INTRODUCTION

   Wireless gaming has always been a serious matter of discussion among us and although as many of you are certainly aware we just can't skip the fact that wired headsets are far more "efficient" compared to their wireless counterparts we have indeed reached a point where consumers can actually enjoy listening to music, watching movies and playing PC and console games wirelessly without sacrificing much in the process (at least not nearly as much as in the past). Granted things like battery life are not going away any time soon (huge leaps have also been made here however) so wired headsets do have the advantage there as well but at least in terms of audio quality and signal strength things keep improving by the day. Back in 2014 SteelSeries released their very first wireless gaming headset called the H (review here) and although it was a somewhat huge success among gamers it wasn't until 4 years later in March of last year that they released a new model, the Arctis Pro Wireless which after a somewhat considerable delay is finally here with us today.

   SteelSeries is a leader in gaming peripherals focused on quality, innovation and functionality, and the fastest growing major PC gaming headset brand in the US. Founded in 2001, SteelSeries improves performance through first-to-market innovations and technologies that enable gamers to play harder, train longer, and rise to the challenge. SteelSeries is a pioneer supporter of competitive gaming tournaments and eSports and connects gamers to each other, fostering a sense of community and purpose. SteelSeries’ team of professional and gaming enthusiasts help design and craft every single accessory and are the driving force behind the company.

   The Arctis Pro Wireless (currently available in both black and white/black colors) is pretty much identical to the Arctis Pro with GameDAC which we reviewed last year (with the addition of wireless connectivity) so once again we have ourselves a Hi-Res stereo headset that features two 40mm premium speaker drivers with high-density neodymium magnets (frequency response of 10Hz-40KHz with 32 Ohm impedance and 102dB sensitivity), a bidirectional retractable boom microphone complete with noise-cancelling technology (100Hz-10KHz frequency response with -38dB sensitivity and 2200Ohm impedance) and Bluetooth v4.1 connectivity (A2DP/HFP/HSP profiles supported). Unlike the GameDac however the Arctis Pro Wireless comes ready with a wireless transmitter/receiver (features line in/out and optical in/out connectivity) thanks to which not only are you getting lossless audio with a range of up to 40 feet (12 meters) but also support for DTS Headphone:X v2.0 7.1 virtual surround sound technology which can deliver 3D virtualization with proximity cues and support for channel-based, scene-based and object-based audio for an enhanced gaming experience. SteelSeries also bundles two 1000mAh lithium-ion batteries each of which can power the Arctis Pro Wireless for up to 10 hours (20 hours total).

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Arctic Pro Wireless gets shipped inside a rather large box that has a product picture at the front, the company logo, system compatibility and its main features.

Listed on the left side are the bundle contents and the product specifications.

Several awards by media are printed on the opposite side.

Another product picture is placed at the rear of the box just over the main product features printed in 3 languages.

Both the Arctis Pro headset and the 2.4GHz transmitter/receiver are placed inside a formed piece of plastic while the rest of the bundle is placed in a small cardboard box located underneath.

Along with the Arctis Pro headset and the 2.4GHz transmitter/receiver you are also getting an extra 1000mAh battery (one is already pre-installed inside the headset), microphone windscreen, USB Audio Cable, Toslink Optical Cable, Mobile Audio Cable, Mobile Charging Cable, product information guide and a satisfaction card.

THE ARCTIS PRO

The Arctis Pro is a medium sized gaming headset made out of plastic, fabric and aluminum that has weight of around 425g.

Just like the Arctis 7 the Arctis Pro features an adjustable elastic fabric headband making it extremely comfortable even after several hours of use.

Once again SteelSeries has placed their name on the exterior of both earcups and their logo on both ends of the elastic fabric headband.

The exterior of both earcups is magnetically held in place so you just need to pull them outwards (doing so reveals a strange pattern on the left and the battery compartment on the right earcup).

The ClearCast retractable noise-cancelling boom microphone is among the most flexible ones we've ever used and is also among the only ones that also feature a windscreen in the bundle (an adjustable brightness mute LED is placed at the front of the microphone).

On the base and rear of the left earcup we also find a micro USB charging port, 3.5mm input, mini USB port volume control roller and a microphone mute button.

Things are much simpler on the base of the right earcup since here we just find the power on/off and Bluetooth pairing buttons and their activity LEDs.

Left and right markings are placed on the interior just over the earcups.

Both earcups can rotate 90 degrees to allow for easier storage and/or transport.

The patented AirWeave Ear Cushions by SteelSeries are not only extremely comfortable but also quite large.

THE 2.4GHZ WIRELESS TRANSMITTER / RECEIVER

The 2.4GHz wireless transmitter/receiver bundled with the Arctis Pro is almost identical to that bundled with the H Wireless model and so its sides are also made out of glossy plastic (dust magnet).

At the front we find a clickable control knob and a small round button next to it (both can be used to navigate the various OLED screens).

A small hatch located on the right side is used to recharge the extra battery while you're using the other one to power the headset.

At the rear we find the analog audio in/out ports, DC power port, mini USB port and the digital optical audio in/out.

Most of the base features a rubber pad which ensures the transmitter stays where you put it.

The very first time you turn on the 2.4GHz transmitter/receiver you will need to choose the source you have it connected with as seen above.

After that you can use it to adjust volume levels, configure various features (like Chatmix, Equalizer, Virtual Surround and Soundtone), set the OLED screen and microphone mute LED brightness levels, enable/disable volume limiter, adjust the auto-off feature, reset the device and more.

ENGINE 3 SOFTWARE

The latest Engine 3 software version is available from the official SteelSeries support page as seen above.

Once you download and install the Engine 3 software it will ask you to install additional software for the Arctis Pro Wireless.

A useful feature of the Engine 3 software is that you can check the battery levels of both batteries (as long as the 2nd one is located in the 2.4GHz transmitter/receiver).

The Engine 3 software is as always easy to navigate so from the Audio page you can enable the DTS Headphone:X v2.0 7.1 feature and choose one of the available surround (studio/game/cinema) and stereo (default/small room/large room) profiles, enable/disable dialogue and bass enhancements, manually adjust the equalizer or choose one of the 6 available presets (balanced/immersion/performance/entertainment/music/voice), enable/disable volume limiter and adjust the microphone sidetone levels (allows you to hear your own voice in the headset as you speak into the microphone).

From within the Settings tab you can configure the auto-off feature, enable bluetooth automatically every time the headset powers up, auto-mute game audio when incoming calls via bluetooth, set the OLED screen auto shut-off feature, configure the screensaver mode for the OLED screen and finally you can also adjust the brightness levels of both the OLED screen and the microphone LED.

CONCLUSION

   Even though it took a very long time for the Arctis Pro Wireless to make it to our lab that meant we had no reason to "rush" our review so we've been using it for over a month now with very good results. Of course as expected both in terms of audio quality (lack of the 32 bit audio ESS Sabre 9018 Reference DAC) and even looks (no RGB lighting) the Arctis Pro Wireless falls slightly behind compared to its brother the Arctis Pro with GameDAC model but unless you have both models right next to each other you will not be able to tell (at least not the difference in audio quality). That being said no matter with what content you decide to use the Arctis Pro Wireless you will be getting clear and detailed mids and highs, good bass levels (SteelSeries could had improved on this by using 50mm drivers), extreme volume levels (with the volume limiter turned off – caution, prolonged use at maximum levels could harm your ears), accurate positioning audio and superior comfort. Once again, we didn’t end up using the ClearCast noise-cancelling bidirectional boom microphone as much as we’d like but it did perform extremely well during games and while answering Viber calls. As for battery life well this depends a lot on many things such as volume levels, microphone LED brightness levels and Bluetooth (on/off) but without using Bluetooth at the same time and with the volume at around 80% (and the LED at max brightness) we did manage to almost squeeze 8 and ½ hours of use out of each of the two 1000mAh batteries so although far from perfect the Arctis Pro Wireless did good. As for signal strength we had no issues using the Arctis Pro Wireless from two rooms away (8 meters) with a single concrete wall in between.

   Almost 15 months after its official launch the Arctis Pro Wireless by SteelSeries is currently available at a significantly reduced price set at USD290 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at 262Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). This is actually very good news especially since many consumers had a serious problem with the launch price of the Arctis Pro Wireless (roughly 25% higher than today). Yes, even at this price range the Arctis Pro Wireless is not exactly aimed at every consumer out there but for gamers, enthusiasts and even audiophiles looking for a Hi-Res headset with both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity this could be the ideal choice and since it delivers on everything that we looked for it deserves our Golden Award.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality
- Hi-Res Audio Quality
- Volume & Bass Levels
- 2.4GHz OLED Transmitter / Receiver
- Very Comfortable
- 2 Bundled 1000mAh Lithium Ion Batteries
- Positioning Audio Via DTS Headphone:X V2.0
- Wired & Wireless Use (2.4GHz / Bluetooth)
- Engine 3 Software

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- DTS Headphone X Only Available For PC
- No RGB Illumination (Unlike The GameDAC Model)