We have said this before, purchasing a gaming headset is not the same as picking up a soap. There are tons of things that you will need to know about besides the price. Earlier, professional gamers were concerned about the pricing of the headsets.
Today, they are worried about the features and reliability of the models. That is a good sign that things are evolving for the good of manufacturers. Even Apple has invaded the gaming headset market, which itself shows the significance of this area.
That is why today, we will be comparing two great gaming headsets, just for you. The pricing of the models is close to $300, making them premium units for their makers. When you plan to upgrade your existing unit or look to upgrade,
They are the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT vs SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headsets. When you are shopping a little upmarket, you might want to be prepared to shell out $270 on a wireless gaming headset.
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is a wireless unit that comes with RGB and Bluetooth. These two components are most liked among gamers. Of course, while RGB can be optional, Bluetooth is a must these days for any user.
It has a good design and opulent fitting. You can wear them for several hours without feeling discomfort. The unit comes with a warm and uneven sound profile without bass and the recessed treble.
There is the iCUE software on the model that enables you to adjust the audio to your liking. You can do that with the help of the graphic EQ and presets. We liked the microphone present on it because it really worked eloquently.
You can work using it for almost 20 hours, which is fantastic. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is part of a company that has been in the gaming segment for several years now. You will be astounded to know that it is the first gaming headset to be certified for Hi-Res audio.
Our tester felt that the model is quite comfortable and comes with stunning audio on it. Besides, it comes designed with several features and options for you to make a good package. You can find several opportunities to connect and adjustable specifications.
Some users felt that the headset is costly with the Game DAC. You can choose it without this option if you want to save some money. But Game DAC is the main element that is out there. The model works stupendously and is a good investment.
The model comes with a phenomenal battery working life along with a decent microphone. However, the noise isolation and design quality could have been improved. But they are impressive headsets that you do not want to miss out on.
Since both are wireless and represent the top-end models of their brands, the arena is genuinely set to find out the winner. It is safe to say that landscape for sublime models working on multiple platforms is nasty and competitive. Which one of them is worth your money?
 |  |
|---|---|
| Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT | SteelSeries Arctis Pro |
| PROS | PROS |
| The design of the headset is elegant. The build quality is magnificent. It provides you with stunning connectivity. It can replace two headsets. There is an RGB mic-mute indicator. | The design of the headset is comfortable. The build quality is sturdy. It comes with a DAC that offers lots of options. It offers you with phenomenal sound quality. The product is wireless through Bluetooth. |
| CONS | CONS |
| It comes with below-average battery life. | The microphone peaks instantly. |
| SPECIFICATIONS | Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT | SteelSeries Arctis Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Name | VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS XT High-Fidelity Gaming Headset | Arctis Pro Wireless Gaming Headset |
| Brand | CORSAIR | SteelSeries |
| Sound Mode | Dolby Atmos | Stereo |
| Connection Type | Wireless, Wired | Wireless |
| Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth, Radio Frequency (RF) | Bluetooth, Radio Frequency (RF) |
| True Wireless | No | No |
| Maximum Wireless Range | 60 feet | 39 feet |
| Built-In Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Fit | Over-the-Ear | Over-the-Ear |
| Adjustable Headband | Yes | No |
| Compatible Platforms | Mac/Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, iOS | Mac/Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Warranty | 2 years | 1 year |
DESIGN & COMFORT
When you see the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT gaming headset, the first thing that you notice is that it resembles the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE. That is because of the colors of silver & black present on the gaming headset.
You can also notice that logo present in the earcup that gives it a dazzling appearance. Besides, you can note that the model has RGB lighting on it. Users with the companion software can customize this.
Yes, they are quite nice to put on for prolonged hours. You would expect that from a $270 unit. Corsair gaming headsets are known for their comfort and fitting quality. The same was found fluently on this model too.
The padding on the earcups and the headband is good. However, we felt that it was slightly heavy. It also comes with more clamps at the top of the head and ear. Not to mention, if you want, you can change the padding; sadly, this unit has no extra pairs with it.
The weight and clamping force of both the gaming headsets are almost the same. Hence, we could not decide on which of one was comfortable. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro model is comfortable due to the aluminum frame on it.
It also comes with a suspension band elastic-like pair of ski goggles. When you compare, several suspension bands do not need adjustment, where you can set the clamping force accordingly using the patch.
It comes designed of what is known as air weave fabric. That is like leather and velour. However, it is harder than velour. They were quite comfortable, and nobody had issues wearing them for extended periods of time.
It also comes with a wide metal headband and a curve that is present in elastic. They can easily adjust to the fitting and come with a good feel. The unit feels nice under the skin. Unfortunately, you will see that the sizing is limited due to the length of the elastic strap.
BUILD QUALITY
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT gaming headset comes with the exceptional build quality. The unit is produced from stunning plastic and a metal frame. You can also find the faux leather padding and headband.
You can also find the earcups has an aluminum finish. This appears sleek and elegant for them. They must withstand those drops of frustration that most users take on them when they lose a point or the game.
This is another crucial aspect that we highly recommend gaming headsets under $300. They come nicely designed and built for you. It does not come with the water-resistance IP rating that could have come in here for the price point.
They come with alright stability and may come off if not appropriately worn during jogging. It is alright to wear during games at home. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro is a well-designed unit. It comes with the extraordinary build quality.
The dense earcups, solid hinges, and robust design are very suitable for ensuring that the gaming model is astounding. The yokes and hinges are made from plastic. You can notice that the headband has a blend of silicone and metal material in them.
You can note that the earcups come with magnetic removable backplates that are replaceable. It comes with a battery that can be removable, and they come with two batteries. The microphone is flexible and can be withstand being bent in many ways.
It comes with the same kind of stability found on most on headsets of the same brand. Yes, they do come with a tight and comfortable seal for your ears. This prevents the sound from going out.
Besides, the headset does not shake too much even if you aggressively move your head around. As they are wireless units, you do not need to make use of the annoying wires. This is a major advantage of using the model.
However, you can use them for mild physical activities like walking and jogging around the park if you want. The model can become a bit warm at the most. Overall, both gaming headsets come with exceptional build quality that ensures durability and lasts many years.
AUDIO PERFORMANCE
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT gaming headset has a stunning audio performance. Our tester was quite happy with the performance and the bass effects. You can notice that the sound effects do not come with a thump.
Its lead instruments and dialogue sound quite intense, and sibilants S and T audio are pretty dull. When you want a different sound, you can use the companion app that provides you with a graphic EQ and presets.
It comes with a disappointing frequency response. Our tester was a little surprised by that. They can come with those inconsistencies in the treble and bass delivery. When you have long hair and wear glasses, then you may miss few bass and treble noises.
That is why you need to adjust the fit of your glasses once in a while too often. They can annoy lightly but manageable. It provides you provides you with consistent audio delivery. The audio performance has a mixed bag for wireless models.
You will want to know that the drivers get tuned to help hear footsteps and reloading. Besides, you can listen to more of those tunes that you never can in most of them. You have those low latency to audio performance with audio for you.
We liked the Bluetooth connectivity when you want to use the source device on the Apt-X codec. The music was enjoyable and pleasant. The audio was quite decent and detailed; you can get to hear a great voice in them.
It comes with the practicality for using regularly. The battery life operates quite well on kind of dual devices for reaching 15 hours. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset comes with stunning audio quality.
Once it is connected, you can view the LED lights and bright light from the microphone. You can also note the black matte panel found on the sides of the unit that is positioned magnetically. You would be delighted to know that there is no requirement for any software component.
The Arctis Pro unit has a GameDAC that offers you with a small external console. When you have fitted it nicely on your head to listen to get the right kind of audio. As you tweak their audio for your liking with the help of EQ into the wireless transmitter.
It can also give you the bass when the earcups are hinged due to the glasses or long hair. Our tester also thought that the treble range is inconsistent. It depends on the fit and seal for the frequency response.
It offers surround sound with the DTS Headphone:X 2.0 tech. This is able to help you with some exceptional 3D sound environments in your game. Our tester felt that the surround sound was spectacular; he tested for quite a long time.
You can make use of the Game DAC to get ample information on the surround sound. While it does not make you a better player, the sound provides you with sufficient ability to wade yourself through in most games.
The bass output is kind of lower than what you usually can find on gaming models. The mid-range is fantastic and nicely done. You will not have a problem in finding sound from an explosion. When listening to music, it is quite fun and exciting with prominent bass lines.
MICROPHONE PERFORMANCE
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT gaming headset provides you with a magnificent microphone. It is quite omnidirectional, and you can detach it if you want. Besides that, the microphone has an excellent recording quality.
The voice is stable and comes naturally to the person at the end of the line. Our tester felt that the microphone comes with outstanding noise handling. The unit can effortlessly separate your voice from the low ambient noise around you.
When you want to decrease ambient noise, you can purchase directly from the manufacturer itself a uni-directional microphone. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset microphone provides you with an excellent sound profile.
It is quite clear and can de-emphasize bass. When you have a deep voice, then you may find the voice is low. When you have a high voice, then you may not have any more trouble. Additionally, the microphone is sublime and offers to shoot up than some and turning down.
COMPATIBILITY
The compatibility of the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is good due to the Bluetooth present on it. You can utilize them with Bluetooth and be connected to your gaming console. Besides, you can stream music if you want from your smartphone.
It also supports aptX and aptX HD. They provide you with stunning sound performance as they have very high latency. Our tester found that the latency on smartphones is kind of low. Luckily, they come with a cable for a simple connection.
The model has a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging without complete audio and microphone compatibility. You can make use of the wireless USB for full compatibility.
Users can work on them using their Xbox One and Xbox Series X through the analog connection. They also come with a USB that works just fine with the PC and PS4. Likewise, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is compatible with the SteelSeries engine desktop app.
It also comes with a graphic equalizer using presets, live microphone preview, DTS surround sound, dialogue enhancement, and bass boost. You can find charge levels on the battery present in the headset that is available on the app.
The app lets you know when the charging battery is fully charged. It comes with decent Bluetooth connectivity. They do not support multi-device or NFC pairing present in Turtle Beach Elite 800 Wireless model.
PRICE
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT gaming headset is priced under $270. This can be a lot of money charged for gaming headsets. We would recommend them for gamers and those who admire opulent music quality.
You do have several alternatives in the market for the Wireless XT, but very few of them can match the appearance of the earcups. It also comes with ideal Bluetooth and a microphone that is not detachable.
If you want to save money, you can opt for the Logitech G Pro X Wireless headset. Though it won’t disappoint you with the comfort, it is not practical as the Corsair Virtuoso RGB unit.
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is priced under $250. It is priced cheaper by $20 than the counterpart. However, that means you may want to be prepared to receive lesser features than the Corsair model, like the microphone and noise isolation power.
Your alternate options for this unit can be the Logitech G Pro X and Razer BlackShark V2 headsets. They are quite good but come with unconvincing features, unlike the Arctis Pro model. If you are alright with that, then it is fine.
Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT vs SteelSeries Arctis Pro: Verdict
We have concluded the comparison review between Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT vs SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming models. The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT gaming headset is not perfect but offers you with immense practicality.
That is what a professional gamer searches for in a gaming headset. It helps you use the headset for your personal as well as gaming needs. Our tester thought that it came in a league of its own.
The unit does its best to achieve what you throw at it. Like we said before, the Corsair does an excellent job but just fails at the top. The model provides with exceptional production quality, incredible control ergonomics, so on.
If you wonder if the price point of $270 is worth it, then the answer is a resounding yes. If you are in search of a unit that can help you out, then it has to be this one. Please do bear in mind that the wired option was slightly better than the wireless unit.
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is an exceptional unit that provides you with breathtaking features that work solidly on several devices and consoles. The comfort was good, and so was the audio quality.
This model is suitable for wireless gaming. You do realize that you can work on it on a console and smartphone simultaneously. Sadly, it has a high non-Bluetooth wireless latency. The unit’s noise isolation is not up to the mark unless you play games in a silent room.
The SteelSeries can be ideal for PC or the PS4 and not more. Our tester was not too keen to use them on other devices and consoles. This was our opinion for audiophiles. However, we do not have to remind you that it cost $250.
Our winner in the review is the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT, as it comes with excellent sound quality, comfort, and a robust design. The battery and noise isolation were ok. The microphone of the model provides eloquent sound performance that gave it the edge here.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.