SteelSeries has some impressive high-quality and great performing products when it comes to gaming accessories for PC and other gaming platforms. And while Sony has now started to flood the market with the new Sony PlayStation 5 game console, SteelSeries has already announced a new gaming headset to match the design aesthetics and the audio features of the PS5. It’s a headset that’s also compatible with smartphones, PC, the Nintendo Switch, and more. We take a look at how the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless white gaming headset performs and write our thoughts about it.
Design and Comfort
Gaming headsets are usually designed in such a way the gamer would be able to comfortably wear the headset for longer periods of time without worrying about stress on the ears. And the ease of access for headphone controls is another aspect that needs to be considered. The SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless features a headband made of dual-steel construction. SteelSeries claims the dual-steel build is durable. The headband portion is thin and strong. The headset is based on a suspension design that of a ski goggle. There is the velcro strap that covers the headband portion so you will be able to hold the headset comfortably while carrying it around, thanks to its soft fabric material. The velcro strap can be easily adjusted so gamers can comfortably use the headset but with some few trials of pulling and attaching back the strap. The strap also has the SteelSeries insignia, which is where you actually pull out the strap for size adjustment. The headset sits comfortably over my head and it didn’t feel heavy at all, since the device weighs about 365 grams. I did also use the headset while traveling through the metro and walking to work and the device didn’t feel heavy or move around unless you are shifting your head instantly.
There is also a soft material that is located under the headband and is blue in color to match the PS5 color scheme. The white color of the outer part of the headband extends towards the earcups of the headset. It should be noted that the white color on both the earcups and the headband comes in a matte finish and so the earcups feel soft to touch. There is also the SteelSeries logo on the bottom end of both the earcups. SteelSeries has also given a lot of thought regarding the earcup cushions. As it appears. the brand has used its AirWeave fabric-based ear cushions for the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless. The AirWeave cushions are said to offer a very comfortable fit over your ears and they weren’t kidding. While wearing the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless, the cushions covered my ears comfortability without any stress on the outer ear portion and the fabric also helps to keep things cool so you don’t really sweat after prolonged use of the headset. What was impressive is that the ear cushions were able to isolate the outer noise in the room without the need to insert pressure over the ears so to block out the noise.
The ear cushions felt very cozy over our ears while we tried the headset, thanks to the AirWeave fabric and the cushions are replaceable. The inside part of the earcup is blue, which makes the Arctis 7P Wireless a matching headphone for the Sony PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 4. When it comes to button and port placements, SteelSeries has placed most of the controls on the left earcup. There is a button to activate or deactivate the mic, which can be easily accessed with your left-hand thumb. Then comes the volume dial, followed by the Share port for audio, the 3.5mm audio jack, and the micro USB connector. There is also the ClearCast microphone that can be retracted easily when needed. The mic has an LED indicator that turns red when the mic remains turned off. The right earcup doesn’t have much like the left-sided earcup, except for the main power button and the Sidetone dial that allows you to control the audio that is picked up by the mic and played on the headset.
Specifications and Compatibility
The SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless packs some impressive audio specifications to support gamer-centric applications. The headphone uses 40mm Neodymium audio drivers that should be able to produce loud music and audio. The drivers used by the headphones brings support for a frequency response between 20Hz and 20,000 Hz range. The headphone features an impedance of 32 Ohms, which is decent enough for home usage and on-the-go audio experience. The total harmonic distortion is less than 3 percent, which should mean distortions should be less. The headphone speakers are capable of audio sensitivities up to 98db SPL. We had tried the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless during PC gameplay and the sound quality is good but not great, to say the least. It’s definitely not the best around and that’s expected since the headphone is classed as an affordable product. The audio did sound a bit flat and the bass effects are decent too. Sure, you can use the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless and tweak it a bit with the SteelSeries Engine application and custom equalizer settings.
The Discord-certified ClearCast microphone of the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless supports a frequency response between 100 Hz to 6500 Hz range. The microphone captures your voice in the bidirectional pattern. The mic can pick up sounds as loud as -33 dbv/Pa wh. The impedance of the mic is rated at 2200 Ohm, which is a medium-range impedance. For the best microphone quality, you will need to retract the mic outwards when needed. Our teammates were able to clearly hear our audio while playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare multiplayer matches. While the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless works with PC, we could either use the 3.5mm audio jack or by using the supplied wireless transmitter that features a USB Type-C connector. The package also included a USB Type-A to USB Type-C wire so you can connect the wireless transmitter. SteelSeries claims that the wireless transmitter has a range of 40 feet or up to 12 meters of distance.
This 2.4 GHz lossless wireless audio transmitter is what transforms the convenience of using the headphone. It’s just that easy where you don’t need to fiddle or browse through the wireless settings option on Windows. Upon connecting the wireless dongle to the PC, the PC’s audio output instantly connects to the headphone. And it doesn’t end there. SteelSeries claims that with the use of the wireless transmitter, the headphone is basically versatile and is compatible with not only PC but also platforms such as PS4, Android smartphones, the Nintendo Switch, and also the new PlayStation 5. Connecting to an Android smartphone was a piece of cake and it felt so different than to always go through the settings to activate Bluetooth and pair the device (old habits). That said, you will need to use an Android smartphone with a USB Type-C port and we are certain almost all devices are based on the new connection. Just simply connect the receiver to the Android smartphone and the audio switches to the headphones. The wireless connection between the smartphone and the headphone is strong as I was able to hear music or watch YouTube on the go without audio distortions due to signal drops. There was a slight distortion at times but not like when you would use a Bluetooth headset. You can also use the mic for calls and send voice messages. Using the Sidetone dial also helps to isolate unwanted noise of what you speak when the audio is diverted to the headphones. Audio quality is decent during phone calls and also while watching any movie so the Arctis 7P is a good all-around headphone.
We also tried the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless on a Nintendo Switch Lite and the convenience of connecting to the handheld console is easy. It’s the same step as simply connecting the wireless dongle and the Arctis 7P enables audio from the Switch Lite. The same goes for the PlayStation 4, except for the fact you need to use the USB Type-A to USB Type-C wire as well since the PS4 doesn’t have a dedicated USB Type-C port. But that isn’t the case with the PS5 as the new Dual Sense controller does feature a USB Type-C port. Unfortunately, we did not have a PlayStation 5 at the time of reviewing the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless headset. After all, the white color scheme of the headset was specifically to target PS5 owners. With all the hype of PS5’s new audio technologies, SteelSeries claims that the Arctis 7P Wireless is fully compatible with the new Tempest 3D AudioTech that is present on the PlayStation 5, something that we can’t try out now. And just so you know, SteelSeries also has the Arctis 7P Wireless in black and is also compatible with the PS5 Tempest 3D AudioTech. Let’s hope Sony releases black-colored plates for the PS5 in the future.
Battery Life
Since the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless is primarily marketed as a wireless headphone, the battery life of the headphones is of vital importance. SteelSeries claims that the Arctis 7P can operate up to 24 hours of usage in wireless mode, allowing gamers to game on for hours of gaming sessions. With our usage, we had tried the headset to the PC for watching YouTube or hearing music for multiple days without the need to charge (3-4 hours per day of normal use). Using the headphone while gaming on PC and PS4 lasted for many days (again 3-4 hours of usage per day). However, we did notice that when we connected the headset and the wireless transmitter to an Android smartphone, the battery of the smartphone drains out quickly. However, the Nintendo Switch was able to last longer with the headphone while gaming. That said, the battery life is good and can last for hours on a single charge, keeping you going while playing hours of gaming sessions. Of course, you can connect the micro USB port and charge while gaming. It would have been better if SteelSeries had implemented a USB Type-C port on the headphone for charging.
Verdict
There is no doubt that SteelSeries produces some amazing gaming headphones and the Arctis 7P Wireless is no slouch either. The new Arctis 7P wireless brings full compatibility for the upcoming Sony PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, so early PS5 adopters not only gets a matching white headphone but also a headphone that can take the advantage of PS5’s audio enhancements. With Sony giving the white color treatment for the PS5, most of the gaming brands will start to offer gaming accessories in white, and SteelSeries is one of them. The headphone is also compatible with multiple platforms such as the Sony PlayStation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android smartphones, thanks to the supplied wireless transmitter and the USB cables. The wireless transmitter just works with any USB Type-C based Android smartphone and the Nintendo Switch. Pairing the headphone to an Android smartphone or the Switch is so easy, you just need to connect the dongle and nothing more.
Connecting the headphone to the PC or the PS4 is just as easy with the wireless transmitter. And we love how easy it is to connect the headphone. The battery life of the headphone is impressive as it will easily last for hours, be it when using it with a PC, PS4, Switch, or an Android smartphone. Gamers will be impressed with how long the headphone can last for hours of gaming. Accessing the audio controls of the headphone is simple and straightforward without the need to change between different sorts of modes. Users can mute the mic whenever needed and the audio quality is good enough unless you are a music or movie buff that expects to hear a whole lot of audio details and bass effects. The Sidetone is an added advantage to isolate the audio captured by the microphone. The Arctis 7P itself is comfortable to hold and wear and features durable stainless steel construction. The AirWeave ear cushions are very comfortable over your ears that should allow gamers play for hours, thanks to the soft fabric material.
