SteelSeries Engine used to be a separate service, now it’s part of GG, and continues to work as simply as before – with options for headphone EQ, power saving, mic volume, etc., all in one page. Because It’s soft so you can hold it close to your mouth, so it works great when using it in noisy places. The Arctis Pro cuts above its two siblings. SteelSeries Arctis 9: Approx SteelSeries GG is the new one-stop shop for your SteelSeries software needs. SteelSeries headphones allow you to switch between multiple EQ and 7.1 surround sound presets, as well as create your own presets, which can be saved online and transferred to other PCs, just download the software, log in, and enjoy detailed sound while driving through loud , the deck of the noisy Astro Playroom, provides layered audio detail in Miles Morales’ battle roar. With more and more headsets being compatible with multiple platforms, we like the fact that out of the box the Arctis 7 will work with almost anything in your game library without having to buy any accessories. Volume controls and a power button on the right earcup make it easy to adjust settings on the go. All three headphones allow you to easily adjust the volume during use. To sum up, the overall quality of the three earphones is maintained at a very high level. We awarded the SteelSeries Arctis 7 Headphones Review a Silver Award for excellent build quality and value for money. Another aspect of the Arctis 7 that is popular with MMO enthusiasts is its battery life. Battery life is claimed to be 15 hours, and it did in our testing—even after a full day of gaming, we didn’t need to charge the headset mid-game.
While the headphones are rated for up to 300 hours of battery life, you probably won’t get there yet, but you’ll still likely see around 10 days of heavy use without a charge. Despite our best efforts not to fall in love, abuse the battery with days-long Apple playlists, test it with genres ranging from shooters to indie horror, and even chat it up on company video calls Middle management confronted, but it refused to be impressive on its own. After testing the Arctis 7 and over 20 other headsets, we found it to be the best choice for headphones. The headphones are well made, with a pleasing design aesthetic overlaid with a durable build, all of which contribute to our finding this to be a comfortable rig to wear for hours. No one wants to wear headphones for hours, hurting their ears or making them sweat. After using SteelSeries’ high-end Arctis 7 wireless model for a while, it’s clear that SteelSeries wants to give gamers the most comfortable experience without sacrificing great sound quality. So the compromise is pretty fair and evenly split between the three. All three headphones feature closed-back, circumaural earcups. On the earcups are volume controls, a mute button, and a chat mix. On the left earcup, you have a mic mute button, volume scroll wheel, mobile cable input, aux port, and micro USB port. While the Pro isn’t necessarily more powerful per se, it does give you more volume and headroom. The entire Arctis lineup features DTS Headphone:X 7.1 surround sound (Windows only) for an immersive gaming experience. For the Arctis 9, the dock gives you similar specs, but without the line-in and line-out jacks. A wireless dock where you can charge your headphones, and in addition to the line-in and line-out jacks, it also gives you an optical input. For those looking to satisfy needs beyond gaming and multimedia/communication, the Arctis Pro fits all the right boxes. You can get 7.1 surround sound like the SteelSeries Arctis 5, which is a really nice addition. Arctis 7 comes with stereo and DTS 7.1 surround sound. Not that you necessarily want that, as the Arctis 7 has a very clear, neutral sound – something that should please audiophiles. Arctis 9 comes with Windows Sonic Spatial Audio surround sound. Generally speaking, brands want to promote their gaming products, and let’s face it, wireless headsets tend to lag behind wired headsets by a few years when it comes to sound quality. This principle applies to our SteelSeries Arctis 7 skins, which guarantee removal without leaving any sticky residue. When listening to music, however, the performance leaves a lot to be desired. It’s also a lot cheaper than other wireless options, while still sounding really good.
It provides non-Bluetooth wireless audio and microphone compatibility with the latter. The latter are available in both analog and non-Bluetooth wireless formats. As the price goes up, you get better sound quality and more features like RGB lighting and wireless connectivity. However, the latter is limited to the SBC codec and therefore not as high quality as many wireless bluetooth headphones with codecs such as LDAC (Sony) or aptX HD/Adaptive. The latter is also included in the microphone. On Xbox, you get the audio and microphone compatibility you expect, as well as audio compatibility with non-Bluetooth wireless connections. But that’s missing when using an Xbox, and you just get regular audio and microphone compatibility. This is an additional function these headphones may be used for. Even when fully pushed in, there’s still a small bump that makes the Arctis 7 look very much like a headset, which is a shame considering how close they are to road headsets. Beneath the sleek frame, however, you’ll find all the tech necessary to immerse yourself in the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, and the Pulse 3D headset is the best way to get the most out of the new console’s audio. With the SteelSeries Engine 3 program, you can delve into countless different configurations and profiles for the best possible sound experience. It predicts the best and worst acoustic locations in your room based on your own speaker layout. MMOs also tend to eschew surround sound – the vast majority of which are best played on PC.Why You Can Trust T3 Our experts spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the one that’s right for you. However, the Arctis 7 (pictured) wins out with 28 hours of uninterrupted battery life, followed by the Arctis 9 at 25 hours.
Although it takes the least amount of time, a full charge takes only 1.3 hours compared to 3.3 and 2.4 hours for the Arctis 7 and 9 respectively. This is a mini 8-pin to four-pin 3.5mm jack that allows you to use your headset with your phone, console, or any other device that requires a 3.5mm jack. Flexible ear cups add comfort and allow you to flatten the device during transport. Last but not least, the Pro is the only one of the three to feature an L-shaped connector that won’t accidentally bend when you’re carrying the device around in your pocket or bag. It comes with a small, puck-shaped wireless transmitter (2.4GHz, not Bluetooth, so there’s no signal dropout) that connects to a PC or console via USB. It’s also USB powered and gives you line-in and line-out. While this requires a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable that connects the switch’s audio output to the transmitter’s line input, the headphones don’t come with it. People don’t usually associate the word “smooth” with gaming headsets, but the sound quality here is more nuanced and subtle than competing headsets: We’d happily listen to music for long periods of time with these headsets, thanks to their ethereal sound that’s mind-blowing. Impressive wide soundstage and effective active noise cancellation. Sound quality is key here, though, with the Nova Pro largely retaining Steelseries’ signature flat EQ, but with more pronounced bass found through the faux leather touchpoints. As you can see, Arctis Pro has the widest frequency range and SPL. Instead of using padding and memory foam to ease long-term wear, the earphones distribute their weight across the strap so it doesn’t put too much pressure on your head. Higher sound pressure levels are generally louder when used with equipment. Arctis 9 offers adjustable levels. The main differences are connectivity (the SteelSeries 7 has no bluetooth), weight (the Pro is the lightest yet), mic controls (the Arctis 9 has adjustable levels), and sound (the frequency range increases for these headphones are in order of height, while the virtual Surround sound systems are also different). Design: The SteelSeries Pro is the lightest and highest quality of the three. The SteelSeries Pro (see picture) is the lightest and highest quality of the three. All three headphones use the iconic SteelSeries engine as an app, giving you a choice of preset EQs that you can tweak to your liking. Finally, battery life varies by headset (the SteelSeries 7 had the longest battery life, the Pro the shortest). But the battery life of a multimedia headset is also a deciding factor for gaming and everyday use.
