finish on both the headband and the R5 mod plates, contrasted by the soft fabric ear cushions. The combination looks great, especially when paired with the white RIG and PlayStation branding on the earcups and plates.
While the headset is mostly plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy. I think the matte coating gives it a more premium look, and I do feel that, despite the plastic, the headset doesn't experience that hollow, rattly feel you sometimes get with lighter headsets. Speaking of which, this one is lightweight, making it more comfortable than most to wear during long gaming sessions.
One of the R5 Spear PRO's headline features is its magnetic Snap+Lock plate system, which lets you swap out the side plates easily. The default plates are PlayStation-themed, as mentioned, but RIG hinted at during a briefing that game-specific plates could be on the way, which I think is a pretty cool customization idea.
On the design, it's also worth noting the earcups fold flat, which is handy if you travel often or like to tuck your headset neatly into a backpack. It was while I was folding the headset's earcups that I also found out the ear cushions attach magnetically, meaning you can disconnect them for an even more streamlined packing experience, or simply to replace them when they're worn out.
Lastly, the headset features an on-ear volume control slider. It’s a little different from the usual button-controlled in-line controls in that this is a slider. It was slightly stiff at first, but once I moved it, it was smooth and easy to adjust the volume on the fly, and it allowed for far more nuanced adjustments than with buttons.
Comfort and Fit
Overall, I'd say the RIG R5 Spear PRO HS is a genuinely comfortable headset. The combination of memory foam padding on both the headband and ear cushions does a solid job of keeping pressure points at bay. Meanwhile, the earcups are large enough to cover my entire ears, and I didn’t feel any uncomfortable pressure from the top of the headband either — a common issue with some heavier headsets.
That said, the first time I put the headset on, I did notice the heat built up under the earcups quickly. It wasn’t unbearable, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning marathon gaming sessions. Thankfully, after a bit of time, I adjusted, and the headset became more comfortable to wear for extended periods.
These earcups also do a decent job at blocking background noise. There’s no active noise cancellation here, but once the earcups are on, most background noise does fade away from passive cancellation. For instance, my laptop fans were whirring away while testing, and I didn’t even notice how loud they were until I took the headset off, though I did notice louder sounds could still creep through.
As mentioned earlier, the headset is lightweight, which massively helps with comfort over longer sessions. The adjustability system is another strong point. Rather than fixed notches, the sliding adjustment arms give you a smooth, precise range of movement to find that perfect fit. I actually prefer this over the three-step system used on other RIG headsets I've tried, because it allows for better fine-tuning across all head sizes.
Connectivity and Compatibility
The RIG R5 Spear PRO HS keeps things simple with a universal 3.5mm jack and a 150cm cable extending from it. This means it's plug-and-play across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, and mobile (so long as your device has a headphone jack or you’ve got an adapter). Quick note here, I noticed the official site says it's also wireless. To confirm, this headset is not wireless, which is definitely a bold choice that I'm not against.
I’ve had enough run-ins with temperamental Bluetooth and wireless headsets over the years to appreciate how easy a wired connection makes things. Plug it in, and you’re good to go, with no drivers, pairing, or software hoops to jump through. I tested it on both PS5 and PC, and the setup was instant and hassle-free.
Some might wish for wireless freedom, but being wired likely helps keep the price down while ensuring zero latency and stable audio. The cable itself is decent, too, with it long enough for flexibility over where you play, but not so long that it gets in the way, especially since you can plug it straight into your PS5 controller.
Audio Quality
The RIG R5 Spear PRO HS packs quite a punch in its price bracket thanks to its 40mm graphene drivers — a feature you’d normally expect from far pricier, audiophile-grade headsets. RIG claims these deliver less than 0.5% distortion, and while I don’t have the gear to test that claim precisely, I can confidently say that distortion was basically non-existent in all my use, based on what I heard. Everything sounded clean, controlled, and surprisingly balanced for a headset in this price range.
Graphene, being lightweight yet ultra-responsive, really does help here. It adds crispness and clarity across the board, and sure, 40mm drivers aren’t groundbreaking on their own, but the graphene inclusion gives them a real edge, especially over traditional drivers found in most standard gaming headsets.
The sound signature is pleasantly balanced. The bass has presence without drowning out the mids, and the highs come through sharp but not overly bright. In games like FC 26, crowd noise and commentary felt dynamic and immersive, while in Fortnite, gunfire and footsteps were distinct and layered.
That said, the positional audio, while solid, isn’t perfect. The 360-degree soundstage does a good job of separating left and right channels, making it easy to pinpoint whether enemies are approaching from the sides. However, depth and directional precision aren’t quite as sharp as on higher-end, surround-capable headsets. I could tell movement directionally, but gauging distance or exact positioning (say, north-east or behind corners) wasn’t as easy.
Testing it with PlayStation’s Tempest 3D AudioTech on PS5 was a similar story. After creating a custom profile using the console’s built-in 3D audio setup, the headset handled lateral movement (left-right) well, but diagonal or distant cues were harder to discern. It’s not a major drawback, as you can absolutely locate enemies and environmental sounds effectively, but it’s not the kind of razor-sharp positional awareness you’d get from more premium models.
RIG lists the frequency response as 20 Hz–40 kHz, which is an impressive range on paper. From my own testing, the low-end definitely hits that 20 Hz mark, delivering deep, rumbling lows without muddying the sound. The upper range also feels clean and accurate, though that 40 kHz ceiling is probably a bit overkill (since, unless your pet dog’s a gamer, no human’s hearing goes beyond 20 kHz).
Still, the takeaway here is clear: the R5 Spear PRO HS sounds far better than its price suggests. You get rich, clear, and distortion-free audio that performs consistently across a wide range of games and media. While it’s not the most pinpoint-accurate headset for competitive FPS play, it’s more than capable of delivering immersive, detailed sound for almost any genre, and that’s a win in my book.
Microphone Performance
The RIG R5 Spear PRO HS features a flip-to-mute microphone that, according to RIG, delivers crystal-clear voice chat with a 50 Hz – 15 kHz frequency range — I would say it lives up to that claim.
In a short test recording I did, my voice came through remarkably clean and natural, with impressive background noise rejection that filtered out the hum of my surroundings without dulling my tone. It captures the subtleties in your voice really well, which is great for both game chat as well as streaming.
The mic arm is highly flexible as well, allowing you to position it exactly where you want. I liked being able to keep it slightly off to the side so it didn’t pick up every breath or pop, and it stayed firmly in place once adjusted. RIG’s site suggests it’s removable, but after some fiddling around, I’m fairly certain that’s a mistake, as it doesn’t seem designed to detach (much like the incorrect “wireless” listing earlier).
The flip-to-mute feature is, of course, very handy. However, unlike other RIG headsets I’ve used, there’s no audible beep when the mic is fully flipped up to indicate it's muted, which makes it a bit harder to tell if you’ve actually switched it off mid-game. This isn't a major issue, as there is a noticeable shift in tension when you pass the "mute threshold", but an audible indicator could have helped avoid any hot-mic mishaps.
Price and Value
At US$69.99 / €79.99 / £69.99, the RIG R5 Spear PRO HS hits a real sweet spot for value. While it's not entirely feature-rich, what it does offer, i.e., the excellent audio quality and a superb microphone, it absolutely nails.
In fact, after comparing it directly to the RIG 900 MAX HX, which is both more expensive and more feature-packed, I actually preferred the sound quality and microphone clarity of the R5 Spear PRO. The graphene-coated drivers make a tangible difference here, as they’re crisp, detailed, and produce a level of audio fidelity that easily outperforms other wired headsets in the same price range.
It lacks wireless connectivity and some advanced tuning options, which is a little disappointing, but at this price, those omissions are easy to forgive. The lightweight build, impressive sound, and strong mic performance make it a brilliantly well-rounded wired headset for anyone who prioritizes sound quality and comfort over bells and whistles.
For competitive FPS players chasing absolute positional precision, there are better (and pricier) options out there. But for the vast majority of gamers, the R5 Spear PRO HS is an outstanding deal and one of the best value-for-money wired headsets I’ve tested in quite some time.
Pros and Cons
Here are two lists to summarise:
Pros
- Excellent audio quality with crisp, balanced sound from graphene-coated 40mm drivers
- Crystal-clear microphone with great background noise rejection and flexible boom arm
- Lightweight and comfortable design with memory foam padding and large earcups
- Plug-and-play wired connection — hassle-free setup on PS5, PS4, PC, and mobile
- Great value for money — outperforms pricier headsets like the RIG 900 MAX HX in sound and mic quality
Cons
- Gets warm under the earcups during longer gaming sessions
- No wireless option, which may put off some users
- Positional audio is good, but not pinpoint accurate for competitive FPS games
- No audible mute tone when flipping the mic up
- Limited customization features compared to higher-end models
Final Verdict
The RIG R5 Spear PRO HS punches far above its price point, offering superb audio quality, a clear, flexible mic, and excellent comfort in a lightweight, well-built design.
While it lacks wireless functionality and true surround precision, its graphene drivers deliver rich, distortion-free sound that rivals more expensive headsets.
For under $70, it’s a fantastic wired headset that prioritizes clarity, comfort, and value over unnecessary extras — a true hidden gem in RIG’s lineup.
