SteelSeries Arctis 7P Review
PROSBuild Quality, Battery Life, Comfortable For Long Gaming Sessions
CONSHeadband Straps, Not The Best Performance For Music
SteelSeries Arctis 7P Review
SteelSeries is no stranger to making adjustments to their best hardware and fine tuning them for specific types of users. The Arctis 7P and its sibling, the Arctis 7X are aimed primarily on console users gearing up for the next generation of gaming. I’ve been using the SteelSeries Arctis 7P for a while now, carefully looking at it from the perspective of someone with a more general use case.
Right out of the box, the Arctis 7P’s steel frame has a solid feeling to it that is slightly undercut by the initial impression of the headband mechanism. Instead of the traditional sliding headband, the headset comes with ski goggle adjustment straps
(I had to look up what ski goggles look like for this). While it’s a bit cumbersome and not really adjustable on the go, these suspended bands seem best typically when stationary. Bending down and generally moving around too much would often cause the headset to wobble and teeter annoyingly if not adjusted properly beforehand.
The headset overall is very comfortable for long gaming sessions due to the soft fabric that covers the earpads and the suspension headband balancing the weight of the hardware perfectly. One question I always have in mind for headsets before buying them is whether they’re going to bother me while I’m wearing glasses. Unlike some other headsets, the Arctis 7P checks that box quite well and remains comfortable for bespectacled folk like myself.
Now let’s talk about the some of the main reasons to purchase this headset. The SteelSeries Arctis 7P is wireless gaming headset that effortlessly connects to either your PC or your PlayStation console using a 2.4 GHz USB-A dongle. It also features a USB-C dongle that lets your connect your headset wirelessly to the Nintendo Switch both in docked and undocked positions as well as any handheld devices with USB-C ports. Plus the detachable 7.5mm cord technically means you can connect it to your Xbox console via the controller, so… winning?
The box says 24 hours battery life and it sure feels that way so far. I’ve yet to face any issues with the battery conking out on me during a long gaming session as long as I charge it once a day. Sometimes I forget to do even that, but the headset plods along fine regardless. The Steel Series Engine software on your PC has a battery life indicator and so does the headset, in the form of blinking lights that transition from a healthy green to a morbid red.
The onboard controls of the headset are laid out in a very convenient manner, with a dial for sidetone and the power button on the right headphone. One the left, we have the microphone mute button, a dial for headset volume and charging/connection ports. There’s also a nifty retractable microphone housed on this headphone, which has a LED light that indicates whether it’s muted or not. While I typically abhor headsets with loads of buttons and dangly bits, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P uses smart design that makes it feel more functional and less cluttered.
Performance-wise, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P has almost everything going for it. Games like Ghost of Tsushima and Genshin Impact come to life inside your ears. The headset supports Sony’s Tempest Engine 3D Audio technology as well, making it perfect for the next generation console.
But there are some minor caveats when it comes to PC gaming and listening to music.
There is a lack of virtual 3D audio options for PC. The headset is a bit dismissive when it comes to vocals and subtle instruments in some of my favorite songs, but that shouldn’t be a problem for people who are primarily using them for video games.
And while there’s no active noise cancellation, the sound isolation is good enough for using around the house. The microphone is fairly standard and quite clear, although I would advise adjusting it so it’s not too close to your mouth as that seems to affect the mic sensitivity.
Despite these small grumbles, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P is one of the best wireless headset options for its price range in the market. I would highly recommend the Arctis 7P if your usage revolves primarily around the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, with a side note of PC, Switch or mobile gaming. For Xbox users, there’s the SteelSeries Arctis 7X that would offer a much better deal.