The ASUS ROG Fusion II 500 is a improbable gaming headset, providing marvellous construct high quality and crisp and clear audio. Very good compatibility means it’s also possible to use it with virtually any gadget, with the digital encompass taking issues to a different stage. The overly plastic body leaves it feeling just a little low-cost, and whereas its microphone is sweet with noise cancellation, you’d be higher off with an exterior increase mic. The Rog Fusion II 500 can be fairly costly, making it an choice just for these with extra beneficiant budgets.
Professionals
- Minimalistic design
- Elegant, immersive audio
- Nice compatibilty
Cons
- Overly plastic body
- Mic can enable in a good quantity of background noise
- Costly
Availability
- USARRP: $179
Key Options
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50mm driversThe Fusion II utilises 50mm drivers to make sure crisp audio
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Aura Sync RGB LightingThere’s additionally loads of RGB lighting and customisation with Aura Sync and Armoury Crate software program
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Suitable with a number of devicesThe headset is appropriate with PC, PS5, Xbox Collection consoles and Nintendo Swap
Introduction
The Asus ROG Fusion II 500 is the model’s newest wired gaming headset and it’s been designed with the audiophile-level gamer in thoughts.
It options some sharp audio courtesy of its 50mm drivers, hi-res audio assist and it appears fairly good, too.
At $179, it’s fairly an costly headset, however with its array of options, can the Fusion II 500 justify that worth?
Design and Options
- Sturdy construct high quality however overly plastic body
- Refined however sharp RGB lighting
- Loads of on-board media controls
Latest years have seen a pattern in direction of gaming headsets changing into extra minimalistic of their design, and the Asus ROG Fusion II 500 epitomises that. There’s little question it’s a great-looking headset, presenting a pleasant mix of easy curves and sharp edges on the ear cups.
As for its building, the Fusion II 500 is fairly properly made, though in distinction to different headsets, it may possibly really feel just a little bit plastic. Maybe the inclusion of some extra metallic would have helped to make the Fusion II 500 really feel extra premium. However, the plastic used is hard-wearing and easy to the contact, and feels respectable total.
You do get some RGB lighting right here, but it surely follows by on the general minimalistic vibe of the headset. It comes within the type of a pair of strips that line the headset’s ear cups, which (by default) cycle by a spectrum of color. It may be modified with Asus’ intuitive Armoury Crate software program – and, all in all, the Aura lighting right here appears fairly good certainly.
There’s a good quantity of padding sitting across the ear cups and a small leatherette strip on the scarf. All of this, mixed with the 310g weight, makes the Fusion II a snug headset to put on for lengthy durations, and permits the unit to supply up some sensible passive noise isolation, too.
If you wish to swap out the bundled protein leather-based ear cups for an additional set, then Asus has been beneficiant sufficient to throw in a second pair within the field; they’re fabricated from a extra breathable foam mesh. Personally, I most well-liked these in testing, even when the leather-based ones do really feel just a little plusher.
You’ll additionally discover extra multimedia controls than you possibly can shake a stick at, with the Fusion II 500’s underside showing to be a one-stop-shop for all of them. On the left is a 3.5mm port for telephone connection and the USB-C cable for connectivity to consoles and PC, alongside a quantity curler, encompass sound toggle and mic mute button. The opposite aspect graces you with a tool selector change and a dial that lets you steadiness recreation and speech audio, like you possibly can with the Spotify app on Xbox consoles, which is a helpful addition.
As for compatibility, with the bundled USB-C cable, 3.5mm cable and USB-C to USB-A adapter, the Fusion II 500 is claimed to work with virtually something – be it a PC, PS5, Xbox Collection X, or Nintendo Swap. Connecting the headset to both my PC or Collection X was a doddle, and it labored completely nice.
Sound and Mic High quality
- Crisp and sharp audio with an excellent soundstage
- Digital encompass sound provides much more immersion
- Mic is sweet with AI noise cancelling however subpar with out it
After all, it’s all very properly having a headset that appears the half, but when it doesn’t sound good, you then’re just a little bit stuffed. Properly, I’m happy to report that the ROG Fusion II 500 sounds sensible.
Its 50mm drivers guarantee audio is properly crisp and clear, with balanced mids and highs. Even with out encompass sound, there’s a pleasant low-end rumble to remind you that this headset does have some bassy powers. The balanced audio additionally makes the Fusion II 500 fairly agile, with the headset coping properly with any recreation sound or music I threw at it – be it the crashing guitar of Porcupine Tree’s Blackest Eyes, or the twee piano and vocals of Paul McCartney’s English Tea.
The Fusion II 500comes with digital 7.1 encompass sound that may be toggled both with the change on the headset’s underside or by the Armoury Crate software program. In my expertise, the point out of seven.1 encompass sound label on a headset’s field is often extra a gimmick, with little to no distinction following by on the precise audio.
With the Fusion II, nevertheless, it makes a pronounced distinction. Your sense of placement is actually heightened, making it far simpler to pinpoint precisely the place your enemies are hiding in CS:GO, as an example. As for musical efficiency, turning on the encompass sound allowed for that thumping bass to return by, though it introduced with enough nuance to neither override or drown out the still-balanced mids and highs.
The inclusion of the Armoury Crate software program additionally opens up many extra audio-based avenues so that you can discover with the Fusion II 500, together with a bass increase and one other operate for growing vocal readability. You’ll be able to even add some reverb to the audio, which isn’t one thing I’ve seen in gaming software program earlier than.
You’ll discover additionally that there isn’t a pronounced and removable increase mic on the Fusion II 500, in contrast to numerous different gaming headsets. That’s as a result of the performance sits contained in the headset, with Asus utilizing what it calls ‘AI Beamforming Microphones’ that function some intriguing AI noise-cancelling tech.
What this interprets to is a few respectable pick-up with good readability that may additionally cancel out the standard annoyances when chatting with mates, be it a clicky keyboard or in any other case. It isn’t going to cancel out every part – and when it’s off, the mic does nonetheless decide up a good quantity of background noise.
Do you have to purchase it?
You desire a do-it-all gaming headset:
The ROG Fusion II 500 is a marvellous all-rounder, with nice, vibrant audio that additionally works with loads of units.
You need an unbelievable mic:
If comms is a high precedence, then the Fusion II 500 is probably not one of the best headset for you, given its mic can let in a good bit of background noise.
Closing Ideas
The Asus ROG Fusion II 500 is a marvellous all-round gaming headset that raises the bar for different headsets to succeed in. Whereas it does come at fairly the value, its audio is a few of the finest I’ve heard and can swimsuit most avid gamers completely with a pleasant steadiness of lows, mids and highs.
The inclusion of digital encompass sound isn’t a gimmick and does assist to make issues much more immersive once you’re locked into some rounds of CS:GO or COD Vanguard. It’s additionally properly constructed and gives marvellous consolation and passive noise isolation, permitting you to essentially focus in your recreation. For these wanting a do-it-all headset for a number of platforms, it is a fabulous alternative.
Trusted Rating
How we check
We use each headset we check for no less than every week. Throughout that point, we’ll examine it for ease of use and put it by its paces through the use of it in quite a lot of video games, in addition to taking part in music to be able to get the complete expertise.
We additionally examine every headset’s software program (if relevant) to see how simple it’s to customize and arrange.
We use as our major gaming headset for no less than every week.
Use on as many platforms as doable to check versatility.
Decide audio for each gaming and music playback.
