SteelSeries Arctis 7+ Wireless – Hardware Review
Recently we have been covering a lot of earbuds and even an impressive pair of headphones. Now, we go back to what we have the most experience with: gaming headsets. Courtesy of SteelSeries, we were allowed to try out the Arctis 7+ Wireless, which proved to be a great companion during our intense gaming sessions. Compatible with new platforms, such as the PS5, we were eager to find out what this spiffy-looking headset had in store for us.
Design
The Arctis 7+ Wireless is a good-looking headset and we loved the less-is-more design. The headset doesn’t come with too many bells and whistles, which seems to be the current trend for most bigger brands again. The SteelSeries name can be seen on the outside of the ear cups, albeit in a fairly subtle manner. Other than that, the headset comes with a retractable microphone and a velcro-adjustable headset. The latter was a very original concept, as most popular gaming headsets opt for a traditional plastic headband where you just have retractable parts to adjust the size.
Comfort
In terms of comfort, SteelSeries’ headset passes with flying colors. The headset has ample padding for its ear pads, and as an over-ear headset, your ears won’t be squished during longer gaming sessions. Even though it took us a minute to properly adjust the velcro headband, we didn’t have to mess around with it anymore after we found the ideal size. We did like this unconventional approach, which turned out to be very comfortable. This velcro headband is supported by a steel frame, making sure that the device is still very sturdy and solid. The retractable microphone is also a plus, especially if you’re in the mood to just listen to music or watch your favorite Netflix shows.
Specs
- Wireless
- 30 hours of battery life
- 15-minute quick-charge allows up to three hours of gaming
- Retractable microphone
Overview
Unlike the other headsets we’ve recently reviewed, this one is not a Bluetooth wireless headset. Instead, you can opt to use the USB-C dongle to connect the headset to your desired device. If your PC does not have a USB-C port, you can simply use the USB to USB-C adapter to insert the dongle. Of course, you can also use the charging cable to turn this device into a wired headset. That being said, the adapter will always be needed when playing on the PS5. After connecting the dongle, you’re good to go in mere moments. The headset is also very straightforward to use, as you can control the volume settings via a dial, and you can also change the balance between the game sound and voice chat. Other than that, you have the retractable microphone, and the power button also has a few extra functions which mainly come in handy when it’s connected to your Android phone. You can, for example, pick up calls with a single press of the power button then.
The sound quality is absolutely superb. We were surprised by the deep bass, and we loved the function to adjust the balance between the voice chat and game audio. The headset also easily worked when plugging the dongle into our phone or Switch, which is also a very big plus. Having a good gaming headset for the Switch is actually a rare thing, as many of the available Switch gaming headsets are often fairly cheap models that don’t really provide proper comfort for longer gaming sessions. Also, the Switch doesn’t have that many wireless headsets currently on offer. This headset can survive up to 30 hours of gaming on a single charge.
Of course, PC users can work with SteelSeries’ dedicated software, which is, as stated during our previous reviews, very good. It’s clear that the brand truly invests in its software for user comfort, and once again SteelSeries succeeds here. As a whole, this means that the Arctis 7+ Wireless headset is a great investment for your gaming setup. We would have perhaps loved a normal USB transmitter in the package as well, but this is just a minor complaint.
Conclusion
SteelSeries’ Arctis 7+ Wireless is a great headset if you’re looking for a premium gaming companion. Even though the usage of a dongle might feel like a step back from our current Bluetooth headsets, it actually ensured a more stable connection, and it even allowed us to quickly swap between devices by simply plugging the transmitter into our Switch or Android phone, to eventually return to our PS5 or PC. We were impressed by the comfort of the headset, especially because we initially had our doubts about the velcro headband. In the end, we were treated to a very comfortable gaming headset, with a convenient retractable microphone, simple-to-use options, and great sound quality.
SteelSeries Arctis 7+ Wireless - Hardware Review,
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