SteelSeries Arctis 1 Review: A Great Budget Headset At Last
Our Verdict
Gamers with simply $50 to spend on a gaming headset should invest in the SteelSeries Arctis 1 without hesitation. Notwithstanding, if you tin can spend $fourscore instead, the SteelSeries Arctis 3 is a better buy.
For
- Adept audio
- Comfortable to wear
- Removable mic
Against
- Imperfect fit
- Subpar mic quality
Tom's Guide Verdict
Gamers with only $fifty to spend on a gaming headset should invest in the SteelSeries Arctis i without hesitation. Still, if yous can spend $80 instead, the SteelSeries Arctis 3 is a ameliorate buy.
Pros
- +
Good sound
- +
Comfortable to habiliment
- +
Removable mic
Cons
- -
Imperfect fit
- -
Subpar mic quality
In the past, I've lamented that it's very, very difficult to make a great gaming headset that sells for less than $lx. You lot go a few in the $fourscore range, and plenty at $100+, but true budget models always seem to take some disquisitional flaw.
Ugly design, uncomfortable fits and poor music performance are the common culprits. That'southward why I was impressed that the SteelSeries Arctis 1 ($50) doesn't fall into any of these traps.
Impressed, merely non surprised. The Arctis has generally been the best line of gaming headsets on the marketplace since its introduction back in 2016, and I didn't actually expect SteelSeries to cutting corners on its first upkeep peripheral.
While the Arctis 1 doesn't offer every bit precise a fit as the more expensive Arctis headsets, it nonetheless sounds not bad, looks sleek and works with just about every platform out there. I'd still recommend the Arctis 3 if yous can lay out another $30 upwardly front, but the Arctis 1 is rex of the best cheap gaming headsets.
- More of the best gaming headsets
- The best PC games yous tin can buy
- Buy one of the best PS5 headsets
SteelSeries Arctis i review: Blueprint
The Arctis one is simple and bonny, although not quite as unproblematic and attractive as its more than expensive counterparts. The headset features a black plastic chassis with foam earcups. That'south all fine, although "plain" describes it better than "elegant."
What I'm less crazy about is the steel headband with rigid notches. At that place's plenty of padding, so it's comfortable to wearable, simply information technology's very tough to get a precise fit. I'll bear on more on that in the side by side section, but it'southward a big step back from the "ski goggles" blueprint in the Arctis 3, 5, vii and Pro, which automatically adjusts to your head each time yous put it on.
The left earcup is where you'll find all of the headset'south special features, including a volume punch, a mic mute push and a removable mic. Removable mics in $50 headsets are hard to come by, and I was impressed that the flexible mic is both unobtrusive and easy to detach. This way, you tin apply the Arctis 1 as an everyday pair of headphones, or simply ditch the mic when you're immersed in a single-player adventure.
While the headset connects via a single 3.5 mm sound jack, the device also comes with an audio/mic splitter for gaming PCs. The cablevision is nigh comically long, so you'll have to figure out a way to shorten information technology, depending on how close yous sit down to your PC, merely better as well long than too curt. Otherwise, it can connect to but about anything, from mobile phones to game consoles.
SteelSeries Arctis 1 review: Comfort
By far, the Arctis 1'due south biggest drawback is that it uses rigid notches to find a fit rather than an elastic headband. This means that yous'll have to do a lot of fine-tuning to get the headset to sit correct, and if someone else picks information technology upward and puts it on, all your hard work will be reset.
On top of that, the headset seems very big. Even though my caput has a fairly large circumference, I had to wear the Arctis 1 in its tightest conformation. Otherwise, it felt similar information technology was going to slip off.
By far, the Arctis 1's biggest drawback is that it uses rigid notches to find a fit rather than an rubberband headband.
Even though I couldn't get a precise fit, though, the peripheral wasn't uncomfortable to article of clothing. The cream earcups didn't press down hard, even though I wear glasses, and the padded headband didn't feel heavy on top of my caput. I wore the Arctis 1 for hours at a fourth dimension without feeling the need to have it off.
I handed the Arctis 1 off to a co-worker, who said it was extremely comfortable and soft. He had no trouble wearing information technology for long periods, and fifty-fifty asked to hang onto it for a piddling while longer after my review was done.
SteelSeries Arctis ane review: Gaming operation
The Arctis 1 performed admirably for everyday gaming. I could hear directional sound while gunning down foes every bit Reaper in Overwatch, and distant battle cries to redirect my attention in Age of Empires: Definitive Edition. The dialogue and orchestral fare in Baldur'south Gate: Siege of Dragonspear sounded crisp and clear, while World of Warcraft sounded, well, like World of Warcraft.
In that location'due south no denying that the headset is a fiddling lite on bass, so don't expect gunplay or explosions to have a tremendous amount of oomph. And while the sound is balanced, no item element of the games I tested shone through. The Arctis 1 is competent and pleasant — just don't await whatsoever audible epiphanies in this price range.
SteelSeries Arctis 1 review: Features
As the Arctis one is a 3.5 mm headset, ane of its biggest advantages is that yous can apply it with just about any system you own. I was particularly pleased with how good information technology sounded when I played Final Fantasy Seven on a Nintendo Switch. The string is only long enough, and the soundscape does a adept job of emphasizing both music and sound effects.
On the other hand, there's the microphone, which is functional but certainly not as good as what you'd get in a college-finish device. My phonation came through clearly, albeit with a bold, croaking quality to it.
As the Arctis 1 is a 3.v mm headset, one of its biggest advantages is that you can use information technology with just about any organisation yous own.
Even so, the mic wasn't very selective virtually what sound it picked up, and I heard a ton of typing from adjacent desks and conversations from nearby co-workers. Y'all could employ this mic for online games, provided that your dwelling isn't too noisy, and you lot're willing to mute the mic when information technology'south not in utilize.
SteelSeries Arctis 1 review: Music performance
What usually sinks cheap gaming headsets is that they're virtually useless for listening to music. That'due south thankfully not the example with the Arctis i. While information technology's non going to requite yous a concert-hall experience, this headset lets y'all hear every part of the music you lot're listening to, from bass parts to rhythmic instrumentals to articulate vocals.
I tested the Arctis 1 with music from Old Crow Medicine Show, Flogging Molly, The Rolling Stones and Thou.F. Handel, and while I wasn't impressed with any of the audio, I was pleased with all of it. The headset presented a fairly skilful balance amidst pb voices, harmonies and instruments, particularly in treble, vocal-heavy songs.
Every bit in games, the bass here is non about as satisfying every bit it could be, but it as well doesn't have that hollow, faraway sound that's common to gaming headsets in this price range.
SteelSeries Arctis 1 review: Verdict
In spite of a few reservations about its design and its mic, the Arctis one is probably the best gaming headset yous tin can get for $50. Information technology handles both music and games with aplomb, and information technology's comfortable to article of clothing, even though the fit isn't perfect. The Arctis 1 establishes what the baseline for budget headsets should be; now let'south run into how other companies choose to innovate.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/steelseries-arctis-1
Posted by: murrahexan1970.blogspot.com
0 Response to "SteelSeries Arctis 1 Review: A Great Budget Headset At Last"
Post a Comment