ROCCAT Syn Pro Air Headset Review – Almost Pure Luxury

ROCCAT Syn Pro Air Headset Review

I recently reviewed the ROCCAT Kone Pro mouse which has leveled up my PC gaming experience exponentially. So how exactly could I expect this to be even better? With the Syn Pro Air headset, of course. And let me tell you that ROCCAT absolutely does not disappoint here. It’s everything you want in a headset and more. It may not be the most budget-friendly but it certainly comes with an incredible sound design.

You’re sure to have an idea for just how great the Syn Pro Air headset looks based on the box alone however you won’t actually know how incredible the RGB lighting looks until you plug it in. Which is super easy, with no wires, since it’s just a transmitting dongle with both an interchangeable USB and type C plug-in. From the moment you take this headset out of the box you’ll notice that it feels very durable, despite being entirely of plastic. This is probably because it’s the same plastic, the bionic shell, that ROCCAT uses for their recent mice.

Bionic Shell vs. Fingerprints

Which, speaking of this bionic shell, it’s the source of my only real gripe with the Syn Pro Air. Not because of its durability, but because it shows every single fingerprint. This wouldn’t bug me as much if I knew it wasn’t noticeable but with the aimo lighting in the earphones, they show up even more. And right where you don’t want anything to be showcased except for the stylish design and array of colors. I’d suggest a short wipe after putting them on, just in case anyone sneaks a peek while you’re playing, and after your gaming session to ensure longevity.

The Syn Pro Air isn’t just built to last, but it’s also built with comfort in mind. There are vertical sliders to ensure it will fit all different shaped heads, the earcups are entirely rotational and the mic is detachable and flexible. In fact, the entire headband is quite flexible as well. The breathable athletic earpads aren’t my favorite since it’s a rougher material however, as the headset doesn’t move too much this isn’t very noticeable during gameplay. Despite it’s rougher texture, compared to, say, the velour earpads you can find on most Astro headsets, it does wick away all sweat and keeps your ears feeling cool the entire time. Plus the earpads themselves are quite thick and feel like pillows on top of your ears. And the best part for those of us that wear glasses is that it also includes Turtle Beach’s ProSpecs Glasses Friendly design. The best part for anyone else is that it doesn’t overcomplicate its exterior design. There’s the power button and two volume dials, one for chat, one for sound, and that’s it. It leaves the rest of the sound design to the new Neon ROCCAT software.

Even without this Neon ROCCAT software the Syn Pro Air knocks sound design and performance out of the park. Sure, the mic sound that your friends might hear isn’t as great as a standalone mic specifically designed for podcasts or streaming, but it’s close. The Neon ROCCAT software is currently in beta but it’s got some cool features like changing up the color design of course, but also the ability to adjust your game and chat volume mix, and to enable 3D audio and superhuman hearing. Just as a disclaimer, these settings do not transfer over to other platforms, like the PS5. On PS5 the sound is still just as crisp, just as clear, just without the additional advantages of the 3D audio and superhuman hearing.

Insane Sound Design

The Turtle Beach superhuman hearing technology has been among my favorite headset advancements throughout my gaming career and while this probably boils down to personal preference, it’s my preferred way to play any FPS title. It highlights footsteps more effectively and allows for quicker reaction time. In fact, it’s the surest way to piss off the enemy team and I live for the mod or cheating accusations that are sure to follow. What I had yet to truly discover, however, is just how powerful the 3D audio can be and just how it impacts your immersion. Until the Syn Pro Air, that is. Take any open-world or action-adventure game for example. Every bird chirping, every boat gliding through water, every vehicle in the distance completely surrounds you. The 3D sound design brings you further into the game for an experience you won’t be quick to forget. Prepare to crap your pants when playing a horror title, like Resident Evil, because if you thought it was scary before, just wait to jump at every little sound.

ROCCAT promised 24-hour battery life and fast charge capabilities, both of which are 100% true. I spent my time with this headset trying to rundown the battery and it’s around that 24-hour mark for sure. What’s incredible is that if your headset is dying then just plug it in, go make yourself a quick 10-minute snack and you’ll be ready to play for hours again. Realistically, if you plug it in once a week, or at the end of a weekend gaming marathon, you’ll never have any issues.

Aside from how quickly the outer shell of the headset gets dirty with fingerprints and the material on the earcups, neither of which interfere with its performance, the Syn Pro Air is an incredible headset that’s suited to just about everyone. It’s comfortable, stylish as hell, and offers up superb sound design on both the PC and PS5. It doesn’t overcomplicate anything, allows for incredible customization, and is a very well-rounded headset that brings immersive gaming to the next level. The only people it might not cater to, given its price point of $149.99 USD, are the budget-minded gamers. The Syn Pro Air isn’t pure luxury, but it’s pretty damn close.

***The product was provided by the manufacturer***