Asus seemingly discovered a product category it hadn’t touched until now. With its announcement of the ROG Gjallar gaming soundbar, Asus officially enters the dedicated gaming speaker market. This is Asus’ first standalone audio system that isn’t headphones made for gaming and multimedia applications. It follows the ROG Kithara that launched earlier this year, another audio device aimed at a different market.
If you’re tired of having too much desk space, maybe the ROG Gjallar is for you. There are three bits included: the soundbar where most of the speakers live, a wireless subwoofer, and the audio control hub. You’re getting a 2.1.2-channel system here, comprising two tweeters and four full-range drivers. Some of those are angled forward, some are angled up, putting that Dolby Atmos support to good use in compatible games.
Blow on my horn, Gjallar
The wireless 6.5in 65W-rated subwoofer is probably a bit too big to fit on your table. Just as well, because subs belong on the floor. The only cable you’ll need to worry about hiding is the power cable, seeing as Asus use a dedicated 5GHz wireless connection for its sub.
Now, if you’re thinking ‘this can’t replace my headset because I need to shout at my teammates’, Asus already thought of that. It has added Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) microphones to the audio hub, making it suitable for voice chat in-game or in Teams if you’re meant to be working. It will also handle EQ settings, playback, and the all-important RGB lighting.
Connectivity has been well thought through; there are options for HDMI with eARC support, USB-C, Toslink optical audio, the 3.5mm AUX input you know and love, and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity (no word on supported codecs, however). The control hub will also let you plug in other USB things with its integrated expansion ports.
Unfortunately, Asus hasn’t said how much the ROG Gjallar will cost or where it will be available. Chances are slim that it will launch in South Africa initially. But we live in hope that it will turn up here eventually.
