INTRODUCTION

   Once upon a time many years ago i started looking for the best gaming headset but no matter how many models i was able to get my hands on till this day i wasn't able to find one that ticks all boxes. Some offered impressive audio quality, others sported build-quality second to none, some had very good battery life (when it comes to wireless models) and a few others were even packed with remarkable microphones but none delivered on all of these. Of the top of my head the 3 best that I’ve used/reviewed to date were no others than the Steel Series Arctis Pro (both the wired and wireless versions) and the EPOS Sennheiser GSP 670. Still neither of these 3 ticked all boxes either (due to severe nitpicking on my part) and so i still find myself looking for the best with just a few days left before we say goodbye to 2021 and the latest Arctis Prime High Fidelity Esports Headset by SteelSeries on my desk.

   SteelSeries is the worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals focused on premium quality, innovation, and functionality. 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 the pioneering supporter of esports and competitive gaming tournaments, connecting gamers and fostering a sense of community and purpose. SteelSeries’ family of professional and gaming enthusiasts are the driving force behind the company and help influence, design, and craft every single accessory and the brand’s software ecosystem, SteelSeries GG. In 2020, SteelSeries acquired KontrolFreek, the industry leader in high-performance controller accessories, and Nahimic, the leader in 3D sound solutions for gaming. To learn more about SteelSeries, visit SteelSeries.com and join the conversation at @SteelSeries.

   What separates the Arctis Prime from most wired gaming headsets by SteelSeries is the fact that it uses the same 40mm premium speaker drivers as their Arctis Pro line that feature high-density neodymium magnets which help deliver a very wide frequency response of 10Hz-40KHz with 32Ohm impedance and 92dB sensitivity. We also find the same ClearCast bidirectional retractable boom microphone as the Arctis Pro line meaning you can expect features like noise-cancelling technology together with a frequency response of 100Hz-10KHz, -38dB sensitivity and 2200Ohm impedance. Design, build quality (aluminum alloy and steel used), comfort (elastic fabric headband) and even the rear audio controls are also identical so the Arctis Prime is basically an Arctis Pro without the wired/wireless controllers (that's a good thing by the way). So, time to check and see how the Arctis Prime performs not just in games and movies but also music and calls.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

SteelSeries this time over has used an orange and grey box that has a product picture at the front right beneath their logo.

Some of the awards SteelSeries headsets have received are printed on the left side of the box.

The specifications of the Arctis Prime are printed on the right side just under the bundle contents and a drawing showcasing proper connectivity.

Yet another product picture is located at the rear of the box just over a few words about it in several languages.

It's good to see that SteelSeries always pays extra attention when it comes to packaging.

Along with the Arctis Prime inside the box you'll also find a 1.2 meter long 3.5mm cable, 1.5 meter long dual 3.5mm cable, microphone pop filter, product information guide and an opinion/rating card.

THE ARCTIS PRIME

The Arctis Prime gaming headset is made out of aluminum, steel, plastic and fabric and weighs roughly 346g.

In terms of size the Arctis Prime is clearly a medium-sized model but thanks to its adjustable elastic fabric headband it should be very comfortable (just like the Arctis Pro).

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 the earcups is removable (magnetically attached) so you can replace them when/if you want.

The retractable noise-cancelling boom microphone is among the most flexible ones I’ve seen on a gaming headset (a mute LED is also placed at the front of the microphone).

At the base of the left earcup we find the micro USB and 3.5mm ports.

Both the microphone mute button and volume control roller are located at the rear of the left earcup.

As with the Arctis Pro the earcups of the Arctis Prime can rotate up to 90 degrees to allow for easier storage and/or transport.

Strangely enough instead of using their patented AirWeave Ear Cushions with the Arctis Prime (just like with the Arctis Pro) this time over SteelSeries has used leatherrete.

As with previous models the elastic fabric headband can be replaced with one of the available ones offered by SteelSeries on their website.

Worth pointing out is that every single 3.5mm connector of the cables bundled with the Arctis Prime is gold plated.

CONCLUSION

   As it so happens along with the Arctis Prime i received several other gaming headsets so i decided to do a quick comparison (plus, testing them all together did save me time) and one thing that came out of this personal comparison was just how much "livelier" the Arctis Prime felt compared to most of them. Yes, some of the other gaming headsets gave more emphasis to vocals/voices (however some people may prefer this, especially when listening to music) and others to positioning audio (which is good for games and movies) but at least for me as an all-rounder the Arctis Prime just sounds better the moment you put it on. Both bass and volume levels are very good and thanks to its wide soundstage everything feels more accurate and vivid than with many other headsets. Comfort is also set at very high levels even though by using leatherette instead of fabric for the earpads the Arctis Prime doesn’t quite reach the comfort levels of the Arctis Pro. Also do remember that since this is a 3.5mm headset you will need to set the output of your sound card (for PC use) manually for both the speakers and the microphone and also you will not be able to use the SteelSeries Engine software to tweak sound.

   At the time of this review the Arctis Prime High Fidelity Esports Headset by SteelSeries retails for USD98.81 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 99.90Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). Yes, this is still not what many people would call affordable but considering that the Arctis Pro versions cost 2-3 times over i consider this to be balanced. Bottom line if you’re out in the market for a new headset which you intend to use for everything and not just games you really should trust SteelSeries and their Arctis Prime model, especially since it’s good enough to get the Golden Award.

PROS

- Sturdy Construction
- Very Good Audio Quality
- Volume & Bass Levels
- Very Comfortable
- Retractable Microphone (Discord Certified)
- Rotatable Earcups (90 Degrees)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- 3.5mm Only (No Engine Software Support)