Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 review
TechRadar Verdict
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is a very good gaming headset that does a great job of immersing you in your games.
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Pros
- +
Very good sound quality
- +
Nice design
- +
Wireless via Bluetooth
- +
Compatible with PC, PS4 and Nintendo Switch
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The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is a high-end gaming headset from Asus’ Republic of Gamers brand. This is a brand that’s proved time and again that it understands what gamers want and need, so we have high hopes for these cans.
The Strix Fusion 700 is primarily designed to be wired up to a PC, PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch via USB for immersive gaming. It also has built-in Bluetooth 4.2, which means you can use it wirelessly with any device that supports it, including smartphones.
It also brings some nice touches, like virtual 7.1 surround sound that can be turned on with a button press, along with an ESS DAC and amp to provide punchy sound, all wrapped up in Asus’ recognizable ROG design language.
It’s also pricey, costing $215 / £219.99 / AU$449, which puts it in the range of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, which is a feature-rich wireless headset with dual batteries, and the wired SteelSeries Arctis Pro.
And taking a glance at our best PC gaming headset guide, our current top pick, the HyperX Cloud Revolver S, is almost half the price, and offers similar features, including 7.1 surround sound.
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 will need to pull out all the stops to justify its asking price, then – so how does it fare?
- Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 (PS4 Black) at Amazon for $176.02
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is a good-looking gaming headset with a premium design that will appeal to many gamers, without being too garish.
You can also use it for non-gaming applications, like listening to music on your smartphone, without it standing out too much.
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 has a similar design to other ROG Strix headsets, and features design elements we’ve come to expect from Asus’ ROG products. So, you get a set of headphones that are clearly gaming-orientated, without being over the top.
The ROG logo is confined to a small detail above each can, while a fabric tag on the inside bears the Strixs branding. On extending the cups (to fit larger heads) you can see the metallic band that features markings reminiscent of a circuit board – a design theme we’ve seen on other ROG Strix products.
A subtle ‘Republic of Gamers’ is inscribed at the top of the band, and there’s also LED lighting that’s controlled by Asus’ Aura Sync RGB software. If you’ve got other Asus products with Aura RGB lighting, you can sync up the lighting and effects with the headset – we had compatible RGB RAM sticks installed in the PC we tested the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 with, and syncing those up to the headset produced a rather pleasant effect, if you like that sort of thing – of course, you can always turn off the lighting if it isn’t to your taste.
The microphone is located beside the left-hand can, and you pull it down to activate it. There are also two buttons on the back of the left-hand can, one for turning the 7.1 surround sound effect on and off, and one for toggling Bluetooth.
The ability to turn the 7.1 surround effect on and off with a button press is a nice feature, as it saves you having to mess around with software. As with previous Strix Fusion headsets, the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 also features a touch-sensitive plate over the left-hand can which allows you to pause and play music, skip tracks and adjust volume (and synchronize the RGB lighting) using touch gestures.
Unfortunately, we found this a bit confusing to use, an issue that wasn’t helped by the fact that sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn’t. Occasionally, we picked up the headphones only to find music already playing through them, as we must have accidentally brushed the touch interface while handling the headset.
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is comfortable to wear, thanks to its adjustable band.
It also comes with a second set of ear cushions, which you can swap for the ones that are on the earpieces out of the box for a better fit. It’s not too heavy either, so if you’re planning on a long play session it shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable.
There is one glaring omission, however: the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 connects to a PC, PS4 or Switch via a USB cable. There’s no audio jack, which limits the amount of devices you can connect it to – for example, it looks like Xbox One gamers will be out of luck.
At least the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 features Bluetooth for connecting to smartphones, tablets and games consoles. It’s nice to have the option to use the Asus ROG Strix 700 wirelessly, and the built-in 900mAh battery should last around eight hours if you use the RGB lighting, rising to 17 hours with the lighting turned off.
Unlike the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, you can’t swap out the batteries, so when the Asus ROG Strix 700 runs out of juice you’ll need to plug it in to charge, which takes about three hours – not the end of the world, perhaps, but it does mean you’ll want to keep a charging cable with you so your gaming isn’t interrupted.
Thankfully, the Asus ROG Strix 700 uses a standard USB to micro USB cable.
Performance
Considering the price Asus is asking for the ROG Strix Fusion 700, it needs to offer seriously impressive audio quality – and on paper it certainly looks like Asus has put a lot of thought and effort into making sure this headset sounds good.
It features an airtight chamber which Asus claims has been fine-tuned by its audio engineers to create a large area around the drivers to help deliver clear and natural-sounding audio.
The drivers themselves offer a wide frequency response of 20-40kHz, which should provide strong bass without washing out details.
The ROG Strix Fusion 700 also features an ESS 9018 DAC (digital to analogue converter) that offers Hi-Res lossless music playback at 24-bit/96kHz. There’s also a built-in ESS 9601 amplifier for more dynamic bass.
So it should be set up to pump out some impressive audio, and in our time with it we were indeed impressed.
Music sounded clear and vibrant, and while the bass wasn’t quite as punchy as we’d been led to expect, the clarity and detail on offer were impressive.
Connecting via Bluetooth was also simple, and didn’t have any noticeable impact on sound quality. We listened to Spotify using the headset via a smartphone, and music continued to sound good, while calls made using the headset were crisp and clear.
As for gaming, which is most likely what you’d be buying this headset for, the ROG Strix Fusion 700 performs very well, with the audio detail in particular impressing us in the range of titles we played while wearing it. Again, though, the bass isn’t that prominent, which means you’re not getting the skull-shaking impacts you sometimes get with gaming headsets.
However, the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 excels at atmospherics, really bringing out sounds that can often be overlooked or lost in the mix with more bombastic headsets, such as footsteps and falling bullet casings.
7.1 surround
This aspect of its performance is especially apparent when you put the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 into 7.1 virtual surround sound mode. Asus promises that the ROG Strix Fusion 700’s virtual surround, developed in conjunction with audio specialists Bongiovi Acoustics, will be a step above that of its rivals.
We’ve yet to be really impressed with virtual surround sound, and so far nothing has come close to replicating the setup of a physical surround sound system. The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is sadly no exception, but there are some nice aspects that can add to your enjoyment.
Using the headphones in 7.1 mode, you can certainly hear a difference. In stereo mode the sounds seem to be confined to a horizontal plane, but with 7.1 turned on you’re also able to distinguish sounds in the vertical plane; so if a noise is supposed to be above you – a passing aircraft for example – it will sound like it is.
It doesn’t quite feel like sounds are coming from behind you or around you, so we wouldn’t say that the 7. 1 mode will give you any competitive advantage when playing games, as you won’t be able to pinpoint where footsteps or gunfire are coming from, other than from your left or right.
What this mode does well is further enhance atmospherics. While bullets don’t seem to whizz overhead, large, cavernous buildings feel even larger, and ambient noises help make your games even more immersive.
The 7.1 mode also works with music, and with certain genres this again adds a nice effect. So it won’t replace a physical 7.1 setup, but it’s definitely worth gaming with the mode switched on.
Speaking of which, having the 7.1 system built into the headphones without the need of a dongle is a nice touch, as is the dedicated 7.1 button for switching it on and off while you play.
Verdict
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is a pricey gaming headset, but its build quality, features and performance just about justify the high price. This is a premium-looking bit of kit, and if you have other Aura-compatible peripherals and components then you’re really going to like how this syncs up with your other kit.
While its looks will appeal to gamers, the design isn’t over the top or garish, and the same goes for the performance – this is a headset that’s better at atmospherics than it is at bombast. The bass isn’t that strong, but where the ROG Strix Fusion 700 really excels is in picking up the small details.
It really does sound very impressive, and while the 7.1 surround sound isn’t that convincing, it brings a breadth to ambient sounds that can be really quite immersive.
Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700: Price Comparison
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Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he’s loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.
Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 Review
Verdict
Pros
- Snazzy design
- Superb surround-sound audio
- Aura Sync lighting
Cons
- Slightly fiddly controls
- No 3.5mm support
- Ear-piercing battery warning
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £219.99
- Wireless
- RGB lighting
- DTS Surround Sound 7.1
What is the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700?
Asus has plenty of experience under its belt when it comes to gaming accessories. Its own Republic of Gamers brand covers everything from sound cards and motherboards to keyboards and mousepads, as well as a healthy selection of headsets.
The Strix Fusion 700 is fresh off the conveyor belt and one of the most premium ROG headsets you can grab right now. Featuring some sleek design work as well as excellent audio quality, this is a real treat for the eyes as well as the ears.
Compared with the previously released ROG Strix Fusion 500 headset, there’s an interesting new design element at work. Namely, some integrated LED strips that can be controlled via an app and synced with your buddies’ sets (or your other ROG gear), so you can all be matching. If that’s your bag.
Related: Best gaming headsets
Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 – Design and features
Although some gaming headsets scream ‘nerd alert’ at the top of their lungs and are best left in the confines of your bedroom, the ROG Strix Fusion 700 offers quite a sleek finish.
There are no over-the-top design touches or crazy frills, beyond those LED strips housed on the cups. Thankfully, these can be deactivated when you’re out and about, to avoid drawing unwanted attention. Branding is kept to a minimum and I was perfectly happy to wear these ‘phones whenever I headed into town, without feeling self-conscious.
A sturdy metal band coated in plastic connects the cups. The overall construction is reassuringly tough, so you can happily throw the headset into a backpack among other bits and bobs, no stress. Sadly, while the cups will twist 90 degrees to lie flat, you can’t fold up the Fusion 700 to make them more compact.
The flat surface of the left ear cup houses all manner of touch-sensitive controls. For instance, a tap will pause or play your media, while swiping left or right skips tracks. You can also change volume by swiping up or down.
In general, this setup works well – although you have to be pretty accurate with your taps. If you strike anywhere but dead-centre, the touch often won’t be recognised. All the same, after a few days of use I found I could usually get a registered hit first time.
The microphone is hidden away inside the edge of the cup, and can be yanked out at any time by pulling down on a tiny tab. Once you’ve done this a couple of times while wearing the headset, you’ll find it in no time. The rubberised length is fully flexible, and when you’re done, you can slip the mic back in place to mute it.
Asus has really nailed comfort levels, too. The Fusion 700 can be worn all day long, thanks to the generously spacious ear cups and effective scalp padding. At no point did I feel like any part of the headset was pinching or squeezing, and there’s plenty of room for adjustment.
Of course, in hot weather those leathery cups can get a bit sweaty, so it was always a relief to get them off after extended use and give my head a proper airing.
A pair of replacement ear cushions are bundled in the box, not to mention a lovely cloth bag to carry it all in.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a gaming headset without at least one outlandish design quirk. In the case of the ROG Strix Fusion 700, you get an RGB light strip running along the rear edge of each cup.
Nothing particularly thrilling in that, except you can fully customise the colours using Asus’ Aura Sync app to coordinate with fellow gamers so all your headsets are pumping out the same hue. Because nothing says team camaraderie like a bunch of people whose heads flash the same colour.
The Aura Sync app itself is pretty straightforward to use. Syncing with the Fusion 700 is stress-free and you get a basic level of customisation. A colour wheel provides control over the hue, while you can also fiddle with brightness levels and choose between static or ‘breathing’ options. That’s pretty much your lot.
Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 – Performance
The Fusion 700’s high-quality DAC produces incredible sound, whatever you’re up to. In-game audio is full-bodied, for a truly immersive experience. Likewise, music sounds impeccable, with full support for Hi-Res playback. Just enough bass is produced without drowning out the rest of the sound, so rock and dance tracks have plenty of punch. More mellow sounds come out crisp and clear.
Like the SteelSeries Arctis 7 and other premium gaming headsets, the ROG Strix Fusion 700 supports DTS Surround Sound 7.1. This can be toggled on when needed via a dinky button on the left cup. Unfortunately, this sits quite close to the Bluetooth toggle, while both buttons lie flush with the plastic surface. Therefore, it’s all too easy to hit the wrong one by accident.
Still, there’s no denying that the surround-sound functionality is excellent. Playing online shooters is an absolutely pant-staining experience with these things strapped to your skull. I could hear bullets whipping all around me, while explosions actually caused me to shriek like a startled llama.
Voice pickup from the mic is also top-notch. My comrades had no problem clearly hearing everything I said throughout online sessions. The same was true when using the headset for voice calls.
As well as using the bundled micro-USB-to-USB cable to connect to your PC or console, the Fusion 700 can also be hooked up to your devices via Bluetooth 4.2. Unfortunately, there’s no support for 3.5mm, so Xbox owners won’t get the headset to work out of the box.
I had no trouble wirelessly pairing the headset with a variety of tablets and phones. Connection remained strong even when I was a couple of rooms away, with no pauses or delays when chatting or playing music. There’s no dip in quality, either. Music still sounds crisp and punchy, no matter what you’re into.
Likewise, those media controls continued to work as expected. I found that I could skip through tracks on Spotify and answer calls as they came in with a quick tap of the left cup. Although, again, I found that I occasionally missed the sweet spot with my taps until I’d become familiar with the layout.
With Bluetooth on the go, that 900mAh built-in battery offers a more than respectable amount of use between charges. The headset survived for several lengthy gaming sessions with the lights deactivated. If you want to dazzle everyone with a bit of a light show, you can still expect a few hours of play time before you’ll need to charge up again. A full charge takes just over three hours.
Unfortunately, Asus has integrated the most bowel-twistingly terrifying battery-alert system in the world.
When the headset has only an hour or so of charge remaining, the ROG Strix Fusion 700 emits a heart-stopping tone. This tone repeats every minute or so – and it’s loud. So much so that I wrenched the set from my head the first time it happened. Even when I knew it was coming, the noise was so ear-piercing that I cringed. And it isn’t in any way linked to the Fusion’s volume level either, so there appears to be no way of preventing this aural assault.
Why buy the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700?
Between the excellent performance and strong range of features, there’s plenty to like about Asus’ new headset. Audio quality is sublime, while the restrained design (barring that customisable lighting, of course) means you won’t look out of place on the daily commute.
Most of the drawbacks are minor niggles at best, be it the fact that the Fusion 700 won’t fold up properly or a couple of small usability complaints. That said, the lack of 3.5mm support is a real shame, while that ear-splitting battery warning is seriously obnoxious.
Verdict
If you’re after top-end sound quality and comfort, plus the flexibility of Bluetooth support, the Strix Fusion 700 won’t disappoint.
Overview of the ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 wireless gaming headset / Overclockers.ua
The line of ASUS ROG Strix Fusion gaming headsets includes models 300, 500, Wireless and 700. We have already talked about the first three versions, now it’s the turn of the oldest.
Outwardly, it is closest to the ROG Strix Fusion 500 — in fact, we have the same model, but with a Bluetooth module and an increased price tag.
| Model | ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 |
|---|---|
| Product page | asus.com |
| Audio channels | 2.0 |
| Speakers, mm | 50, with neodymium magnets |
| How it works | Closed |
| Impedance, Ohm | 32 |
| Frequency range, Hz | 20–20,000 |
| Headset interface | USB 2.0/Bluetooth 4.2 (aptX, SBC) |
| Battery life | Until 17:00 |
| Weight, g | 395 |
| Compatible | PC, Mac, PS4, NS |
| Microphone | |
| Sensor type | Unidirectional |
| Frequency range, Hz | 50–10,000 |
| Sensitivity, dB | -39dB ± 3dB |
| Price € | ~290 |
Package Contents
ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 comes in a large, stylish box. The headset itself is shown on the front and some of its features are indicated. All the functionality of the headphones is painted on the back.
The box of the ROG Strix Fusion 700 is sliding, and the inner walls of the cardboard flaps are shiny, which makes the box with the headset look as expensive and impressive as possible when opened. Adding to the luxurious look is the velvet finish on the plastic mold where the ROG Strix Fusion 700 is stored.
Inside: the headset itself, a two-meter USB cable in a nylon memory-effect braid, a user manual, interchangeable fabric ear pads and a velvet pouch for storing the device with the manufacturer’s logo.
Appearance
As mentioned above, ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 repeats the appearance of ROG Strix Fusion 500 one to one. The same matte plastic on the wide headbands and the outer line of the cups and the same easily soiled glossy mirror plastic in the center.
The rugged and flexible rocker arm features the familiar ROG-branded metal inserts on the inside, while the headband is padded on the inside. On the sides there are indications of the sides «L» and «R», as well as a fabric label with the inscription Strix. On the outer part of the arc there is an inscription Republic of Gamers.
Guides are hidden in the plastic headband, which extend from both edges by 3 cm. 12 latches on the inside allow them to be fixed in the desired position. Outside, they are decorated with branded drawings of the ROG gaming series.
Closed cups, rotate 90 degrees. In this position, it is convenient to put the headphones on the neck during breaks between games, and also fold them into a complete velvet bag with minimal effort. On the outer matte part there is a curly transparent cutout for RGB lighting.
The left ear cup has a micro-USB port, a button to turn on virtual 7.1 mode, a Bluetooth on/off key with a charging indicator, a retractable flexible unidirectional microphone (hidden in the base of the cup and turns on when lowered) and a touchpad for music control. In it, the manufacturer installed a lithium-polymer battery for 900 mAh and a Bluetooth module for synchronization with various devices.
The touchpad on the 700 works flawlessly. A tap in the middle turns the music on or off, swiping up makes the sound louder, and down makes it quieter. Swipe forward — switch to the next track. Swipe back — return to the previous song. Each swipe of the finger raises or lowers the volume by four percent. There is no glitch here, like in ROG Strix Fusion Wireless, when any touch could increase the volume to the maximum.
Microphone is inactive when hidden and clicks on when lowered. The leg is flexible, so finding the optimal distance to the microphone is not a problem.
Inside the cups are ASUS Essence signature 50mm drivers with neodymium magnets. An ESS ES9018 DAC and an ESS SABRE9601K amplifier are installed in the left cup.
Ergonomics and comfort of use
ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 massive over-ear headphones weighing 395 grams (wired ROG Strix Fusion 500 weighs 360 grams). At the same time, the headset does not cause discomfort, it immediately sits like a native, does not put pressure on the head and almost completely drowns out the sounds of the environment. Of course, in fabric ear cushions, the sound transmission is a little more.
The matte plastic of most of the body shows itself perfectly in everyday use, does not collect dust and is not afraid of «fingers». But the glossy mirror part of the cups gets very dirty and scratches quickly. In this case, you can leave the factory transparent films or use the headphones very carefully, otherwise the “premium” gaming headset risks turning into something worn out.
The impressions from the touch panel are also twofold. On the one hand, this was not enough in the 300th model. On the other hand, the touchpad is convenient right up to the moment when you put on or take off the headset. In most cases, the hand touches the touchpad, so the music either turns on or, conversely, stops. And it seems to be trifles and almost does not irritate, but in headphones for that kind of money I want everything to be perfect. On the first models of the ASUS ROG Strix Fusion series, I often pressed the button to start virtual 7. 1 audio when putting on or taking off the headphones. Now I don’t cling anymore and it’s not clear whether I got used to it, or I initially pressed it by accident.
The unidirectional microphone is cleverly hidden in the left cup. It easily gets out of the groove with one movement of the finger, bends well, does not interfere and also quickly hides.
Claimed battery life of 17 hours. When listening to music at a volume of 20-50%, the headphones can really last that long. But if you listen to them louder, then the charge will last for 15 hours.
The headset easily connects to most home gadgets: smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, PCs or laptops. Whether wired or Bluetooth, you can connect these headphones to whatever you need at the moment. And it’s very convenient, because you don’t have to get up from your computer, pick up your smartphone and put on other «ears», and then sit down to play the console and use a third headset, and so on.
ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 works with proprietary ROG Armory software. Here you can configure the microphone, RGB lighting and its variations (breathing, constant color, rainbow, and so on), synchronization with other ASUS ROG devices, as well as detailed sound settings, for example, for watching a movie or music. There is even an opportunity to create your own presets. For adequate sound in different games, you can choose one of the presets (FPS, Action, RPG, etc.).
Sound impressions
When connected via Bluetooth, the ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 sounded a little better than any wireless headphones at a lower price. Weak bass, an almost complete absence of highs and an inexpressive mids — this is exactly what is heard through a wireless connection.
When you connect the wire, the sound of the headset improves significantly. And if you also set the digital audio format to 24 bit / 96 kHz in the program, then it turns out that this model is suitable not only for games, but also for music. ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 is starting to produce rich, deep and spacious sound. At the same time, basses do not overwhelm other frequencies, but juicy highs and expressive mids are just there and this is already good.
Virtual 7.1 sound, which was created by Bongiovi Acoustics, still does not cause adequate positive emotions. This is a very specific thing that flattens the sound and adds a little echo. The only application where I found it was shooters. In games of this genre with 7.1 sound, the surrounding world sounds even clearer, and the immersion effect is maximum. Otherwise, digital surround sound is nothing more than a useless feature for advertising.
Retractable unidirectional microphone sounds adequate, although muffled, but does not «catch» the sounds of the environment. For communication with teammates or communication via smartphone, Skype or Viber will do without any problems.
Summary
ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 is an all-in-one wireless gaming headset with a striking design, touch controls and RGB lighting. Of the shortcomings, the glossy parts of the cups stand out, which are easily scratched, and mediocre sound through a Bluetooth connection. But over the wire, the headphones sound more than worthy and will delight both picky players and fanatical music lovers. If you have an insanely expensive gaming laptop, a gaming smartphone or a PC «for the price of an airplane», then these headphones will perfectly complement the VIP package.
ASUS ROG Strix Fusion 700 headset review. Prismatic reflection
Asus’ ROG Strix Fusion line of headsets is a recent addition, and the company has clearly set a clear goal: to take on the gaming segment. Asus did it, and on a grand scale! Now the line has 4 models, the basic versions of which — Fusion 300 and Fusion Wireless — are designed for PC gamers and mobile gamers, but the flagship line — Fusion 500 and Fusion 700 — is aimed not only at gamers, but also at music lovers, since each model also contains a DAC and an amplifier to reproduce sound in the best quality. And if the 500th model is a purely digital headset designed for PC, then the Fusion 700 is the most versatile model in the line, which has a digital cable connection, and wireless communication, and a touch panel for controlling the sound on the cup, and even a virtual there was a place for surround sound. The industry has never seen anything like it!
The design of the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 headset is also very specific, but it enchants with its appearance literally from the first seconds. The mirror surface of the cups casts with a noble and deep dark glossy gold, the shape of the cups is refracted, passing from one plane to another, and a slightly muted RGB backlight oozes through the edges of the cups. However, the top surface is polished to such an extent that any speck of dust immediately catches the eye, and any fingerprint turns into an aesthetic disaster! Undoubtedly, these traces are easily eliminated, but sooner or later this beauty will fade and fade a little, so the headset is preferable only for home use. All other details and surfaces, as well as the outer part of the headband, are made of a combination of various matte plastics, which only complement the brutal, massive, but graceful appearance of the device. Overall, this headset is somewhat more like an extraordinary fashion accessory, but. .. Can you guess what power lies inside?
And this brutality is achieved through huge cups and through the use of a thick layer of durable plastic, so you can not worry about the reliability of the device. In addition, the core of the headband frame is made of metal, decorated with the Asus ROG signature pattern, which only adds more flexibility to the whole structure. The headset cups have degrees of freedom in all planes, which allows them to best adapt to the head, and the swivel mechanism makes it possible to rotate the cups by 90 degrees for more convenient transportation. The inner part of the headband is a compact pad fixed at two points, made of fabric and filled with soft foam filler.
Asus approached the creation of the headset with maximum dedication, so every detail of the headset is honed to a shine, but they were especially good at making ear cushions — these can often be found in music headphones of a higher price segment. All this is present here in full: soft and elastic artificial leather, dense and elastic memory foam filler and light mesh inside each cup. A separate bonus is an additional pair of fabric ear cushions, made in the same vein as a pair of artificial leather.
A very unusual feature of the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is the location of the controls right on the left cup. Yes, exactly — Asus decided to place a touch panel on the cup, where swiping up and down adjusts the volume of the headset (and only this headset, even if you are currently using another playback device), and swiping left and right are responsible for switching tracks. A tap in the center of the cup pauses the track, holding for 3 seconds turns the headset off and on. The touchpad idea turned out to be cool, but absolutely not practical. Firstly, when putting the headphones on my head, I accidentally touched the touch panel once, which either switched the track or simply paused it. Therefore, with accidental clicks, you just have to put up with it. And secondly, the volume control is not as convenient as it might seem at first glance, since to significantly increase or decrease the volume, you will have to thoroughly work with your finger, which at some points becomes annoying.
On the bottom of the left earcup of the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 are two physical buttons: one to activate Bluetooth, the other to enable virtual 7.1 surround sound. On the same cup is a Micro-USB port for connecting the headset to a PC. And here the situation turned out to be somewhat different than with the usual wireless headsets in our understanding. Unlike a very common way to connect a headset to a special receiver, this headset is connected via cable to a PC and via Bluetooth to mobile devices. In the first case, it acts as a digital headset: with this connection, the headset is charged, and the cups shimmer with RGB backlight; in the second case, the headset works in wireless mode, but only with mobile devices.
Connection to a PC is made using a soft two-meter Micro-USB cable in a pliable fabric sheath. The microphone is a flexible short leg, which deftly hides in the left cup of the headset. And it also has the function of turning off the voice when lifting the bar up, and for this it is only necessary to lift it a little, and not hide it back in the cup. When working with mobile devices via Bluetooth, the headset can work up to 17 hours on a single charge.
Due to its massive size, the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 headset looks a bit cheburashkovo on the head. The headset, taking into account the weight equal to 395 grams, cannot be called a fluff, but thanks to soft ear cushions, a pillow over your head and the presence of a large space inside the cups, it practically does not put pressure on your head. However, sitting in it all day long will not work. The headset has a fairly large margin for accommodating voluminous heads, however, the length of the headband in the maximum extended position of the cups is very limited, and it may not suit someone. The noise isolation of the headset is at an average level, so in most cases, especially with the music being played, you will not hear anything, just as they will not hear you, but in noisy rooms (for example, on LANs) some difficulties may arise with this. Also, the level of noise isolation drops noticeably when using fabric ear cushions.
And in the course of the development of the review, we have already managed to get acquainted with almost the entire package, which includes a headset, a replaceable pair of ear pads, a fabric-braided cable, as well as waste paper and … A carrying case made of velvet fabric that is pleasant to the touch. I was very pleased with the approach of manufacturers to packaging: it looks powerful, solid and unusual, and even opens with a peculiar twist. In addition, the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 has the right to be called a full-fledged music headset, since inside it there is no less advanced stuffing: ESS Saber 9 DAC018 with 24-bit resolution and up to 96 kHz, as well as the ESS Saber 9601 amplifier. The manufacturer also uses 50 mm speakers of its own production and sealed acoustic chambers to ensure the best sound quality. But we care about the end result, right?
But the possibilities of the software can only be called meager. The headset is recognized in the Asus ROG Armory software, but the app can only change the backlight of the device. There are some other sections, but they all do not work with the headset. Strange … I would like to see at least the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone, but this will all have to be done using standard Windows tools. The second unpleasant moment is the mobile application. It does exist and works great with a headset, but it’s only released for Android smartphones. In general, everything is still damp in this part, and I would like to believe that after some time additional functions will be added to the software, as well as an application for iOS will be implemented.
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700’s sound character is unique and very far from most headsets, not only in this price segment, but in the gaming segment as a whole. Here, the emphasis is clearly placed on the acoustic properties of the headphones, so the feeling of a spacious and voluminous space around the head is the main trump card of these headphones. I would also like to note that the headset is completely devoid of all the shortcomings inherent in many closed acoustic models. However, it has a traditional V-shaped frequency response with accentuated bass and treble. And the bass here is worthy of separate consideration. It turned out to be velvety and soft, but assertive, airy, very dynamic, deep and driving, as if it connects when the situation requires it, and goes into the background when there is no need to show its character. It absolutely does not interrupt other frequency ranges and does not drown out all other frequencies, due to which the sound turned out to be as clear and detailed as possible.
The tops play very clearly, assertively, in some places even harshly, however, they also have exceptional clarity and intelligibility when playing music. And only the middle frequencies failed: they are frankly lacking in the entire frequency range — they are on the accompaniment of the upper and lower frequencies. On the one hand, this is good, since the vocal parts sound as pleasant as possible, because all parasitic sounds are absent, but in many moments the music partially loses its liveliness and expression, so many compositions in them may sound dry. And this situation can only be slightly improved by applying an equalizer.
However, the Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 headset does its best when used in games. The fact is that the underlined lower and upper frequencies allow you not only to enjoy the juicy roar on the battlefield, literally surrounding your head from all sides, but also to track any smallest changes in the behavior of the enemy. If you take not as large-scale shooters as Battlefield, but descend from heaven to earth and enter the same CS: GO, then the clarity of positioning is on the verge of fantasy and provides a result close to using in-ear headphones with much clearer sound positioning. Therefore, the headset, whatever one may say, has more of a gaming orientation, and you will get much more pleasure in games than when listening to music.
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 microphone captures the voice well, preserving its volume, timbre and color, however, in addition to clearly capturing the voice, the microphone also captures even light ambient background noise, so to cut off all parasitic noise, you will have to do a bit of magic on the sensitivity setting, especially if you you are not alone in the room.
The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 is, without exaggeration, a superb gaming headset with exceptional build quality and a range of modern features that allow you to use the device with both PC and mobile devices. It’s a bit of a pity that it doesn’t have wireless PC connectivity for a flagship model, but as a headset overall, it performs just amazing. This is exactly the case when the brilliant appearance reflects the hidden power of the inner content.
Of course, this headset will cost you a lot of money, and therefore it should be judged to the fullest extent of the law: it will perfectly match with all games, but as a universal device for listening to music, it may not be enough. Undoubtedly, listening to music with this headset is no less pleasant, but it reveals its full potential only in games. What is there, can’t be taken away. Therefore, all that remains to think about is the willingness to sacrifice a fraction of the musical component for the real enjoyment of musical accompaniment in games.