These days, there are many games that support positional and 3D audio, where the sounds in the game actually seem to emanate from their sources. Even older games like Grand Theft Auto V are adding this feature for next generation consoles. If you have a big home theater setup with surround sound, you can tap into that right away. But if you don’t, then you can still enjoy those audio vibes with a quality gaming headset. And the setup is going to be a lot easier and less expensive too.
The Steel Series Arctis 7+ Wireless Gaming Headset that we are reviewing today is an update of the previous Arctis 7 headset. This newer model headset is designed for use with the PC, PS5, PS4, Mac, Android and Switch. It has USB-C with 7.1 Surround Sound and an impressive 30-hour battery life. It also comes with all the cords to use the headset with all of that equipment. The cords are necessary to attach a dongle to your device to make the headset wireless. The fact that you can use it with so many systems is pretty impressive.
I attached it first to my PlayStation 5 and it worked beautifully. It paired easily and the sound was clear. Having individual volume adjustments for each ear is fantastic because I don’t hear out of my right ear as well as I do out of my left one. The net effect is that to have the volume at the appropriate level for my left ear means I can’t hear anything in my right ear, but if I set the volume for my right ear, it’s too loud for my left. Individually being able to adjust the ear cups is amazing.
The microphone slides out of the headset and can be slid back easily when not in use, which is nice because I don’t use the microphone all that often. The over-the-ear cups are soft and comfortable but not noise cancelling. If you’re gaming, you can still hear someone calling your name or the dog barking or whatever. For some people that’s a bonus. For others not. The actual over the head part of the headset is different from any other headset I’ve ever used. Instead of just the usual top piece, the Arctis 7+ has what they call a ski goggle strap for a better fit. This wide piece of elastic, much like you find on ski goggles, is adjustable with Velcro with the intention of making the headset more comfortable to wear.
My husband found that to be absolutely true. He has curly hair though. I have very straight hair and no matter how I adjusted that strap, it wanted to slide off my head. I finally figured out a workable position, but I couldn’t tilt my head forward or back at all without the same thing happening. I guess the strap isn’t meant for straight hair.
Other than the strap, which might just be a problem for me, I found the Arctis 7+ to be a very nice headset which does exactly what it says it does. What do I mean by that? Well, on the package the Xbox isn’t listed. Out of curiosity, I connected it to my Xbox Series S and it didn’t work, which is fine, it doesn’t claim to, but I thought I’d point it out for those people who might not check the box. There is an Xbox version however, so gamers who are interested in beefing up their Xbox audio should look into that headset.
If you’ve got an Arctis 7+ or another headset you love for gaming, let us know what you think. If you’re an Xbox gamer, what headset are you using? Let us know in the comments below.