RIG R5 Spear Pro

Written by Jason Dailey on 11/2/2025 for PS5  

Gamers choose their preferred headset based on a variety of factors. Whether it’s comfort, sound quality, microphone quality, battery life, price, or a bit of each, we all have our preferences. I took a chance on NACON’s RIG R5 Spear Pro because it is an officially licensed PlayStation headset, and that is the system I play on the most. Despite not utilizing a wired gaming headset since probably college (didn’t we all have that one set of Turtle Beaches 15 years ago?), my curiosity was too great to pass this one up. Simply put, I cannot believe this is a $70 headset.

The R5 Spear Pro is designed first and foremost for competitive shooters, and it shows, though I did test it with some non-shooters as well. My game lineup included Battlefield 6, ARC Raiders, The Finals, Becastled, and College Football 26. They weren't lying when they said this headset is built for competitive shooters, as that is certainly where it shines. It holds up well enough for more general gaming, but its focus is singular: first-person shooters.

But before I get any further, let's breakdown the specs:

Microphone:
Frequency Range	50 Hz - 15 kHz
Sensitivity	-44 dBV/Pa
Signal to Noise Ratio	>42 dB
Pick-up Pattern	Uni-Directional
Headphones:
Frequency Range	20 Hz - 40 kHz
Impedance	32 Ohms
Sensitivity	117.5 dBSPL/V
Harmonic Distortion	<0.5% THD
Drivers	2 x Dynamic 40mm Graphene Coated
Volume Control	Inline slider with max volume lock
Connection:
Wired	3.5 mm TRSS
Length	1.5 m
Supported Platforms	PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC

Cool, so what does all that mean? I won’t pretend to understand the technicality of it all, but in practicality, it means the R5 Spear Pro is a monster for competitive shooters.

I immediately thought of Battlefield 6 when I saw the headset, so naturally it was the first game I tested it out on. The difference in sound quality from the other $100+ headsets I own (and a $150 set) was evident within seconds. Bullets whizzing past my head sounded closer, tank rounds really thud, and firing my weapon packed the kind of punch that firing one in real life does. And the first time a jet flew over my head had me shouting blessings to fecal matter.

Things don’t just sound louder in the R5 Spear Pro, they sound noticeably clearer as well. As on officially licensed PlayStation headset, it is optimized to support Sony’s Tempest 3D Audio technology, which I would argue it does better than the other PlayStation units I’ve had that are made by Sony themselves.

No offense, Sony.

With a clarity I hadn’t experienced before, I could more easily locate where weapons were being fired, or where vehicles were coming from. This clarity on the upper ends doesn’t sacrifice performance on the low end either. With bass that kicks like a mule, this is the best of both worlds. I can certainly see the competitive advantage the R5 Spear Pro offers, but even more casual fans of shooters will enjoy a heightened sense of immersion.

Its finely tuned focus on competitive shooters means it doesn’t do as much for more general gaming needs. Playing College Football 26, or a city builder like Becastled, is less impressive than blasting fools on Battlefield 6 and The Finals. And that’s okay—the R5 Spear Pro knows what it wants to be and embraces it. Just know that it’s more of a specialized tool than a Swiss army knife, in terms of game audio.

From a comfort standpoint, the R5 Spear Pro is the most comfortable out of four headsets that I own, thanks to a mesh fabric-covered memory foam headband and earcups. It fit my head snugly, preventing it from sliding forward or backwards, but thanks to the mesh covering, it never made my ears hot, which is sometimes a problem for me. It is great for longer play sessions, and if it weren’t for the 3.5mm cable occasionally getting in the way, I wouldn’t even know I had it on.

One neat feature that RIG is leaning into with this headset is modular design. Both the ear cushions and outer earcup covers can be easily popped on and off thanks to their magnetic SNAP+LOCK system. So, if you do wear out your cushions over time, replacing them is a breeze. Simply pull them off and snap a new set on. On the outside of the earcups, RIG has provided STL files on their website so that you can 3D print your own custom earcup covers too, which is cool.

My only complaints regarding the R5 Spear Pro are about its microphone. The touted enhanced noise cancellation is lacking, as it picked up the sound of my living room television down the hall (which typically hovers around a volume level of 10), and easily picked up a vacuum running down the hall as well. Not even turning the mic input volume down in the PlayStation 5’s settings was able to fully eliminate background noise. In other words, I wouldn’t stream gameplay with this microphone. It does include flip-to-mute functionality, though it does feel a little stiff—perhaps that will work itself out with some further use.

All in all, NACON’s RIG R5 Spear Pro is a straightforward, no frills wired headset for PlayStation and PC that more than carries its weight. At its $69.99 price point, it is an extreme value for gamers who enjoy competitive shooters. You could do worse for general gaming use as well, but there are probably better overall headsets for that. For the niche it is targeting though, it more than meets the mark with excellent clarity, beefy bass, and pinpoint 3D spatial audio quality. Just beware of the sensitive mic if you’re wanting to use it for livestreaming. Still, the R5 Spear Pro’s immersive sound quality and high level of comfort make it my go-to headset for competitive shooters moving forward.