Developed in coordination with Sony Computer Entertainment and designed for use with the company’s new Playstation VR headset, the Plantronics RIG 4VR offers a lot of utility – even if on the comfort and performance side of things it doesn’t quite hit the same mark. All told, it’s easy to recommend for use with Sony’s VR venture despite a few compromises.
When it comes to the design, the RIG touts a white hard plastic frame that – while a little vanilla – does come with several added degrees of customization and flexibility. There’s a headband built into the frame that ensures both comfort and stability when wearing the RIG, no matter how immersive the experience you’re using to engage it is. This headband stretches to fit the user and can be even wholesale removed from the equation if it’s not to your liking.
A similar sort of personalisation is at work with the ear-cups on the rig. They arrive in a fairly standard configuration but can easily be popped out and moved up or down several notches in the frame for a more comfortable fit. Your appreciation for these two key pillars of the RIG’s design are likely to color your perception of it as a product. You’ll either see it as a sacrifice of polish on the altar of functionality or a headset that empowers you to configure and get the most out of it. Either way it’s probably the most noteworthy part of the package.
The removable flip-to-mute boom with noise-cancelling mic can easily be attached when using the headset with a Dualshock wireless controller, offering immersive stereo audio and exceptionally clear chat functionality within PS4 games. The quality of this microphone allows for pretty solid communication, even if the inflexibility may irk some
While comfortable to wear, we found the RIG’s actual performance was a little more mixed – depending on the environment and use. The surround sound built-into the headset makes for very immersive and encompassing gaming experiences but the lack of any proper noise-cancelling occasionally leads to disappointment. Plantronics say that this is a deliberate choice to “ensure their experience remains social” but your mileage with the RIG is definitely going to vary as a result.
Conclusion
It’s hard not to concede credit to Plantronics’ latest, even if does come with plenty of caveats. It’s rare to find a headset as versatile and well-matched to PSVR as this one admittedly is. It’s a solid offering for those looking to make heavy use of Sony’s new VR headset, even if it might come up short for more dedicated audiophiles.
Score: 3.5/5.0
The RIG 4VR retails for an RRP $129.95.
