SteelSeries Arctis Pro Review: The Best Gaming Headset For Audiophiles

SteelSeries has been releasing some of the best gaming headsets out there in the market for some years now. Their Arctis Pro Series’s success is just a testament to how good their products are. So today, we will be taking an in-depth look at one of their products in our own SteelSeries Arctis Pro review.

Despite not being a recent release, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro still continues to top a lot of review lists and articles quite consistently. And how could it not? It’s packed with impressive and unique features that are quite hard to find elsewhere.

Not to mention, it’s also the first gaming headset that is certified for high-res audio. Safe to say, this is a gaming headset that will satisfy a lot of gamers, casual listeners, and audiophiles alike.

But enough of that, let’s dive right into our SteelSeries Arctis Pro review and see how well this holds up.

See Where The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Ranks In Our List Of The Best Headphones For Gaming In 2021.

Overview of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro

When it comes to headsets for gaming, brands like Razer, Corsair, Logitech are some of the manufacturers that can easily come into mind. But if you truly want the best of the best in terms of audio quality, SteelSeries is actually one of the industry-leading brands you should think of considering.

Especially if you’re into competitive gaming or thinking of going into esports.

If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, SteelSeries is actually the first and original company to sponsor an esports brand as well as pro players and teams. Since 2001, they have been the go-to brand for esports competitions, creating products that focus and cater to pro gaming and pro players’ needs.

That being said, you can be assured that SteelSeries only provides the highest quality with every product release. After all, they always make sure that their products are good enough for esports competitions. And the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is just one of their many successful lineups.

Known for providing unparalleled audio quality that will make audiophiles nod their heads in approval, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro will surely not disappoint you whether you’re using this pair of headphones for your games or just for casually listening to any kind of audio content.

Additionally, using this particular pair of headphones really just brings your whole gaming session to a whole new level. The experience becomes a whole lot more immersive with the headphones offering crisp and clear in-game audio.

Thanks to the Arctis Pro’s usage of the DTS Headphone:X 2.0 technology, the overall 3D audio environment sounds a lot more realistic and precise against your ears.

All in all, whether you’re gaming competitively or just doing it for your own leisure, you will absolutely enjoy the quality sound the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is providing.

Features & Specifications

• Product Dimensions: ‎8.5 x 1.65 x 7.76 inches
• Manufacturer / Brand: SteelSeries
• Type: Over Ear
• Item Weight: 1.15 pounds
• Wireless: No.
• Connectivity: USB, Optical, 3.5mm
• Mic: Yes.
• Driver/s: 40mm neodymium
• Frequency Response: 10–40,000 Hz
• Noise Cancelling: No
• Compatibilities: PC & PS4
• Color: ‎Black
• RGB Lighting Effects: Yes
• Special Features: 40mm drivers, retractable boom microphone, DTS Headphone: X v2.0, RGB lighting effects, included DAC.

Click here for the user guide on the SteelSeries Arctis Pro.

Check out SteelSeries’ instructional video on unboxing and setting up their Arctis Pro gaming headphones to your PC below.

What We Love About The SteelSeries Arctis Pro

Amazing Audio Quality

One of the main things we need to be critical about when reviewing gaming headsets is how good their sound qualities perform. And I have to say, whether you’re an audiophile or just a casual listener, you will surely appreciate the amazing audio quality in the SteelSeries Arctis Pro.

I have already mentioned previously that the SteelSeries Arctis Pro offers really realistic as well as clear and crisp sound qualities whenever you’re gaming.

For some, this might not be too big of a deal but if you’re playing games where you need to be attentive to everything going around you, it helps a lot and gives any gamer a real competitive edge.

Even if you’re just playing games that aren’t competitive, being able to immerse yourself with the in-game audio is another way to put you in the gaming mood for hours on end.

If that’s not enough, you also have the option to tweak and customize the sound settings of your headphones with the SteelSeries software according to your preference.

Overall, the audio quality this gaming headphone delivers is truly top tier and one of the best out there.

Comfortable To Wear

One of my absolute favorite things about the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is just how comfortable it is to wear around my head. It fits snugly and perfectly without feeling any uncomfortable weight on my head.

Usually, when I wear headphones for a certain amount of time, I start to feel their weight which results in minor headaches. But with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, I don’t experience that at all. The foam is soft to the touch against my ears and the overall headphones are pretty lightweight too.

Not to mention, the self-adjusting ski goggle on the headphones works perfectly when it comes to adjusting to the shape of my head. I don’t feel any weird contours or shapes pressing against my skull while I game for hours and hours.

GameDAC

The biggest and main selling point of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is its dedicated GameDAC. And I have to say, that it works really impressively. One of the best things about this is that it is a digital to analog converter made and designed specifically for gaming in mind.

While most gaming headsets in the market come with their own built-in converters, the GameDAC on the Arctis Pro easily outperforms them with its higher quality audio performance. In addition, it also has its own amplifier circuit which helps in delivering extremely low distortion at the highest output levels.

The GameDAC also has its OLED screen display which allows you to adjust the volume, the Sidetone which lets you customize how much of yourself you want to hear when speaking into the mic, the EQ curve, input, and other customization settings without having to open the SteelSeries software.

Want to check out other gaming headsets from different brands and manufacturers? Click here for our top recommendations of the best headsets for gaming this 2021.

Our Least Favorite Things

The Mic

When it comes to the built-in microphones of most gaming headsets, I found that these things can be big hits or misses. However, with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, the microphone itself offers just enough decent audio output that you won’t sound too static-y, distorted, or even robotic.

If your voice is on the higher and brighter spectrum, you shouldn’t run into any problems when using this pair of headphones. But if you have a deep, bassy voice, you might end up sounding just a little bit tinier than expected.

Overall, the mic is not terrible, but if you’re putting out two hundred dollar gaming headphones, I would expect it to perform a lot better than this.

It’s Expensive

Now this might not bother some of you and you might even be willing to pay the full price of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, but it still doesn’t sway anything from the fact that it’s a very pricy piece of technology.

It’s not the most expensive and I do agree that the costs somewhat justify the price, especially with the number of amazing features and audio quality you’re getting from the Arctis Pro. However, a lot of gaming companies are also coming out with gaming headphones that are just as good with more competitive prices.

It’s really up to your personal preference if you will go with this brand or check out more budget-friendly options.

In A Nutshell

Now that we have finished breaking down the things we loved and disliked about the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, let’s narrow down the pros and cons of this particular gaming headset.

The Final Verdict

Overall, the Arctis Pro from SteelSeries is hands-down one of the best sounding headphones for gamers in the market right now. Sure, the $200+ price tag that comes along with it can be a little steep for some of you but I find that it’s so worth it especially if you think about a pair of gaming headphones of this caliber.

With the SteelSeries Arctis Pro, you’re not just getting a simple accessory to pair with your gaming setup, you’re getting a piece of technology that’s comfortable to wear for hours on end and will provide you with one of the most amazing in-game audio experiences to date.

Whether you’re willing to splurge or look the other way, it’s completely up to you.

Do you already own the SteelSeries Arctis Pro? How is it working for you? Let me know about your insights and experiences in the comments section below. I would love to hear your thoughts!

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