steelseries arctis 5 gaming headset 2019 edition review

On the Flat equalization option with Stereo audio, everything sounded good, from Captain America's battle cries to the death screams of Zerg as Terran armies mowed them down. I tested sound profiles with Overwatch, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops and Marvel Heroes to see how the headset tackled multiple genres. Using the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, you can toy around with the surround-sound and equalization settings, then create profiles and link them to individual games and programs. Surround sound in Overwatch made my foes' footsteps sound immediate and urgent, while using the Immersion setting for The Witcher 3 provided a clean balance among dialogue, swordplay and the pounding gale of a storm at sea.

Luckily, setting up game profiles is pretty simple. With both stereo and DTS 7.1 surround sound, as well as a plethora of equalization options, you can get wildly different configurations from the headset, whether you want to listen to music or have a Skype conversation. Like its wired counterpart, the Arctis 7 provides stellar gaming options - if you're willing to do some legwork. He also cited the device's lightweight feel as a benefit - not surprising, considering that the peripheral weighs only 9.9 ounces.

He said the ear cups felt too snug at first but grew on him after about half an hour. I handed the Arctis 7 off to a co-worker, who generally found them very comfortable.

Tightening the Velcro strap alleviated this problem, although getting the perfect balance between comfort and fit involved some trial and error. My only issue was that they tended to bounce around while I walked, meaning that they could prove frustrating if you plan to wear them while out and about. The ear cups created a tight seal around my ears, but I never felt that the cups pushed down too hard.

Steelseries arctis 5 gaming headset 2019 edition review