ASUS Cerberus V2 Gaming Headset Review

Introduction & Specifications

This time on my desk I have ASUS’ Cerberus V2 gaming headset which features exclusive 53mm Asus Essence drivers to deliver incredible audio quality and wrap-around ear cushions to help improve comfort and sound insulation. The Cerberus V2 is also a multi platform headset with compatibility for Phones, PC (requires included splitter), Mac, PlayStation 4 and Xbox one for great audio wherever you go. The headset also features a brand-new stainless steel headband to both provide better durability as well as stability and an overall more stylish look. One of the many features is the dual microphones which capture clear sound for both gaming and general audio input tasks. The Cerberus V2 is also available in three colours red, blue, and green. Join me on this journey and take look at this smart, comfy and great performing headset!

Specifications

• 3.5 mm(1/8”) connector Audio/mic combo
• Platforms:
• PC
• MAC
• Mobile device
• PlayStation® 4
• Xbox One®
• Driver diameter: 53 mm
• Driver Material: Neodymium magnet
• Impedance
• 32 Ohm
• Frequency Response (Headphones)
• 20 ~ 20000 Hz
• Microphone boom:
• Uni-directional
• Inline Microphone:
• Omni-directional
• Frequency Response Microphone boom:
• 50 ~ 10000 Hz
• Inline Microphone:
• 50 ~ 10000 Hz
• Sensitivity Microphone boom:
• Sensitivity : -40 dB ± 3 dB
• Inline Microphone:
• Sensitivity : -45 dB ± 3 dB
• Braided headset cable 1.2m + audio/mic splitter cable
• Audio/mic splitter cable
• Detachable microphone
• User guide

The Closer look

So straight away from a closer look at the Cerberus V2 headset you can see the build quality is good with no rough spots on the painted metal headband nor are there any rough looking edges, which is impressive to see on metal work. The attention to detail is mightily impressive too with a matching green stitch across the foam headband portion. The headset also has a Cerberus logo on each side of earphone cup portions as well as the name embossed across the headband. I also like the subtle Cerberus name printed on the metal headband on each side as it’s in a lighter green but not too bright so as to distract the eye from a look over the rest of these aesthetically pleasing headphones.

I’ve been quite a fan of the current braided cable trend, this headset doesn’t buck that trend with a really subtle black braided cable from the headphones along to the splitter used for PC connections. The connectors, upon closer inspection, appear to be gold plated which can help to give a better conductivity for a clearer audio signal which is more of a quality detail. I really like the full over ear cups that ASUS has gone with on the Cerberus V2 Headset, the black and green theme on the version I have is followed across the whole device which is great to see. The insides of the ear cups are bright green while the cushioning is in black and as I mentioned the two tone theme is used right across the headset although the majority of the colour is black I feel like the green has been used as an accent which is really nice to see as I think anymore colour may make this headset feel a little over the top.

The design is also quite innovative, in my opinion, as ASUS has chosen to go with a removable boom mic so the headset can be used like a nice super comfy pair of headphones with your mobile device thanks to its inline mic. When you plug in the boom mic into the left ear cup the Cerberus V2 becomes a fully fledged headset with a mic sponge. The padding is also just right as too little would make for an uncomfortable and the automatically adjusting headband is spot on as it keeps the headset in a position which is just right.

Performance 

This portion of my review, I imagine for some readers, is the important part. How does it perform? Well, it performs pretty great, the headset I used to have was great but the Cerberus is one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve ever used. I have also been told that since getting this headset I no longer sound like I’m in a toilet which is always a huge bonus and the audio quality is brilliant for a non-USB powered headset which is a double bonus as it frees up a USB port and means no drivers needed to get it going. You will need to utilise the splitter jack that ASUS provide as this splits the single, mobile device friendly 3.5mm jack, into a dual PC friendly jack for audio out and mic line in which I’ve found to be a really good high-quality input and really crisp and clear.

I felt that as the box showed it was compatible with phones I had to give it a try and I’ve got to say I’m pretty impressed with the audio quality and I know I’ve already mentioned but they are ridiculously comfortable. The Cerberus V2 works excellently as an extended youtube or mobile video watching session pair of headphones which is always going to be a win in my book. Impressively for such a large ear cup diameter there is very minimal sound bleed which is a good, I can have my audio pumped up and it’s not loud enough for anyone else to hear and as a little bonus they also blot out background sound. The only thing I really could wish for is the audio cable to be a hair longer but to be honest at its current length is more than ample for sitting back and relaxing so it’s not a major gripe for me just one to be aware of.

Conclusion

So after that whirlwind review, “What are my closing thoughts?”, I hear you say. Well, I feel that this headset ticks many boxes on my check list. Those boxes being how comfortable it is, high-quality audio and decent mic audio input which as you’ve seen the Cerberus V2 Headset fills all the boxes and then some. I was also surprised by the fact I can happily use the headset for several hours at a time with no discomfort, this is perfect when I get lost in games and lose track of time. The pricing for the headset is also quite modest bearing in mind how well it performs, at the time of writing you can pick it up for around £60 when you search the web a little, so from me this gets the Play3r design award for its comfort and audio quality plus it’s not a massive expense for excellent quality. The attention to detail is also a contributor towards me awarding the design award with the braided cables and clean colour lines on the whole headset.

Do I think you should drop your old headset if it still works perfectly then? Not really, but if you are looking for a top notch upgrade or a refresh for older hardware the Cerberus V2 headset will more than likely fit the bill for you. So if you have gone and gotten your mitts on one let us know what you think and are you glad you made the jump because I certainly am.