INTRODUCTION

   At one time in our lives i think most of us wanted to be attack airplane and helicopter pilots when we grew up (some of you reading these lines might have even achieved that) so I’m always interested in checking out peripherals that have something to do with that. This includes flight sticks, HOTAS, rudder pedals and even headsets. Unfortunately with the exception of just SAITEK, Thrustmaster, CH and Hercules there aren't any other manufacturers that support the market with related products (perhaps games like the upcoming Star Citizen / Squadron 42 will help change that for the best). ARCTIC just recently announced the availability of their latest stereo headset the P533 which they currently make available in two different color variants, Military and Racing so it didn't take long for me to request the first for a review.

   The increasing heat emission of modern CPUs and graphics cards has gone beyond the capability of most manufacturers to design powerful enough yet quiet coolers. An increasing noise level was the result, which had a negative impact on productivity. A quiet computer is the basis for pleasant working conditions. ARCTIC initiated the trend towards quiet cooling systems for desktop PCs in 2001 and has given distinction to it ever since. Today ARCTIC is one of the leading manufacturers in computer cooling and has acquired profound knowhow in consumer electronics. ARCTIC is a privately-owned company with its headquarters in Switzerland and offices in Hong Kong and the USA. ARCTIC contributed significantly to the development of computer cooling solutions, created a number of patented technologies leading to greater efficiency and remarkable noise reduction. Within the cooling industry ARCTIC is recognized for offering innovative solutions with a fair price tag. Our products are sold in over 45 countries across the globe. Up until 2009, ARCTIC COOLING focused solely on cooling solutions. In 2010, we became ARCTIC with the additional aim to provide a comprehensive set of innovative consumer electronics and peripherals. ARCTIC's long term goal is nothing less than being present in everybody's home. Our philosophy is still the same since the very beginning - offering consumers value-for-money, innovations at affordable prices.

   In terms of specifications the P533 Military Stereo Headset by ARCTIC seems to be nothing really we haven't seen many times in the past since it follows the typical route by using two 40mm neodymium magnet drivers that feature a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz with 32 Ohm impedance and 95dB sensitivity. The P533 however does have two things that make it stand out and more specifically the large round padded earcups and the very long boom microphone (100Hz-10KHz with -40dB sensitivity) both of which resemble those used with headsets found in helicopters and even some older airplanes (the microphone can be adjusted pretty much anyway you may want it to). The P533 also features an integrated volume control knob located on the exterior of the right earcup, gold plated 3.5mm plugs and comes bundled with a thick protection case.