SteelSeries Arctis 9 review
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 feels great and sounds good, although it's quite expensive, even taking all of its features into account.
For
- Comfortable fit
- Compatible with many systems
- Excellent mic
- Good gaming sound
Confronting
- Subpar music operation
- Expensive
Tom'southward Guide Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis nine feels great and sounds good, although information technology's quite expensive, even taking all of its features into account.
Pros
- +
Comfy fit
- +
Compatible with many systems
- +
First-class mic
- +
Practiced gaming sound
Cons
- -
Subpar music functioning
- -
Expensive
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 demonstrates that the Danish audio manufacturer nonetheless has ambition to spare. While the SteelSeries Arctis seven has been our best gaming headset pick for years, it also came out in an era when smartphones even so largely had headphone jacks. Now, Bluetooth is often the simply way to become audio from a mobile device without a dongle, and the Arctis 9 is one of the few gaming headsets with Bluetooth connectivity built in.
The Arctis 9 connects effortlessly with PC, PS4, Switch (docked) and mobile platforms, and with a 3.5 mm audio cable, it also connects with Xbox One, Switch (handheld) and older audio devices of all stripes. In all other respects, it'southward very like to the Arctis 7 — for ameliorate and for worse.
Like the Arctis 7, the Arctis ix features a gorgeous, comfortable design, proficient in-game audio and a crystal-articulate mic. But also like the Arctis 7, the audio quality isn't quite what yous'd expect for the cost, particularly since the Arctis nine costs a hefty $200 instead of a more manageable $150.
You lot're essentially paying an extra $fifty for Bluetooth functionality, which is handy, just perhaps non worth the premium. Information technology's also that the Arctis 9 makes yous bound through a few connectivity hurdles, considering that another SteelSeries product, the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless for Xbox, has essentially solved the dongle problem one time and for all.
I'yard not convinced that the Arctis 9 is the accented best headset yous can become for $200, merely with skillful operation and a great design, it'southward at to the lowest degree in the running. Learn more than in our full SteelSeries Arctis 9 review.
SteelSeries Arctis 9 design
Right off the bat, the SteelSeries Arctis ix earns kudos for doing what and then few other gaming headsets do, and separating the overall volume and conversation volume dials.
The volume punch is on the right earcup, forth with the mic mute button, the Bluetooth button, the charging port and the 3.5 mm audio jack. On the left earcup, you'll find a chat mix punch, and nothing else. It makes telling the two dials autonomously effortless, different many other gaming headsets, which inexplicably place the two dials correct next to each other.
Beyond that, the Arctis nine features the classic Arctis design yous've nigh certainly seen before: a manifestly, lightweight blackness plastic chassis with an elastic headband on superlative. There's a retractable mic in the left earcup, and not much else by manner of adornment. You could very easily wear this headset out of the business firm without a single errant glance. There'due south no RGB lighting or inventive design flourishes; it'due south merely an elegant, comfortable gaming headset.
SteelSeries Arctis 9 comfort
Like other Arctis headsets, the SteelSeries Arctis ix uses what SteelSeries calls a "ski goggles" design. Instead of adjustable notches, the Arctis 9 has an elastic headband that adjusts to your caput automatically each time you wear it. That means in that location'south no slow fiddling with notches, even if you lot share the headset with a spouse or housemate. I ever said I wished more gaming companies would cover this design, but equally headsets like the Logitech G733 prove, the pattern isn't as effortless as SteelSeries makes it look.
The bottom line is that between its plush earcups and effortless headband, the Arctis 9 feels comfortable to wear for hours at a time, and virtually guarantees a perfect fit from the moment you put it on.
SteelSeries Arctis 9 performance
I tested the SteelSeries Arctis 9 with a diverseness of games for PC, PS4, Switch and Android, including Historic period of Empires Two: Definitive Edition, Ghost of Tsushima, Star Trek Online and Doom Eternal. What I heard was very good across the board. I particularly enjoyed how subtle the directional sound was. This is useful when yous're facing downwards a horde of flying demons in Doom, but information technology'due south surprisingly but equally effective when you can hear your villagers chopping wood on 1 side and mining aureate on another in Historic period of Empires.
Although the Arctis 9 isn't advertised for the Nintendo Switch, it does indeed work in docked fashion. The Bluetooth functionality works but fine for mobile games, and helped convey the boxing cries in Tales of Crestoria and the gorgeous orchestral soundtrack of Monument Valley 2.
My just complaint about the Arctis 9's game operation is that the audio is not markedly different from the SteelSeries Arctis 7, which itself didn't have the richest or most nuanced soundscape. The audio is good overall, particularly for video games. Just compared to another $200 wireless gaming headset, like the Logitech Pro X Wireless, it's lacking a little depth and subtlety. This is peculiarly true for music, which has very little bass and a flat, lifeless profile beyond genres.
SteelSeries Arctis 9 features
The SteelSeries Arctis ix is a feature-rich headset, with no fewer than four ways to connect to diverse devices, as well as compatibility with the SteelSeries Engine software. While SteelSeries Engine was not compatible with the Arctis nine during our review window (it will exist shortly), SteelSeries informed the states that the functionality is essentially the same as for the Arctis 7. That ways y'all'll exist able to tweak equalizations, prepare profiles for individual games and so forth.
The bigger bargain this fourth dimension around is that the Arctis 9 supports Bluetooth, which is a first in a wireless SteelSeries headset. Functionally, this ways that you can pair the Arctis ix wirelessly with mobile devices. You tin also utilise Bluetooth for PC connectivity and proceed the Arctis 9'south dongle hooked upwardly to a PS4, which is a little less tedious than constantly plugging and unplugging the USB connector.
I'm of two minds most Bluetooth connectivity. On the one hand, it's great for the Arctis nine to offer wireless connectivity with mobile devices. On the other manus, the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless arguably solved this problem in a more than elegant way: with a USB-C dongle. Without getting into a comprehensive comparing, the USB-C dongle is both smaller and more than versatile than the USB-A dongle that comes with the Arctis 9, peculiarly since the Arctis 9 dongle requires you to flip a switch between PC and PS4 connectivity.
The mic is also worth discussing here. The voice quality is crystal clear, and the mic itself is easy to retract, easy to extend and impossible to lose. I wish more gaming headset mics were as simply and intelligently designed.
SteelSeries Arctis 9 verdict
In our SteelSeries Arctis 9 review, we discussed the device'southward great fit, good sound quality and impressive Bluetooth connectivity. Still, at $200, information technology's i of the more expensive mainstream gaming headsets on the market, and it'southward hard to milkshake the feeling that it should audio just a little bit better, especially for music.
Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed using the Arctis nine for both gaming and productivity, particularly since it'southward so effortless to wearable. In the same price range, I would consider (and maybe even opt for) the Logitech G Pro 10 Wireless, merely it depends on whether you prefer condolement (Arctis 9) or sound quality (Pro X Wireless). You tin't go wrong with either choice.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/steelseries-arctis-9
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