SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Headset - Review

Lately I find myself reviewing a lot more hardware, not for any particular reason, it just ended up that way and when I get offers to review something, I have to think is it worth my time. The Arctis 1 from SteelSeries is one such offer, had just finished another wireless headset review and honestly thought, is it worth it, but I am glad that I did.

The GSP 370 from Sennheiser was the recent headset and that did a great job on PC and PlayStation 4, but the Arctis 1 just dominates the device range, both PC and PlayStation 4 are included, but also Android and Switch, with Xbox One and iOS devices to boot, it really is the one headset that will cover you on all your devices, just with a different connection is all. The connection will vary, depending on the device you are using, but for the most part, it is wireless, with the use of a little dongle that you get in the box, this attachment is actually USB-C meaning that it works with your Switch, iPad Pro and most Android devices, simply by plugging it in. I was all set to expect some set up on it, throwing it in the Switch resulted in an on-screen prompt telling me it was connected, but that was it, even on the iPad, I saw nothing, it just worked. On PC it is a little more tricky, as most of them don’t have a USB-C as standard and PlayStation 4 is the same, but they do include a nice adapter cable, that lets you plug it in, the cord is also quite lengthy, which is helpful if your only spare port, is behind the devices. Perhaps the only downside is that for Xbox One and iPhones, you need to plug it in with the included 3.5mm cable, which obviously removes the wireless portion from the name, but otherwise you are good. With all these different connections supported, I was set to have to tweak settings to make the device sound good, but that was a fear that was unfounded as there is no software to use, but more importantly, the headset is solid out of the box.

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Of course, regardless of how easy it is to setup or how many devices it supports, if you cant wear it, due to it being uncomfortable, then nothing else matters, thankfully it is a well designed and comfy headset. The two ear cups both feature an insane amount of padding, which means even when wearing it for hours, it never feels hard on the ears, but on top of that, the padding is so soft, it lets the air flow through it, keeping your ears cool as well. The cups themselves are a hard plastic, with hinges that allow for some movement on the vertical axis, which is nice as not all heads are created round, but they also hold a little touch that I missed on others. The cups here are actually a little taller than what has become standard, and while many other headsets provide ample room, these being taller, provide just an extra layer of quality to them, something that I very much welcomed. Inside each cup are XX drivers, which help deliver that crisp sound you want in a headset, again, something that you get, without the need to worry about profiles or setup.

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The exterior of the cups is divided into two uses, the right ear is where you turn it on and off, though the use of a button that takes just a little long to respond and the left ear, which does everything else. No seriously, the left ear is where you can modulate volume, through use of a wheel, you can mute the mic via a switch, plug it in for charging and even connect the 3.5mm cable for Xbox One or older devices. It does not bother me, from a function point of view about the cups being so uneven in their function, just strikes me as odd that everything was crammed onto one side, the upside is that you never get them confused as to which side is for which ear, so that is something. In addition to all of the items I listed above, the left ear up is where you also connect the microphone, which is a solid mic, complete with a flexible arm, with the fact that you can remove the mic, it turns the headset into one perfect for daily use, when you are not near gaming at all.

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There are perhaps a few little issues with the headset and one of the downsides that I found with the headset is that there is no clear indicator of power levels, there is a small LED that sits right beside the power button and is a bright green when on, but after hours and hours of use, it was still green, though slightly more yellow. The light does serve its purpose, but the fact that there is no audial indicator that you have lost some power, is a little odd, especially given the weight of the device, I never felt the need to remove it that frequently, which left me to wonder how the batteries were going. It is not a massive issue, as the life of the batteries, between charges is actually quite long, but still knowing that you are running out of power, without having to remove the headset would be a welcome addition to the headset. The other issue that I had, was relating to the adjustment of the band, when you extend the ear cups from it, on some headsets, there are a few set positions, on others they are clips, here there is plenty of space to slide out, the problem is that they never feel locked in. There were times when I would just move the headset around on my head, pushing one of the sides down, the result was that the headset ‘shrunk’ which required me to remove it to adjust it back. The process of adjusting them is smooth, but the lack of distinguishable clicking or locking in place is something that needs to be corrected.

The final issue that I had, is that the headband, is quite inflexible and with how the ear cups can turn to make it flat, had me wondering if I was going to damage it in some way. The upside to the band is that on the inside is a large padded space, which is just as soft as the ear cups, but with the inflexible exterior, I would always be worried about breaking it. The headset band being a rigid build, also means that it is not flexible when you wear it, so for someone like me, who has a larger than normal head, after extended periods of use, the band felt like it was always trying to return to its default shape, leaving me feeling like my head was in a vice, which is not the best feeling.

SteelSeries have made themselves a fantastic headset, the fact that it is wireless and works with Switch will easily be a selling point for those gamers who want the best on the go. It’s compatibility with every other device is staggering and while some setups require the extra cable, it is a really minor compromise in the grand scheme of things, that should not deter you. The band being a single piece of hard plastic is a concern, but as long as you take precautions, it should be ok, but the overall outcome is that, if you use many devices during your day, this is the headset you need to be using.