Steelseries arctis 1 wireless review

SteelSeries has rounded out its Arctis line of gaming headsets with a new 2. We put the Arctis 1 through its paces to see if it delivers on all its promise. Visually, the Arctis 1 Wireless headset is distinctly an Arctis headset, and yet it still sports a dramatic shift in appearance.

The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless are good gaming headphones that can be used both wired and wirelessly. They come with a wireless dongle that provides minimal latency to ensure a quality gaming experience without noticeable delay. They're decently comfortable, they have fairly well-balanced audio reproduction, and there's a 6-band EQ available in the companion app. Unfortunately, they feel a bit cheaply made and don't have the best consistency across different users, so your experience may vary. On the upside, they have a decent boom microphone and can last around 25 hours when using them wirelessly. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless are decent for neutral sound. The overall sound profile is fairly well-balanced and accurate, although they struggle to deliver a consistent audio reproduction across different users, which means that your experience may vary.

Steelseries arctis 1 wireless review

SteelSeries' Arctis 1 offers a more affordable wireless option while still delivering a pair of cans that live up to the Arctis name. The headset lacks the ability to detail subtle sound cues, like footsteps. But there are few headsets in this price range that have the same bang for the buck. Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless is a very meat-and-potatoes gaming headset. It has everything you need out of the box to enjoy reliable wireless audio with PC titles, plus PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Android. This ease of use coupled with its simple design go a long way toward making it one of the more compelling choices in its price range. However, some comfort and microphone flaws prevent this from being the best gaming headset to grace our lab. SteelSeries keeps things simple with the Arctis 1 Wireless. This headset is decidedly no frills and sports an elegant, understated design that speaks for itself. The Arctis 1 Wireless has a matte black finish for a stealthy look, with the Steelseries logo appearing in silver on both earcups. In this age of RGB everything, the Arctis 1 Wireless is free of blingy gimmicks and would be equally at home at the gaming desk or the office cubicle. The power button also doubles as a multimedia control, allowing you to answer and end calls with a single press and pause, play, skip and reverse with a single, double and triple press, respectively. Additionally, there is very little noticeable flex in the headband.

Steelseries arctis 1 wireless review claims a signal range of approximately 30 feet, and my testing confirmed this. While the SteelSeries have a more comfortable over-ear design, the Turtle Beach are in-ears that are more portable and breathe better during longer gaming sessions. They also have a detachable boom mic that can give them a more casual look.

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. When I travel, I like to spend the bulk of my time with my headphones on, doing pretty much nothing. The three-hour train trip to Seattle is lovely as a silent movie, accompanied by my own personal music. I stare out the window, occasionally play something on my Nintendo Switch, read something, or—if the Wi-Fi works— grind through my weekly bounties in Destiny 2. I'm in my own little world, and I love it.

The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless provides an excellent wireless Switch experience, but it may not be comfortable to wear for long game sessions. Find out more about how we test. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless looks to answer a problem that every Nintendo Switch owner has run into: where can you get a wireless headset that's compatible with the Switch, with minimal fuss? You see, right now, there are plenty of Bluetooth dongles available for the Nintendo Switch, but all of them require some degree of fuss in order to get to work. With the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless, the wireless connection is handled with a single 2. SteelSeries peripherals are generally pretty low-key — the designs don't attract too much attention. And, this is generally true for the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless, too.

Steelseries arctis 1 wireless review

The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless are good gaming headphones that can be used both wired and wirelessly. They come with a wireless dongle that provides minimal latency to ensure a quality gaming experience without noticeable delay. They're decently comfortable, they have fairly well-balanced audio reproduction, and there's a 6-band EQ available in the companion app. Unfortunately, they feel a bit cheaply made and don't have the best consistency across different users, so your experience may vary. On the upside, they have a decent boom microphone and can last around 25 hours when using them wirelessly. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless are decent for neutral sound. The overall sound profile is fairly well-balanced and accurate, although they struggle to deliver a consistent audio reproduction across different users, which means that your experience may vary. On the upside, these headphones are pretty comfortable and perform well at max volume. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless are sub-par for commuting.

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This ease of use coupled with its simple design go a long way toward making it one of the more compelling choices in its price range. It sounds clear and easy to understand, although voices sound a bit thin and bright. If you care about accurate audio reproduction and customization, go for the SteelSeries, but if you prefer a more comfortable option that has a very good microphone, then the HyperX are the better option. SteelSeries boasts on the box that the Arctis 1 Wireless can last up to 20 hours on a single charge. These headphones have a sub-par passive soundstage. Clamping Force. Additionally, there is very little noticeable flex in the headband. We put the Arctis 1 through its paces to see if it delivers on all its promise. Within just a few minutes of wearing the headset, I noticed a significant increase in temperature around my ears. PC Latency aptX. You also don't have to worry about battery life or latency issues since they're wired. No iPhone Lightning port compatibility. Battery life. These headphones have great bass accuracy. If you play online, the microphone sounds decent, although it lacks a bit of detail.

Pick up the SteelSeries Arctis 1 if you want a simple wireless headset for the Switch — and every other system you own. Steer clear if you need a model with extremely high-end sound, though. Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you.

Volume In terms of raw numbers, I got about 19 hours of battery life out of that single charge. Whether you're listening to music, or playing Fire Emblem on a plane ride, you won't be disappointed. The 7 Edition are more versatile since you can use them wirelessly or wired, while the 1 are for wired use only. Head Modeling. Noise Cancelling No. There was also no noticeable lag or sound degradation. It's able to separate background noise from your voice well, which is very useful if you play games in a moderately noisy environment. Turtle Beach Stealth Wireless. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless is controlled through buttons on the body of the headset. And, while its lacking some high-end features of headsets more oriented to the PC, it should work just fine there, too — even if it isn't comfortable enough for that hour WoW Classic binge. The SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless are just okay for the office. Yes, though the plastic surrounding the port and the plug itself has been custom molded to fit a certain shape. If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Find out more about how we test.