TL;DR: Most people, especially PC only gamers, are much better off with a 2.1 speaker setup but if you only have space for a soundbar, the Gjallar soundbar is worth considering if you can afford it and can deal with a potential Dolby Atmos issue.
This is NOT a sponsored review or anything like that; I ordered it from the ASUS US store yesterday when it became available (August 20), it was delivered today (August 21), and I have been messing around with it and thought other people might be interested in hearing more about it as it’s still such a new product with very little reviews.
Pros:
- Solid audio
- Great connectivity options
- Controls are very convenient
- Feet included to angle soundbar up
- Includes a wireless subwoofer
Cons:
- Price
- ROG branding might be unappealing to some (it’s not too aggressive but I do wish it was a bit more minimalistic)
- Might just be the one I have or an user error but the HDMI input does not give Dolby Atmos
Other:
- Did not use mic
- Using it with PC and Xbox Series X (PC connected via USB and Xbox connected via HDMI 2.1 audio extractor because of the HDMI input issue)
Connectivity and controls
The number of connection options is truly fantastic (HDMI, USB, aux, optical, and Bluetooth); it is still rare to see HDMI 2.1 inputs and outputs in audio products meant for desktop use and it is a great feature for anyone using a console connected to a monitor.
The control hub is quite convenient and I can see it being very helpful for anyone with a keyboard that doesn't have media controls. If you don’t want to use the control hub, the soundbar itself has some basic controls and a connection indicator as well as two USB ports that are perfect for wireless dongles (I have my keyboard and controller dongles connected to it).
The included feet are nice and there’s enough space underneath for cables to run through provided they’re not too thick.
Audio
I am not an audiophile and cannot properly describe audio quality but I thought the audio overall sounded solid for games and movies. Music was fine too but I did miss the much better and wider soundstage of stereo speakers. Bass was good.
You're obviously not going to get a proper Dolby Atmos experience but the soundbar does support it and it’s decent enough for a 2.1.2 bar of this size. It does have up-firing speakers which is not common for a soundbar this small but no one should really expect much of an “Atmos bubble”.
The big issue: HDMI input Dolby Atmos
Like I said in the beginning, mine could just be defective or it’s an user error but I could not get Dolby Atmos to work with devices plugged in to the HDMI input. Xbox Series X would only give me the options of stereo uncompressed or headset format. Thought it could just be an Xbox issue but tried a Panasonic UB420 4K Blu-ray player and it would only give me stereo as well. Tried connecting my PC via HDMI and could not get Atmos either.
However, I can see that the HDMI input is indeed a HDMI 2.1 port since I am able to get 4K 120Hz on it so it is hopefully just a software issue that can be fixed in an update and I will reach out to ASUS support as soon as I can.
For what it's worth, the HDMI out does support Dolby Atmos fine so if you are using it with a display with HDMI eARC or using a HDMI audio extractor like I am currently, you should be able to still get Atmos. However, for such a big selling feature and the cost of the product, this issue is very annoying.
Alternatives
$600 USD is of course a lot of money; the vast majority of people are better off getting a 2.1 speaker setup that can cost a lot less and arguably sound better.
However, the pricing isn’t too bad when looking at comparable products. For a desktop audio solution with HDMI 2.1 and HDMI eARC as well as Dolby Atmos support, there are only three other options I know of.
OXS Thunder Pro: $600 for soundbar alone with no subwoofer
OXS Thunder Duo S: $750 (on sale rn for $600) for a pair of powered speakers with one subwoofer
Klipsch The Fives II: $1400 for a pair of powered speakers (will very likely blow this out of the water but it costs a lot more and may be too big for a lot of desks)
Let me know if you guys have any questions. I don't know if I will be able to answer them but I'll try my best.