Is this Steelseries Arctis 1 Wireless? Yes, of course. As for me, these are the reference headphones for games, and in the article, I will tell you how this happened. Let’s read on!
Steelseries Arctis 1 Review: Design
Headphones are like headphones, nothing special. Black plastic, metal guides, and removing the microphone generally seems that this is an ordinary, “civilian” model.
The headband is finished with leatherette. The adjustments are simple and reliable. I think Arctis will fit well on any size head. The ear cushions are made of fabric, breath. The speakers are covered with a fabric with a beautiful pattern. The microphone leg can be bent as you want.
Most of the controls are on the left cup, here is a 3.5 mm input for connecting an audio cable, a “jog” for adjusting the volume, a microphone on/off lever: micro-USB charging port, SAD.
It is very convenient to wear the headset. There are no questions at all – I was sitting on the weekend for a couple of hours in Modern Warfare, no signs of fatigue. This is the best praise for designers. Even in a room without air conditioning, ears feel good and comfortable.
Passive noise isolation at a basic level, loud sounds nearby can seep into your game. And if you make it louder, then those sitting next to you will hear what is happening there. But here you have to take into account the specifics because these do not noise cancelling headphones.
In general, no questions to the creators, everything corresponds to the price.
Steelseries Arctis 1 Review: Connecting to set-top boxes and other devices
I think Steelseries has come up with an optimal system for connecting a headset to anything. The kit includes an adapter with a USB Type-C plug, nowhere is it really said what type of connection is used – in official documents, just a wireless connection, a frequency of 2.4 GHz, a range of 9 meters. We are probably dealing with Bluetooth, but there is also a nuance here: the connection is extremely reliable, I have never felt interference, even if you are walking around the room. Steel hold!
I used the headset with a PS4; it comes with a USB Type-C cable. Yes, it may not be the neatest design, but, I repeat, the connection is reliable, as a mechanical joint. The adapter can also be connected to the Nintendo Switch. You can connect a headset to an Xbox with a cable to a gamepad. Do you want to perversions? Force the adapter into the Android smartphone – they say that some transmit both voice and sound. A headset without an adapter can only be connected to mobile devices using a cable, keeping this in mind. It is possible to work with a computer both when connected by cable, and when connecting a cable with an adapter.
There is nothing complicated – I will find fault with only one thing: how could you make USB Type-C on the adapter, and the charging connector on the micro-USB headphones? This upset me. I hope that the second version will correct the defect.
Yes, I’ll answer the question right away – thanks to the versatility of Steelseries, the Arctis 1 Wireless will work with new set-top boxes. I will definitely try paired with PS5!
The declared operating time is about 20 hours, in real life it turns out like this – you play for several days, then you put on the charge, you can play with the connected cable.
Steelseries Arctis 1 Review: Sound
There are no questions about the quality of speech transmission – you can hear me well if you wish, you can turn off the microphone; some will not like the absence of a rotary arm. As for me, it’s better to let it be like this: the microphone mute lever can be easily found, but if you wish, you can remove the microphone altogether.
The sound in games is excellent. Tried with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in multiplayer and in Warzone. Let me remind you that the volume of this game itself needs to be turned down in the game settings, the more we turn down, the better for the chat. And it would also help if you also turned on the “More low frequencies” setting (I have all the menus in English, an approximate translation) and try how it goes. After all the manipulations, you can perfectly hear your friends in the chat, while the sounds of steps, shots are convex, perceptible, you can easily understand the positioning.
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If you play multiplayer alone, you can try to increase the volume in the game settings – well, in general, do not forget to go there, all these things affect the process. The main thing is that “Arctis” behaves superbly: it is easy to catch enemies by sound, you clearly understand where someone is coming from and where they are shooting from. In Warzone, as you know, this is mega-important, and about a quarter of the kills in each rink are obtained thanks to the headset’s capabilities. I try not to play like a bad person – I don’t sit in the corners – but when you run into a building, you hear footsteps outside the door, you immediately burst into it, and everything turns out as expected.
I also tried Sekiro – the seventh attempt, so far nothing works – the sounds of the blows are piercing, the sounds of the environment are very cool, the ambient is good.
Overall, I am satisfied – the 40-mm drivers of the Arctis are good both in positioning and in conveying each particular game’s musical nuances.
Steelseries Arctis 1 Review: Verdict
In retail, headphones cost about $122.5, a unique thing, but inexpensive. Basically, you can use the Steelseries Arctis 1 Wireless with any game consoles and PC, with a range of smartphones. And this is the only normal solution for Nintendo Switch – plugged in the adapter, turned on the headphones, and here’s the whole problem with the connection. That is, no problems!
Will I keep my headphones or stay with the Sennheiser GSP 670? The Senkhs have a chic, unique sound, but they are very whimsical: it’s better not to turn your head. Otherwise, artefacts start. I will not sell, I will leave it just in case. But every day I use “Arctis”, and this is a brilliant thing. I really like it. I highly recommend buying it!