Asus Strix Fusion 700 - RGB Headset Review

Soundcards and Speakers 106 Page 7 of 7 Published by

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Final Words and Conclusion

Final Words

This is by far and away the most expensive gaming headset I have ever taken a deep look at. Actually, it may well be (aside from my Topre keyboard) the most expensive peripheral 'full stop.' The question is, can a 'gaming' headset ever truly justify the simply massive price tag that Asus has seen fit to slap on the Fusion 700's? Asus even calls it a 'gaming' headset in the 700's pre-marketing blurb (on the product page). Forgetting semantics for a second, I would like to talk as objectively as I can about the headset's pros and cons.

Before I start, I think I should remind all those who are reading that pieces such as these are about as subjective as one gets. There are no definitive numbers or benchmarks. It is just me, my ears, and my opinion. Naturally, where possible, I will look at the wider picture (usually in relation to price and the big 'worth it?' question). Having said that, please take whatever I say below with a small grain of salt.

Why should you buy the ROG Strix Fusion 700's?

Performance wise, for perhaps the first time in my time at Guru3D, I have nothing bad to say about the 700's. Period. They really are that good. I felt like they improved on the 500's in a key area (the mid-range), all whilst adding to the connectivity in a way that would be genuinely appreciated by the end user. To call the audio 'excellent,' whilst accurate, would be something of a disservice to the 700's. I never had to tweak the audio at all, and the genuine lack of sound distortion anywhere in the range was also a first. However, my true appreciation for this headset comes from how well rounded the audio is. I am no audio expert, but I do know a 'good' set of headphones from a bad set. This sits firmly in the 'damned excellent' category, for just how well each segment of the audible range is balanced. That, more than anything, shows that some very solid work and care has gone into this product.

What else? I realize I haven't touched on comfort up until now. Audio may well be down to personal preference, but comfort on your head is that and then some. Readers of any headset review of mine in the past will know I have a large head, so headset comfort is something I find both irritating and ever elusive. My go-to headset is, still, the Kingston Hyper X Cloud II's. They agree with my head shape and that is like gold dust to me. However, the 700's feature some very nice comfort housekeeping features that mean that - after a bit of adjustment - I was able to have them sitting very nicely on my head without issue. I felt that perhaps the headband was a little tight, but that was easily solved by having the cans sit more toward the back of my head. I also have no doubt that this would soften over time.

What else? Well, the build quality is, for lack of a better word, 'solid.' I mean that quite literally. Drop em' from a height, and I fear the ground would probably come off worse. There is a distinctive heft to the 700's that always reassures me of quality, and I wasn't disappointed when further inspecting the product beyond the initial unboxing. Each part of the unit's main body feels strong and well crafted. That's all I can really say. The materials feel of a high quality, though I have to say, I do still dislike the shiny surface of the ear cups. They're fingerprint magnets, and I would much prefer Asus actually drop the touch control feature (which have gone unchanged since the 500's), and replace the surface with a matte or soft touch plastic.

Finally, we get to the microphone. Space is always going to be an issue when integrating a microphone into a headset, but Asus has done a good job here. The mic is entirely serviceable, and if all you wish to do is chat on Discord and/or game with your squad, you don't need anything else. I cannot really ask for more than that, because as much as Asus is clearly good at what they do, there are margins and the sheer laws of physics (in terms of what is possible in such a small space) to get over. I would rather, as has been done here, Asus makes the microphone just 'good', but ut their efforts to build quality, audio, and comfort. Oh, look, that's exactly what they went and did! Ultimately, if you want to record audio for a dedicated purpose, or are producing content, it's safe to say that you need a dedicated solution. It's also safe to say (I reckon), that someone spending 200+ on a headset probably has a spare 60-75 GBP/EUR knocking about for a Blue Yeti Snowball? That's the 700's in a nutshell. So... is there a reason not to buy them?

Why shouldn't you buy the Fusion 700's?

I have to say, the high price tag of these headphones wasn't entirely unexpected. Still, it did make me do a small doubletake. 200+ for any PC peripheral is a lot of money, no matter what you say. This makes the 700's as expensive as some high-end mid-tower cases, mid-range GPUs like the 1060 3GB or 4GB 580, and even some premium mainstream motherboards. Some may argue that money saved on a 200+ GBP/EUR peripheral could be used elsewhere in the build. That might be true, but remember that audio is something that people tend to consider 'down the line'. If they don't, then they have normally already budgeted for such an expense ahead of time. Therefore, this isn't much of a problem. If you want an excellent set of headphones that can multitask exceptionally well, then the 700's are ideal, right?

Well, yes, but there is also a problem. Audio is something that I have been getting into recently (hence my recent purchase of a USB -> 3.5mm DAC). The price point at which you find the 700's is also the price point at which you start to find some truly high-grade audiophile headsets. Basically, the 700's have positioned themselves very neatly into a potentially very tough firing line. Adding to this is that 'great' sounding headsets/earphones can be found for significantly less than 200 EUR/GBP/USD. If you're buying the headset for its sound quality, then the presence of other units on the market for the same, less, or - in some cases - notably less money is an awkward stumbling block for the 700's. Note that this is the first real bit of negativity in the review, because - from a performance standpoint - I could find nothing wrong with the unit on hand. Audiophiles I am sure would disagree with me, but I digress. I work in IT and networking, not sound.

My point, therefore, is this. You can spend a lot more than 200 of whatever currency you happen to use. That would seem to justify the existence of a headset like this. Indeed, the very presence of wireless/Bluetooth on this product makes it a very attractive proposition for the user that wants their headset to do 'everything.' Then again, you can also go out or go online and spend a lot less than 200 of 'whatever currency' on a headset, and get exceptional quality.

I think the 700's have a very specific target market. This, therefore, prices most people out of being interested in buying them. However, that is always the trade-off with high end and expensive gear. You don't sell as many, but when you do, it's a bonus. None of my reservations about the 700's are based on what it can do, at all. It does what it does exceptionally well, and I don't think anybody in their right mind will claim otherwise. I did note, with interest, that I wasn't able to find any reviews of this headset from dedicated audio outlets, with summaries of it coming from the likes of TechPowerup, Trusted Reviews, and KitGuru (in the case of the 500's). I think that says something about both the target market, and 'place' of this product in the audio scheme of things.


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Conclusion

Would I buy the 700's? No, I wouldn't. That conclusion may come as a surprise, given how glowing I was of the unit's performance. However, the 700's I think to target a very small market, and that market isn't me. I don't think it's many others, either. Whatever way you cut it, 229 EUR is a lot of my money to spend on a product that, ultimately, provides an audio experience. Whilst that audio experience is damned good, I have just as good a time with my significantly cheaper (at the time of purchase, around 95 EUR) Kingston Hyper X Cloud II's. They allow connectivity using 3.5mm jack or USB, but lack wireless. With the near 135 EUR I had leftover, I bought a pair of wireless/Bluetooth earbuds. One could argue that a single solution is easier to manage, but carry a bulky unit like the 700's around with me everywhere is neither practical or something I wish to regularly do. However, just because I wouldn't personally buy them doesn't mean I cannot praise the 700's performance & quality. These are two qualities in which it truly excels, and as much as I may decry the high price, it is somewhat justified by the product's 'all-rounder' status. Asus could have dropped the wireless, mic, and RGB, and put all the R&D into audio quality. They could have done, but they chose not to in order for this product to be a luxury purchase for all of those looking for an excellent experience. That, I have to say, it provides very well.

Ultimately, you will know if you want to spend 200+ bucks on a headset. You know, realistically, that a headset that isn't much more or one that costs a whole lot less could almost certainly beat or match the 700's in audio quality. I would argue, therefore, that you are paying an all-rounder tax, here. You extra expense comes in the form of having a product that is perhaps 'very good' at audio, 'fine' at recording, and (again) 'very good' in terms of quality. That, however, is ok. It comes with a list of features that make it appear to a wider base, albeit a wider base who can also afford it.

ATH +++

- Raffaele out

Everyone is mine to torment.” — Joffrey.”

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