Customer Ratings & Reviews

When it comes to design, I really like these buds. They fit my overall PS5 accessories well. The case does not feel cheap and houses the buds and the 2.4GHz adapter securely. It is also quite portable. The buds are unexpectedly comfortable and light. I usually can’t wear in-ear buds for more than a couple of hours, but I was able to keep them on for much longer while testing. They stayed on while running as well. They are rated IP55 so a bit of sweat, rain, and dust won’t be an issue. The earbuds feature tactile buttons instead of touch pads which I prefer, especially in the winter. The buttons are responsive and light enough to avoid jamming them deep in the ear when pressing. I hooked them up to all possible platforms, from PS5, PC, PC handheld, Switch, tablet, and mobile with no problems. I used both Bluetooth and the RF adapter. The dual-connect feature is not the best experience, as I have to triple-tap on the buds when answering a call or switching audio. There is no synchronous audio. The microphone is just OK. On 2.4GHz, it is passable. I was heard clearly but people said I sounded tinny and far away. It was better on Bluetooth, but not by much. There are options for customizing the mics through the GG app, but not by much. While I’d rather use a dedicated mic, these will be fine in a pinch. The sound quality is decent at default settings. The bass is punchy, the midrange comes through nicely, and the treble is a bit on the sibilant side, but not harsh. I noticed that sound volume changed dramatically depending on the device or console, as well as connection mode. The sound signature also depends on the device’s own sound options, such as Dolby, Sonic, or PS5 360 sound. They are not audiophile-grade for sure, but enjoyable enough for music listening. The gaming experience, especially on a PS5, was rather pleasant. At the beginning the buds weren’t loud enough, but after tinkling with the software, it got much better. The sound is exciting with all genres, but best for adventure games. FPS games require a wider soundstage and imaging which unfortunately these buds do not provide. The noise cancellation is quite good. It will not block all noise such as keystrokes and loud ambient noise but helps with isolation. The ambient mode provides awareness without sounding too artificial. The GG app provides two completely separate experiences depending on the device. On PC, the app provides ample options and customization, including plenty of audio presents and a full EQ. You can also choose mic options and button controls. These can be assigned to profiles and mode (BT or RF) and they are remembered by the buds. Overall, it’s intuitive and very useful. The mobile companion app, on the other hand, is one of the most frustrating experiences I’ve had with an app. The buds were recognized 1 out of 10 times, and glitched severely when navigating. The headset must be put on BT mode, even if it’s already synced for the buds to be recognized. It’s very inconvenient to switch to BT when in a game to change the setting. I will not be using the mobile app and simply do all changes through the PC. There were a couple of annoying sound glitches here and there, such as volume suddenly going to 100% when changing from console to PC, and sync issues with the left-right channels. I am hoping that Steelseries quickly provides fixes and updates to improve the experience. In the end, considering the premium price, I still consider these gaming buds a good value. They provide so many features, versatility, and convenience that significantly outweigh the shortcomings and glitches (which can be fixed with updates). I definitely recommend checking them out and see for yourself.

My "Call of Duty" game has been stepped up so much because of these earbuds.( I still suck pretty bad, but not nearly as much.) I can hear the enemy coming up from behind me of even above my on the next floor. It's almost like cheating. It's not cheating, but I'm really feeling like I have a better edge on my opponents. So, let me tell you how I really feel. Lol! Out of the box, you get a fully charged pair of bluetooth earbuds( At least I did.), a small type C to type C cable & there's an adapter for it underneath that box for updates(we'll talk about that in a bit.) The buds come in a wirelessly chargeable case that also houses the dongle you'll be able to use for connecting to your PS5, Nintendo Switch, or VR headset. You cannn also use it on your PC(if your PC doesn't have bluetooth capabilities ). But as I am fortunate enough to not need it, it stays snugged in the case whi;e I game or talk on my phone. Yes. These do connect to your smartphones and tthey sound great. You've got 4 sets of ear gummies to make sure that you have the best fit for sound and Noise canceling comfort. They are dust and water resistant and have a 10 hour charge and 3 more full charges in the case. This means that I could go for two hours of cardio and still go home a endure another 8 hours of gaming. This is a serious no brainer. There is an app that ypu should definitely install for firmware updates and preset options. ( I had a problem with the update, but the tech team at Steelseries helped me out in spades. I was up and running in no time. These are just awesome. Get'em.

Used on Xbox Series X TL;DR - Great earbuds for gaming and they are much better than what Razer offers. Remember these are wireless and in ear, do don't expect over the ear sound. Great battery life as well. You do need a PC to update the firmware, they have to be physically plugged in. I expect most negative reviews are coming from people that expect over the ear headphone sound out of these. They have great sound for gaming when considering they are earbuds, and are much better than what Razer offers. They are very comfortable. I have used them for 3-4 hours at a time on multiple occasions with no issues. These are great for those that wear glasses as well. I usually play with one ear cup off my ear so I can hear what is going on in the house, these allow me to wear only one at a time with better comfort. When asked, all my party said the microphone sounds great with no issues. It did pick up some background noise when the house is full of people but no more than my Razer Blackshark. I have not charged the case, except for the time it was plugged in the PC for the update, since I have purchased them. I have played a total of 20+ hours with that charge. I cannot speak to the noise canceling feature as I have not used it. The touch controls are a little wonky. You have to actually press a physical button, they are not "tap" like Airpods or other earbuds might be. Overall, when considering they are not standard over the ear headphones, these are great for those that want an earbud form factor. I would buy these again and recommend them to anyone looking for earbuds.

First off, you have to get the SteelSeries Arctis app for your phone or the Steel Series GG app to make decent use of these headphones. If you ever want to update them, it has to be the PC app and there have been a couple updates already. With the app installed, there is the option to disable the volume limiter as it is defaulted on for EU and their limitations. That instantly made the headphones better as by default their audio felt very small. Also with the app, you can modify the EQ or enable Sonar, which essentially is just EQ for individual applications. Some of the specific Sonar settings for games were really not to my liking, but that is why you can customize it yourself. Quality of the audio is OK. No matter the EQ setting I felt like I could never reach a good bass. Even with trying to get a deeper seal in my ear with a different size of silicone tip, it just never really sounded great. The functions of the headset are by physically pushing in on the respective earbud. Personally I really dislike that method as it sometimes messes with the fitting that you may have had perfect. Why not just touch sensitive? The pushing is fairly light compared to some I have tried though. With 3 taps of the right earbud, you can switch between 2.4 and Bluetooth mode. There are some single and double tap settings that you can modify with the app, that is not one of them. But, this allows you to connect to your phone and your PC or Xbox, pending what you have the tiny dongle switched and connected to.You can not listen to both devices at the same time, it is one or the other. However, if you are listening on 2.4 mode and connected to a phone via Bluetooth, when you get a call, it will automatically switch to Bluetooth mode. While on a call or in game chat, everyone said it sounded distant, kind of like being on speaker phone. It is kind of expected I guess, but at least they could clearly he\ar me. The biggest issue I have had with them, and support has said they can’t recreate the issue, is that when ANC is on and listening to audio, high end sounds just sound awful. Basically the top end sounds are replaced with static. Now, I don’t consider my area a high noise area, but you can hear the PC fans and a floor fan and when I enable ANC it works well. I can truly hear the difference. However, listening to any other audio at the same time pretty much makes the headset sound like they are blown out. Maybe this is something they can fix with a future firmware update once they can reproduce the issue, but I tried 3 different headsets and they all had the same issue. Overall, they are not bad multipurpose earbuds, they just aren’t as good as I would expect from the brand, especially the ANC issue I have experienced. Besides needing the app for anything else, I don’t feel they stand out from any other headsets.

Excellent ear buds. Zero Latency for gaming. great sounds comfortable, won't fall out. Battery life is great. Functionality is flawless

The SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds have really nice build quality for 'Buds'. Its case is bigger than most pods you'd get, but for good reason as it has with it a wireless receiver for using with your Xbox/PC. The case, like other pods also doubles as a charging station for your buds. Inside the case you'll get an extra two pairs of ear cushions so you can find the size that fits you best. Fortunately for me the ones that came on it fit best so I didn't have to deal with swapping them out, but they are there in case you have to. The buds themselves are pretty solidly built. They have a little more weight to them than other buds that I have used, but nothing annoying. The SteelSeries icon you see on the outside is actually a physical button (not to be confused with a touch interface) that allows you to easily control your earbuds. That said, you have to 'click' these earbuds, not tap or touch as the instructions would have you believe. These are physical buttons. I didn't have a problem with them, but if you're eating chips/cheetos and touching these, I could see food particles or dirt getting trapped in the seam potentially causing issues. In actual use these things become hit or miss. Using on the console or PC I have no real issues. You use the included Wifi adapter for them and you're good to go. Its when you attempt to use their mobile app that it becomes a problem. For the life of me I could not get the Arctis app to connect to these Gamebuds. They would connect to my phone just fine, and all the touch controls worked as they should, but the app itself never would. So if there are any features of the App that would allow me to change sound profiles or anything, I wouldn't know. Sound quality of the Buds was decent. It wasn't anything revolutionary, it wasn't competing with my other high end buds, but it wasn't bad either. They work in strictly stereo mode with no emulated surround configuration that I found. But thats not bad, these are simple buds. The battery life is pretty good. I have used them from a full charge for over 10 hours and the case is still charging them. Because I don't have access through the app I can't tell the charge level of the case, but its still going. The buds never died on me in a gaming session either, with the longest gaming session I've done being 3 hours. Overall decent buds whose quality comes from being able to be shared between devices easily via the Wifi adapter. I wish the software worked better on the mobile side, but thankfully its not required.

The SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds are comfortable and provide excellent sound quality. They are ideal for both music listening and gaming, remaining comfortable even after several hours of use. The gamebuds come with different ear pieces that will fit into a bigger or smaller ear depending on what you need. The buttons on the buds require a firmer press than similar products, which is a benefit since it minimizes the chances of accidentally pressing them when leaning against a chair or having hair come in contact with them. You can adjust the equalizer settings through a mobile app, but the only available options are preset configurations for different games. For more precise equalizer tuning, you’ll need to use the computer app. The buds come with a microphone, which is not optimal for gaming with friends, as the mic is too quiet even at maximum volume; however, it works well for phone calls. The case is quite bulky, making it less convenient to carry in your pocket. I personally prefer to store them in my gym bag when I work out. The bulkiness is due to the included 2.4 USB-C dongle, which connects to your console and ensures accurate game sound without delay. When worn, the buds fit securely in your ears, so you won't have to worry about them falling out. Overall, the Arctis Gamebuds provide a great user experience. The main drawbacks are the limitation of the custom equalizer settings being only accessible through the computer app, and the button mappings on the buds can be somewhat difficult to remember.

The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are sleek in ear buds designed for gaming. The one thing that caught my interest with the Arctis Game Buds is the fact that they are multi-platform, they work for Xbox, PS5, PS4, PC, Switch plus your Mobile Phone. There is a little toggle on the receiver to change from "PC - Xbox". In the Box you get the Arctis Gamebuds, they sit in the Charging Case along with the USB-C 2.4Ghz receiver. A USB cable for the receiver to plug into a USB-A port, a charging cable. The small and large ear tips are in the box while the medium is on the gamebuds out of the box. You have some informational documents included also. On the packaging there is a QR Code to install the SteelSeries Arctis Companion App, I preinstalled this and turned on the GameBuds. By default they were in the bluetooth mode so I went through the process to pair these with my phone. The Companion app allows you to view the battery status, equalizer presets and more audio and microphone options. You can click on the gear to check the firmware, modify settings and change button mapping. There are a lot of button mapping presets at different click they got, single - double - triple press, short hold, single press then hold, 3 second hold and 3 second hold in case. There are a bunch of presets, but you are able to modify single and double tap on the left and right GameBud individually. Sound is definitely really good! I have another pair of buds that I usually keep in my bag for work, but would like to use them for projects at home from time to time, and it was always a bummer if I forgot to put them back. The wireless qi charging is appreciated as that is the main method I charge, there is a USB-C port for charging. The Equalizers i've played with are really well tunes, I usually have it on the Music: Punchy while connected to my phone (Using them now as I review them). There are also a bunch of EQ Presets for a ton of games, from Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, Remnant 2, Diablo IV, those are some of the ones I have favorited and tried. ANC works well in my experience, typically what I keep it on while I focus, but you can change to transparency or simply turn it off. The Mic works well enough in my experience, it was cranked by default so I was much louder when first joining voice chat on the Xbox but adjusted it to a good level with the friend I play with quite a bit. The one thing I am not sure what to do is adjust the game volume and the chat volume balance as that is grayed out in the audio settings and don't see a preset for that on the different button presses. Since I use discord mostly I just adjust the volume of those in voice chat to make it a so I can hear them over the game volume. Overall the Arctis GameBuds have worked well, nothing odd just a couple things that I think would make them a better experience. Some Chat/Game balance option. A way to use bluetooth along side of 2.4Ghz would be nice, since 2.4 can stop you from connecting to the mobile app, if changing games you will need to triple press to change mode, change any EQ or levels/settings you need to adjust them switch back to 2.4 for the receiver. It can occasionally connect to the phone at the same time, but I notice it work less often while in chat. Plus being able to have the audio from you phone play through your GameBuds while doom scrolling between matches would be nice for late night gaming. These are a great option otherwise, if you prefer Buds and want them to connect between your multiple devices saving you from needing a dedicated set for each.

This is a great all around product. It has excellent battery life (I get 12 hours no BT or ANC), pretty good sound quality, good range, physical buttons instead of touch buttons on the buds, and for ear buds the mic is solid enough. These fit great and have minimal movement unlike my Asus pair. The ANC is below average and there are to many ways to apply equalizer on these ear buds, make sure you only do it in one place be it one of the two places in software or in windows. This is the only earbuds I would recommend of the three I own the other two being the Sony INZONE Buds and the Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless SpeedNova.

These earbuds are pretty cool. They not only serve a purpose for gaming but also serve a purpose for general use on my phone. I use these to play BO6 on my PS5 through 2.4 mode with the include USB C receiver and listen to music or watch something on my phone through Bluetooth mode which is toggled with 3 presses of either bud. That capability for me divides these into gaming/general use category for headphones. Gaming: They aren't the best for gaming but if I didn't have my main headphones with me while traveling and wanted to game on a gaming laptop, they would be good enough. Let me explain. I mainly noticed that this pair of headphones wouldn't get loud enough for me. There is a setting on the app that makes you choose if you're in the EU or not because of some laws they have limiting the volume output on your earbuds or headphones. You can also toggle this in the app through the volume limiter. I personally could not hear a difference when this was toggled and when it wasn't except at the highest volume. When compared to my main headset, 100 while gaming on these Arctics is like 75 on my Razer Blackshark which was actually nice for a bit but still didn't have nearly the same impact. What is nice about these earbuds is you're able to choose your sound profile from a large set of games. I didn't see BO6 on there so I'm hoping these improve when there is a preset available. I will say though that you can create your own preset and customize it but you're not able to do this through the app itself. You have to download Steelseries GG separately on your computer and then import it onto the app. With a customized preset, I was able to game more comfortably knowing I was getting just the right audio output I wanted. General Use: Just like for gaming, these won't be the best for watching movies or listening to music but they are good enough in my opinion to carry around with me as a travel option backup. They won't take away my main set I use for music and movies while traveling but they're a good back up. The noise cancellation is good but sound does bleed in a little. I could faintly hear the clicks on my keyboard while writing this and listening to music with ANC on. I do like the transparency mode which is a more common feature these days allowing you to hear your surroundings so they're great for a work environment. Overall, I really like these earbuds. They'll be in my bag as that second option for general use and stay in my bag for when I game on laptop. However, I don't see myself using these for my daily gaming use set up at home. I did get ear fatigue after about an 1 hour and resorted back to my headset. The microphone for chat is decent but nearly not the same as from a headset with an extending mic so I muted myself after about 30 minutes since it was also catching some music that my wife was playing at the desk right next to me. I am now using these more often at work to use the transparency mode and I will say it makes work more enjoyable.

When it comes to multiplayer video games, I consider gaming headsets a must. My preference has always been a full size around-the-ear headset with a dedicated microphone, but I decided to try my hands at the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds for PC and other platforms such as the PS5, PS4 and the Switch. They look great in white and pair nicely to my PS5. They connect either via Bluetooth or the included 2.4GHz wireless dongle. My big disappointment has been the impossibility to establish a reliable Bluetooth connection with either of my two phones through the app. The one time I was successful in establishing a Bluetooth connection, the app said to update the Gamebuds but it was an exercise in frustration that failed at every turn. For my PS5 and my gaming laptop, I connected with the provided 2.4GHz dongle. The connection was great and reliable with no noticeable lags. Playing Call of Duty on my PS5 was enjoyable. The sound was clear and well balanced. The microphone performed well according to my friends playing with me, but not as clear as it’s been with my dedicated gaming headsets. Because of their small size and lightweight, the Arctis Gamebuds can be worn comfortably for long periods of time and the battery lasts for hours. The controls for volume, microphone or sound modes are easy to master by tapping either the left or right earbud in different combinations and they are very responsive. The noise cancellation mode is great for those small earbuds, but not as effective as my dedicated headsets. To conclude, the Arctis Gamebuds look great on paper for they’re multi platform compatibility, good sound and long battery. However, in my case, they came up short with the Bluetooth connectivity issues that I was not able to resolve. Overall, they’re a good concept but not yet ready to supplant the traditional dedicated gaming headsets in my opinion.

Overall, when opening the packaging the case and buds seem very premium. The case is a nice size that boasts a magnetic close that works well. The wireless charging for the case also works great. The headphones themselves sound great and fit in my ear really well. They buds come with three different tip sizes to help accommodate if needed. The noise cancellation worked well. The headphones were also able to easily pair with my phone. This allowed me to use a EA that best suited my taste. There are tons of different EQ you can use, so being able to adjust your music should come easily. The headphones also boast sensors that allow the buds to stop or play music depending on if they are in your ear or not. These sensors worked great when I took the headphones in and out of my ear. When doing general yardwork around the house, the sensors kept going off even though the earbuds were still in my ear. Not sure if these sensors are just too sensitive or what, but every so often the music would just randomly stop. It was random, but it seems like if the buds would shift in the ear at all, it would assume for a second that you took the buds out only to start the music back up a couple seconds later. This did happen to me in two separate pairs, so ultimately I ended up returning them as I could not take the random pauses.

Very comfortable, great for sound detection, great battery life, but the built in microphone is basically useless. Even with my microphone turned all the way up in-game or in discord, my friends are barely able to hear me.

I really don’t enjoy wearing a full headset and this seemed like it was worth trying. The sound is great and the mic works well enough to party. Since I’ve had it, it has not connected to the 2.4 mode twice. Once I was able to switch the usb port that the dongle was plugged into and reconnect. This didn’t work the second time. I think I may have to download the app to ensure software is updated. Somewhat frustrating, but if resolved by this I maintain that it’s a solid option for great sound without hot ears

Overall great earbuds. The compatibility with EVERYTHING is a big plus, but it doesn't excel in any specific area. Very comfy, has above average sound quality for earbuds, but lacks in bass and the ANC/Transparency modes are a little subpar. Great with a Switch or Xcloud/Steam Link or Mobile gaming in general

Pros: Comfortable, good battery life, quick recharging, good sound. Lots of stuff to customize with the Steelseries GG app on PC. Phone app also offers customization but not to the same extent. Cons: Steelseries GG app required on PC to update buds. You cannot update from the mobile app. Connecting to the mobile app and PC GG app was annoying, but work well after being connected. Buds will randomly turn off at times. This has happened maybe 2 or 3 times in the month I've owned them.

I've used nearly ALLL the modern headsets (I'm a bit of an audiophile) and these earbuds are solid! Here are my thoughts - A good premium 3d headset is going to give you better 3d positional sound. You cant beat multiple speakers. - The earbuds do come close! I can tell when footsteps are behind me or above me. - The sound quality is excellent. Games sound great (I play FPS like Apex) and music sounds good too - Battery life is fantastic. I've never run out of a charge during a 6 hour gaming marathon. Who are these for? - If you are looking for a mobile lightweight option with great sound and positional audio these are great! If you are looking for true 3d top of the line sound, go with a headset. I picked these up because headsets are bulky, I wanted something for listening to music and gaming. In my opinion these are fantastic and comparable to a midrange headset.

I'll start this by saying that these are a great purchase if you are a My Best Buy Total member. The battery life is great as each ear bud gets 8-10 hours per charge and witha fully charged case you can get close to 40 hours. They charge quickly, too. They come with a low-profile 2.4 GHz USB-C dongle which gives you lag-free gaming audio by not using bluetooth connection. They fit comfortably like they should since they're ergonomically designed and have 3 different ear-tip choices. They include the option for ANC and Transparency mode. Some things that could be better to get 5 stars is the microphone quality - it's certainly not the best. The ANC doesn't work as well as other ear buds out there. You can't connect to 2.4 and Bluetooth simultaneously, so no dual audio. The reason I said it's a great purchase if you're a My Best Buy Total Member is because I'm on my third set in less than a year. They get replaced for free every time, but it's still a pain. The little speaker cover under the removable ear-tips is just barely glued on and starts to slip and slide after a few months depending on how much you use them. Once that come's off the sound is going to be atrocious. Overall, I'd recommend them, but there's also other options out there that may be better. I still need to try a few others out myself.

As someone who preordered these, I can say they check about every box for me aside from two minor issues. The first issue that really can't be fixed is the mic on the headphones themselves. Then again it's really a non-issue because I can't really expect much more out of such a small package. Especially when it lives up to the 10 hours it claims to give on a single charge. The second issue is one that has persisted across two different sets of buds (I exchanged the first pair I received because of this issue) which is that in "Transparency" mode if all is quiet or I have the volume low on either the 2.4 connection or a bluetooth connection, you get a very low volume bit high pitched sort of distortion/interference that started in the first pair in the right bud. Now I have the same issue with the second set of buds that I recieved as replacements where the left bud does the same thing. Other than that I can say these buds are amazing when paired with the Steel Series Alias Mic and Sonar software on PC. Ive thoroughly tested their battery life and have never has to switch back to my over ear wireless headset during a gaming session and sometimes those vary between 5-8 hours. Overall 4/5 because of previously listed issues but compared to my Arctis Pro Wireless headphones, theyre a wonderful replacement if you want to move away from an over ear set up.

I was pleasantly surprised on these ear buds. They sound good, the mic is decent according to friends in discord. I like the dedicated dongle included. They are pretty comfortable. My only con is lack of features, and the ANC is pretty bad. You have to have a pc to update them and you can only make profiles on the Sonar app on your pc not using the app on your phone.