SteelSeries Arctis 7 - Lossless Wireless Gaming Headset with DTS Headphone: X v2.0 Surround - for PC and PlayStation 4 - Black

Comfort: This headset is the most comfortable headset I have ever owned! I often forget Im wearing them as I walk away from my PC because I hardly notice them. Which is by far the best quality this headset possesses in my opinion. Sound: The sound quality is pretty good as well. Im not an audiophile, but this headset definitely has better sound quality than the Corsairs I had before (and I LOVED that headset). Features: The surround sound is pretty good, just like any other headset Ive used. There is a 2 channel volume system which ROCKS. So you have the ability to adjust between chat or your game being louder with a dial on the headset itself, I absolutely love this feature. The sound profiles on the headset are cool and all, but I honestly dont notice much of a difference between the options. The sidetone... is really quiet. I can barely hear myself talk, because the side tone is so bad and the noise cancellation is so good! This is one of the 2 reasons I did not give 5 stars. The other reason I did not give 5 stars, is the software you use to make changes to settings. Its TERRIBLE half the time the changes I make dont apply (yes its plugged in), the other half of the time so much as opening the software causes a high pitch beep that doesnt go away unless I reboot the headset. So overall, this is a really nice headset and its definitely worth the money. But the devils in the details, and I just wish those 2 previously mentioned things were implemented better, because theyd make this headset perfect in my opinion.

But I cant. In fact, I usually dont write 3 star reviews, but in some ways, I feel like Im being generous. I actually have two of these headsets. I personally found them so comfortable, that when I had to stop b/c of running out of power (and FYI, the 24 hour estimate is hogwash!) I wanted a second pair to put on, despite the annoyance of having to go into Windows to reset my audio every whatever. Heres the thing though. This set has a TON of quirks that Ive just never seen in another set. And, TL;DR - its enough for me to finally give up on the most comfortable headset ever. 1. Beeping. Go google it. Youll find TONS of people saying the thing beeps, and there are just as many solutions, but in my case, none of them work. Get this: even muting system sounds doesnt make it stop. Somehow, this has a receiver thats sitting not three feet from the headset itself, yet, it still makes disconnection sounds, sometimes, about ten in 5 seconds. Yes, that fast. Its insane. 2. As mentioned by others, distortion. Dropping $150 on a headset, you figure you can crank this puppy up, but nope. Particularly with voices (like watching 90% of youtube or twitch), when a person is talking, its very easy to pick up a lot of cracking and distortion. 3. The aforementioned time. Good grief, Im lucky if I get ten hours out of this thing after a year. Its certainly not 20+. 4. is related to 3 so...I did figure out this one issue - I had thought it wouldnt take a charge, but in actuality, theres a bug in the software where the green light on the power button (which is where you know its charged) turns red.. and STAYS RED. It was out of the warranty period, so I bought another headset, but turns out, that if you leave it plugged in while its charging, and then turn it on, while plugged in, the light turns back to green. ...? WTF! Yes, its a known bug, they havent fixed it (and face it, they wont now) but, if you have this headset - youre welcome. /eyeroll 5. Volume. As others have noted, at MAX setting there are times when I can barely hear whats being played, which is kind of insane. I have a Razer Synapse that performs WAY better. I just have to assume their governor in the Arctis 7 is set to protect the user, but in fact, its really disappointing. Im all for not blaring music, but this is ridiculous. 6. Did I mention the beeping? Ive tried so many things - moving the receiver (it comes with one that is already 3 feet long - it sits on my desk). I also learned that plugging a headset into a USB hub can cause issues (and it did seem to get a little better when I took out that thing from the loop) but it didnt fix the problem. And, when its fully charged, it seems like it works a bit better. Sometimes I can get a few hours without any beeps. But then, another time, Ill pull it off the shelf (I have three headsets hanging on the wall behind me) and BAM.. fresh off a charger, it beeps at me about 30 times in a minute, and I just give up and go back to a Razer I have. I definitely cannot recommend this headset to anyone else. I read on many websites a few years ago how this one went back and forth with a few other brands for being the best available at the time, but I just dont see it. When they have several common errors that they refuse to fix, one just has to assume its the company not willing to go the distance. Am now in search of another wireless headset that

I really wanted to like this headset and have it be the one I relied on for many years. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. Ive recently switched to a Logi PRO X set and like it much better. Out of the box, they worked great. I am on a Win 10 machine, updated, nothing goofy about the setup or anything. Then, they started disconnecting randomly mid-game. This became predictable and happened 1-3 times per session, and I only game for a few hours at a time tops. I dealt for a while, relocated the adapter, checked for interference in my home to the best of my ability. It ended up just stopping one day randomly, kind of like how it started. Fast forward a couple of months of it working without issue. Suddenly disconnects again AND with the update to SSGG 22.0, the EQ broke. I tried every fix I could find online. Reinstalled, reset button on the unit, etc... I can only get the EQ and Sidetone (which I rely on) working if I do this goofy dance of powering it off/on/off/saving an EQ change/reverting the change. But, when they inevitably disconnect shortly after that - it undoes all that and EQ/Sidetone is broken again. Sigh.... Dont bother. I lament not having gone Logi initially, since thats my usual go-to brand for stuff like this.

I’ve been using this headset exclusively for gaming on both my PC and PS4 for a month and a half now. Overall, I’d say it’s a very good headset and a nice upgrade from my Logitech G930 headset. Sound - (5/5) quality sound on both the PC and PS4. Take note that you don’t get true 7.1 surround sound on the console - that’s only capable on the PC. Mic - (4/5) my friends say that I cut out sometimes when I talk. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s too far from my mouth but I haven’t had any other complaints. The mic is also retractable, which is pretty convenient. Aesthetics - (4/5) pretty solid looking headset. They didn’t cheap out on the materials used. However, I’m not a big fan of the strap to adjust the fit on your head. It’ll be a hit or miss for some people. Comfort - (2.5/5) The biggest letdown with this headset. After gaming for at least 3 hours the top of my ears start to hurt. I have a rather average sized head and ears so I was so disappointed to find out that they bothered my ears after prolonged gaming. This could be a make or break for many but I’d advise seeing if other reviewers are having the same issue. Button placement - (3/5) for some reason they placed all the buttons right where your hands would grab when you’re pulling them off your head, so it’s easy to accidentally change up some settings. The mute button is also on the back left side of the headset, so it isn’t easily accessible and will have you clumsily feeling around before you press it. Tip: if you’re using this headset for the first time and cannot hear your fellow gamers in voice chat, you need to roll the wheel on the bottom right side of the headset. There’s a setting that allows you to drown out voice chat and turn up the game’s audio instead. Hope this helped!

You know, I want so much to love this headset. In fact, I do, BUT.... This is my second round with this thing. I can say off the top that while the sound quality is great and the dual volume controls are great. Noon e complains that I cut in and out or they cant really hear me- NONE of that technical piece is missing. I have a friend that I game with who has the same headset and he sounds great and there is never any issue. I can even walk almost to the end of my driveway before really starting to cut out. I hate the charging port. I dont think it is sturdy on the inside. I try to be very cautious and deliberate about plugging in the cable, because with my first one, the port completely went into the head-set and I couldnt charge it. Thus the need for round two. I think there needs to be guidance about the multiple settings though that appear in the sound... Arctis chat v. Arctis game...because it is not as intuitive as it seems. This had never happened before, but this last week I got a loud mechanical buzz sound that was fixed when I switched to the other of the two. Whenever it happens, I figure I just picked the wrong one...then I switch to the other and its fine. So not sure what thats about. My friend and I both are starting to notice that and cant seem to figure out why. I like this headset primarily because it is light on my head. I like the dual volume controls, I like the sound quality especially, but not the charging port and this new recent-fixable- buzz noise.

I picked up the Arctis 7 2019 Edition (not to be confused with the Legacy Edition) for a mere $118 + tax, and it is by far highest quality product Ive ever seen at this price point. Simply put, everything about this headset screams luxury straight out of the box. The design is sleek, sturdy, and visually satisfying. Its incredibly difficult to see a difference in build quality between the Arctis 7 and most $400 flagship headsets. The design is just the tip of the iceberg: I was pleasantly surprised to hear these for the first time. They deliver an audible punch that is hard to find in wireless headphones at this price. While I initially assumed theyd sound good enough for a cheap gaming headset, these exceeded my expectations. Theyre loud, smooth, clear, & the bass packs a punch. There is no noticeable lag or delay. The equalizer you can play around with in the easy-to-use SteelSeries Engine 3 software allows for almost endless customization. The microphone itself is on par with the quality of the audio, and indeed is one of the best you can get on a wireless gaming headset. I was satisfied with how my voice comes through clearly with no obvious change in tone or pitch. I sound much better through these headphones than I do when, say, listening to recorded playback of my voice through a smartphone video. This headset also does everything you need it to with gaming. They handle cinematic-style audio with flying colors, and youll feel fully immersed while playing your games. I tested these on Diablo 3 and Metro: Exodus, and wearing the headset really boosted the experience. The directional audio is flawless; its easy to determine where sounds are coming from and having this feature activated doesnt sacrifice the quality of audio. While playing Metro, a Watchman came charging from behind me. I could very clearly hear its footsteps running across a train-cart, and I nearly had a heart attack! Id forgotten how much more terrifying/intense directional audio can make games, but also how useful it is. Comfort is one of the most crucial features of the Arctis 7, which fit my head straight out of the box. Right away I noticed how comfortable they are, especially the plush, airy, well-made ear cushions which fit snugly around my ears. Thanks to the air-weave fabric, my ears dont feel hot or get sweaty at all. I can also barely feel the adjustable strap, which fits around the top of my head snugly, but not too tightly. The only gripe I have, which is minor and doesnt bother me too much, is that the set does feel a little bit heavy due to being made with high quality material. But Id much prefer this than the set feeling cheap or flimsy. My neck was a little stiff from wearing them, but Ive gotten used to it with time. In the end, I couldnt be happier with this purchase. I was facing a dilemma: unsure if I was willing to buy a wireless headset at this price. My rationale was that wireless wouldnt be worth it if it meant sacrificing audio quality, so I almost didnt buy them. I was certain that it wasnt possible to find a quality wireless headset without spending hundreds. Man, was I wrong! After reading reviews, I just had a gut feeling that these would be what I was hoping for, and they turned out to be that and more. Theres obviously a reason they were rated the Best Gaming Headset of 2019 by numerous reviewers. I absolutely, without hesitation, recommend these to anyone who just wants an amazing gaming headset without needing studio quality sound. Below is the list of features and how Id rate them: Overall Audio: 4.0 / 5.0 stars Directional Audio: 4.8 / 5.0 stars Microphone: 4.7 / 5.0 stars Build & Design: 4.8 / 5.0 stars Ease of Use: 5.0 / 5.0 stars Comfort & Fit: 4.8 / 5.0 stars Packaging: 3.9 / 5.0 stars Value: 4.7 / 5.0 stars Overall: 4.5 out of 5.0. Amazing product! Highly recommend!

So I purchased this just weeks ago and I was so excited because this was my first foray into wireless headsets. Furthermore, I did my research and was deciding between Razer, Steelseries and Logitech. Most review websites were raving about the superior sound quality of the Steelseries Arctis 7. Well guess what? The sound is crap. Fresh out the box, I updated the Steelseries Engine 3 software and patched the headset, but the soundstage in my ears was skewed around 30 degrees to the left. That means that everything I hear in my ears seems to be coming from the left. Sometimes, there was nothing to the right. Whether I was listening to music or playing games, the sound was skewed to the left. I tried tweaking different settings in the Engine 3 but to no avail. So I did what any logical person would do -- I contacted the Steelseris customer service on 30 September 2018. Every reply from them takes around 2 - 3 working days. Slow responses notwithstanding, the customer service representative did not seem to know why the issue was happening. He only suggested 2 options. Firstly, he told me to reset the hardware via a magical button hidden in the left earcup. I had to peel off the cushioning, find one of those iPhone pins, and then hold the button for a certain amount of time, at which point the headset should reset. There is no indication anywhere so I had to just hope it worked. (It works when you realise you have to re-pair the headset to the USB receiver that came with it.) After re-pairing with the receiver, the issue was improved by maybe 5 degrees but the soundstage was still skewed to the left. The issue becomes more apparent at lower volumes. The customer service reps next solution was to go straight to the RMA process. After asking me to send in my receipt, they agreed to RMA the product conditionally if I send in evidence (screenshot) of the destroyed product - i.e. breaking off the left earcup and showing the serial number. Which I did on 14 October. Its 16 October and my reply from them was that my RMA is declined -- with NO EXPLANATION WHATSOEVER WHY. So basically, lets recap -- Steelseries sold me a product that has some weird issue, took 2 weeks to correspond with me, agreed to RMA my purchase, and then after I had destroyed it, proceeded to screw me over and tell me the RMA is rejected. Take this as a lesson learnt -- DO NOT BUY THEIR PRODUCTS. WONKY. FAULTY. PATHETIC CUSTOMER SERVICE. AND WILL ABSOLUTELY SCREW YOU OVER FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

All the advertised features (besides stereo sound and microphone) have stopped working for me on Windows 10. I had my suspicions, but the issue didnt become apparent until I was watching Netflix show that had 5.1 audio, and noticed I was missing the center audio channel (I could hear background noises, but there was no dialog). I switched over to my 5.1 speaker system and confirmed the problem was only with the Arctis 7. The headphone software allows you to toggle 7.1 audio on, but offers absolutely no solutions for testing. Windows does not light up the Configure button on either of the Arctis 7 audio devices, so its also impossible to test from there. Since the problem only started after reinstalling Windows 10 after getting a new motherboard / CPU, it seems like the problem is a conflict with my onboard audio system / software. What is Steel Series solution? Uninstall all other audio software on your computer, uninstall any VPN software, then follow a series of troubleshooting steps (remove all Arctis devices from Device Manager, uninstall software, reboot, etc). I tried this the best I could, but it did not resolve the issue. The request to uninstall all other audio software / any VPN software (WTF?) is totally absurd in this day and age and is not happening. Im also not going to spend hours and hours troubleshooting a terribly designed product (I did that way too much when I was younger). --- Beyond the above deal breaker / in terms of the other headset features / quality, its so-so. The audio quality sounded good in 7.1 mode while it lasted, but was not as good as my previous Logitech set. The stereo audio sounds very muddy / tinty; its almost unbearable. Now I only use this headset when my other bluetooth headset is recharging. The build quality is surprisingly good, but the Volume Wheel and Chat Mix wheels are terribly placed; your thumbs naturally rest on them when you don / doff the headphones, frequently causing you to accidentally roll one of the wheels (more on this below). The microphone pull out system and the mic mute button are great. I wish the headset had a basic pause / play button, and maybe even skip forward / skip back buttons. The software has always been a complete nightmare, ranging from frustration, to facepalm design choices: -Why doesnt it have a popup notification via Windows 10 saying the battery is low? -Why do I need to get 3 clicks deep to just see the battery level? I have to: expand system tray list > double click the slow / clunky software > be greeted with a home screen full of advertisements I didnt consent to > click Engine > wait 10 seconds for it to load the battery level. Why cant I right click the sys tray icon (or hover) for the battery percentage? It seems like Steel Series deliberately made you click through their home screen full of ads to get to the battery percentage. -Why is the battery level displayed as a microscopic 3 bar battery icon instead of just giving me the percentage? Or why cant I hover over that little battery icon to get a full percentage? -Why cant I disable the useless (never works) Chat Mix feature? I cant tell you how many times Ive accidentally slid the Chat Mix roll wheel all the way down, effectively muting the device, and wasted a couple minutes trying to figure out the problem. Why do I need to go to insane lengths to get the feature to work in the first place? It seems like Steel Series is deliberately trying to make it extremely cumbersome to switch to another audio device (effectively forcing away the competition).

Have had about a week. Bought to replace my Hyperx Cloud Flights (which I bought to replace my Corsair HS70s!) As I review these I just finished a 5 hour gaming session, no usually my longest but the comfort is there. Still waiting to see if they give pain in my ears/face/jaw area like the two previous sets did but I think the outlook is well. You are required to install Engine 3 from SteelSeries to access battery meter and equalizer settings, no surprise there. Engine 3 uses a purely 3 bar battery for means of telling you how much charge is left.. % would have been better as 1 bar can mean anything from 5-30%! The ski band is kinda quirky but I can appreciate them trying something different. Despite it looking strange its actually quite comfortable to wear. The earphones also have a nice swivel that my previous headphones did not.. I think these two niches really set the headset apart from others on the market. Microphone is somewhat a mixed bag. You get a giant red led letting you know its off.. okay. While fully extended it doesnt seem to go right near your mouth so youre kind of talking out the side of your mouth to make sure its working. Sidetone users REJOICE! This headset has Sidetone from None, to Low, Medium and High; very good to include! I believe these are worth a try and if you like them definitely keep. The price is a bit high but I understand SteelSeries is a solid peripheral manufacturer.

I was hesitant to buy this because of the reviews of the old version but I have been quite happy with the 2019 edition so far. Pros: - Sound quality is top notch. You can discern even the tiniest sounds with these. It surprised me at first because I couldnt tell what it was until I really listened and figured out it was a tiny sound I normally wouldnt hear. Very good for gamers and hearing footsteps. - Very Comfortable. The pads feel like youre not wearing anything. Most headsets squeeze my head after a few hours but these I wore all day without any problems. I like the adjustable strap they have as well. - Decent Range. I was able to go halfway across my house until the signal finally dropped but thats also going through quite a few walls. In the open, I would say you could get about 40-50 ft. before the signal drops. Cons: - The Microphone. While I dont expect it to be the top of the line, my old $60 HyperX headset was far superior to this mic. I have to lower my mic volume down to 50% so people dont hear the background noise the mic inherently picks up. I tried putting some noise reducing foam on it but that didnt seem to help at all. I will wait to see if it has the same problem as the previous version I see people complaining about in reviews about the mic not working after a few months but so far all is good - Volume settings on the back of the headset, While not a terrible problem, does cause a bit of an annoyance when you lay your head back or brush your hand up against it accidentally. Ive unknowingly done this a couple times and either almost blew my ears out or turned it all the way down without realising. - Headset sometimes makes a crackling sound if you get to far away from the dongle. One time I had to turn them off and back on to get rid of it. TLDR: Overall the headset is pretty nice for a wireless headset besides the fairly bad mic quality. Great sound quality, good range, very comfortable, good battery life for now. I will update my review after Ive had it a few more months to see if its still just as good.