While ASUS continues to dazzle with it comes to its lineup of laptops, it has also continued to push upgrades across its peripherals. I recently reviewed the brand’s first ROG wireless earphones in the form of the ASUS ROG Cetra. Switching to its over-ear range, it recently released the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones.

The new headphones increase the range of Delta headphones from the brand, capping off an impressive offering. It is also one of four Delta S devices launched, the only one with wireless features. The range includes a more conventional unit, as well as an LED-animated option, both of which are wired options.

The Delta S range is the continuation of the previous Delta collection. So, how does the new wireless headset fair and does it offer enough enhancements to consider an upgrade?

If you look at the range of headphones within the ASUS stable, you’ll see a clear connection in the design philosophy across every device. And, that’s no different with the ROG Delta S Wireless. While some may find this bland and lacking creativity, there isn’t always a need to go all out when it comes to design changes between two iterations. That’s the approach the ASUS designers took here. It’s an enhancement and not a complete overhaul. Evolution not revolution.

The Delta S Wireless takes its cues from the rest of the Delta and Delta S units in the range. In fact, the only real changes are the removal of the wired cable and the housing of the Type-C adapter. The rest of the design remains the same but is still quite useful overall.

For starters, the design is all about bringing comfort to the user. The earcups are large and its D-shaped design is ergonomic. Added to each cup is plenty of cushioning while being naturally shaped to fit comfortably around the ears.

Being a wireless unit, the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones requires the addition of internal batteries, adding overall weight. That said, it only increases its weight by some 18g, to 310g total, over the previous, wired models. These leather cushions make for a quality feel and reliability that it would last quite long as a robust material. On its own, it does a good job at blocking out ambient noise as it seals around the ears to do so.

Added to the comfort is the extension of the headband, which is also very well padded. It sits comfortably on top of your head, while also being lightweight as to not wear you down over time as you game or listen to your music. The headband also expands to adjust to your head for more comfort. I won’t go as far as to say it’ll fit every head shape or size but it should cover most. The headband is sturdy, so it won’t easily fall off while in use, which is a great surety.

Overall, while the design may remain mostly unchanged, the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones still looks great, and offers plenty of comfort, while also keeping its weight down, even with the addition of the batteries to allow for its wireless capabilities.

As with many modern wireless devices and headphones, the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless offers multiple options to connect. This includes both 2.4Ghz wireless and Bluetooth. For the latter, the connectivity procedures are fairly well-known and easy to perform on any Bluetooth-enabled device. You’ll just need to remember to switch the connectivity button to “BT” mode on the left-hand side earcup.

For the 2.4Ghz connectivity, as mentioned previously, there is an adapter embedded within the right-hand side earbud. The Type-C adapter can plug directly into its source and pairs almost immediately once you’ve switched the toggle to “2.4” mode. For devices that don’t have a Type-C port, the contents of the box do include a Type-C to USB-A adapter.

When tested on my smartphone directly, I didn’t have any issues picking up the receiver and playing music. It worked quite effortlessly. I have read a few reports that this may not be the case for some older smartphones but having tested on a few devices, some as old as three years, I’d think that most units would be covered.

Having installed the Armoury Crate app on my smartphone when reviewing the Cetra, it picked up the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones automatically when paired and opened the app, allowing me to customise the settings. When using my laptop and PC, it would also be picked up when I opened the Armoury Crate software – although it doesn’t automatically open the client.

What I did notice about the connectivity is that when the battery is low and paired via Bluetooth, there is a bit of distortion picked up while listening to audio. However, this is typical of most battery-powered devices, which require a certain level of charge to be able to perform at its optimum. I did not pick up the same distortion using the 2.4Ghz wireless adapter when low on battery.

The ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones don’t feature active noise cancellation. However, its large earcups and very snug fit block out quite a large portion of ambient noise.

While there is a lot to unpack when it comes to the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless’ design and features, the most important aspect of any set of headphones lies with the overall performance and sound quality.

Starting with the specifications, the unit has users covered for quite a bit. This includes a pair of 50mm neodymium drivers (one in each earcup), an impedance rating of 32Ohms and a frequency response from 20 to 20,000Hz. In addition to this, it has a built-in microphone. Unlike the previous Delta S models, it doesn’t have a boom or USB-connected mic. Instead, it offers a built-in beamforming variant.

Being a wireless offering, the unit doesn’t offer high-res audio of 96KHz. That said, it still offers 16bit 48KHz audio, which would be more than sufficient for the majority of gamers. Out-the-box audio also sounds fairly hollow, lacking the necessary bass you’d feel comfortable with. Thankfully, the Armoury Crate software on both the PC and mobile platforms, makes it easy to fully customise the audio setup.

Once you’ve gone through the configuration using the software, you’ll notice a marked difference. These optimisations work great but will need to be selected for each preset, including music, gaming and movies for the best results. This made the most difference when it came to getting the best out of the audio performance of the headphones.

While the bass may be down just a tad on music and movies, the overall configuration is best used for gaming. And being a gaming headset, it makes sense. This is especially true with the inclusion of the 7.1 virtual surround sound, where you can easily pick up the direction of movement, gunfire and all the elements you need to perform your best in-game. What’s also really great about the audio is that it doesn’t distort when the volume is turned up. This is perfect for gaming when you need to pay close attention to those combat modes.

I don’t often use the mic in-game, unless arranging a meet-up online with friends once every few months. However, the built-in mic on the ROG Delta S Wireless is much better suited to me personally from a comfort perspective. There’s no need to worry about the boom or tucking it away after you’re done.

In terms of its quality, the beamforming option works quite well. While the earcups don’t provide any noise cancellation, the microphone does. I tested this out with some background noise such as music, chatter and the likes and the audio quality from my voice was still great. To be honest, you wouldn’t want to use the mic without the ANC turned on, as it picks up quite a range of noises when used in native mode, with the beamforming pick-up not as precise as with a boom mic. The result of the ANC turned on does mean that you do lose some volume and data from your voice, but that’s not a big issue when gaming – more if you’re trying to record some videos, which wouldn’t then be recommended.

When it comes to the battery life, the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones packs in a 1,800mAh rechargeable battery. On paper, it’s said to deliver around 25 hours of playtime. In addition to this, ASUS claims that the unit should also receive three hours of charge in just 15 minutes, which is impressive.

In the real world, the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless would often reach around this benchmark, with playtime averaging anywhere from 24 to 26 hours. The industry average for over-ear headsets has seen the target of a full day’s usage as the golden benchmark. And it does just that. That being said, there are a few industry-leading headsets that range from 40 to 100 hours of playback time. You can look to ASUS’ own ROG Strix Go BT Headset with 40+ hours of playback time as confirmation.

However, where the unit does make up some ground on competitors is its fast-charging capabilities. With a 15-minute charge providing three hours of playback, you wouldn’t have to be down for too long before being able to put them back on. Just put them on charge, grab a cup of coffee and you’re back in the game.

There’s a lot of tinkering to be had with the ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones. This is as a result of a hollow-out-the-box experience but also that there are quite a number of features and audio settings to play around with. The design is sleek and lightweight, making it a perfect companion for those long gaming sessions.

Taking queues from the previous Delta S range, the new ASUS ROG Delta S Wireless headphones is a good unit, geared more towards gaming than other media. Its built-in beamforming mic and lightweight design make it perfect for long hours of gaming without worrying about comfort.

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© 2022 Fortress of Solitude, a division of Fortress Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

© 2022 Fortress of Solitude, a division of Fortress Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.