ASUS Orion Pro Gaming Headset Review
Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
Product Name: Orion Pro GamingHeadset
Model Number: ORION-PRO/BLK/ALW+UBW/AS
UPC: 886227266425
Price As Tested: $109.99 (Newegg | Amazon)
Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by ASUS.
In the words of ASUS, the ASUS Orion Pro Gaming headset was designed to deliver the "finest audio immersion and positioning needed in any game and at any location." In order to get the quality of audio that the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset was designed to deliver, you must employ the Spitfire USB audio processor. The Spitfire is a driver-free piece of hardware that enables you to manipulate the audio, producing the desired audible effects for any application. You are able to use the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset without the Spitfire by simply plugging in the 3.5mm headset/microphone connectors into your PC. At that point, the quality of audio is dependent upon your soundcard, and in most cases, the audio is still very good. Benchmark Reviews will test the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset and review not only the audio quality, but also the other characteristics of the headset.
In order to determine the level of performance one can expect from the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset, I will utilize a number of different programs and applications. These applications will include a variety of games, streaming audio and video programs, and interactive applications, such as Skype.
Features & Specifications
Features:
- Exclusive ROG Spitfire USB audio processor - driver-free hardware DSP (digital signal processor)
- 7.1 virtual surround, headphone amplifier, and FPS EQ one-click gaming sound enhancement modes
- True to life in-game audio detail with big 50mm neodymium magnet drivers
- Full battlefield focus with effective 30dB noise isolation
- Full size 100mm over-ear cushions with perfect snug fit for prolonged gaming sessions
Specifications:
- Driver Diameter : 50 mm
- Driver Material : Neodymium magnet
- Headphone Sensitivity : 100 dB
- Microphone Sensitivity : -30 dB
- Maximum Input : 50 mW
- Frequency Response: Headphone : 20 ~ 20000 Hz
- Impedance: 32 Ohm ± 3 %
- Cable Length: 2.5 meter
- Noise Cancelling Performance: Passive (noise isolation), Maximum > 30 dB
- Weight: 268g
source: rog.ASUS.com/audio/headsets/orion-pro/
Closer Look: ASUS Orion ProIn order to develop a headset that truly catered to and addressed the needs of the gaming community, ASUS decided to do something more than just build something based on research; it requested and received feedback from gamers! This feedback proved to be substantially beneficial and helped to produce the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset.
When you first pull the ASUS Orion Pro out of the box, you can feel the quality of the construction. Even with one of the objectives being the development of a light headset, ASUS still achieved solidly built piece of hardware.
The ear cups are a very generous 100mm, which help to encapsulate just about anybody's ears. This helps to eliminate that ambient interference from the outside world when you are engrossed in a gaming session. The 50mm neodymlum magnet drivers contained within the ASUS Orion Pro's ear cups are what produce the high-quality audio.
The material used to construct the ear padding on the ear cups is made up of "protein leather." I'm not going to try to produce a definition of this type of leather, but the purpose of its use was to provide gamers with an ear pad that is capable of delivering both breathability and extreme comfort throughout long gaming sessions.
The image below of the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset shows the microphone in its retracted stage. I was a little curious about the retracting microphone prior to receiving the headset, but it is a really nice feature. The microphone pulls right out when it is time to communicate, and it is very flexible, so getting it in the right position is not a problem. Stowing it away is a breeze; just push it back in. It's as simple as that.
The ASUS Orion Pro should fit comfortably and securely on anybody's head. Even with the headband pulled all the way out, as seen below, the headset still fit snugly on my head. The padding on the top of the headband was not even touching the top of my head in this configuration, yet it remained comfortable and secure over my ears.
Next, we'll discuss some of the other features of the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset. Some of these features are unique and really innovative. Please, read on...
ASUS Orion Pro Detailed Features
Here is one of the features that really sets the ASUS Orion Pro apart from other headsets in this price range; the ROG Spitfire USB audio processor, which is bascially an external USB soundcard. You do not need a driver for this headset (a driver isn't available anyway); just this USB dongle does the trick. The three buttons on the Spitfire really enhance the audio quality of any application. The AMP button does what you'd expect it to do, it boosts performance.
The SURROUND button activates 7.1 Virtual surround. And last, but not least, the FPS button amplifies less significant battlefield noises, such as footsteps and suppressed gunfire, that allow you to locate your enemy. The ROG Spitfire's use is not limited to the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset; it can be used with any headset that has 3.5mm jacks.
The in-line volume control makes the manipulation of the volume a simple task. The volume control wheel is on the side and the mute switch is on the front. On the back, there is a spring-loaded clip that makes convenient placement of the volume control a reality.
The 3.5mm headphone/microphone jacks can be seen below. To get the most out of the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset, most users will be plugging these into the ROG Spitfire USB audio processor. Also visible in this image is the braided cord, which is of high quality and is, at 2.5m, quite generous in length.
The retractable microphone is a great feature and I think it really looks good as well. There is no need to worry about losing your removable microphone here. In addition, folks on the other end will have no problem hearing you loud and clear due to its noise-filtering capability.
Below is a better view of the metal extensions on the headset. They are very generous in length and will hold the position you select.
The padded portion of the headband is one of the main features contributing to the extreme comfort of this headset. It is like having a pillow sitting on the top of your head. The exterior is the same protein leather that can be found on the ear pads.
This will certainly not be the most celebrated of the features that the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset has to offer, yet, it shows the attention to detail that ASUS invested in this project. Considering the significant length of the braided cable, the cable organizer, seen below, is sure to come in handy.
Follow me to the next page and I will share with you the results of the testing phase...
Testing & Results
Testing Methodology
The ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset was used for 10 days for approximately 3 hours per day. Also, it was tested not only by playing a number of games, but it was also used to run a number of applications as well. The games played included Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Assassin's Creed III, and Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor. The audio and video applications employed included, Netflix, Pandora, Youtube, Window Media Player, and Cyberlink PowerDVD 10. The ASUS Orion Pro was also used to communicate via Skype and through in-game communication.
Test System
- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3
- System Memory: 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1333 G.Skill Ripjaws X Series
- Processor: AMD FX-6100 Zambezi 3.3 GHz Six-Core Processor
- Audio: Realtek ALC899 On-Board Audio
- Video: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 TI
- Optical Drive: Pioneer Black Internal BD/DVD/CD Writer BDR-207DBKS
- PSU: Corsair HX Series HX750 750W GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
- Monitor: HP w2338h (24") & Samsung SyncMaster PX2370 (24")
- Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate
Test Results: Comfort
Let me preface the comfort section by saying that ASUS will concede that a great deal of research was done and feedback utilized from gamers in order to develop the most comfortable headset possible. Rigorous testing was conducted, which included extensive clamping force tests. The result of this attention to comfort level was a headset that exceeded my expectations in this category. The headset is light, the ear pads and padding on the headband are remarkably soft, and the clamping force is perfect; not loose, but certainly not tight. The ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset is one of the most comfortable items, not just headsets, I have ever had on my head, period. The one item that could be a drawback is that the ear cups do not have any lateral swivel. This does not apply to me, but others, especially those wearing prescription eyeglasses, may take issue with this. Now, the headset does have some lateral flexibility, but this is not the same as having built-in swivel.
Test Results: Gaming
The primary focus of ASUS in terms of the gaming audio capability of the ASUS Orion Pro was centered squarely on the competitive FPS gamer. This headset, coupled with the ROG Spitfire audio processor, has second-to-none FPS gaming audio, and I'm confident few would disagree that it delivers exceptional audio no matter what the gaming genre. While playing the aforementioned games, I became aware of noises that I had not previously heard. This came to bear especially while playing games in the FPS genre. I could easily hear more subtle audio events, such as footsteps and suppressed gunfire, in greater detail and determine the direction from which they were produced like never before. Talk about a huge advantage over your enemy!
Test Results: Communication
Communication with the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset went well. Utilizing Skype, I came in loud and clear on the other end and there were no reports of any type of distortion, delays, or interference, even while communicating with my brother stationed in England. In fact, he was impressed by the clarity of the conversation. In-game communication was equally trouble-free, even with ambient noise purposely added to the equation.
Test Results: Video
Not only is the 7.1 Virtual surround beneficial while gaming, but it is also a huge plus when watching movies and listening to music. I fired up some movies that have some significant audio events in Windows Media Player and Cyberlink PowerDVD 10, such as Band of Brothers Part 2 - Day of Days, Star Trek (2009), Patton, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Anchorman. Well, Anchorman does not quite fit into the "significant audio event" category, but it's just a funny movie. I also watch some television episodes on Netflix, including Walking Dead, That 70's Show, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Finally, I watched several Youtube clips. The bass was deep and rich and the treble had tremendous clarity. The 7.1 Virtual surround is amazing, helping to make the most of significant audio events, such as bullets whizzing by, bombs detonating, and engines roaring.
Test Results: Music
I listened to a number of different music genres with the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset through both Pandora and Windows Media Player. Live performances, such as The Rolling Stones performing Paint It, Black sounded fantastic. Even music from the Big Band genre sounded great. What helps is that the ROG Spitfire audio processor provides you with some customization of the audio. However, I found that having all of the modes active resulted in the best sound.
Gaming Headset Final ThoughtsThe difference between victory and defeat on the virtual battlefield can come down to the narrowest of margins for competitive gamers, so the capability of the headset being employed can certainly make a difference. The ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset was built with competitive FPS gamers in mind, and this is clearly evident. The sounds that can mean the difference between virtual life and death, such as footsteps and suppressed gunfire, are amplified, producing a tremendous advantage for owners of this headset, since it provides the ability to pinpoint the enemy. Its value does not just stop at FPS gaming; it produced excellent sound no matter what application I employed.
ASUS Orion Pro ConclusionNo matter what application I had opened, the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset performed brilliantly. The 50mm neodymium magnet speaker drivers deliver the 7.1 Virtual surround that brings audio to life. The 30dB of passive noise cancellation does a better than average job eliminating ambient noise. Its strongest quality is the advantage it gives to FPS gamers, yet, I did not experience anything that I would label as a challenge for this headset in terms of performance.
The ASUS Orion Pro looks the part of a high-end gaming headset. The high-gloss black and matte black surfaces, along with the addition of red accents, were smartly utilized by the designers and resulted in a stylish look. The ROG logo on the outside of the ear cups was placed on a reflective surface, which looks sharp. The braided cord and the protein leather really add to the quality appearance.
The first impression I had of the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset after taking it out of the retail box was that it was a quality product. One of the objectives, which was achieved, was to make this headset lightweight, yet, it still maintains a very solid feel. It is constructed mainly of plastic to keep weight down, but the business ends of the ASUS Orion Pro utilize other materials. The ear pads are covered in protein leather, which is soft and breathable.
From the standpoint of functionality, the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset has plenty to offer. The retractable microphone is a very convenient feature and it delivers on the claim that it is a true noise filtering microphone. The ROG Spitfire USB audio processor greatly enhances the quality of audio through the 7.1 Virtual surround, and the FPS feature will help you to be more aware of your enemy's location than ever before. Also, one may use the headset without the ROG Spitfire by plugging in the 3.5mm jacks. It still produces great sound in this configuration, yet it cannot come close to the audio quality produced through the use of the Spitfire. The lack of software/drivers while convenient may limit customization.
The current price of the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset is $109.99 (Newegg | Amazon). Considering the effort that was put forth by ASUS to develop a headset based on research, by using the feedback of gamers, and by achieving what it set out to create, this headset is worth every penny. Still, $110 is quite a bit to spend on a gaming headset.
This is truly a quality constructed, excellent sounding, and incredibly comfortable headset. I could continue to sing the praises of the ASUS Orion Pro gaming headset, but I will close with a suggestion; make the ear cups swivel laterally next time around.
Pros:
+ FPS mode maximizes sound positioning
+ Retractable microphone
+ 7.1 Virtual surround provides excellent game and multimedia audio
+ No additional software/drivers required
+ 30dB passive noise cancellation
+ Very light headset
+ Extremely comfortable
+ ROG Spitfire audio processor
+ 2.5m braided cord
Cons:
- Ear cups do not swivel laterally
- No software/drivers for customization
Ratings:
-
Performance: 9.50
-
Appearance: 9.25
-
Construction: 9.25
-
Functionality: 9.00
-
Value: 8.75
Final Score: 9.15 out of 10.
Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.
COMMENT QUESTION: Does a quality gaming headset help you in FPS games?
Related Articles:
|
