Overall and Final Verdict
So at the end of the day or well end of the month and a half of testing, how does the SteelSeries Arctis 7 compare to the competition? Well if you follow the website much, you may have noticed that I have been looking for a new wireless headset for a few years now. In that time I have tested everything from cheap to extremely high end but I’ve really struggled to find the perfect headset for my needs. The truth is, when not testing a headset I use my higher end speakers for in game and entertainment audio most of the time and just use my headset for Comms. The fact that the H Wireless wasn’t the best with audio quality, it was the swappable batteries that really kept me coming back. The Arctis improved on the audio performance significantly and while I would argue that the microphone performance still ahs room to grow even it was an improvement over the H Wireless. It was only when compared the microphone to the Arctis 5 that I was disappointed really. The comfort was right up there with the Arctis 5 and above the G533 and the battery life was impressive. Frankly, when you put it all together the Arctis 7 seems to be the best all-around performer with the expensive Crossfade Wireless having better audio but the price and microphone were downsides and the G533 from Logitech came close but the sandpaper like material on the earcups made it unwearable for me.
I would still recommend the SteelSeries Arctis 5 or the Sennheiser GSP 300 over the Arctis 7 for anyone who doesn’t mind being attached by a cable. The wireless is much improved and almost not noticeable but there are a few sacrifices on top of the additional cost.
What I’m really liking with the Arctis line, in general, is the customization. You can pick from a few ear pads including velour, something that you only normally find on very high-end headphones. There is a page full of crazy replacement strap designs available and right now you even get one free. I really hope they bring out the designbyhumans strap designs that they put a vote out on, they would be a big improvement over the current designs that all seem to fit one style of person and none really fit me. If nothing else new options with just solid colors would be nice, keeping things simple and letting people match to their setup or style.
The $149.99 MSRP for the Arctis 7 is up at the higher end range of gaming headsets but it is in line with the G933 and G533 and a few other wireless options. Not to mention this is a great headset! If you want wireless I think this is going to get you the best overall performance without completely breaking the bank. Once I pick up another set of ear cushions I have a feeling the Arctis 7’s are going to stay in the office for a while. I already packed up the H Wireless and a few other wireless headsets.
Live Pricing: HERE
