SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Gaming Headset – USB-C Wireless – Detachable ClearCast Microphone – For Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, PC, Android – Black

I’ve been using these headphones for about 2 months. Also, I would like to add that I have had a set of their much more expensive Steel Series, Siberia Wireless Pros which cost $300. I also produce music and own a pair of DT-770 250 ohms connected to my audio interface. I also have Apple’s Airpod Pros and a set of DJ headphones by Pioneer. I love headphones.Verdict. Considering the price, these are amazing headphones for gaming, the sound is fantastic. There isn’t an exaggerated low end to the sound which is good for games because boosting the low-end causes ear fatigue in situations where there are lots of simulated explosions. Unless you enjoy the idea of hearing loss. They are nicely flat sounding straight out of the box. They can get loud without losing detail. But to really squeeze all the value out of these headphones, you will want to install the software from Steel Series and you can give these any sound profile you want with a multipoint band equalizer, with a level of detail found in DAW and the ability to then save the setting to the headphones on board memory.Comfort, they are super light, it’s easy to forget that I even have them on. These are more comfortable than my Siberia 800’s which I thought were pretty comfy.I tested these doing some music production and the latency isn’t to bad at all. The latency is 32 ml which is about the same as a speaker 32 feet away. Not the best compared to a wireless set made for music production which does 16 ms but cost $350. For the money these are totally worth it. For music production, you can make these as flat as you want.Battery life is really good. One charge is good for at least 20 hours of continuous listening.Things I don’t like. Considering the ultra-low price of these cans, I consider these complaints not really valid. But they do cost only what they cost for a reason. They charge with micro-USB A, which is annoying to deal with in the dark. The volume dial is really small and took some getting used to.Is it worth getting the next level model up for $40 more. Yeah, I think so.

As an average gamer, non-audiophile, and PC user, I bought and used a pair of Astro A20s as my first wireless headset and I regret it deeply. The mic was really sensitive; any sort of breath, head movement, adjusting of the headset, background noise, etc would come through. Not only that, but I would also hear static and crackling noises occasionally. Also, if I would move my head at all, the headset would creak. Very annoying. On multiple occasions, I would find that when I turned on my PC, the dongle would disconnect and require a cycle of pressing the button and restarting the computer until it would connect again. Resorted to permanently leaving my PC on because of this. The directional sound was also non-existent…false advertising.I DON’T HAVE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH THIS NEW HEADSET!!!The sound is amazing; I can hear sounds from all directions and there is no crackling/static. The ear pads are very comfortable; I game on my PC for at least 10 hours per day, and I have yet to experience any soreness or fatigue. Noise cancelling on the mic is excellent. The range is pretty good; I can walk from my room to the downstairs kitchen without the headset disconnecting. The headset is also rhythm game-friendly, as the audio does not lag or desync at all–a problem I experienced with the A20. Battery life seems to be accurate. My only gripe is that I have to download the SteelSeries software to customize the audio, which requires creating an account and giving out my email address.Overall, if you are not an audiophile and want a good wireless headset for a budget-friendly price, I highly recommend the Arctis 1. I’m sure any other SteelSeries model is great; my sister has the Arctis 7 and loves it. I settled with this one because it was the cheapest I could find (and less expensive than the A20).

I wasn’t expecting much from this headset given the low price. I was a owner of Arctis 7 and loved it since day one. Since my turtle beach 520 snapped, I was in the market for a new one and decided to give Steelseries latest product a tried, Arctis 1. Its is unusual they decide to backtrack in their version number from 3,5,7,9x, etc. I think they answer my call on ability to address budget headset yet yield a very promising sound quality.Some of problem Arctis 1 solved over my Arctis 7 are:-USB adapter -> No need to use a 3.5mm jack to my android phone, PNP great idea. The USB has a very generous clearance so it should fit most cases for switch or Android phones.-Fall back option to 3.5mm -> If you ever need to fall back to 3.5mm jack, you still have this option-2.4GHZ wireless -> In Arctis 3, there are lots of latency problem with bluetooth, the 2.4GHz removed this headache.-Weight -> You are looking at 50% less weight than the Arctis 7 given its plastic construction vs steel head band construction. Dont get the wrong impression here, Arctis 1 was built with high quality polymer plastic where you can twist and turn without having to worry it will break. It was built for carry mobility (to airport, in car, to camp, you name it)-Comfort -> Compare to Arctis 7, the comfort was slightly reduce since it moved from the ski band to a regular headset casing, However I still feel comfortable wearing it for over 2 hours, not an issue. The air-weave ear cushion were identical to Arctis 7 and equally breathable. Again if you are thinking of getting a extra ear cushion, I would dont do that yet. Give it a try first and if you really dont like it you can upgrade. For people who work in dirty environment may consider getting a leather type cushion. That’s my opinion.-Sound quality -> I would say almost equivalent, for most users they wont be able to tell, Arctis 1 has more of am Ommph and base but its not the same as other cheap headphone where the base overrides the sound quality. You get the same good quality tunes. The only thing that is lost is the immersion effect from the surround arctis 7, again I feel its not a issue for most people unless you sit and compare the two headset. For most music user, both are the same. If you are into gaming, both are equal in sound quality but if you really really care for that 7.1 digital effect then arctis 7 still the winner. For the price of $150 Arctis 7 vs $80 for Arctis 1, I think I can do without the 7.1 and save yourself 70 bucks to buy something else.In conclusion,this headset is solid, and would recommend to entry – intermediate user looking for a headset in the market. If you are thinking of HyperX Cloud/Crosair, I am pretty sure you will be happy with Arctis 1. I do want to point out HyperX did promised surround for the similar price but I feel the sound is just too hollow for my taste.

Anyone who knows headsets knows that wireless ones typically lack a bit compared to wired. Not these.First impressions right out the box is great build quality, sleek design, and…. micro usb connection? Really?? Oh well, got a ton of them laying around I guess.I run pc so pairing was very straightforward. Came with a dongle which I didn’t need because I have bt but I used it anyway. After initial pairing was complete each time following was easy. Just turn on & switch speakers to my headset.I’m a little over a month in & they are still going as strong as day one and I use them daily. Battery has yet to run out on me even during the weekend

Disclaimer: While I am a big headphones enthusiasts (have tried/owned many different pairs), this only my second gaming headset, as I have usually played video games through speakers. I previously had a cheap Turtle Beach set that I used for PS4 multiplayer games with friends and family. Since building a new gaming PC 4 months ago, I’ve been using headphones for gaming more often. I’ve also had to use headphones for work since my job has moved to WFH for the foreseeable future. My favorite cans are currently my modded Koss Pro DJ100 w/ a good amp (closed set) and the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro (open set) which I also use for mixing/editing audio tracks. I bought these because I needed a wireless set for couch gaming when I run my PC into my TV.Comfort & Looks: Arctis 1 = 4/5; Arctis 7 = 4.5/5The plastic finish and plain look are OK but not amazing. For $100 dollars the look and feel is totally serviceable. There are some rough-ish edges on the headband, but everything else is smooth. The clamping force is a little tight for me personally, but it’s comfortable otherwise (not too hot, headband rests OK, can move around just fine, etc). My partner has a smaller head than me and they love the Arctis 1 so far with no complaints (it is now their main headphone for working and gaming). The Arctis 7 is excellent for me and the headband is very comfy. The clamping pressure is less but still allows for movement without falling off my head. I like the slightly cleaner look & feel of the 7, but the 1 is sturdy in its own right (if just a little rough).Sound: Arctis 1 = 4/5; Arctis 7 = 4.5/5The sound on the Arctis 1 is quite good for a $100 wireless set (although not an audiophile set exactly). Definitely a mainstream gaming EQ curve (extra bass, slightly scooped mid). The details are fine and the soundstage works well with stereo effects in music or games (like enemies clunking around in FPS games). There’s OK high extension but they’re slightly attenuated. Mids are generally accurate but there seems to be more prominent low and high mids honestly. After EQing in the provided software I was able to quickly set up a couple profiles (gaming and music) that sounded good to me for general gaming and listening. The Arctis 7 isn’t incredibly different although I feel it’s a little more balanced and has better isolation. The soundstage also feels a little more realistic to me personally and it feels just a little more detailed. The surround sound is OK, but I’m honestly fine with stereo imaging.Mic/Communication Functions: Arctis 1 = 3.5/5;Arctis 7 4/5The mic is decent (same microphone on both), but it has that constant compression and low dynamic range thing going on. It’s perfectly serviceable for communicating in games (and work meetings, Zoom calls, etc.), but don’t try to record vocals with it or anything like that. I’ve been using it to teach and my students say it sounds fine compared to my usual SM58 or AT2020 setup.I should note that the Arctis 7 has game chat mix in case you want to mix the level of chat mixed into your game. It’s a nice feature if you play games where chat is useful. I also love that the mic on the Arctis 7 can be pushed back up into the ear cup.Connectivity & Battery: Arctis 1 =4.5/5; Arctis 7 = 3.5/5Great connectivity options on the Arctis 1, especially the USB-C dongle. So easy to switch between devices (including my phone) on the fly. The Arctis 7 has a traditional USB dongle with line in/line out 1/8′ jacks. It’s fine but less useful than the Arctis 1 dongle for me. The battery life is great on both and they charge back up pretty quickly as well.TLDR: Arctis 1 has higher clamping force, better overall connectivity, and it’s rougher around the edges. The Arctis 7 is comfy, better built, and has better isolation and a tuck-away mic. I think the Arctis 7 sounds just slightly better, but they’re both nice wireless headphones in their own right. If you have a small to average head and want to save $50, the Arctis 1 is great. If you want more polish, have a larger head, or want slightly better communications functionality, grab the Arctis 7.