Since purchasing my Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch lite I have been looking for the perfect headset, so after going to my local superstore I found these bad boys The SteelSeries Arctis 1. I already have the Arctis 7 Wireless Gaming Headset, the best headset SteelSeries offer, which I use exclusively on PC.
For some time though I have been using the Razer Hammerhead Duo earbuds when playing on my switch in handheld mode and a pair of Hyper X Cloud Flight Wireless when playing docked. Both of these headphones are great, but the Razer Hammerhead duo will be going to one side when playing portable as they are not great for long periods of intense gaming. The Hyper X Cloud Flight will still be used when docked as these new headphones are wired and well, they are not suitable.
On the shelf The SteelSeries Arctis 1
SteelSeries products are easy to spot on the shelf thanks to there vibrant colour scheme, same goes for this product. The company logo and full picture of the headphones themselves have been plastered to the front of the box. Towards the bottoms is the name of the headset, noting that the headset is wired and will work with PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. SteelSeries also mention the detachable microphone, airweave ear-cushions and steel-reinforced headband.
On one of the sides, they waffle on about all the achievements the Arctis Line of Headsets have had from critics, However, there is no mention of the Arctis 1. It is almost like they are trying to sell you all their other headsets over this one, with lines like Best Gaming Headset, Best Headset for Switch, Best overall gaming headset. As a consumer, why would you pick these up when there is no mention of them from any critic on this box?
The critic quotes, does 100% make you question your purchase, as I would have purchased the Arctis 3 Wireless for my Nintendo Switch, I was just on a budget and could not afford the extra amount required. An Idea for SteelSeries, Promote this headset, along with other Actis Headsets in the line, would be a good marketing strategy next time.
On the other side of the box they note the connection options which include an attached 3.5mm cable and a dual 3.5mm extension for pc. A detachable Microphone, which offers bidirectional noise cancelling, 100 – 10,000hz frequency response rate, and -38 dBV / Pa Sensitivity. With the headphones offering Nominal Impedance of 32Ω, Frequency Response Rate of 20 – 20,000 Hz, THD <3% and Sensitivity 100 dBSPL @1KHz / 1mW.
Moving to the back you learn the final sales patter which should help you decide if these headphones are for you. They include the following;
- For all platforms – Designed for all gaming platforms including PC, PlayStation, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Mobile.
- Perfect for on-the-go – With a sleek, low profile design, detachable microphone, and fold flat earcups. Arctis 1in both your gaming headset and go-to headphones.
- Steel-reinforced headband – Easily adjusts to fit all head sizes while offering incredible durability.
- Discord certified microphone – The clearcast microphone uses a bidirectional design, the same used by aircraft carrier deck crews for superior noise cancellation.
So now lets us take a look at the headset itself, and first thoughts are ‘WoW’ they might not be as premium as the Arctis 7 but they are just as comfy to wear.
On the left earcup, you have the mic mute, volume controls, the cord and where you fit the microphone. Everything is easy to access and use, no complaints from me here. There is plenty of movement when it comes to placing the headphones on your ears, from a slight tilt up and down to a full fold as the earcups can fold flat. You can even remove the earcups and replace with leatherette versions if you so wish, however, please don’t these are so comfy you would be missing out.
The microphone is one of the best microphones I have ever used, just as good as the premium Arctis 7 microphone, well it is the same, just detachable. It blocks out everything, external sounds, keyboard typing, it truly focuses on your speech.
Saying that I DO NOT like the idea of a detachable microphone for an on the go headset, why? for one I might forget it, or I might lose it when travelling. SteelSeries should have done what they did with the Arctis 7 and make it retractable for easy storage and access.
The cord attached is the perfect length for gaming on the Nintendo Switch when playing it portable, and the extra length should be enough for any PC gamer. The only issue I have is that the Cord is rubber and not braided like many companies use these days, even on cheaper models.
When it comes to sound quality it is up there with the best, even with directional sounds 5.1 and 7.1 with Windows Sonic and Dolby Atmos for headphones. I used it to play the new Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC along with the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare also on PC. The sound positioning was perfect, bullets whizzing past, bombs exploding, to speech from left, right, and behind, all came through perfect.
PC was not why I purchased the headphones though, I wanted them for my Nintendo Switch, and I must say I love them. Even the Switch can output surround sound it is in the settings and I am going to say it again, the sound positioning was perfect. Lows, Mids, Highs all came through with crystal clear clarity, voices where clear, bass was pounding, and trebles where tingling. I played games like Luigi’s Mansion 3, Dragon Quest XI, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Astral Chain and many other top-notch switch games.
Even though I have a Dolby Atmos setup in my living room costing a pretty penny or two, and it is amazing when playing games, using these headphones while playing undocked offered the same experience, high-quality sound, great sound positioning and much more. I was able to use them for hours upon hours without sweating under the earcup, with no headaches from the weight as they are pretty light.
I really have no complaints apart from the detachable microphone and maybe they could have added a carry case/bag to store the headphones when not in use. The plug n play makes them perfect for everyone, for any system.
You can grab these headphones from this website https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-1
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