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Rig R5 Spare Pro HS: One Minute Review
Quality gaming audio doesn’t cost the earth. Something Nikon’s rig brand has proven time and time again with some of the best PS5 headsets around. Now, its Rig R5Spare Pro HS wired gaming headset has landed around the upper end of the budget spectrum, and yes, it’s a winner, too.
I’m usually wary of cheap gaming headsets because there’s usually at least one glaring weakness, even if other aspects are affected. However, the R5 Spear Pro is a fantastic all-rounder, offering great build quality, a high level of comfort thanks to its plush ear cups, and excellent audio for gaming and listening to music.
I guess the big ‘weakness’ here is that the R5 Spear Pro is a wired-only gaming headset, like the Stellaris Arctis Nova 3 Wireless, for example. This means you won’t be going wireless via 2.4GHz or Bluetooth. But the silver lining here is that the headset will work with any platform, device, or controller that has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The R5 Spear Pro is advertised as a PlayStation-facing headset compatible with PS5 and PS4, while also supporting the brand’s Tempest 3D audio profile. However, you can expect it to work fine on Xbox Series X, Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and others given its simple wired connection.
I really have little to complain about here, so expect a review on the short side. Some onboard features would have been nice, like mic muting or EQ switching, but what’s here is impressive for the price.
Rig R5 Spare Pro HS: Price and Availability
- List price: 69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$99)
- Available now in the UK and Europe. US release November 1st
- Price comparison with EPOS H3 and Corsair HS50
Rig R5 is an amazing release in the Spear Pro HS gaming headset right now. It’s available now in the UK and Europe, but those in the US will have to wait until November 1st. This. Retails for £69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$99), and can be purchased from Nikon’s website or regional stores.
That’s a pretty reasonable price tag for what you’re getting here, sandwiching itself between the retail prices of the Epos H3 — our pick for the best wired gaming headset — and another budget banger in the Corsair HS50. At this price and sound quality, though, the Rig might just knock the long-overdue Epos headset off its throne.
Rig R5 Spare Pro HS: Specs
Price | . 69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$99) |
The weight | 0.74lbs / 0.34 kg |
The driver | 40 mm graphene |
compatibility | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, PC |
Connection type | Wired (3.5mm) |
Rig R5 Spare Pro HS: Design and Features
Out of the box, the R5 Spare Pro offers a seriously no-frills package. You’re getting the headset itself and a pair of PlayStation-branded mod plates for the outside of the ear cups. More on them soon.
The headset doesn’t draw much attention to itself with a largely matte black finish. The Rag logo is emblazoned on the top of the headband and mod plates, but it’s otherwise a low-key aesthetic. Which, hey, we certainly expect at this price point.
The headset, like other rig products, is made of strong plastic that is highly resistant to wear and tear. Rugged headsets are always impressively durable, and it’s a similar story here. It’s incredibly comfortable, with plush materials for the headband and earcups, resting well on your head without bothering you during long gaming sessions.
The headset naturally features a mic attached to the left arm. It’s unfortunately not detachable, meaning you probably won’t leave the house with it, but it’s impressively flexible and easy to position into whatever position feels right for you.
The centerpiece of the R5 Spare Pro’s design, though, is its bespoke magnetic mod plates, which attach to the headset’s ear cups. As mentioned, there’s a pair in the box with the PlayStation logo slapped on them, but you can buy the other official designs separately. It has a specially designed EVO fighting game for tournaments.
Rig R5 Spare Pro HS: Performance
The R5 Spare Pro delivers simply stunning, crisp audio for the price. When I tested with a plug-in for one in my DoubleSense wireless controller UT’s past Session play session, I was immediately struck by the impressively layered audio that picked up everything from the rushing wind to the distant clash of swords.
Directional audio is also very accurate, with audio flicking between the left and right channels in an impressively immersive manner. Absorbing soundtrack The Tetris effect is attached It really comes alive here, with its audio-reactive gameplay really playing to the strengths of the R5 Spear Pro HS. Its 40mm graphene drivers, overall, provide pristine audio with little distortion even at high volumes. I would have preferred its bass register to be a little stronger, but it’s by no means lacking here.
Microphone quality is also solid. Not quite as impressive as the Rig 900 Max HS’s crystal-clear quality, but it more than gets the job done. It definitely works best on consoles, it’s a mute mic by the flip, as on my Windows PC I had to wrestle a bit to get the mic to recognize it. However, using it while connected to a controller on a PC solved the problem for me in the short term.
As mentioned, there isn’t much in terms of onboard functionality. The cable has a volume slider, though it’s honestly a bit stiff, and I preferred using the software settings on the console and PC to adjust the headset’s audio.
Should I buy the Rig R5 Spear Pro HS?
If you buy it…
If you don’t buy it…
Rig R5 Spare Pro HS: Also consider this one
Here are some other gaming headsets that are recommended if you’re not keen on the Rig R5 Spare Pro HS.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Rig R5 Spare Pro HS | Turtle Beach Atlas 200 | Stellaris Arctis Nova 3x Wireless |
Price | . 69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$99) | . 59.99 / £49.99 (around AU$79) | 9 109.99 / £ 99.99 / au $ 109.99 |
The weight | 0.74lbs / 0.34 kg | 0.62lbs / 0.28 kg | 0.57lbs / 0.27 kg |
The driver | 40 mm graphene | 50mm Nanoclear | 40mm neodymium |
compatibility | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, PC | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, PC | PC, Xbox Series X (Xbox version only), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android |
Connection type | Wired (3.5mm) | Wired (3.5mm) | Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (USB-C receiver) |
How I Tested the Rig R5 Spare Pro HS
- Tested for two weeks
- Tested on PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
- Compared to other Rig headsets like the Rig 900 Max HS
I tested the Rig R5 Spare Pro HS for two weeks for this review. While I mostly played games with the headset, I also used it for work purposes, as well as casual listening to music in my free time.
I used the headset across all major platforms, including PS5, Xbox Series X Digital Edition, Nintendo Switch 2, and my gaming PC. For this review, I played the titles Ghost of UT, Final Fantasy 14 Online, Sonic Racing: Cross Worldslinked to the Tetris effect, PUBG Battlefield, And Tech 8.
During testing, I went back and forth between the R5 Spare Pro HS and Prior Wireless’ offering, the Rig 900 Max HS. I found the audio quality to be largely the same in both products, although, as you might expect, the quality is better on the more expensive product, which also feels more durable thanks to its metal, flexible headband and better materials used overall. Still, the R5 Spear Pro HS isn’t far off.
First reviewed October 2025
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1 Comment
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