Published , by TJ Denzer
Published , by TJ Denzer
SteelSeries has spent quite a few years making good things better and better things great with its audio accessories. The Arctis line from the humble Novas to the high-powered Nova Pros can be considered proof of that, but SteelSeries has also just put out another new product that continues that improvement and excellence. This time they’ve tackled the earbud market with the Arctis GameBuds, and not only do they manage to pack excellent SteelSeries sound into the smallest portable package, but they also bring a bevy of features that make them versatile and easy to use for hours on end.
The SteelSeries Arctis Earbuds packaging is about as light as anything I have ever seen out of them. The full kit includes the GameBuds, a 2.4GHz dongle with USB-C connector, a charging case, a USB-C to USB-C wire, a USB-C to USB-A plug adaptor, and large, medium, and small ear inserts for the buds. It, of course, comes with instructions, and you can grab the manual on SteelSeries' website, but I couldn’t help but appreciate that there’s also a cheat sheet card of instructions for the most basic pairing and touch functions the GameBuds offer. Worth keeping on hand if you ever forget what does what. All of that comes at a price of $159.99 USD and it comes in white, black, PlayStation, and Xbox versions (both of which work with PCs).
I also couldn’t help but notice that the 2.4GHz dongle has its USB-C connector off center. This is an issue I had with previous Arctis products because having the connector in the middle of the dongle made it hard to plug into cramped port spaces. It’s great to see that fixed with just a simple movement of the connector. I think the only thing that left me wanting was the charger cable. I wish it was longer so it was easier to find a place to power up the case.
As for the tech inside the GameBuds, they're harnessing SteelSeries' latest chipset, packing as much of the group’s trademark audio power as it can into the smallest accessory it’s done yet. They feature 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, along with quick-switch capability between the two. They also pack in Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes that can also be switched between easily. Finally, the buds can hold a charge for 10 hours out of the case, but the case holds an additional 40 hours’ worth of charging power. The case can easily be charge with the included wire or a MagSafe-style contact charger.
The Arctis GameBuds might be some of the most impressive buds I’ve ever had the pleasure of using when you put the price tag, performance, and variety of features together. On their own, these things pack a nice punch with good bass, treble, highs and lows. I enjoyed using them to listen to music on Spotify while I was working most days, but when it came to games like Valve’s Deadlock and Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2, I’ve also been getting satisfactory usage out of the atmospheric sound capabilities these things provide.
I had no problem hearing enemy footsteps and which direction they were coming from on these, but then I could just as easily switch back to music or switch over to Bluetooth to take a call or connect to my smartphone for other purposes. These puppies happen to have a mic built in and it works quite well in delivering crisp and clean voice chat through. Unfortunately, you can’t run Bluetooth and 2.4GHz simultaneously on these like you can with the Arctis Nova Pros. Maybe someday, but it’s such a small action to switch back and forth that it’s not too much of a hassle for now.
The GameBuds are pretty comfy. Normally, I get ear pain from keeping buds in for too long, but I rarely experienced that with these, even on long sessions. I kept the medium inserts on and they stayed in my ears comfortably, even when I got up and moved around a bunch. Finally, true to SteelSeries’ words, the buds can also pack a full shift of gaming, music, and anything else you need in before you need to charge them again, and they charge fast.
That covers just about everything the Arctis GameBuds can do by themselves. However, once again, it’s in the versatility of the Arctis Companion App on mobile devices that these earbuds really blossom. If you have any issues with the GameBuds’ sound, the app help with that with over 100 presets built for a variety of popular games. You can make custom presets to fit your own preferences if the built-in ones don’t suit you, but just like with the Arctis Nova 5 you need to be able to download them from a PC version of SteelSeries GG to get them to the GameBuds instead of being able to make a custom preset in the app.
It’s kind of amazing that up to this point, SteelSeries had yet to dip its toes into the market of earbuds, but I’m glad they waited until this point because it feels like a lot of lessons and improved tech have come together in the Arctis GameBuds. They’re a little pricier than entry-level buds, but not as pricey as premium sets, and for that $160 tag, you get some powerful little nubs that fit comfortably for long periods of time and have robust sound you can adjust to your liking inside and outside the companion app.
This review is based on a review sample provided by the manufacturer. SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds launched on October 29, 2024 in PlayStation and Xbox variants at a retail price of $159.99 USD, and are available on the SteelSeries website, as well as at partnered retailers.