Battle of the beamforming mics
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We’ve experienced a pretty intense period for gaming headsets as of late, with new releases from SteelSeries, Razer, and Asus ROG all happing within 6 weeks of each other. This is comically convenient timing for those of you after a new wireless gaming headset. They all look set to impress, with varying specs, features, and designs. Additionally, the prices seem to be creeping ever higher, with the flagship offerings all easily exceeding the $200 mark.
We’ve already pitted the Razer Barracuda Pro vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, so if you’ve narrowed your choice down to either of those, that page will help you reach a final decision. Additionally, if you’re not sure whether to go with the Arctis Nova Pro, vs the Arctis Pro wireless, our full vs page on that will help too.
Today, however, we are comparing the Asus ROG Delta S Wireless Vs Razer Barracuda Pro. This is a particularly apt comparison as they both feature the same internal dual beamforming mic technology. This eliminates the bulky boom mics of yore in favor of a more streamlined design, however, as we found in our full Asus ROG Delta S Wireless review, they don’t typically perform as well as old-school mics in their current state. SO, with that limitation in mind, let’s take a closer look at the contender and see exactly what they’re offering and see who comes out on top.
Connectivity
Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz
Driver diameter
50mm
Frequency response
20Hz–20kHz
Mic
Dual Integrated MEMS Beamforming, Noise-Cancelling
Weight
340g/0.75lbs
Compatibility
PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Connectivity
USB Type-C, 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.0
Driver diameter
50mm
Frequency response
20Hz-20kHz
Mic
Omnidirectional beamforming
Weight
131g/11.04oz
Compatibility
PC, Mac, PS4/5, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
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CHECK PRICEThis is an area where both headsets excel as they are both equipped with dual-mode wireless connectivity. This means that both are capable of switching seamlessly between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections. This means you can have two simultaneous connections active, for example, you could switch from gaming on 2.4GHz, to answering a phone call via Bluetooth at the touch of a button. This is a game-changer when it comes to convenience and we wish more headsets had this technology built-in.
Given that both headsets have an identical implementation for this great feature neither wins any points here, but we’re mentioning it anyway as it’s super useful.
As you’ve noticed from the spec sheets listed above, both the Asus ROG Delta S Wireless and the Razer Barracuda Pro have identically sized drivers and frequency responses. This suggests identical soundstages, however, given that frequency response isn’t a hugely informative metric, and that pretty much every gaming headset out there has 50mm drivers, we’ll need to go deeper than the numbers.
The Delta S wireless certainly has what we’d describe as broader sound, unusually for a gaming headset, the bass isn’t turned up to 11 straight out of the box, which results in an impressively balanced audio experience. You can further modulate this with Asus’s Armory Crate software to dial in a specific EQ setting, which can make all the difference when it comes to gaming headset audio.
Team green. however. has outfitted the Barracuda pro headset with some pretty neat technology. Despite the identical Driver diameter of 50mm, Razer has utilized bio-cellulose for their diaphragm material. Not only does it sound cool in a cyborg sort of way, but there are also some tangible benefits and it’s pretty fascinating too. Essentially, you can actually grow a suitable diaphragm material from bacteria in a lab, it’s then cut to size and dried out until it attains the correct material properties for a driver diaphragm like tensile and compressive stress. The biggest benefit of a bio-cellulose diaphragm is the speed of response over traditional materials like aluminum.
This allows the dynamic driver to go from producing lows, to mids, to highs, and jump between the three much faster. This, in turn, reduces distortion and can prevent the familiar sensation of the mix from being muddled at higher volumes, which is a problem we’ve noticed in many gaming headsets over the years and is one of the fundamental limitations of dynamic drivers. For this reason, the Razer Barracuda Pro wins the audio section of the contest as bio-cellulose-based drivers are capable of better response times, despite their relatively high cost and fairly gross fabrication process. Additionally, the Barracuda comes with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), making it superior for general listening, especially during a commute.
This category is an absolute whitewash. Don’t get us wrong, Razer has always produced comfortable headsets and the Barracuda Pro is no exception here, but it weighs almost 3x more than the Delta S Wireless and you’re stuck with the default ear cushions.
This is in stark contrast to the Delta S Wireless as it weighs a positively feathery 131g/11.04oz and comes with two sets of ear cushions. This is something that’s impressed us with ROG headsets as it’s not the first time they’ve included ear cushions of different materials for no additional costs. The default set are simply high quality fuax leather with plushy cushioning within, ideal for more immersive sound, and the extra set are fabric, which is nicer for those of you who live in more humid climates. Additionally, the sound signature marginally ahnages with the fabric set producing a more naturalistic vibe.
Overall, there is no competition here. Razer Barracuda Pro is certainly comfortable, however, when it comes to comfort, the more options the better, so the Asus ROG Delta S Wireless wins this by the proverbial country mile.
This one is where these two headsets vary by a wide margin. We like the look of both of them, with Asus ROG pulling back on their notorious habit of overdesign in favor of an unmistakingly gamer-y, yet subdued look, and Razer going straight for a general use set of Bluetooth headphones in terms of visuals. The keen eyed among you might notice a large level of resembelance to the venerated Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.
Given that aesthetics have no bearing on performance it comes down to personal preference. Wether you prefer the full on gamer look, or like to role hobby-neutral. For this reason we’re giving it to the Razer Barracuda Pro as it fits into both categories well enough.
You’ve probably noticed just from reading that the Razer Barracuda has won it for us. Not only does it feature a more widely acceptable design, but the addition of ANC and implementation of the cooler, superior, and more gross bio-cellulose in the drivers help to cement its victory over the still fantastic, but unfortunately inferior Asus ROG Delta S Wireless gaming headset.
Connectivity
Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz
Driver diameter
50mm
Frequency response
20Hz–20kHz
Mic
Dual Integrated MEMS Beamforming, Noise-Cancelling
Weight
340g/0.75lbs
Compatibility
PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Connectivity
USB Type-C, 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.0
Driver diameter
50mm
Frequency response
20Hz-20kHz
Mic
Omnidirectional beamforming
Weight
131g/11.04oz
Compatibility
PC, Mac, PS4/5, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Shop on Amazon
CHECK PRICE
