In this review we feature the best SteelSeries headsets for all-platform gaming including PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch consoles. These headsets are designed to deliver superior sound performance with pristine sound reproduction, good bass and crystal clear vocals. They also come with clear-cast microphones for gamers for voice clarity and communication during intense games. Furthermore, these headphones are equipped with fabric air weave cushions which provide a comfortable gaming and listening experience. If you are a gamer looking for the best SteelSeries headsets, be sure to check out our top picks below!
Compare the Best SteelSeries Headsets
| Picture | Headset | Driver Size | Frequency Range | Compatibility |
 | SteelSeries Arctis 3 | 40mm | 20 Hz to 22 kHz | PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC |
 | SteelSeries Arctis 5 | 40mm | 20 Hz to 20 kHz | PC and PS4 |
 | SteelSeries Arctis 7 | 40mm | 20 Hz to 20 kHz | PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch |
 | SteelSeries Arctis Pro | 40mm | 10 Hz to 40 kHz | PC |
 | SteelSeries Arctis 1 | 40mm | 20 Hz to 20 kHz | PS4 and PC |
 | SteelSeries Arctis 9X | 40mm | 20 Hz to 22 kHz | Xbox One, Xbox Series X |
 | SteelSeries Arctis Pro with DAC Headset | 40mm | 10 Hz to 40 kHz | PS4 and PC |
View the Best SteelSeries Headsets below
#1 Best Overall: SteelSeries Arctis 3 Headset
Sound Signature: Clean, high-fidelity sound with decent bass
Compatibility: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Connections: 3.5mm (detachable cable)
Other features: Supports Windows sonic spatial audio
The SteelSeries Arctis 3 is one of the best SteelSeries headsets you can find. These are all-platform gaming headsets which mean that they work with PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch consoles via detachable 3.5mm cables. These headsets also come with a discord certified clear cast microphone which delivers studio quality voice sound with background noise cancellation for clear communication. The microphone has a sensitivity level of 48 dB and is adjustable.
The Arctis 3 headsets come with S1 speaker drivers which deliver crisp highs detailed midranges and pretty solid bass performance. They have ultra-low distortion audio and you can really push these headsets to maximum volume without hearing any distortion. They are full compatible with native surround sound built into Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One consoles, deliver a full-range listening experience with good soundstage.
The level of soundstage and separation that you get with these headsets is very detailed – you can hear in-game cinematics and sound effects with added accuracy, and you can literally hear things that you might not have picked up before. The headset has a wide frequency range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and a 98 dB sensitivity with 32 ohms of impedance.
Furthermore, the SteelSeries Arctis 3 headsets are very comfortable to wear and feature fabric air weave ear cushions that keep your ears cool and dry. We also liked the ski-goggle suspension headband which contours across your entire head to distribute the weight of the headset, making them really comfortable to wear for long periods of time without any fatigue.
We also liked the ability to mix chat audio with regular audio using the physical dial on the headset – allowing you hear both background music and chat at the same time. This makes the entire gaming experience much more enjoyable.
Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis 3 are hands down some of the best SteelSeries headsets that deliver great sound and good value for money. They are compatible with all-platforms and consoles (including Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One), so you can’t go wrong with choosing these gaming headsets.
#2 Best Surround Sound: SteelSeries Arctis 5 Headset
Sound Signature: Spacious surround sound, virtually no distortion
Compatibility: PC and PS4
Connections: in-line USB, 3.5mm aux
Other features: DTS:X surround sound
The SteelSeries Arctis 5 is one of the best SteelSeries headsets designed for cutting edge surround sound. They come with premium audio drivers and chat controls with RGB illumination for an immersive gaming and listening experience. These headphones are equipped with arctic speaker drivers that produce ultra-low distortion at high volumes, and are paired with DTS headphones v2.0 surround sound for a cinematic move-like listening experience. If you want a headset that can make you feel as though you are in a cinema, go for the Arctis 5 headsets.
The Arctis 5 headset comes with an inline USB chat mix dial for you to balance out the in-game audio with chat volume on the fly – which is a great feature because you can actually control how much in-game sound or voice chatter you want to listen to. The headset can be connected through USB to a PC, Mac or PS4, and can also connect to the Xbox One via 3.5mm adapter. Do note that the chat mix and surround sound features are only available when connected through USB.
We liked the sound performance of the Arctis 5 headset. Straight out of the box, we found that the headset has a wide and spacious sound signature which emphasizes subtle and critical sounds for you to hear everything while gaming. You can hear in-game sound effects that you might not have noticed before, such as the sound of the wind or nearby trees. In-game music also sounds great with crystal clear highs, mids and decent bass.
Like all headsets in the SteelSeries line, the Arctis 5 headset comes with a woven ski goggle fabric which contours across your entire head and distributes the weight evenly for an enjoyable listening experience. There are also AirWeave ear-cushions which keep ears cool and dry, allowing long periods of gaming with any ear fatigue. It also comes with a steel reinforced headband which adds to the overall durability.
Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis 5 are some of the best SteelSeries headsets you can find that deliver really good surround sound and crystal clear sound quality. They are DTS:X supported, and are compatible with both PC and PS4 consoles via the USB cable connection.
#3 Best Gaming Sound: SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless Headset
Sound Signature: Bright and crisp sound, lossless sound
Compatibility: PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Connections: USB and 3.5mm aux
Other features: DTS:X v2.0 compatible
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 is one of the best SteelSeries headsets that delivers lossless wireless sound performance. The headsets are designed for gaming with high-end sound performance and lossless wireless audio with ultra-low latency and zero lag. These headsets use 2.4G low-latency audio with 24 hours of battery life for fast and consistent sound performance. They also come with a discord certified clear cast microphone that delivers studio quality voice clarity and background noise cancellation for a clean listening experience.
The Arctis 7 headsets deliver signature Arctis sound with crisp highs, detailed midranges and pretty good bass response. They also feature DTS:X audio surround sound for immersive in-game audio sound performance. It also has SteelSeries Engine 3 support, chat mix microphone and can connect to PS4 and Nintendo Switch consoles via USB in docked mode.
When the wireless functionality is not in use, you can use the 3.5mm cable in tablet mode. We like that the headset has a wide frequency range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and good sound separation for you to pick up minor details while gaming. Because the headset doesn’t have any distortion, you can hear almost every single detail in the sound and music with good accuracy.
The DTS:X surround sound (PC) does make a huge difference when plugged into the PC via USB. It gives you a 3D orientation of in-game sound effects where you can hear things based on their direction. It really feels like a 360 degree visual-listening experience with these headphones.
Finally, the SteelSeries Arctis 7 comes with a built-in battery that delivers up to 24 hours of playtime on a single charge. The headsets are also relatively comfortable to wear and the ear-cups give your ears plenty of room to breathe. The headband contours around your head to evenly distribute the headset weight, allowing for a pretty comfortable listening experience.
Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis 7s are some of the very best SteelSeries headsets developed for gamers, and we highly recommend them for their DTS:X in-game surround sound performance and lossless wireless music quality.
#4 Best for PC: SteelSeries Arctis Pro Headset
Sound Signature: Crisp highs, detailed midranges, decent bass
Compatibility: PC
Connections: USB and 3.5mm aux
Other features: DTS:X v2.0 surround sound
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro is one of the best SteelSeries headsets developed for DTS:X surround sound and high-fidelity listening. They are in fact the very best headsets from SteelSeries built for just PC gaming, and are equipped with hi-resolution drivers with high-density neodymium magnets which reproduce a full expansive frequency range from 10 Hz to 40 kHz. The sound quality from these headsets is realistic and lifelike, with distinct clarity in the upper midrange frequencies.
We really liked the fact these headsets are equipped with DTS:X v2.0 surround sound which provides optimal spatial imaging for a 360 degree sound immersion. This headset delivers accurate positional cues and allows you to hear exactly where your opponent is in FPS games. You can practically hear all the details in the music which you might not have noticed before, and pick up subtle in-game sound effects.
The headsets also sound really good when just playing normal music audio. They have a tonne of volume and emphasize the highs, mids and lows with impeccable precision. They sound almost studio-grade like, but have decent bass and nice timbre ranges. Even just for music listening alone, these headsets deliver really satisfying sound with crystal clear clarity and soundstage.
One feature that the Arctis Pro headset has is the USB chat mix dial which allows you to balance and adjust volume between your game and chat audio, which is really effective in drowning out irritating gamers when required. The headset also comes with an arctic clear cast microphone which delivers studio quality voice clarity with adequate sound cancellation.
Some other additional features of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is the prism RGB illumination where you can choose from a spectrum of 16.8 million colors with reactive lighting effects. The headset software also allows you to customize the audio sound using the EQ and microphone side tone settings.
The headset itself is comfortable to wear and also comes with silicone side grips for increased grip and durability. The headband is soft and lightweight, and does not exert much clamping force while listening to music.
Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is hands down one of the best SteelSeries headsets designed for high-fidelity sound performance. You really get the best of both worlds with these headsets – great surround sound performance and a comfortable aesthetic design.
#5 Best Wireless: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Gaming Headset
Sound Signature: Slightly V-shaped sound, smooth midranges
Compatibility: PS4 and PC
Connections: USB and 3.5mm aux
Other features: Detachable Clearcast microphone (discord certified)
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 still remains the classic favorite for gamers looking for a wireless gaming headset. It’s one of the best SteelSeries headsets which features SteelSeries’ lossless 2.4 GHz wireless for ultra-low latency wireless connection with PS4 and PC consoles. It also comes with a portable USB-C dongle for your Nintendo Switch and Lite. Furthermore, these headsets come with a detachable ClearCast noise cancelling microphone with natural sound clarity and are discord certified for clear sound.
The Arctis 1 essentially use the same high-performance speaker drivers as the Arctis 7, and deliver crystal clear sound with really good volume level. Because of the ultra-low latency wireless audio, these headsets don’t produce any distortion or lag while streaming music. You can also switch between wireless and USB-C for Nintendo Switch consoles. We liked the fact that these headsets come equipped with a built-in battery that delivers 20 hours of playtime on a single charge, giving you plenty of time for long gaming sessions.
The sound quality from the Arctis 1 is superb – you get very nice volume, crisp highs, clear vocals and decent bass output. The headsets have 3D soundstage and imaging, allowing you hear almost every single detail in the game including subtle in-game effects.
Like the other SteelSeries Arctis gaming headsets, this headset is very comfortable to wear and comes with breathable padding. It also features a steel-reinforced headband that provides a good fit for lasting durability.
If you are looking for one of the best SteelSeries headsets with wireless connectivity, definitely give the SteelSeries Arctis 1 headset a try.
#6 Best for Xbox One: SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless Headset
Sound Signature: Smooth highs, crisp vocals, bright sound
Compatibility: Xbox One and Xbox Series X
Connections: Bluetooth (supports 3.5mm aux)
Other features: Connects to Xbox like a wireless controller
The SteelSeries Arctis 9X is the best SteelSeries headset designed for Xbox One consoles. They are Microsoft certified headsets that are compatible with Xbox One and the upcoming Xbox Series X consoles with Xbox wireless integration. You can also connect these headsets directly to your Xbox just like a wireless controller with no cable or dongle required, which is exceptionally convenient for music listening. Furthermore, the wireless Bluetooth allows you to simultaneously connect to Bluetooth and Xbox to mix in music and take calls while gaming.
The Arctis 9X comes with a microphone which uses a bidirectional design for superior noise cancellation and crystal clear voice calls. This allows you to hear your teammates clearly during intense gaming sessions without any lag or dips in sound quality.
We really liked the sound performance of the Arctis 9X headset. It comes with acoustic drivers which emphasizes subtle and critical sounds for you to hear every single detail in your game. They have really immersive sound that can go very loud without any distortion; the level of soundstage and separation that you get with these headsets is very impressive. You’ll be able to hear where your opponent’s footsteps are coming from in FPS games, or the direction of projectiles in RPGs just by listening to these headsets.
We liked the fact that the headsets come with a built-in battery that delivers up to 20 hours of battery time on a single charge. It also comes with a brand new chipset designed specifically for Xbox with great audio quality and dual-wireless support for optimized power consumption.
These headsets are very comfortable to wear and come with woven ski goggle fabric that feels soft and comfortable on the ears. The elastic fabric naturally contours across your entire head to distribute the weight of the headset evenly, reducing fatigue for long hours of gaming.
Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis 9X is definitely one of the best SteelSeries headsets for Xbox gaming and we highly recommend them if you intend to do most of your gaming on the Xbox.
#7 Best for PS4: SteelSeries Arctis Pro with DAC Headset
Sound Signature: Crisp highs, detailed midranges, good bass
Compatibility: PS4 and PC
Connections: USB and 3.5mm aux
Other features: Includes GameDAC for audiophile-grade sound
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro with DAC and amp combo is a seriously powerful combo for audiophiles and PS4 gamers. The Arctis Pro is one of the best SteelSeries headsets and together with the SteelSeries DAC, delivers incredibly rich and pristine sound performance. These headsets are designed for elite gamers and professionals, with the GameDAC engineered to provide audiophile grade sound quality. This combo can literally transform your PS4 or PC into a gaming powerhouse with rich and immersive sound performance.
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro headsets features Hi-resolution audio with DTS surround sound to provide a wide and spacious soundstage with accurate positional cues. It basically combines the best SteelSeries headset with an ESS Sabre DAC and amp for high-fidelity sound reproduction.
You can literally hear every single detail in the game and subtle noises from your opponents. The headset literally looks you to hear where incoming projectors are coming from and keeps you alert throughout the entire game. Despite the fact that these are closed-back headsets, they sound really spacious and the DAC amplification allows you to hear even more minute details in the game that you’ll probably never noticed before.
The headset comes with the Arctis ClearCast bidirectional microphone which delivers studio-level sound with good clarity and adequate background noise cancellation. We particularly liked the fact that these headsets have an intuitive OLED menu and on-ear ChatMix dial which allows you to control the amount of gaming music or voice chatter that can be heard between players.
We liked the fact that the Arctis Pro headset features a studio quality clear-cast microphone for voice clarity and allows you to be clearly heard. The headset is also designed with premium materials including polished steel and aluminium alloy, and comes with a breathable fabric headset cup for a comfortable listening experience.
Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro with DAC combo is a really powerful combination for PS4 gamers and audiophiles. They are currently the best SteelSeries headsets available and with this DAC combination, you’ll definitely be in for an exciting gaming experience.