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

With a battery life of 25 hours, the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless gaming headphones are a great value. Their padding is a little thicker than that of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 headphones, making them more pleasant to wear for extended periods. Because of their significant latency, they can sound different depending on the person wearing them. This isn’t a dealbreaker, though, as the unique ski-band headband can be adjusted to ensure a perfect fit, and the accompanying software offers a superb graphic EQ to further enhance your listening experience.

Our Verdict

For sports, the SteelSeries Arctis 7 are adequate. However, their large shape makes them less convenient to carry about. You may still feel a spike in body temperature in the area around your ears, even though they are fairly permeable. Even so, these are gaming headsets, not sports headsets.

PROS

  • Stable and comfortable.
  • Long-term battery life of almost a year.

CONS

  • The pattern is a tad on the large side.
  • The fabric isn’t the most breathable you’ve ever felt.

SteelSeries Arctis 7+ Review | PCMag

Out of the box

Everything can be connected to the Arctis 7 with ease.

The SteelSeries Arctis 7 comes with a USB dongle for wirelessly connecting to your PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch dock, as well as a USB charging cord, and a 3.5mm connector for connecting to your phone, undocked Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One via the controller.

What’s it like to use the SteelSeries Arctis 7?

One of SteelSeries’ most pleasant and durable headsets is the Arctis 7.

An RF USB dongle, rather than Bluetooth, links the Arctis 7 headset to your computer. As a result, the headphones are less adaptable, but they also have no apparent latency, so you don’t have to spend as much time setting them up.

Arctis Pro has an aluminum frame and an adjustable ski-goggle-like suspension band similar to that of SteelSeries Arctis Pro. The headphones are held in place by hinges that are slightly offset, with matte-textured surfaces.

The Arctis 7 is just as comfy as the Arctis Pro. I was able to play for long periods of time after only a few adjustments to the velcro suspension strap. As a result, the headset stayed securely in place on my head all day thanks to the strap’s elastic and plush feel.

Walking around my flat, though, made it feel a little shaky because it was wireless. Despite the fact that you don’t actually need to be that close to your gaming device to use these headphones, they’re still meant for usage while seated. Even the tiniest of movements can cause a stir.

The Airweave pads are soft and keep you cool all day long.

Airweave fabric, used for the headset’s accompanying headphone pads, has a stiffness that falls somewhere between leather and velour. Just like with the Arctis Pro, these pads didn’t heat up to the point that I couldn’t wear them for long periods of time. However, because they may not work as well as velour with glasses as the originals do, gamers who use glasses should consider purchasing a new pair.

Both headphones have a set of controls on the bottom of the earcups. The 3.5mm, Micro-USB, and four-pin connectors are all located on the left headphone’s left ear cup, as is the mic mute button. You can toggle between the Arctis 7’s game and chat audio channels using a dial on the headset’s right side, which is labeled Arctis Chat and Arctis Game when connected to a PC.

The retractable microphone is located on the left earpiece and stretches roughly four inches on a flexible cable.

The Arctis 7 is unlike most gaming headphones in that it doesn’t scream “gamer” in its design. Only when the mic is silenced does the entire thing come to life with neon or LED accents. Even if these headphones aren’t ideal for walking around, how you’ll appear in public doesn’t really matter here.

Software

Using the SteelSeries Engine, you may enable surround sound and alter the headset’s volume and dynamic range settings to fit your preferences.

There are several features that are similar to those found in the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, although they are implemented through software rather than an integrated DAC. That same software is used in other SteelSeries products, including this one.

The Arctis 7’s sound can be tweaked in a variety of ways using Engine. Toggle between stereo and 7.1 sound, modify the audio dynamic range, and even manually tune the output of the headphones at various frequencies.

There is something annoying about needing an app to switch on surround sound in order to utilize this piece of technology in general—to put it bluntly, it’s a bummer. To be fair to SteelSeries’ rivals apps, this one is a bit easier to use, so it doesn’t get in the way. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing.

Surround sound gaming

The microphone on the Arctis 7 extends around four inches from the left earphone.

Like the Arctis Pro, the Arctis 7 uses DTS Headphone:X 2.0 technology to deliver realistic 3D audio settings in games like Overwatch and Fortnite. 7.1 digital surround sound My hopes for a gaming headset were met to a large extent with this design. Fortnite’s footsteps and gunshots, as well as Overwatch’s many voice character cues, were no problem to include.

Steelseries Arctis 7 review: The best gaming headset ever made | Rock Paper Shotgun

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Draugen, two non-shooter games, didn’t benefit much from the surround sound features, but it was still pleasant to have.

That said, I’m still a middling Fortnite player even with the additional information provided by surround sound, so let’s be clear about that.

Connectivity

Many of the Arctis 7’s capabilities may be controlled through the device’s numerous ports, knobs, and buttons.

There are cable and wireless alternatives for connecting to the SteelSeries. USB dongles are used to connect to PCs, PlayStations 4, and Nintendo Switches while docked for wireless playback. Xbox One and Nintendo Switch can be connected through 3.5mm cords; but, you’ll miss out on many software capabilities and multiple audio channels.

A 40-foot range is stated by SteelSeries for the Arctis 7. I haven’t seen anything to suggest otherwise, and simply strolling through my flat was never a problem.

Design

SteelSeries Arctis 7 looks almost comparable to the Arctis 5, as you can see in our review. With an attractive, streamlined design and an easy-to-adjust headband, this headset exudes style and sophistication. Instead of fiddling with hard extensible rods, the flexible headband may be adjusted with two Velcro straps to fit your head’s size and shape.

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Beyond that, the Arctis 7 is only available in black or white, with nothing particularly eye-catching. While the Arctis 7 is a bit larger than a conventional set of audio headphones, it is still tiny enough to slip in a backpack and not draw attention to itself on the train. Even the ear cups may be rotated to make the gadget flat.

On the right ear cup is a power button and a chat volume control. For listening on mobile devices, you’ll find a micro USB charging connector on the left ear cup in addition to the standard volume slider. This port also connects to the headset’s proprietary 3.5mm audio socket. You may listen to whatever you want through the audio jack even if the Arctis 7 doesn’t have electricity because it features wifi and surround sound capabilities.

Comfort

The Arctis 7’s elastic band, as previously mentioned, making it simple to get the perfect fit. SteelSeries is the only major headset manufacturer to use this strategy, which routinely delivers considerably more reliable and comfortable results than trying to stretch two extremely fickle notched arms.

However, I never felt as though the ear cups exerted too much pressure on my ears. My only complaint was that they jiggled a lot while I walked, so keep that in mind if you’re going to be wearing them in public. The problem was solved by tightening the Velcro strap, but it took some trial and error to find the ideal balance between comfort and fit.

In general, my coworker was pleased with the Arctis 7s I gave him. He initially found the ear cups uncomfortable, but after wearing them for about 30 minutes, he began to enjoy them. The fact that the peripheral is so light (at 9.9 ounces) was also mentioned as an advantage.

Features

The Arctis 7 is first and foremost a pair of wireless earbuds. A wireless amplifier connected to your computer’s USB port may be used to couple with your headset, and you’re ready to go. In my tests, I was able to use the wireless up to a distance of roughly 30 feet without losing signal quality.

On top of a sleek, intuitive and well-designed application, the Arctis 7 uses the SteelSeries Engine 3 software to keep track of every current SteelSeries peripheral. Sound profiles can be set up as well as mic preferences; otherwise, there aren’t too many options for this particular peripheral in the software. Headphones do not have colored RGB lighting, unlike on the Arctis 5. This is, in my perspective, a small loss, given users themselves cannot see colored lights on their headsets.

You can maintain track on all the profiles you’ve made for various games and store each peripheral profile under a single heading in the Library portion of this program. For example, you’ll see all of your mouse, keyboard, and headset profiles for The Witcher 3 in one place. This is a great way to sync all of your SteelSeries peripherals if they all come from the same manufacturer.

Wireless capabilities can also be used to connect a phone or speaker, but the process is a little complicated. In order to connect a speaker or phone to the amplifier, you will need to supply your own audio wire. However, the fact that you can stream wireless audio to and from devices more than just your computer and a headset is more than I expected for the price of a $150 wireless accessory.

There’s a retractable, flexible microphone in the left ear cup as well. With a high-end microphone like the Arctis 5, it captures sound in clear and subtle patterns, however it still focuses on the “p” and “s” sounds a little too much. For competitive gaming or Twitch streaming, this microphone is more than acceptable.

Other SteelSeries Arctis models

The Arctis 3 and Arctis 5 are two further Arctis headset models. These three headsets are comparable in form and function but not as high-end as the Arctis 7, which stands alone in the Arctis 7 headset lineup. Because it uses a 3.5mm port for audio input, the Arctis 3 ($80) does not allow users to customize the device’s equalization settings. USB connectivity is provided by the Arctis 5 (priced at $100). The Arctis 7 costs extra since it contains wireless capabilities that neither the 3 nor the 5 have.

SteelSeries has released the $200 SteelSeries Arctis 9 wireless headset, which includes Bluetooth functionality. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless Headset is a good choice if you’d like to use it with a mobile device. As a result, you’re essentially paying $50 more for Bluetooth connectivity when the sound quality is the same as Arctis 7. It all depends on how much time you spend listening to music and playing games on your phone.

Steelseries Arctis 7+/7P+ Review: Dongles and Software Rule | WIRED

Verdict

It’s refreshing that the Arctis 7 gives the whole package for only $50 more than its wired cousin, given that wireless headsets may cost hundreds of dollars and PC-centric ones sometimes leave out crucial features like 3.5mm ports. No matter how many steps the user has to take, nothing is difficult and everything works as expected. In addition to its excellent sound quality, the Arctis 7 is an irresistible offer. Our study of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 shows that this is the closest any company has come to the ideal gaming headset yet.

How good is the SteelSeries Arctis 7’s battery life?

SteelSeries claimed that the Arctis 7’s battery would last for 15 hours when it was released. As a result of this, they have published a firmware upgrade, which claims to extend the battery life of the device to 24 hours on only one charge. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the upgrade has obviously made a difference.

SteelSeries Arctis 7 lasted 16 hours and 32 minutes in our tests, but you may get a little more out of that because we tested at a higher volume than most people prefer to listen at.

How does the SteelSeries Arctis 7 sound?

For the most part, this is a sound that is both typical and appealing to the general public.

The SteelSeries Arctis 7’s audio output is rather outstanding, providing a considerable amount of clarity across the frequency range. Bass is enhanced, but not to the extent of most gaming headphones. Toward the end of the 1,500Hz range, there’s a little less emphasis on the mids. A game with plenty of huge explosions, for example, may prioritize those sounds over quieter ones like footsteps or various ambient noises.

However, the sounds of strings and some cymbals can be lost in tracks with a lot of bass or ambient noise with these headphones. For example, there’s the Goat Gathering of the Ancient Tribes. It’s easy to hear the bass line, which isn’t overly harsh, but the distorted guitar lines, which make up a large portion of the song, blend together into an unrecognizable totality. A stronger focus on the mids and trebles could have made a difference.

High-pitched and mid-range sounds will be well-protected, but deep rumbles will reach your ears.

Compared to other gaming headphones, the Arctis 7 provides excellent isolation. If you have noisy roommates, family members in the other room, or occasional traffic sounds outside the window, this headset isn’t going to be able to compete with ANC headphones.

The 3.5mm cord on these headphones allows them to be used outside of the house, which is unusual for gaming headsets. Outdoors, these won’t do much to block out the rumbles and beeps of the city, but it’s rarely a good idea to entirely shut out your surroundings—you’ll want to hear some of it anyway.

How is the microphone?

It’s not uncommon for a gaming headset to have this sort of low-frequency dip.

The inbuilt microphone on the SteelSeries Arctis 7 gaming headset is quite ordinary. A Discord-certified microphone appears on the packaging. It appears that in addition to the Discord app displaying a special icon next to the input and output options, this suggests that the headset also performs some voice processing work.

In order to determine whether this is supposed to improve call quality, it’s difficult to establish if this is an improvement over non-certified microphones on other headset models. With a focus on the high end, where F S SH sounds tend to reside, it is capable of reproducing the full vocal range with ease. However, it can also make lower voices sound tinny since it reduces bass frequencies. Check it out for yourself below:

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Should you buy the SteelSeries Arctis 7?

The SteelSeries Arctis 7’s matte black finish is inconspicuous.

The SteelSeries Arctis 7 is a fantastic gaming mouse that’s quite comfortable, has great audio quality, and has a boatload of useful features. The headset can be used with just about everything, and it sets up in a matter of seconds.

Despite my preference for the Arctis Pro’s Game DAC device over the Engine app, it costs $100 extra, which is too much. Compared to other headsets in this price range, the Arctis 7 is one of the best. The HyperX Cloud Alpha, on the other hand, sounds just as good or better but has far less customization choices and is wired. Although the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless has excellent sound and wireless capabilities, its microphone isn’t quite as good as that of the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless. For the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, there are new versions of the Arctis 7 that give nearly equal performance, but their USB-C dongles make the Nintendo Switch more compatible.

The SteelSeries Arctis 7’s sound and features are superior than those of the SteelSeries Arctis 7.

SteelSeries Arctis 7 Headset Review: Great Sound Meets Tons of Functionality

FAQS:

Can you use it for PlayStation 5?

Yes.

Does the SteelSeries Arctis 7X support 7.1 audio?

Arctis 7X supports virtual surround sound utilizing Windows Sonic spatial audio on Xbox consoles and PCs.

Can the microphone be used while retracted?

It should work as long as you don’t hit the mute button. Otherwise, you may come across as distant or muffled.

Can I listen to PlayStation and PC audio at the same time?

Directly connecting the headset to the USB dongle’s Line In port (3.5mm) should not function while using the wireless dongle, but if you attach the audio from one platform into that port, then you should be able to hear audio from both the headset and the dongle simultaneously. Make sure that the platform you’re chatting on is linked by USB to the dongle, rather than the 3.5mm line in connector, if you’re concerned about chat. The microphone can’t be used on more than one platform at a time.

How do you manage mic noise reduction on the Arctis 7?

Although you can modify the microphone of the Arctis 7 on the settings level, there isn’t much you can do about it. You can modify mic output volume and monitor output volume with SteelSeries Engine, but that’s all. A gaming headset microphone optimization guide like ours may be able to help you make the most of your setup.

How do these sound compared to something like Logitech G Pro X and HyperX Cloud Alpha?

There is a distinct lack of emphasis in the mid-frequencies, between 900 and 2,000 Hz, in the sound signature of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 (2019). In comparison to Logitech G Pro X and HyperX Cloud Alpha, the Arctis 7 has less detail and a softer sound when playing sounds like vocalists, pianos, and even stringed instruments.

Can I connect the SteelSeries Arctis 7 (2019) wirelessly to my Nintendo Switch?

Yes! Plug the Arctis 7 wireless transmitter’s USB cable into the Nintendo Switch dock. In order to do this, you will need to purchase a 3.5mm audio cable (not supplied) and link it to the Switch’s headphone jack and the Arctis 7 transmitter Line In port. Just plug in your headphones and you’re ready for action!

What’s the difference between Arctis 7 and Arctis 3 Bluetooth?

Wireless audio is a snap with the SteelSeries Arctis 7 thanks to the USB dongle it connects to your PC via, which ensures no latency while gaming. As a wired gaming headset, the Arctis 3 Bluetooth connects to consoles like the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One via the 3.5mm headphone socket, rather than via Bluetooth. A mobile device can be connected at the same time via Bluetooth. Wireless gaming will not be possible because consoles do not support Bluetooth.

How does the fit of the Arctis 7 compare to the Arctis 1 Wireless?

Although the SteelSeries Arctis 7 and Arctis 1 Wireless headsets are both comfy, the Arctis 7’s ear pads are somewhat thicker. The Arctis 7 is the apparent pick if you’re concerned about your ears coming into touch with the headphone speakers. It’s a more comfortable gaming headset in general when used with the suspension band that comes with it.

How does the SteelSeries Arctis 7 fit on the ear if my current headset is a little too tight and can cause irritation?

It’s comfort that the SteelSeries Arctis 7 gaming headset excels at, if not more than, any other on the market. Instead of resting on the ear, these are over-the-ear headphones. Adjustable and constructed of a stretchy material comparable to the band of a pair of ski goggles, the suspension band can be set to your preferred level of tightness. You won’t find a better option than this if you’re looking for anything more comfortable.