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When it comes to earbuds, I am a particularly fussy listener. The need for solid active noise canceling, a reliable mic, and audio quality can make or break most options on the market. The SteelSeries Acrtics Gamebuds have been a mixed bag because what they do right is unbeatable, but what they don’t have really punches the experience of using them.
SteelSeries is already known for their Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headphones, which provide dozens of audio presets for top games on the market alongside comfort, high-quality spacial sound, and a fantastic microphone. The Arctis Gamebuds aim to provide similar features but with a smaller footprint.
At a mid-range price between options like Airpods or Sony earbuds, the Arctis buds do have several unique features that let them stand out at their price point, and what they do right, they absolutely destroy competitors at.
Key Details
- Developer: SteelSeries
- Compatibility: Mobile, PC, & Xbox
- Where to Buy: Steelseries website
- Battery Life: 10 Hours Bluetooth, 30 Hour Charging Case
- Bluetooth: Yes (v 5.3)
- True Wireless: Yes (Low Latency 2.4 GHz)
- Active Noise Canceling: Yes
- Price: $159.99
- Sample Provided For Review: Yes
All The Presets A Gamer Could Want
The first thing to dive into with the Arctis Gamebuds is the library of audio presets that can be used to make gaming more immersive. Just like the Nova Pro headset, the gamebuds have over a hundred preset audio options for the most popular games on the market.
This feature is unique to the SteelSeries audio brand and can be controlled on the Arctis Gamebuds via a mobile app. Players can pop these in, throw on Call of Duty, and toggle the audio preset to the game so they get the best audio experience possible.
This is an amazing feature. For many gamers, getting this type of sound option requires opening a program, setting all the inputs manually, and then saving the option for future use. It’s never perfect, but it is better than missing muffled footsteps in a building and losing a match.
Now add on that the Arctis Earbuds are lightweight, wire-free, and completely compatible with your Xbox or PS5 console depending on the version, and you have an excellent option that isn’t as bulky or suffocating as a headset.
This is the shining feature of these earbuds and not one to toss aside.
A Shockingly Decent Mic
One area where so many earbuds fall short is the microphone. With the Arctis Gamebuds made for use while playing potentially online games with others in chatrooms, a solid mic is a must.
While nothing will ever completely replace a proper headset mic, I was delighted to find the mic on the Arctis Gamebuds is clear, minimizes background noise, and doesn’t fall victim to drops or interference. Both in use while gaming, or on calls with friends via my phone, there was never an issue with audio quality.
When compared to brands at a much higher pricepoint, like my Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds, the difference was night and day. My Sonys always struggle with interference, and pick up every little noise happening around the mic. This is not a problem at all with the Arctis buds, and I have been using them for calls constantly because of it.
The Arctis Gamebuds Are For Gaming, Not Listening
One area that the Arctis Gamebuds fall tragically short on, is overall audio quality. This is surprising for earbuds designed with so many presets, but a combination of a light-weight, small body, and poor Bass/Trebel makes listening to music a muddled, lumpy experience.
When compared to my Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds, or my personal music-listening favorite Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW earbuds, The Arctis just don’t stand a chance. The Audio-Technica buds have rich, warm bass and sound layering, while the Sonys achieve a true spatial experience in an earbud. Arctis just gives you sound, and it can sometimes be very flat depending on the music.
While the earbuds do great at delivering the noises in a video game, they won’t be your companion for smooth jazz or the newest Taylor Swift album. They just aren’t made for that kind of listening, and it’s an important factor to think about when purchasing them.
A Very Lightweight Design
The Arctis Gamebuds are the lightest, and most compact higher-end earbuds I have used in recent years. When taking them out of the box, I was actually concerned at how light and almost cheap they felt. While Sony and Bose are hefty, and have a solid, quality feel, and the Audio-Technica have a midweight with large, complex bodies, the Arctis are very small, and smooth, and plastic.
They actually reminded me of my old SoundPEATS TrueFree+ buds that were around 30 dollars on Amazon. Thankfully, the sound quality and useability don’t match the off-putting design, but they definitely lack a level of premium touches that would be expected from a set of earbuds over the hundred-dollar mark.
This feel is mimicked in the case, which is also a very lightweight plastic. I have to remember not to flip it open like I do with my Audio-Technica buds, because the lid just doesn’t feel like it will stay on the case if I use any amount of force.
I do wish these had a bit more weight to them, something of a premium flare. The overall plastic vibe just doesn’t reflect the price point.
Final Score – 7.5/10
The SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds are a fantastic investment for gamers who want to be headset-free while enjoying their favorite game from the comfort of their sofa. The lightweight design is great for those who don’t like anything too heavy in their ears but does lack a premium finish.
While these aren’t the buds for audioheads looking for top music quality, the dozens of presets for gaming, and the ease of use with the mobile app, make these worth the purchase.
If you don’t intend to use them for gaming, maybe hold off and grab something with more bass. If you are glued to the controller and not planning to use them for anything else, you won’t find a better pair of earbuds on the market with the same specs.
**Bonus Action was provided with a sample of the Xbox Compatible Arctis Earbuds for the purpose of this review**
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