On PC, I had many more options, thanks to the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, which lets you customize surround sound and equalization options for PC games. Voice work, sound effects and music all balanced out pretty well, and I found myself perfectly immersed in whatever adventure I chose, whether I was saving a kingdom in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius on Android or exploring strange, new worlds in Star Trek Online on PS4. The headset performed well across the board, and it didn't favor any particular genre.įor console and mobile games, the Arctis 3 delivers sound in a predetermined soundscape. I tried it out with Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Final Fantasy XIV on the PC, as well as a handful of mobile and PS4 titles. MORE: The Best Headsets for Immersive GamingĪ gaming headset isn't worth much if it fails to deliver in-game, but the Arctis 3 is one of the better-sounding headsets in its price range. He said he was especially pleased with how lightweight the headset felt, claiming that he often forgot he was wearing it at all. Still, since the strap is affixed with Velcro and can accommodate lots of different head shapes, this whole process took only a few seconds. As he has a bigger head than I do, he noted that he had to adjust the headband strap. I handed the Arctis 3 over to a co-worker to see if he shared my opinion, and he did, almost unequivocally. You don't have to grapple with rigid notches just put it on, and the headband will take care of the rest. Like the 5 and 7 before it, the Arctis 3 is extraordinarily easy to wear, thanks to its flexible headband and large, plush ear cups. SteelSeries generally produces the most comfortable headsets in the business, and the Arctis line has been no exception.

Still, the buttons are not crowded, so there's no real problem with the layout. The right ear cup doesn't have anything, leaving me to wonder whether it might have been smarter to move the volume wheel there. The left ear cup houses a volume-control wheel and a mic-mute button in the back, as well as a retractable, flexible microphone in the front. SteelSeries Arctis 3 (Black) at Best Buy for $45.99 (opens in new tab).

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