Customer Ratings & Reviews

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 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

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.

I've had the Razer Hyperspeed earbuds for Xbox since they were released so in part this is a head to head review between the two. I work 10 hour shifts with a headset for my job and I have a fairly reactive dog that barks at a lot of noises or things. When I'm relaxing in the evening I just prefer to have headphones for games or TV so the sounds don't trigger her or if she sees something on the TV or outside her barking isn't interrupting what I'm doing. She's a grouchy pomeranian and she only stops barking when she wants. Since I wear a headset all day for work I wanted earbuds to give my head some relief from over the ear headsets I need for calls. Audio quality for both the Razer and the Steelseries earbuds are decent. I'd probably give Steelseries the slight advantage. I was easily able to hear footsteps and determine their direction in Call of Duty. When watching shows and movies I can hear dialogue perfectly and I've never experienced a sound imbalance keeping me from hearing something I should. Steelseries definitely has the better battery life. From the get go with the Razer earbuds I felt like I only had 3-5 hours of use and it was super irritating. Steelseries can go 10+ hours, granted I'm not using ANC. Comfort, I'd say Razer has a slight edge on comfort. Only because I ran into some ear pain after multiple days of extended use on my right ear. This was solved by using the larger silicone earbud tip for my right ear. I feel like I can't really fault the earbud for this because I've always felt my right ear shape was a little wonky. However I've never really experienced an earbud give me as much trouble as the Steelseries did on my right ear. Again, fixed by using a larger earbud tip. Ease of use Steelseries wins big here. The main reason being the physical buttons on the earbuds and the audio queues when you adjust something. I had such a big issue with the Razer earbuds lowering or increasing the volume. You have to double tap and hold to increase or decrease. The Razer earbuds have no haptic feedback or audio tone to tell what you're doing. Steelseries has largely the same shortcuts but you have physical buttons and audible tones when decreasing or increasing the sound. Overall the Steelseries are a way better earbud option for Xbox. Only issue I've noticed is a buzzing when ANC is activated but I think i read that this is due to audio processing settings on the Xbox and if you turn that off it should resolve the issue. Haven't cared to investigate further since I just prefer without ANC for more battery life.

Bought these a day or two ago, two pair of them. Haven’t even gone through a whole charge yet. My set literally only plays bass and not even the bass with the song or show, random loud bass out of the left earbud, and my wife’s just crackle and disconnect on and off. I’ve tried other phones and consoles but it’s all the same, I’m so disappointed because my other steel series stuff is wonderful.

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 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.

The Arctis GameBuds from SteelSeries are a fantastic set of wireless earbuds. Aimed at gamers in particular, they nonetheless represent all around excellence for just about any use. Even casual gamers should strongly consider these, given the features and performance. The headphones are loaded with features: 2.4Ghz wireless support for low latency, Bluetooth, active noise canceling with a transparency feature, loads of audio presets and the ability to create more, IP55 water resistance, and wireless charging. All great–but do they sound good? Yes, they do. Setup can be done via the Arctis companion app on a mobile device, or you can download the SteelSeries GG PC app. The latter has the ability to create presets via Sonar, and is the only way to update the firmware unfortunately. The app does give plenty of other options though–179 total presets, with music and movie presets along with an enormous list of presets for popular games. ANC and transparency settings can be toggled here along with mic levels. The app will also show whether the earbuds are connected via Bluetooth or wireless. Thankfully the app still communicates with the earbuds over Bluetooth while in wireless mode, so you can adjust settings in the app regardless. The initial setup with my Galaxy S23 Ultra was rocky (but that’s par for the course with this phone and doesn’t reflect upon these), but after a few tries they finally synced up and worked fine. One thing to note: when using the earbuds with a Bluetooth device, the volume control is integrated. If you adjust the volume via your mobile device, it’ll control the volume. But when you are using the 2.4Ghz wireless dongle with the device, there are two independent volume levels: the device and the earbuds themselves. So you’ll want to adjust both your device volume (console, PC) and your earbuds (a tap and hold–right for increase, left for decrease). In use, I found these comfortable to wear for extended periods, which isn’t always true for earbuds for me. There are multiple tips to adjust for ear size, and I found the default ones to be perfect for me.The fit is snug and they don’t feel like they’ll fall out, and the seal is tight enough for a good ANC experience. These definitely aren’t the best with noise canceling I’ve ever heard, but they do a very good job. Overall audio performance was really good–I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to them. For music playback testing I used Spotify over Bluetooth and found that I really like the Music:Punchy preset for most popular music. Everything from Andre Rieu to AC/DC sounded excellent and lively. For gaming, you use the included Type-C wireless dongle. You tap the earbuds three times to quickly alternate between wireless and Bluetooth and the switch is very fast. For devices that don’t have a Type-C port, a Type-C to Type-A adapter was helpfully included. For both the PS5 and my gaming PC they were instantly recognized. In reading some of the documentation, I saw that some audio enhancement settings on a device might interfere with the earbuds’ own settings, so I made sure to disable those. I tested games that were included among the 179 included presets: Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 and Forza Horizon 5 on PC. I thought for wireless earbuds they sounded excellent and offered great clarity. Are you going to mistake it for a dedicated 7.1 channel audio system? No, but I came away impressed, particularly in Forza Horizon 5. Mic quality in testing worked well and should be good for most people. My final judgment? These are great earbuds, period, and for gamers who want a more compact audio solution than a large headset, these are a slam dunk. They sound fantastic, have just about every feature you’d want, and offer the versatility of low latency wireless or Bluetooth connectivity along with excellent ergonomics. I’d actually say that even if you had zero interest in gaming that these are worth looking at, just because they sound good. Highly recommended

Who would’ve thought such tiny earbuds could deliver such incredible performance? The Arctis Steelseries Gamebuds, the tiny almighty. These are my first pair of Artics gaming peripherals and now I experienced what the hype is all about. These earbuds not only look sleek with their black-and-white trim and SteelSeries logo, but they’re also built for comfort and durability. Features like 360 spatial audio and active noise cancelation (ANC) take the audio experience to the next level. With 10 hours of battery life and an additional 30 hours from the wireless charging case, they’re designed for extended use. Charging is easy, with support for both USB-C and wireless charging. Setting them up couldn’t be easier, just pair them via Bluetooth on your device, or plug in the included wireless receiver for automatic connection. SteelSeries also offers an accompanying app available for PC, Android, and iOS. The app allows for extensive customization, from adjusting audio settings. While the mobile app is straightforward, the PC version offers advanced customization options for users who want more control like tweaking spatial audio positioning. When it comes to sound quality, these earbuds excel. The audio is well balanced, delivering impressive bass for their size. Using the Sonar setting on my PC, I found the sound quality to rival that of traditional over-ear headphones. The microphone also exceeded my expectations, providing clear communication during online gaming sessions and even phone calls. What really surprised me was the earbuds’ ability to seamlessly switch connections while gaming on my PC. I received a phone call, and the earbuds automatically switched over to my phone. When done it switches back to the game. It’s a convenient feature, even if it temporarily interrupts game audio. These GameBuds aren’t just for gaming, they’re versatile enough for music and phone calls, too. They’re incredibly lightweight and comfortable, sitting snugly without creating a “clogged” feeling. I didn’t need to swap out the default ear tips, which fit perfectly. The noise-canceling feature effectively blocks out external sounds, and the transparency mode lets you carry on conversations without removing the earbuds. The only drawback I found was the design of the wireless receiver dongle. While it conveniently fits into the case with the earbuds, its shape can be impractical. When plugged in, it tends to block adjacent ports unless you use a corner USB-C port. Fortunately, SteelSeries includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter, which offers some flexibility. However, a straight dongle design would have been more practical. I included a picture in my review to show how the dongle was blocking my HDMI port. While I do have a USB-C port in the corner, the design of my Alienware makes it impractical to use that spot. Flipping the dongle to place it there would have blocked another USB port. Fortunately, I use a docking station, so it’s not a major issue, but it’s worth noting. Overall, the Arctis SteelSeries GameBuds are outstanding. They offer excellent build quality, sleek aesthetics, and fantastic sound performance. Packed with features like spatial audio, ANC, and impressive battery life, they’re a great choice not just for gamers but for anyone looking for versatile, high-quality earbuds. In the box, you’ll find the earbuds, a charging case, a USB-C wireless receiver, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, a USB-C charging cable, spare ear tips, and a regulatory information manual.

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!

--- SETUP --- The Arctic SteelSeries Gamebuds are easy to set up. They come slightly pre-charged, but you can also charge them to full before use. Plug in the adapter to the Xbox Series X or PC and begin hearing your gaming closer. --- FEATURES --- Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Surround 7.1, Wireless, Bluetooth and Radio Frequency (2.4 Ghz/Low Latency), 20 feet maximum range, chargeable case, 1.5 hours of charging time, 10 hours of full charge use, 40 hours of recharge from case alone, case can be charged with iQ. --- EXPECTATIONS and PERFORMANCE --- Upon opening the box, I read that the case can be charged with an iQ charger. I left them charging on my generic charging pad I use for my Airpods and they began to charge right away. The charging case holds the two earbuds and the dongle you need to plug into a PC or the Xbox Series X. Since these are specifically marketed for the Xbox Series X, I was surprised that the dongle only has a USB-C type connection. The Xbox doesn't have a USB-C port, but the SteelSeries did include an adapter for it. Unfortunately, it means that you’ll have a short cable hanging from your Xbox for you to use it, which means it’s not aesthetically pleasing. The earbuds themselves are comfortable with the right ear tip size. I had to switch to the smaller size tips for the best comfortable fit. After long day sessions of upwards of 6 hours, I didn’t feel discomfort nor did they fall off. The ANC works, but not as well as I would hope. I can still hear environmental noise if my gaming is quiet enough. The microphone, when talking on the phone and chatting with my gaming friends, was not always clear, but it did the job for the time required to use. The app has a lot of features that you can preload to the earbuds. There are over 100 games to choose preset audio profiles for, and you can favorite your most used games. I tested them with Starfield, and I really could tell the difference, but maybe that’s because the audio is closer to my ears than from my home theatre. The app wouldn’t recognize the earbuds at first when pairing. I had to try multiple times before they recognized the earbuds. --- APPROVAL --- Overall, these earbuds are comfy and a great addition and gift to any Xbox or PC gamer. If you don’t mind a little aesthetic unpleasantness, then I say get these!

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.

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!

After reading so many disappointing reviews about the pulse explore gaming earbuds and needing to buy an extra piece to avoid disconnections I found out about these guys. I wanted gaming earbuds purely because my ears get hot and I hate wearing this big headset and these absolutely do the job! Super comfy especially with different sized ear pieces, super long battery life, and excellent sound! The steel series app works so well to fine tune your sound and has pre made settings for many games. My only gripe is they are loud but not like LOUD but honestly it’s such a minor difference. I definitely won’t be going back to a full headset anytime soon.

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!

The SteelSeries - Arctis GameBuds are pretty much a train-wreck product. From a purely hardware standpoint, they are lightweight, fit tight and the integrated case/2.4 GHz dongle arrangement are ingenious. The problem with these true wireless earbuds is the software side of the equation and as such I will simply start off with - - "Avoid these at all costs!". I will also push my Pros & Cons section closer to the top: Pros: Ingenious storage/charging case with integrated 24 GHz dongle storage Good, tight fit but not the most comfortable. Passable! Cons: Clunky pairing sequence that is anything but seamless and this 'system' has compatibility issues with a Sony ZX700 Walkman and Samsung Galaxy S23+. Pairing drops forcing a re-pairing, when pairing even works at all. The Arctis Android App feels like Beta. When pairing appeared successful, initially, the App notified me that there was a firmware update but applying that update via the SteelSeries published method is another train-wreck. (See below) Custom equalization functionality dead ends and there is no apparent way to create your own EQ presets are abundant for games but the few music related offerings are meh; Bass Boost barely raises the bass floor. When the buds appear to work for a session, the capacitive sensing, ear detection tech has massive lag and/or simply doesn't work at all. What the? * With the summary details out of the way, I immediately researched "help" from SteelSeries own product support pages whereby they detail out how to initially set up the SteelSeries - Arctis GameBuds by connecting the system to a Windows PC via the provided USB cable. I attempted to do this across three different Windows 11 based machines and the SteelSeries GG "Engine" software did not indicate an available firmware update or detect the presence of the buds/charging case. In one instance while attempting to pair & configure the Arctis GameBuds with my Galaxy S23+, it seemed like the pairing hurdle was overcome but then the App froze up during the middle of the "initializing your device" stage. The pairing steps are not governed by the App and conflict with the device Bluetooth pairing process. Another example of a product released too soon and/or engineered poorly. Competitor products have the software & F/W things figured out... SteelSeries has not.

So far, I've been beyond impressed. That battery life has been decent. The weight is light enough to help keep them seated. The sound is great once you get it setup. That is the tricky part of their whole setup. It does take time to get things dialed in to your liking. I've found that the sound has a great range. The bass is adequate without being overbearing. The only issue I had was it was turning off after awhile in bluetooth mode. I found that it was simply a setting in the app, and I turned it off. Overall, I can't recommend these enough.

Travel a lot for work and needed a new headset for Warzone and hearing footsteps. Comparing to Astro A40TR Pros, Astro A50s and Steel Series Arctis Nova Pros. Best to Worst 1. Steel Series Gamebuds 2. Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro 3. Astro A40 TR Pro 4. Astro A50 Pros: With custom EQ that I use, these by far have the best footstep hearing capability. Comfortable in ears. Music and video playback is better than my Sony wf-1000xm4. Playback time and compactness. Cons: The volume is lacking. In order to hear footsteps, I had to remove the Audio Limiter and max out volume on pc and earbuds. With the largest ear silicones on, they are still not snug feeling and would fall out if you tried to use them for say, running. If you are concerned about noise cancelling, these are garbage compared to my sony earbuds but they sound better and fit in ear better. Custom EQs: You can use your companion app or the steel series gg. At this time I still cannot save a custom eq to the earbuds/software is dumb. If you are using the steel series sonar on your pc, then you are good to go. Per friends in Discord, they mic quality is poor byt they can still hear me fine. Primary Use: PC and Phone Would I recommened? If you are looking for quality sound and hearing footsteps, 100%.

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.

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.