The Plantronics RIG 800LX Wireless are good gaming headphones with a comfortable and lightweight modular design. Their controls are easy-to-use, they have great battery life, and their sound profile is balanced enough for a variety of audio content. Unfortunately, like most gaming headsets, they're not made for outdoor use, and their build quality feels a bit cheap for their price point. Some users have also reported bass distortion, although this is correctable by turning down the channel mixing dial on the headphones as low as possible before you lose your audio altogether.
Our Verdict
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are good for neutral sound. They're comfortable and have a slightly excited v-shaped sound profile that's still balanced enough for most audio content. Provided you lower the channel mixing level as much as you can when listening to audio, you shouldn't have a problem with bass distortion.
- Four EQ presets available.
- Modular design and decent build quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- 24.7 hour continuous battery life.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are disappointing for commuting. They aren't travel-friendly headphones as they don't block out a lot of noise, and their bulky design doesn't fold either. Their USB transmitter also limits them, so unless you use them with your laptop, they won't be suitable for traveling and most commutes.
- Modular design and decent build quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- 24.7 hour continuous battery life.
- Bulky and cumbersome design.
- Poor noise isolation and leakage.
- Restrictive wireless transmitter.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are sub-par for sports. They have a big and bulky gaming design that's not made for running and jogging. They're not very stable and are limited by their transmitter dongle.
- Modular design and decent build quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- 24.7 hour continuous battery life.
- Bulky and cumbersome design.
- Unstable when worn during physical activity.
- Restrictive wireless transmitter.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are sub-par for office use. They don't block a lot of noise, so you can easily hear what's going on around you. They also leak quite a bit of audio, which may distract your colleagues. On the upside, they're comfortable, compatible with PCs, and they have a long battery life so you can listen to your music continuously for hours.
- Modular design and decent build quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- 24.7 hour continuous battery life.
- Bulky and cumbersome design.
- Poor noise isolation and leakage.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are good for wireless gaming. They have a balanced sound, low audio latency, and convenient wireless design. They're also comfortable and breathable enough to wear for a reasonably long uninterrupted gaming session. Unfortunately, they don't block enough noise for particularly noisy environments, and they don't have any supporting software for added customization options.
- Four EQ presets available.
- Modular design and decent build quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- 24.7 hour continuous battery life.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are wireless headphones and can't be used for wired gaming.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX are adequate for phone calls. While you may not be able to use these headphones with your phone as they require their wireless transmitter to work, you can take calls via your PC. Their boom microphone captures speech clearly, although it sounds a little thin and lacking and detail. You should have no problem being understood, even in a noisy environment.
- Modular design and decent build quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- 24.7 hour continuous battery life.
- Boom mic has great noise handling.
- Poor noise isolation and leakage.
- Restrictive wireless transmitter.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 18, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Jan 11, 2021: Updated 'Wired' box to clearly reflect lack of a wired connection.
- Updated Aug 17, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Feb 19, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There's a similar model called the Plantronics RIG 800HS Wireless, which are meant to be specifically compatible with the PS4. However, this headset appears to be discontinued. There's also a variant of these headphones called the Plantronics RIG 800LX SE. The manufacturer reports that they're the same model as the Plantronics RIG 800LX, but they're only available through Best Buy. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussions.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Plantronics RIG 800LX Wireless are a good gaming headset with great but flawed sound quality. They're lightweight compared to other gaming headsets, and their modular design makes them decently durable, but they look a bit cheap for their price range. On the upside, they have a well-balanced sound that caters to both neutral listening and gaming.
See our recommendations for the best Xbox One gaming headsets, the best PS4 headsets, and the best wireless gaming headsets.
The Plantronics RIG 800LX Wireless are a better gaming headset than the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Wireless. The Plantronics have a fairly well-rounded sound and don’t feel as flimsy as the Turtle Beach. Most of the parts are easily replaceable, and they have an amazing 25-hour battery life. However, the Plantronics don’t have the versatility of the Turtle Beach headset. You can only use it with its USB dongle, while the Turtle Beach can be used wirelessly with its dongle while streaming audio from your phone via Bluetooth.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 is a slightly better gaming headset than the Plantronics RIG 800LX Wireless. The SteelSeries have a better performing boom mic, a companion app with a graphic EQ and presets, and it's compatible with PC, PS4, and Xbox One via an analog connection. However, the Plantronics perform more consistently across reseats and users.
Both the Astro A50 Gen 3 and Plantronics RIG 800LX Wireless are good gaming headsets. The Astro feel more solid and are slightly more comfortable than the Plantronics. Both have great audio reproduction, but the Astro have a graphic EQ plus presets within their companion software. In comparison, there's only four EQ presets for the Plantronics, and they're found directly on the headphone's controls. The Astro’s dock is superior, as it has multiple inputs and acts as a charging platform for the headphones, while the Plantronics only have a USB dongle. On the upside, the Plantronics have better wireless range than the Astro and about twice the battery life, which is great.
The SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless are better performing gaming headphones, but the Plantronics RIG 800LX Wireless are more versatile since they can be used with PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The SteelSeries are designed for the Xbox One only. The Plantronics also have better wireless latency. On the other hand, the SteelSeries have a nice companion app with customization options, they are also Bluetooth compatible, and they don’t require a transmitter to work. Their microphone recording quality is noticeably better too. If you only play on Xbox One, the SteelSeries are the better option, but if you need a versatile headset, the Plantronics might be a better alternative.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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