The Rog Delta S Animate is a new wired headset from ROG, and like the Flare II Animate it features that AniME Matrix on the ear cups and to be honest, while some may in fact like it, it's even more of a gimmick on the headset than it is the keyboard.
Out of the box, the Delta S animate are almost exactly the same in design as the Delta Core headset we reviewed last year. Only this time the Delta S Animate features a USB C cable and that all new ROG aniME Matrix, a collection of mini LED’s with a multitude of different ways you can customise and personalise your headset. The build quality is great and I am a fan of the overall design. The microphone is removable and the ear cups swivel allowing for them to sit flat on your chest when not in use. The controls are pretty basic, and I mean that in a good way. The left ear cup handles everything with a AniME matrix lighting switch and a volume control wheel and that's it. Other than that this is a very unassuming headset with minimal distractions, that is of course except the AniME Matrix on the earcups.
In terms of comfort this is where the Delta S animate is at its very best, they are truly one of the most comfortable headsets I've tested while managing to stay firmly on your head. A lot of headsets are either comfortable or stay firmly on your head. The Delta S animate manages to do both very well. The earcups are made from a very plush leatherette and the D shaped opening meant there was absolutely no issues with them hitting on my ears. Due to the plushness of the ear cups I can also confirm that these are very “glasses friendly”
The sound quality of the Delta S is pretty good for gaming. Specifically PC gaming! Don't get me wrong, it still sounds great on PS5, but due to the rather short, non removable USB-C cable you wind up sitting too close to the TV to enjoy it. However sitting at a PC at your normal distance from your monitor is where you can relax enough to really experience what the Delta S Animate has to offer. It delivers extremely clear and extremely positional sound meaning no matter what you're playing you can hear exactly where different sounds are coming from. Whether it be the voices of NPC’s, the groans of zombies in Dying Light 2 or the footsteps of your enemies in games like COD there will never be a moment where you don’t know where everyone is. Now the sound profile doesn't try to be super bassy like some headsets do, but what it does do is sound natural, very natural. In fact I'd say they are up there with some of the more natural sounding headsets I’ve tested. Personally, I feel that while the sound is good, I couldn't quite put it in the category of $319 good. At that price point there's definitely better options out there. For example the JBL Quantum 800 are currently on special for around $220 and are a much more feature packed and better sounding headset in my opinion.
While I feel there is definitely a market for the AniME Matrix, for me personally, it was very much a gimmick. If you're a streamer and want to add a bit of flare to your content for instance, the AniME matrix is a great way to do so. But for the average gamer, there is zero point in it. At least with the keyboard you can see it when using it, the headset however, you can't, rendering the whole thing literally pointless unless you're streaming or creating content. Like I said, there are definitely people out there who would love this feature. Personally I'm not a huge fan.
Let's talk about the microphone, because in my opinion, it is both really good and really poor at the same time. Where it really stands out is in noise cancellation. It does an excellent job of blocking out most background noise like fans or other household sound. However I feel this has been prioritised over actually creating a microphone that succeeds in its main objective and that is sounding good. The clarity and depth of my voice when using the microphone is extremely lackluster when compared to other headsets in the same and even lower price brackets. This is another reason why this headset is geared more towards streamers who would typically have a standalone mic capable of producing much cleaner and deeper sound.
Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
AniME Matrix | USB C cable too short |
Light weight | AniMe Matrix is a novelty |
Comfortable | No chat mixer controls |
| Poor microphone |
Ultimately, the ROG Delta S Animate’s biggest selling point is also one of the biggest gimmicks much like the Strix Flare 2 Animate. However, unlike the Strix Flare 2 Animate, the Delta S Animate doesn't really have any stand out features to propel this headset above the rest. As a result I feel the market for the Delta S Animate will be relatively niche and specific. You can get yours here.
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