Customer Ratings & Reviews

If you wear glasses or prefer earbuds over earcups, the Arctis Gamebuds are some of the best available. SteelSeries really knocked it out of the park on their first go. Not only do they sound great for gaming, but they’re also really good Bluetooth earbuds in general. Comparable in audio quality and features to higher end models like the AirPods Pro and Beats Fit Pro. Fit and finish are really good and they are some of the most low-profile earbuds I’ve worn. Controls take some getting used to as they involve button presses, and bass response is highly dependent on EQ settings, but everything else, including its stacked feature set and battery life, make up for it.

I recently tried the SteelSeries earbuds and was impressed by their audio quality and the excellent app that allows for extensive adjustments to settings. The compatibility with various devices is a significant plus, making them versatile for different uses. However, I encountered some issues with the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It wasn’t very effective for me, and at times, especially with heavy bass, the right earbud would buzz when I had the volume at 70%. The distortion was distracting, but I found that turning off the ANC or keeping the volume lower resolved the problem. Overall, while the audio performance and app features are fantastic, the ANC could use improvement. If you're not reliant on ANC for your listening experience, these earbuds could be a solid choice.

I own the arctis nova pro wireless for my pc and after getting these i barely use them. Yes, the audio quality isnt as good as the nova pros but im not expecting them to be as good as those for a much lower price tag and smaller drivers. What I like the most about them is that they're lightweight and my ears dont feel fatigued after wearing them for hours. Sonar or the mobile app is the most important thing about these earbuds. You install the app on your pc or mobile device and you can create EQs as well as use premade EQs for specific games. My only issue with them is every now and then the earbuds will disconnect from the dongle for a few seconds then reconnect. I'm sure software updates will help in the future.

Sound quality is great. Quick and easy pairing to almoat any device that will pass audio through usb. The cutom eq lets you dial in the sound juat how yous like it. No latency noticed while gaming. I do wish that the mic was a bit better.

I love all the pre set sounds and transparency mode. They fit good in my ears (unlike other earbuds. You can hear enemy footsteps very clear. I would highly recommend Arctis gamebuds

Great product overall just a few things that need to be improved like for example the transparency mode and the microphone’s ability to cancel out background noise. As well as the controls for volume and muting

They have good capabilities and an easy setup app. Tech is new. Anc works. Mic picks up my voice at a talking volume. Sound quality is MID tho. Like absolutely middle of the pack audio. Not above at all. Bass is not amazing but its good enough for your average gamer to enjoy these. I wouldnt put these over a real gaming headset yet. But with updates and improvements its so possible that I could. Make me a $250 dollar pair with bose level audio and a very easy mute button for mic and then we are talking. Also could fit a little better in ear but I’ve definitely seen worse fitting ear buds. Button shortcuts are pretty good tho. Have to learn them

I originally bought these for streaming because my over ear headphones don't play well with beanies and VR. I popped them in and loved the sound quality and comfort. Worn them through a 6 hour stream and had no ear fatigue. The bass is a little lacking, but overall i am thoroughly pleased with the purchase.

I’ve been using the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds True Wireless Noise Cancelling Gaming Earbuds for about a week now, and I absolutely love them! These earbuds deliver outstanding sound quality, and the fit was perfect right out of the box. They come with small, medium, and large ear tips to accommodate different ear canal sizes; the medium size, which comes pre-installed, worked perfectly for me. One of the standout features of the GameBuds is their incredible versatility. You can connect them to virtually any device: PC, Xbox, PS5, PS4, Switch, tablets, and even VR systems, using either Bluetooth or the included 2.4GHz wireless connection. The earbuds come with a USB-C dongle neatly stored in the case, which plugs directly into your console or PC for a seamless wireless experience. Setup was fast and easy—they just work. I highly recommend downloading the SteelSeries Arctis app for your phone, as it unlocks the earbuds' full potential. The app includes an impressive 179 EQ presets tailored for various games, including custom settings from top professional gamers and streamers like those from FAZE. There are even special EQ profiles for heightened footstep awareness, making it easy to choose the perfect sound profile for gaming, listening to music, or watching movies. The app also lets you save your favorite presets for quick access, making it super convenient to switch settings between activities. The app provides even more customization, allowing you to toggle between Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Transparency modes and adjust their strength. You can also control mic volume, sidetone volume (hearing your own voice to avoid yelling), and even set a volume limiter to protect your hearing. Switching between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless is seamless, and the app displays battery percentages for both the case and the earbuds. Speaking of the case, it’s a great addition to the package. The earbuds attach magnetically, and the dongle has its own plug hole for storage. The case can be charged via USB-C or wirelessly with Qi charging. Battery life is impressive: 10 hours on the earbuds and an additional 30 hours from the case. The sound quality is top-notch, with immersive bass and exceptional clarity. The IP55 rating for dust and splash resistance adds peace of mind, making these buds suitable for almost any environment. On the downside, while people on the other end of my calls said I sounded clear, some noted a slightly “hollow” effect, as if I were in a hallway or bathroom. However, this was minor, and on my end, everything sounded perfect. My regular daily gaming buddies, who are used to how I sound with my SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset, immediately noticed the difference—but that’s to be expected with daily use of such high-quality audio gear. Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are an amazing addition to my gaming setup. The sound quality, customization options, and ease of use make them a standout product. Whether gaming or relaxing with a movie, these earbuds deliver an incredible experience. Highly recommended, there is no way to be disappointed with these gaming earbuds!

I’ve been a fan of SteelSeries products for many years and as I’ve dived into mobile gaming, I’ve searched and searched for headphones that will work as I need them to for a FPS game. I’m an avid COD: Mobile player and I’ve tried many different types of earbuds and over-the-hear headset and just haven’t found that ‘sweet spot’ when it comes to gaming-on-the-go. The SteelSeries Arctis series headphones have been a good fit, but when I’m traveling, I would prefer to have earbuds. That’s why I was super excited to get these SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds. Like most tech product experiences, there are many ups and downs for these earbuds. TLDR: The earbuds provide an above-average sound quality, but the features are quirky and there might be some Bluetooth connectivity consistency issue. INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: The Gamebuds come in a compact charging case. The case contains the earbuds as well as the 2.4 Ghz USB-C dongle. I like this because it means that you always have a place for your dongle to live. I wish that more over-ear headphones would provide something like this on the headset so you don’t chance losing it. The earbuds come with a USB-C to USB-A charging cable and an extension connector. This is intended for the adapter so that it can connect to USB ports easily. The earbuds also come with three sets of ear gels. I found that the set that was pre-installed was a good fit for me. You want to make sure that there is a firm fit inside your ear otherwise you will get an audio leak and the sound quality will suffer. The medium size was good for me and I didn’t notice any major sound issues. SETUP: I was able to get the earbuds setup quickly and easily. My initial devices (iPhone 16 Pro) detected the Bluetooth connection right away and the app detected them as well. I had the same experience with my iPad Pro (FYI - the companion app is not optimized for iPad). There are lots of presets available in the mobile app (SteelSeries Arctis Companion) but in order to customize your own preset you need to connect to the SteelSeries GG Client (available for macOS and Windows). I found that the same was true for Firmware updates. While the companion app does seem to give you a lot of features, there is still a lot that can’t be controlled without the desktop studio app. One thing I was particularly disappointed with — aside from having to use a desktop app to customize my experience — was the fact that I couldn’t simply connect the earbuds using the companion app or the device’s Bluetooth settings. I had to do both. In addition, it was disappointing to find that the Quick-Switch feature only applied to switching between the 2.4 Ghz dongle and Bluetooth — not between two Bluetooth devices. Another small annoyance I had was that the app didn’t stay connected to the earbuds/case when they weren’t in use. I’m sure this is a power-saving feature but I would have liked to at least see a charging status/battery level on them, but nothing was available until the earbuds were actively in use. COMFORT: I sometimes have trouble with the ‘fit’ of earbuds. They seem to cause too much pressure or cause me to have headaches. Fortunately, the Arctis Gamebuds didn’t have that effect on me. They were comfortable and easy to set directly in my ear. I wore them for longer listening sessions and was very happy with how I felt after wearing them. They were easy to pull out of my ears, too. NOISE-CANCELLATION FEATURE: Because I had a good fit with the Gamebuds, I didn’t perceive any ambient noise leak and there was a fair amount of noise isolation without any ANC enabled. When I enabled ANC, I could tell that some of the room noise was deadened, but it wasn’t the same ANC experience I get with other headsets. The Transparency mode was a feature I was particularly interested in and it was a disappointment, too. SOUND QUALITY: I did find the sound quality to be above average. I listened to music and played a few rounds of Call of Duty: Mobile and thought everything was crisp and there was good overall depth to the sound experience. The voice prompts, however, sounded as if they were recorded using an analog telephone. I tested this before and after my firmware update and there was no change. I also found that there was some digital interference when listening to music on Bluetooth mode. This issue seemed to resolve when I quit the SteelSeries companion app and just let the device do the audio processing. There was an FAQ on steelseries.com that addressed audio distortion, but the directions were to us the ‘flat’ EQ setting and I experienced my digital glitches while the EQ was flat and I was only listening to music. The only way I got the distortion to stop was to quit the app completely. FINAL THOUGHTS: So many of my headset experiences claim to ‘mobile compatible’ but those devices end up just connecting to mobile devices via Bluetooth and many of the features are not available unless you connect to a desktop computer or console gaming device. I was looking forward to these earbuds being mobile first but it seems as though SteelSeries only adapted their over-ear headset experience to a smaller listening devices. I was happy with the sound quality (minus the digital distortion) and appreciate the feature set that should be available. I was disappointed, however, with the execution of these earbuds since I feel there is a certain expectation to be met at the mid-to-premium level earbud experience.

I admit this is my first pair of "gamebuds" but I am an Ear Buds Person. I work long days running a business and the only way I function is with earbuds in my ears all day for taking calls and listening to music or podcasts while I work. I am really used to earbuds and the freedom they provide. So when I saw these I knew I needed to give them a try. These are a great option for gaming if you are like me and a headset becomes just annoying to wear and deal with during gaming sessions. Don't get me wrong, my headset is still my best sounding and best feature access arrangement device but these are right behind. No these do no sound as good as my Corsair Virtuoso MAX headset BUT, they do sound better than my Razer Kraken V4 headset by miles in my opinion. Also, the mobile app and PC software has a ton of options for customization but is also VERY Easy to Use and doesn't do weird stuff to the ear buds or the PC like what happens with my Razer software. These are also lightweight in the ear, which initially had me concerned about battery life claims and durability but I have not had an issue with either of those concerns. I like how the dongle is oriented at a right angle and sits neatly along the side of the USB C port and doesn't stick out like regular straight dongles do that look like a flash drive. I also like that it is USB C and I can use it in USB C or Thunderbolt ports. It does come with a wire adaptor that will adapt it to standard USB A if needed and I thought that was a nice addition to include. I like that the dongle fits in the charge case so it doesn't even get the chance to get lost. These have a ton of channel options like chat, game, aux, media etc so setting these up to do specific tasks on those is simple to do to keep certain audio streams isolated. The buds have a button to control them and not a touch which is AWESOME! The button press is easy and satisfying and it is a "sure press" that leaves no guesswork about the button presses you are doing to them. Also, the button presses are customizable EASILY in the software. Even the firmware update was simple to do. The sound and volume on these is FAN-TAS-TIC. I am getting older and have had hearing issues my entire life and I usually always wish I had a little more volume on my ear buds but these are perfect! In fact they are so good that I do not have to have them maxed out and halfway to 3/4 up is more than enough for me. The bass is pretty good too. They are not the best sounding earbuds that I own but I do not sit here and wish they were better the entire time I am using them. I am perfectly content with how they are and I love that I can customize the EQ range on them extensively and save my presets. Here's the kicker. People I play online with have told me my mic sounds BETTER on these than my super expensive Virtuoso Max headset! I was floored when the send person told me but then the 3rd, 4th and 5th people made comments about it and I was astounded. To get a great sounding mic in a set of tiny buds like this with the comfort and convenience of buds while gaming and a good sounding set of buds all together is fantastic. Not to mention these were more affordable than my Kraken V4 headset was and the audio sounds better, the software is WAY BETTER and these have more channel options. Overall, I would absolutely recommend these! Especially to those in the market for a headset but they already know they like buds better than wearing weight on their head or having the feeling of their ears being trapped for long periods of time. The only thing that didn't impress me with these was the ANC mode for pass through sound. I cannot hear my environment around me the way I would prefer to hear it but that is not a deal breaker because of all the other benefits that these provide and how good they work and sound. Also...I have had ZERO connection issues with these and that cannot be said for more expensive headsets that I have here. The range is really good also, I can walk pretty far away from the dongle and stay connected. In the event that I go too far, when I turn around and close the distance, they immediately reconnect without a hiccup and without messing around with them, the software, the settings or the dongle. They just work and they work well. I like them and I think anyone looking for an alternative to a bulky headset will enjoy them also. I am not just saying this. I like these enough that if I lost them today, I would go out tomorrow and buy a replacement set instead of "trying something else out." These are the juice!

On the whole, these are pretty nice earbuds from a known great "gaming accessory" brand in SteelSeries (if you haven't checked them out, they also make really nice full sized headsets and GREAT gaming controllers among other products). The basic functions are all there - the headset is a bit bulky but feels really good in the ear with solid fit that stays in place (they come with three different sized tips, but I tend to be a medium in most things and here the default / middle option did prove to be the best as well) and the headset / case are solid and seem durable but are not too heavy. The battery life in the earbuds seems to be solid with even more from the charging case and pairing via bluetooth was quite easy. I like that there are actual physical buttons instead of the now common tap points that are too easy to accidentally hit. And, most importantly, the sound is solid with noise cancelling helping to bring out fainter sounds / quieter sounds in your content and the microphones / outgoing sound seem to be solid as well. So the basics are being done well here and that alone would likely early my recommendation. BUT that's just the start of the show here. No, the real attraction here is the "quick switch" mechanism that lets your switch from a Bluetooth connection to a connection using a USB-C dongle to either a PC or Xbox (I tried them on an iPad Pro and it works fine under the "PC" swtich setting).. You simply triple press the left earpience button and the headset swaps to the other source, quickly and seamlessly. It's a brilliant function and is really well integrated / works well as there's even a place for the dongle to be stored INSIDE the carrying case, so you don't have to worry as much about losing it. Love love love this feature and how thought out it is. So there you have it. If you want a solid headset experience for gaming or every day use / content consumption / etc., this is a solid option. If you ALSO want to work across two devices quickly and easily with the same headset, this is THE option to get. Give these Arctis GameBuds a try today!

I haven’t had much luck using earbuds for gaming in the past. All of the Bluetooth earbuds I’ve had have had noticeable latency that really didn’t allow for a very good experience and the only other gaming earbuds I’ve used in the past had subpar comfort and sound quality (though these were admittedly in a lower price bracket). Especially for portable devices like my ROG Ally I’ve really been wanting a good solution that isn’t a full size or wired headset and the Arctis GameBuds are feeling like the answer. They sound great, they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and with the 2.4GHz receiver I got a flawless wireless connection. They’re well worth the price for a great portable gaming experience. The box includes the earbuds, a USB-C dongle, charging case, 3 sizes of eartips, a USB-C to A charging cable, and a USB-C to USB-A adapter cable for using the dongle with an Xbox or a PC that doesn’t have USB-C. The dongle lives in the charging case with the earbuds and though this does add some extra size to the case, it still easily fits in my jeans pocket. The dongle has its USB-C connection offset to one side and has a switch to toggle between Xbox and PC on the bottom - the Xbox setting is obviously meant for Xbox and the PC setting is meant for everything else, including PlayStation. There is a PlayStation version of the GameBuds that don’t include the Xbox functionality, but besides that version being available in a white color I don’t know why you’d go with it since it costs the same as the Xbox version and has the same functionality besides not being compatible with the Xbox. The dongle is pretty compact, but it does have the potential to cover up neighboring USB-C ports if you are connecting it directly to a PC. I found this to be the case with my ROG Ally X where it would either cover the adjacent USB-C port or cover the volume controls. You have to put those electronics somewhere though, so I don’t fault SteelSeries for designing this the way it did and in general I think it’s pretty unobtrusive. The earbuds are quite comfortable and I had them on continuously for a 4+ hour gaming session and I basically forgot they were there. The silicone eartips are soft and the shape of the buds nestled them in my ears in a way that felt secure, but not too tight. The earbuds are controlled via buttons on each bud and I caught on to all the different button press combinations pretty quickly. I like that way the volume adjustment is done with a tap and then a hold on either side for volume up and down. You can swap between listening modes with a single tap on the left bud and between 2.4GHz/Bluetooth but doing a triple-tap on the same bud. I tried these on my Xbox Series X and my ROG Ally X and they sounded great on both without setting any EQ profiles (I ran with the default Flat profile). I picked up a game I had put down a while ago called Still Wakes the Deep that I only meant to play it for about 20 or 30 minutes to get a feel for how these sound, but I ended up finishing the whole game because I was completely drawn into it, which I attribute to the game but also the GameBuds as the audio is a bit part of the game and I just felt completely enveloped in it. The sound is full and clear with a surprising amount of space to it. There were moments when I was playing where I’d hear something and swear it was coming from somewhere in my house. In most cases when I’m gaming I tend to prefer a full size set of headphones for the ‘real’ experience, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything with these at all. With the 2.4GHz dongle, I didn’t experience any perceptible audio latency and the connection was flawless as far as I could tell. Bluetooth is a different story unfortunately. The GameBuds only support the SBC audio codec over Bluetooth and the latency is very noticeable while gaming. If you are primarily going to be using these over Bluetooth there are better options available. The ANC is good, but doesn’t quite match that of some higher-end earbuds; it’s more than adequate for blocking out ambient sounds like hums and fan noise though. The transparency mode is very good and I didn’t have a problem hearing someone next to me talking while I was playing, but talking with the earbuds on gives me that plugged ear feeling that I didn’t like. The microphone quality is pretty good for earbuds. The test recordings I made were clear and easy to hear, but it’s not going to come close to most full-size headsets with dedicated boom mics. It’ll definitely do the job, though you may want to consider an external solution if you’re going to be doing a lot of chatting on these. On Xbox, you can adjust the settings with the Arctis companion app and it puts all the basic stuff front and center. On PC you have access to the SteelSeries GG app, which gives you access to Sonar and more advanced audio mixing but is unfortunately the only way to update the firmware, which I did have to do when I first unboxed these. Both the app and GG work well enough, though I tended to prefer the app over GG as it was much easier to use. For battery life, SteelSeries advertises 10 hours using the USB-C dongle with ANC off. In the 4-hour session I played on my Xbox with ANC on, I drained the batteries by about 50%, which I think is pretty good and more than enough to get me through any single gaming session. The case can fully recharge the buds 3 times too before needing to recharge that and can be charged via USB-C or Qi wireless charging. Overall I’d highly recommend the Arctis GameBuds for portable gaming or even if you’re the type of person who just doesn’t appreciate the bulkiness of a full-size gaming headset. These are the first earbuds I’d consider using in place of any of my headsets.

I had a hard time with these! Not because it sounded bad or anything like that… long story short I guess I’m looking forward to the second or third generation of these. I was disappointed in some things, yet impressed and happy at the same time while still wishing for more! If that makes any sense. It was almost there I guess. First and foremost, the sound was great for its size, especially in 2.4 Ghz mode. During Call of Duty Black Ops 6, great, during Fortnite and . It sounds fantastic minus ANC. ANC isn’t bad, just not as good as you may be expecting. The bass is good enough, but I wish it hit a little harder. The positional audio is surprisingly good, but I wish it had a little more accuracy. The battery life was decent as well. The case was kind of cheap feeling as well as the button on the headset itself. The 2.4 Ghz USB dongle has a pairing button that’s in the way of pushing the dongle in a device! For example when I tried to put it in my PS5, it pressed the pairing button. It shouldn’t be an issue since you have to hold it for 3 seconds, but at the same time, I’d hate for it to enter pairing mode on accident. I’d recommend in the next iteration they move it to another location. Speaking of the dongle, there’s a tiny switch button on it that allows the switch to PC or Xbox. If you don’t notice this, then plugging it into you Tablet, Phone, PC or PS5 it’ll not be recognized. I struggled with this and thought it only worked over BT on the other systems and USB over Xbox. After reading the manual online I still couldn’t figure out why it kept saying it works on PS5, PC, Android, iOS, etc., over USB. I eventually noticed the tiny little switch on the dongle and it all became clear. All that said, it’s super easy to just quickly hook it up to a PC, Tablet, etc. with the USB-C dongle vs, pairing over BT, waiting, then repeating it on another device, and so on! It is basically like the old 3.5mm headphone jack. Plug the sucker in and you’re off to the races! LOVE this, absolutely LOVE this! On PS5, it has great audio and positioning. 3D audio seems to be working, but I can’t say if it’s Tempest Audio or not. There’s a lot of EQ presets and I honestly think it’s overkill. I ended up settling with the COD preset and sounds fine. I also use Bass Boost and Music presets. On Xbox Series X it sounds great too, and I have no complaints. The only thing I hate about using it on my Xbox is the USB C Dongle adapter. I think instead of a 10 inch wired adapter, they should have just given their customers a small dongle that’s just a USB A to USB-C adapter. You can get one yourself, mine worked just fine, but it still kind of a bummer. Lastly I want to talk about the bluetooth switcher. It’s honestly super convenient. It’s nice to be able to quickly swap it to my phone to my console. I love the size of this and how it’s easy to bring over to a buddies house and play some games and still have transparency mode on and hear them rather than an over the ear headset. I love these overall and highly recommend them. However I really do think with some iterations and improvements these can become significantly better!

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.

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.

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 bring a convenient, high-performance audio solution to gamers who want immersive sound without the bulk of traditional headsets. These true wireless earbuds are designed specifically for gaming and are compatible across a wide range of platforms, including Xbox, PS5, PS4, PC, and the Nintendo Switch, making them highly versatile. They feature low-latency connectivity, which is essential for fast-paced gaming, ensuring audio stays in sync with on-screen action. One of the standout features of the Arctis GameBuds is the active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, which blocks out ambient sounds for a more immersive experience. Whether you're in a noisy environment or simply want to focus on the game, the ANC does a solid job of reducing background noise, allowing you to concentrate on the audio details in the game. Additionally, the transparency mode is a great touch for when you need to stay aware of your surroundings without removing the earbuds. Sound quality is another highlight. The GameBuds deliver clear, well-balanced audio with deep bass and sharp highs, giving a rich experience for both in-game audio and music. The built-in microphones also perform well, ensuring clear communication with teammates or friends without the need for an external mic. The ergonomic design of the earbuds makes them comfortable for long sessions, and they come with multiple ear tip sizes to ensure a good fit. Battery life is respectable for wireless earbuds in this category, offering up to 5.5 hours on a single charge, with the charging case extending playback up to 18 hours. This gives you ample power for extended gaming sessions or casual listening throughout the day. On the downside, the earbuds use Bluetooth, which, while convenient, can sometimes introduce minor latency compared to dedicated 2.4GHz wireless connections on certain platforms, though this may only be noticeable in competitive scenarios. Another minor drawback is that the ANC is not as powerful as some high-end noise-canceling headphones, though it is still effective for typical gaming environments. Overall, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are a solid option for gamers who want a portable and versatile audio solution. With their cross-platform compatibility, clear sound, and effective noise-canceling features, they provide great value for gaming and everyday use. The minor latency from Bluetooth and mid-level ANC performance are worth considering, but they don’t overshadow the many positives that make these earbuds a top choice for gamers.

These earbuds are quite versatile, you can use them to play games and listen to music as they can connect through Bluetooth and wireless radio. They’re pretty compact and portable enough. Though the case is not as compact as typical earbuds case because it also contains a wireless radio mini dongle, I have no problem carrying the case in my pocket. I like the design of the case since it allows me to carry both the dongle and earbuds in one case, which could be important if you’re mobile and would like to use them to play Nintendo Switch. I use them for playing Helldivers 2 on PC and overall audio quality is good. Due to the design of the earbuds, audio input (microphone) quality is only acceptable. My teammates can still hear my voice and understand what I say, however, they notice significant difference had I been using a boom style mic headset. So, these earbuds are not the best for multiplayer games especially in games where intense communication with other players would be required. In terms of comfort, earbuds can be much more comfortable than boom style headset. These earbuds are light, and they fit nicely to my ears. The earbuds also sport active noise cancellation, which works quite well. There’s also transparency mode, which works okay but nothing stellar. The earbuds are also good for playing Xbox and since most Xbox games are single player, these earbuds are great for them. The dongle is USB-C so you would need to use the included converter in order to connect it to the front USB port on your Xbox. The dongle also works for PS 5 and Nintendo Switch, it’s great that the earbuds are so versatile to connect to different platforms. There’s an app that you can download to your phone and load more than 100 audio presets including Helldivers 2, Fortnite and Roblox. Like: Comfortable to use Versatility, connect to multiple platforms Easy to store case for both the dongle and earbuds Good overall audio performance Apps and so many presets Don’t like: Mic audio quality is average for earbuds, not on par with boom style microphone

I just received the headphones and they sound great, the quality of the build and he ease at conencting them to my video and audio source is very easy. The app is simple and easy to use. SOUND The sound quality is good, it is crisp and clean sounding, no static or distortion at louder volumes. The music playback is nice, using my phone i paired the device using the bluetooth and the connection was stable. The bass is a little lacking but that is not their primary intention. The game playback sound is very good, it has many pre-sets for many games at your fingertips. There is a downside, in order to create a custom equalizer preset you need to use different software, not the easiest straightforward process. ANC The noise cancelling feature is not the greatest, i can barely tell the difference when it is on so it is not a huge selling point. The proper fit of the earbud tips and the crisp sound provide a secure seal and do a lot to block out the noise regardless of the ANC. GAMING The 2.4ghz connection to the xbox series X is very stable using the supplied dongle. It is pretty much plug and play. There was no distortion or signal loss. The use of the pre-set equalizer setting sis nice oif you happen to have the game. The case does have a storage space for the dongle which make it very convenient to carry around and keeps you from misplacing it. PROS CRISP CLEAN SOUND EASE OF CONNECTION SECURE FIT IN YOUR EAR EASE OF USE OF THE APP PRESET GAME EQUALIZER SETTINGS CONS NOISE CANCELLING IS NOT GREAT CAN NOT CREATE CUSTOM EQUALIZER PRESET WITHOUT ADDED SOFTWARE