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

Ive never had a headset that is so nice so it is a little hard for me to compare them to what else is out there but I will say that I really do love these. My main reason for getting them was that I wanted a better directional audio experience while gaming and these definitely provide that. Also huge plus is that they are wireless and that happens to be perfect for me. My chair would roll over the long cord I had on my other headphones and these being wireless is amazing. I can wear them around the house and get to listen to my jams while doing the dishes or even while taking the dog out back (although they will start to cut out in the backyard, they work well out there for the most part). These also hook up to my controller so I am able to use them on my Xbox as well, which is a large part of the reason I went for these. My only complaint would be the wireless receiver and its round shape. Its great that you can hook up a line in or out so that when your headset is off the sound will go through the speakers you have. The downside is that because of the rounded shape, you have to jam the aux cord into the plugs so else it will not pick one or even both speakers and appear that it doesnt work. I checked around and found out on reddit that people were having the same problem. Luckily the material is a not-so-hard rubber so I was able to really (and I mean REALLY) jam the aux cord into the line out so that sound would finally play out of both of my speakers and not just one side. That said, I still give this headset 5 stars because it is at such a good price point and I really feel you do get a lot for your money with this one. It looks great, its extremely comfortable and it is so perfect for what I needed. I dont think I could have gotten all of this out of a different headset for the same price and I am very happy with this purchase thus far.

This review is meant to clarify the actual compatibility of this headset with the PS4, so people can make a more informed decision about whether a purchase is justified. This product is marketed heavily as being compatible for the PS4, and like many other reviews will state, the virtual surround sound setting does not work on the PS4. Ive read SteelSeries representative responses that it cant be done because of the proprietary nature of the PS4 sound output, so that the USB dongle cant communicate correctly with the output from the PS4 to determine positioning (which to me is not valid excuse for not adding any sound improvement feature on the PS4, you can still have EQ settings that help with sound). This explains why for PC use, the sound is good. On the PC, you can install SteelSeries software that will allow the headset to have EQ settings, and a virtual surround sound. It may seem like a small issue, and I certainly thought so before purchasing, but after using them i can safely say these are absolutely not of good sound quality on the PS4 compared to other wireless USB PS4 headsets. I am also confident that many review sites that praise the headset on ps4 didnt actually use them and just wrote about the apparent features. The issue is the non-surround sound quality is average, without any justification for the $130 price tag. Dont be like me and assume that its not a big deal. The response Ive seen to this complaint is to EQ it on the computer. The issue with that method is the only way to adjust the sound profile is on the Surround Sound settings, which doesnt work on the PS4. So the Surround Sound mode can only be turned on while connected to a computer with the SteelSeries software, meaning the sound profile can only be adjusted when connected to a computer. The sound processing does not occur on the usb dongle or the headset, it is processed by the computer application. No application, no EQ. This is a very specific detail that had I known, would have stopped me from purchasing the headset. What about on PC? It sounds good on the computer with the surround sound mode, for anything, regardless of if youre trying to play a game or music that has directionality involved. Thats why its so unfortunate that it doesnt work on the PS4. So what headset is better? The Turtlebeach Stealth Wireless 600 series is what I had been using before, and I assumed that a more expensive headset would be better. I was wrong. The Stealth 600 has virtual surround sound which makes knowing positioning of enemies in competitive games very easy to detect. This is achieved by a button on the Stealth 600 headset that turns on that EQ mode, which is different than the SteelSeries where the virtual surround is tied to settings on the computer (making the SteelSeries claim of not working on the PS4 fall flat, you just have to design the USB dongle to process the sound output instead). I have gone back to using the Stealth 600 (at a $90 cost) on my PS4. I really wanted to like the SteelSeries headset, it looks really good and is comfortable (but not as comfortable as the stealth 600 if you wear glasses). I even considered dealing with the sound, but then people on online games repeatedly told me they couldnt hear me clearly... the mic sucks. Its just not loud enough for other people to hear, and yes I updated the headphones using the latest steelseries software when connected to a computer (which I dont believe makes a difference once you plug it into a PS4). A mic is either good enough for people to understand you or not. And its not, so I completely stopped using it on the PS4. Again I wish this headset had more compatibility with the PS4 because its fine on the PC, but if youre only getting this for the PS4 dont waste your money.

First of all, I had to send my unit back because 1) the stock cord never charged the headset (I had to charge with another a micro usb cord). 2) The battery indicator in the application never worked. With that said, I did like the Arctis 7. Sometimes I wish I still had it and it just worked. I play a game that takes forever to get into an online session or I have a long wait if I host an activity. Walking to the bathroom or kitchen and hearing what is going on in the game was very useful as I could head back when the music or atmosphere changes and Im in a lobby. That is about as much usefulness as I lost. It took about 2 weeks for me to really get the hang of the headphones. It was heavier than what it replaced and so my neck and head got fatigued after a few hour-long sessions. The DTS:X v2 I didnt find that much of a difference between the Windows Sonic for headphones. It sounded fine, but I wasnt wowed, especially compared to a pair of $13 gaming 7.1 usb headphones (TT-EP006). So here are the details. Comfort: Heavier because of wireless battery, but eventually you will get used to it. Fit: The clamping force wasnt enough, I move my head up too fast or look left or right, they dislodge a bit. Sound: To paraphrase Zeos: If a your headphones are made by the same company that made your keyboard, the sound is crap Gaming: It has nice features for chat/sound mix, never noticed any lag. Features: Wireless range was nice and auto-shutoff worked well. Battery: Battery life kind of sucked and battery indicator and low battery warning system is terrible.

I bought this headset in 2019. As of writing this review, I have had it for 2 years and it still works great for me. Really like the ability to hardware mute my microphone. Feels much more comfortable than relying on software mute on some programs. I have plugged the dongle into Mac, Linux and windows and it works fine on each of them without having to install extra drivers. (Though some minor features may be missing without the extra drivers) While the soft ear pieces lasted a long while, they started to not smell so great after a while (I probably should have been washing some more frequently). So I bought some spares online for around 6 bucks and have had no issues. One of the double edge sword aspects of it is it has two audio channels. One for gaming and one for chat. You can tell separate programs to use one of the other and adjust the volume balance on them using the right knob. Sometimes I accidentally bump it too far in one direction and will be playing a game and hear the game just fine, but wont be hearing friends on discord, not realizing this for a while.

I want to preface this by saying I literally just got these, delivered 30 minutes ago, and these are my first impressions. I WILL update over time. I looked at reviews for these and were discouraged by the negative reviews. QC is obviously a little lackluster, and I sat on the decision to purchase these for months. Impulsively, I pulled the trigger for these and I hope I got the good stuff, not the defect. tl;dr (will also update this): They sound decent, would be excellent after EQ tinkering. Microphones hot trash, super quiet to my friends, with a constant beeping (not sure why, but it is an occurrence). Theyre super comfortable. I dont feel them on my head, but when I do, they feel like clouds. Clamp force, quiet. They dont clamp hard, just enough to stay on my head, and not enough to make my ears and head hurt from my glasses pressing into my head. Dials on headset are very sensitive. UPDATE: Upon tinkering, the microphone works! My friends said it sounded crisp, although a little fuzzy, too. Its very directional, which makes putting the mic in the right spot really difficult. The ski band, after proper adjustment, holds the headset on my head well, no changes there. EQ tuning made this thing sound amazing, with no harshness, and clear sound all around. All in all, my opinion hasnt changed, and the review still holds merit, and my recommendation of this set. Right out the gate, unboxing experience is really nice, but not premium feeling. I dont really care about this, just figured it should be known to some with pedantics about this kind of situation. Table of Contents (this is a much longer review than I expected) 1. First impressions 2. Clamp force and fit 3. Comfort 4. Materials, durability 5. Sound Quality 6. Microphone 7. The Et Cetera First Impressions - These headphones are literal plug and play. Before opening the manual (I didnt even pull it out of the plastic wrapping), I plugged in the transmitter, and the drivers were downloaded and implemented right away. I simply clicked the power button on the headphones at first, but having no reaction, I simply held the button and right away, the headphones were connected. And in under 3 minutes, I was using these headphones. Thats really impressive. Clamp force and fit - I have glasses, and headphones hurt me in the long run. And the super nice thing about these headphones right away, is the clamp force. Not too much, not too little. They come off if I violently shake my head (but who does that, anyways), but I can look down, look up, or whatever else without these coming off. They do shift a little, but I didnt adjust these to fit me perfectly, and I probably wont. They sit really nice. Back to the clamp force. Its really loose, in a good way. They have enough force to stay in place, but not enough to put pressure on my head with my glasses. Comfort - Right away, these are super comfortable. Theyre not light, but theyre not heavy. I find myself already forgetting these are on my head, despite my excitement about these. The ear cups are really soft and porous, they literally feel like marshmallows or clouds. I dont feel much on or around my ears, but when I do, theyre very very soft. If I could describe a physical contact interaction with an abstract adjective, quiet would be perfect. Materials, durability - I just got these, so I cant say much here. They feel solid, despite the plastic construct. The ear cups, as aforementioned earlier, are soft, and they feel like premium cloth(?). They feel great on my head and in my hands. A little concerned about the hinge connecting the cans to the headband, but we will see. Again, all speculation as of now, but I will be updating this review. Sound quality - Really good, but not great out of the box. They sound balanced, with highs, mids, and lows all in play. A little more bass could be nice, but Im sure I can adjust that, I do read about EQs a lot. Sometimes the highs feel a little harsh, which, again, probably adjustable. At 100% on both PC and these headphones, these are loud. Not extremely so, but loud enough for me to want to turn the headphones down before I lose more of my hearing. At max volume, everything sounds just as they do at 50%. At low, you start losing a lot of the sounds, and they start blending (but who cranks headphones super low). All in all, pretty grandeur. (Note in update with adjusted sound) The ETC. -The volume dials feel super sensitive, but theyre surprisingly not. Deliberate touch will move the dials and nothing else -Theres also a chat mix dial. Super awesome. To think theres a dial that can replace me tinkering with the volume mixer on pc, or adjusting everyones volumes in discord, is mindblowing, and very much a convenience I wholeheartedly accept.

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.

I work in VR and spend 5 hours a day on a voice call in Discord communicating with coworkers about bugs found and tasks needing to be done. My previous headphones were Bluetooth and worked great for me to hear, but my outgoing audio was atrocious. I got these in 2021 and havent regretted the decision since. The difference in audio is night and day, even to my hearing-impaired ears, and the mic is comparable in quality to my USB condenser mic. Its held up well over this 1+ year span, with being used for over 24 hours a week. Mic still works great, and audio is still top-notch. The only drawback Ive found is when using this with my Quest 2. Plugged in with an AUX cable, it works, but audio from the Quest is much quieter than the audio coming from my PC. Since Im hearing-impaired, I need the audio from the Quest to be as loud as or louder than the PC audio. I normally use a different pair of headphones with my Quest for that reason (Aftershokz bone conduction), but when I go to stream gameplay in my off time on Twitch or YouTube, I need a way to hear Text to Speech reading out my chat; hence needing the dual function of the Arctis 7. Which means I sacrifice being able to hear the game well in favor of being able to hear chat. My situation is not that common, I know; thats why I rated 5 stars and just put 4 stars in Sound Quality beneath that. Overall, these are 5 star headphones.

I saw a lot of complaints and issues on these online but it seems it was from the early early models of them. Mine have been pretty flawless since Ive gotten them. There was some hiccups early on getting the hang of how it actually charges and not though, and some general use confusion all over online. To clear it up for anyone - It WILL charge with the headset off, light up mic thing as red, just show no charging light. BUT when you then turn them on itll keep the last color it was prior to charge, so if it was dead and you unplug after charging it while its off itll stay red, plug it back in while its off, turn on, unplug, shows green. - Dial on right have it at the halfway notch, this mixes VOICE and GAME, it can be confusing at first and if not done right sound quality is terrible and its quiet. - Get SS engine, you can edit them to simulate 7.1 you can change a whole sound mixer, and a few other things, apply it once it saves it on the headset this works for first time setup for using on a console too. -Last if your headset seems to brick or just go wonky, left ear cup you take the foam off, theres a tiny pinhole for a master reset switch, stick a pin in for a few seconds and itll full reset the headset if it bugs out Steelseries really needs far better instructions to come with this and online. Users online like reddit the answers are terrible and 90% are just flat wrong. Spend the first days getting to know this headset or youll think things are broken that are fully functional..

I bought these because I was tired of headsets the cheaper headsets always breaking down on me. I figured that if I got a quality headset that wouldnt happen so I conducted a lot of research and ended up with these. They are incredible for gaming. The sound quality is really nice which lets you pinpoint exactly where the noise if coming for. I use it mostly for Apex Legends and can definitely tell a difference in my performance when I have them on. The weight of the headset had me hesitant initially because many reviews I read were saying they were too heavy on your head. I wholeheartedly disagree. They are light enough to not notice them when gaming and heavy enough to feel like the quality you paid for. I think that the reason they feel so light when you wear them is the ski mask head band is incredibly comfortable. These headphone are loud. so loud actually that I do not keep them turned up even close to all the way. When it is turned up it sounds like you are at a loud concert. Even with my volume reduced I have missed my phone ringing right in front of me multiple times. These are perfect if you want to zone out and avoid outside noise. My one contention with these bad boys is that there is no Sidetone. Sidetone is where you can speak into your mic and hear your own voice through the headset. This may not sound like a big deal because you should be able to head yourself just by talking. However, the noise cancellation is so good that its hard to hear myself. Initially it is a very weird experience and I did not like it. I started playing with one ear cup off which was not ideal. Eventually I just lowered my game volume enough to hear my voice. Not having Sidetone is a really annoying feature that I did not think would upset me as much as it did. In the future I would probably not get these again but only in favor of a headset that has sidetone. Other than that these are phenomenal

I was on the hunt for a new headset after the one I had which used a flip up to mute system stopped working. I work fully remote, and generally wear headphones for 6-8 hours a day for music/meetings. I needed a pair that would meet my needs, all day comfort, quality mic and audio, a physical mute button, and wireless. It took me three tries, with different brands before I finally decided to bite the bullet and spent what was previously an unimaginably large sum for headphones for me. This model had by far the most reviews of any other, it had solid reviews across the board and I figured it was time to pay for some quality. I could not be happier. The fit is perfect (although it takes a few tries to get used to adjusting with this particular strap mechanism), the sound is great, the retractable mic is convenient and works well, its comfortable for long periods of time, and the wireless range is great (I can move from my office, through multiple walls into the kitchen without losing signal). Ill never go to another brand. Pay for quality, its worth it.