Updated at: 25-05-2022 - By: Leo Hall

In an effort to be the greatest gaming headset, the SteelSeries Arctis 5 makes a strong effort. Modern design features include RGB lighting, a retractable microphone, a ChatMix dial for controlling game and chat volume, as well as virtual 7.1 surround sound. It’s sleek and stylish.

With a 3.5mm adapter, SteelSeries’ Arctis 5 headset may be used to connect to PCs, Macs, and gaming consoles, as well as controllers and cellphones. The headset had a passable audio profile for gaming, but a much better one for other media, such as movies.

Our Verdict

PROS

  • High-quality audio output.
  • The best microphone for online gaming. “
  • Excellent customer service and a wide range of personalization choices are available within the app.

CONS

  • The construction is heavy and plasticky.
  • Some listeners may find it a little tense.
  • Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Glasses are a trigger for this person.

SteelSeries Arctis 5 Specs

Comfort

They’re as comfortable as the rest of the Arctis headphones, so don’t expect anything different with these. Cups that are well-padded with soft, skin-friendly fabric. This SteelSeries headset has an adjustable ski-band headband, which distributes the weight of the headphones efficiently. Larger heads, on the other hand, may feel the frame because the band itself can only be stretched so far. These hats can be a little too snug on some heads, which can lead to discomfort. On the bright side, SteelSeries also sells leather pads on its website, which some people prefer.

Music Performance

Arctis 5 isn’t going to replace your current headphones if you currently have a good pair. The 3.5mm connector of the headset produces excellent sound quality, including crystal-clear vocals, powerful treble, and startling bass and percussive punch. You can’t mess with the equalization settings, thus all genres sound a little muffled and a little similar.

The Arctis 5 on the other hand is a great everyday computer headset for music and video. Using the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, you may choose between music and movie presets, and both function incredibly well. Listening to “The Hand of John L. Sullivan” by Flogging Molly, the energetic accordion and the solid bass line were clearly audible. Similarly, an episode of Black Mirror gave equal weight to the intense voice acting and the creepy music.

Even if you didn’t change the equalization settings, the music sounded fine. The process of doing so, on the other hand, is relatively simple and may enhance the sound quality of virtually any piece of material.

Design of SteelSeries Arctis 5

There is a clean, contemporary aesthetic to the SteelSeries Arctis 5. The headset I tested came in black, but it’s also available in white if you prefer a more eye-catching color scheme. However, the Arctis 5 features RGB lighting around the cups’ perimeters, so you may not need to stick to a white color scheme for that.

By default, the lighting has a 10-second color transition, but the Engine 3 program allows you to alter the effects, including the pace (more on that in the Features and Software section). As long as the headset is hooked in, the lighting will remain on. Unlike the RGB on the JBL Quantum One, for example, this is a subtle implementation that won’t draw as much attention, but it should still do the job.

SteelSeries Arctis 5 Review | TechPowerUp

The headset’s weight and comfort were more significant to me than its light show. The bridge strap may be adjusted for a custom fit, which adds to the overall comfort. The soft cups, made of SteelSeries’ Airweave material, have a nice drip, so I didn’t mind that the strap was a little slack.

The SteelSeries Arctis 5 headset didn’t bother me for a few hours of gaming. If you prefer to wear them around your neck, the headphones include a flat pivot point. The Arctis 5 weighs just 9.76 ounces, making it one of the lightest smartphones on the market (277g). There’s a noticeable difference in comfort between the Patriot Viper V380 and this headset, which isn’t much heavier at 10.88 ounces (310g) but has a thicker, braided cord with larger cups.

The Arctis 5 microphone retracts smoothly from the base of the left cup, further enhancing its futuristic appearance. It’s pliable, so it can be twisted and turned in any direction. Putting the microphone back in place is as simple as removing it from the device.

The Arctis 5’s controls consist of a volume dial and a microphone mute button. Main cord connects to the ChatMix dial through USB Type-A, which then connects to a computer, Mac, or gaming console via USB Type-A. The 3.5mm adapter can be used to connect smartphones and controllers.

Due to their length, the wires are prone to tangling and becoming a hindrance while gaming. I had to hide the rest of the cord behind my gaming PC in order to keep things tidy in my room.

Fortunately, the main cord and the ChatMix dial are separated by an adequate amount of distance. Using this method, I was able to keep the dial just a few feet away from my best gaming mouse so that I could reach it when I needed to and ensure that it didn’t interfere with any of my motions.

When playing handheld games, you can remove the ChatMix dial, but you’ll have a shorter cable. When not in use, the 3.5mm adapter is easy to lose, thus storing it away is a good idea.

Audio Performance  of SteelSeries Arctis 5

You can use the SteelSeries Arctis 5 headset without installing the accompanying software. Our testing found that the ChatMix dial did not work until the program was set up, and the audio was low until I installed SteelSeries Engine 3 software.

I was able to alter the sound with the ChatMix dial once I installed the Engine 3 control center. Voice chat and game loudness may be adjusted with the dial, making it easier for gamers. Due to its proximity to other media, it also proven to be a good volume control.

SteelSeries Arctis 5 2019 Edition Review - RTINGS.com

I discovered that my best audio setting was to have my PC’s audio set to maximum and the hardware and ChatMix dials set to medium. Maximum with all three settings turned out to be too much for my taste.

Headset Earphone (Arctis 5 Chat) and Headphones are the two audio profiles that can be used in the software (Arctis 5 Game). When listening to the two sound profiles side-by-side, there was no discernible difference. SteelSeries Arctis 5 Chat had a higher volume but a lower pitch, whilst Arctis 5 Game had a higher volume but a deeper pitch.

SteelSeries Arctis 5’s simulated 7.1 surround sound uses DTS Headphone:X v2.0 (previous SteelSeries headsets, such as the Arctis 3, use Windows Sonic). When it comes to 3D audio, DTS Headphone:X v2.0 “recreates sounds from objects or multichannel streams so it no longer is merely simple stereo,” as a DTS executive explains on SteelSeries.com.

In games, however, there was no discernible difference between using 7.1 surround sound and not. However, this isn’t a huge disappointment considering the sound quality of the cans without this option, but it is what you’re paying for here. There was no discernible difference between using the Stereo profile and not using it.

I played Destiny 2 with the SteelSeries Arctix 5 and turned off simulated 7.1 surround sound. If there were large explosions or gunfire in front of me, it was difficult for me to discern various sound nuances in the midst of combat at Vanguard. While this was going on, I could clearly hear my Ghost and other adjacent players, even though they weren’t visible on the screen. There were times when I couldn’t hear anything in the background except when I went close enough to the characters, at which point I could plainly understand what they were saying.

Bidirectional and Discord-certified, the SteelSeries Arctis 5 microphone has noise-cancellation capabilities that proved very remarkable during gameplay. As a side benefit, I was able to talk to relatives and friends about the show I was watching while using it. On the other hand, individuals with whom I spoke indicated they could hear my medium-to-loud music, but they didn’t find it distracting. Other activities, such as clapping and stomping, were also observed to have a mild sound.

The Chatmix dial will please players who frequently communicate with their allies on the battlefield because it allows you to effortlessly modify volume. I didn’t use the dial very much because I was usually able to hear my colleagues’ voices without adjusting the dial and vice versa.

As a whole, the sound quality of the game’s audio was acceptable. I tended to leave my volume controls set to the highest setting, which was loud but not unbearable. When I lowered the volume even a tenth of a decibel, I found myself wanting to crank it up again.

When I watched Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, I put the Arctis 5 to good use. Overall, the headset was excellent at picking up on a wide range of subtleties, from bugs and fairies flapping their wings to water droplets exploding and the purring of various animals.

Features and Software on SteelSeries Arctis 5

Microsoft Windows 7 or newer and Apple Mac OS X 10.10 or newer are supported by SteelSeries Engine 3. In addition to the Arctis 5 headset, the software is compatible with many other SteelSeries peripherals, including keyboards, mouse, and more.

Review: SteelSeries Arctis 5 – Destructoid

While configuring the SteelSeries Arctis 5 for the first time, I noticed that the headset appeared in the Gear section, but if you’re currently using Engine 3, you can just add the headset to the accessories list. In the Gear section, Arctis 5’s configuration page is accessible by clicking on the gear icon. This brings up a screen with a variety of customization options, including for surround sound, stereo, bass enhancement, dialogue enhancement, equalizer, and dynamic range compression.

With Steady, Color Shift, Multi-Color Breathe, or Disable Illumination to turn off the RGB lighting on the Arctis 5’s right and left cups, users may also modify the RGB lighting on the headset’s cups. A color picker and other customization tools are also available.

Apps for SteelSeries products can be found in Engine 3’s section for third-party apps. PrismSync, which allows users to project their RGB settings across many devices and accessories, is one of the most popular apps. Allows users to connect their headset settings to individual games via a Library section.

FAQS:

Is Arctis 5 GOOD?

They are good wired gaming headphones with excellent sound reproduction in the SteelSeries Arctis 5 2019 Edition. Both the microphone and the SteelSeries Engine software provide for a lot of customization and control options for online gaming.

Is Arctis 5 noise Cancelling?

When it comes to overall comfort, SteelSeries has consistently outperformed the competition. The Arctis 5 is no exception.” Background noise is virtually eliminated thanks to the innovative, proprietary bidirectional mic design.

Does Arctis 5 have good surround sound?

the verdict of Tom’s Hardware

Conclusion:

In terms of design and comfort, the SteelSeries Arctis 5 is a great headset for both gaming and other forms of entertainment. This headset is great for gamers, but I preferred how it sounded when I was watching a movie. It’s sad that the synthetic 7.1 surround sound was lacking, but those who frequently use a ChatMix dial will be pleased.

The Patriot Viper V380 is an excellent alternative for gamers. The 53mm neodymium drivers in this wired headset also produce a more robust sound profile. The Viper V380 costs $75, just as our review model.

Comfort is still a major selling point for the SteelSeries Arctis 5 headset, which gamers can wear for long periods of time without complaint.