Image credit: Josie Clark for Kyusai
Fresh off the release of the excellent PC-focused Nacon RIG R5 Spear Max HD comes a console-focused model aimed at both casual and competitive players. The new Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS retains many of those stellar features but includes a few new tricks of its own, making it a stellar model for use on PS5 as well as PC. Here’s Kyusai’s full review after several weeks of daily use.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS price and availability
The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS was released on April 24, 2026, and it’s available now for $179.99 / €199.90 (around £170). Two variants of the RIG R8 Spectre Pro series are available: the R8 PRO HS (my review unit), which is officially licensed for PlayStation, and the R8 Pro HX, designed for Xbox. However, both models will work natively on PC. Ensure you get the right version for your system of choice.
Considering the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS price, the headset positions itself at the upper-midrange end of the console gaming market, with its nearest competitor being the likes of the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 and HyperX Cloud Alpha 2. It’s still considerably cheaper than many flagship models aimed at console/PC gamers, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, JBL Quantum 950, and Logitech G Astro A50X models with a similar feature set.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS design and features
No expense has been spared when it comes to the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS’s feature set, even if its design may be a little surprising. It looks remarkably similar to the RIG R5 Spear Max HD, even featuring the same swappable magnetic ear cups; however, it cannot swap the microphone placement or use any of the other modules available, unlike that wired headset.
You’re getting the same stellar 40mm Graphene drivers; however, this time it’s all fully wireless. This PS5 headset supports dual connections, meaning you can connect to both its 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth 5.2 at the same time. I’ve found this feature instrumental in my day-to-day, going from listening to music to taking customer calls and managing audio on the fly when gaming, too. The microphone itself is a solid, 16-bit/48kHz boom arm, which (while no replacement for a dedicated XLR/USB-C mic) sounds decent enough. I did switch between it and my Shure MV7+ a couple of times while playing VALORANT Premier games and taking calls.
One of the greatest strengths of the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS is the charging and docking cradle. It’s not the first headset to feature this level of functionality; I’ve seen it in the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, Turtle Beach Stealth Pro, and the Astro A50 before, but it’s done well here as well. The dock has a small footprint on my desk, easily gives me a place to store my headset (that isn’t just on top of my computer or cupped over my monitor), and means it’s always charging when not in use. I can’t really complain about how it’s built for the features it offers for well under the $200 mark.
Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS performance
I’ve used the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS for several weeks now as my main gaming headset and headphones while working, primarily hooked up to my gaming PC. The 40mm Graphene drivers sound solid, pretty much identical to the excellent, wired Nacon RIG R5 Spear Max HD, with low distortion, warm audio reproduction, and decent bass presence. This was apparent when cycling through my playlists, blasting the likes of Bludnymph, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Bad Omens, all of which sounded as I’d expected.
Gaming is obviously where the RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS shines. Nacon says its latest wireless flagship headset is aimed at first-person shooters, and as a former Counter-Strike pro, that’s my area of expertise. Of course, I played a lot of CS2, but also VALORANT in weekly Premier games with my teammates. Each footstep was clearly identifiable, and I could judge the distance of the gunfire and other warfare sounds well, better than I could with other gaming headsets I’ve been used to in the past.
Really, I’ve got so few complaints with the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS other than its price tag. You’re paying for a midrange console/PC wireless headset and (ultimately) getting one that punches well above its weight for the sticker price. This has quickly become my go-to model, and it’s left all the others I was cycling through collecting dust on the shelf.
FAQs
The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre is available in two configurations. The HS variant is for PS5, and the HX is designed for Xbox. Both work natively on PC.
After months of using both Nacon RIG and SteelSeries headsets, I am confident in stating that the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS is superior to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.
The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS release date was April 24, 2026.
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