SteelSeries Arctis 7 vs Arctis Pro Gaming Headset

The name SteelSeries sounds rhythmic with gaming units. Any professional gamer would tell you the same thing. It is safe to say that they have changed the horizon for the gaming sector. They have manufactured headsets that are infused with the right kind of elements.

These were much better than the bassy units found in the market. This comparison review will be looking at SteelSeries Arctis 7 vs Arctis Pro gaming headset. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 is a popular headset among gamers and others.

The Danish headset maker has been dwelling on the imperfections to bring out another sublime device in the SteelSeries Arctis Pro unit. It is fantastic to say because of its powerful features and audio quality.

The Arctis 7 and the Arctis Pro are top-notch headsets that come with matchless features. They both come with good padding enabling you to play your favorite games for a more extended period of time.

Sadly, the Arctis 7 headset came with a lower sound capability than the Arctis Pro. You will be delighted to know that the Arctis Pro comes with the GameDAC. But the Arctis 7 provides you with the best fit, companion software for adjusting your sound requirement and battery life.

To be honest, the Arctis Pro is not your cheap headset. If you are keen on getting something under $100, you may want to read this post. You may be swayed by the exceptional features of this fantastic unit.

Though it is priced steep, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is genuinely an outstanding device. Not to mention, they are incredibly comfortable to wear and come designed nicely. The sound quality is good, and thanks to the mixer, you can adjust it likewise.

However, the size and isolation were slightly off the mark. However, we cannot recommend them for travel due to their size. But the barrage of connectivity options and the opulent sound quality make them genuinely second to none device.

Let us find out through this review whether the gaming headsets can satisfy your sound requirement?

SteelSeries Arctis 7	SteelSeries Arctis Pro
PROS	PROS
The design of the headset is splendid. It comes with superb audio quality. The unit has exceptional companion software for customization options. Its microphone is incredible in noisy environments. The battery life is breathtaking.	It offers you with ergonomic design. The controls are accessible, and it comes with a dedicated DAC. The bass can give an eloquent performance. It has a good battery system. The wireless system is splendid through a USB transmitter.
CONS	CONS
Unfortunately, there is inconsistent delivery of audio.	It has no button for you to adjust the microphone volume.

SPECIFICATIONS	ARCTIS 7	ARCTIS PRO
Product Name	Arctis 7 Wireless DTS Headphone Gaming Headset	Arctis Pro Wired DTS Headphone:X v2.0 Gaming Headset
Brand	SteelSeries	SteelSeries
Sound Mode	Stereo	DTS Headphone:X, Surround
Connection Type	Wireless	Wired
Wireless Connectivity	Radio Frequency (RF)	No
True Wireless	No	No
Built-In Microphone	Yes	Yes
Headphone Fit	Over-the-Ear	Over-the-Ear
Adjustable Headband	No	No
Warranty	1 year	2 Years

DESIGN & COMFORT

We will read about the design & comfort of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro first. There is nothing unique in the design because it is quite similar to most of the Arctis products. It comes with a wide headband that is wide and a curve that is wrapped on an elastic strap.

However, the headset has a durable fit. Though it is slightly on the bulky side, they come with a retractable microphone. The unit has a uniform appearance compared to most gaming headsets available in the market.

When you want your unit to be flashy, then you can consider using colorful headbands. Additionally, it comes with a curved metal headband frame, and you get a ski goggle fitting on your ears.

The earcups are massive and come padded well. Besides, they are also coated using breathable padding, giving you a good feeling on your ears. We felt that it could have been a lot better if the elastic strap could be increased.

The design & comfort of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 changed slightly from the previous models. Gamers love the hard headband that comes with soft padding. Besides, the retractable microphone makes things easier on your ears.

Its earcups are quite thick and come with adequate padding. They feel very soft on your skin and are porous that enables you to take in more airflow. When your ears are large, it can touch headsets drivers.

The controls are well placed, enabling you to access as and when you want. Like the previous model, the left earcup has a channel mixing wheel and a power button. The right earcup has a microphone, mute button, and volume wheel.

It comes with padding on both earcups that are suitable for activities like gaming and everyday tasks. The earcups enable proper airflow but trap some heat. They are ideal for the winter season but not for exercise.

Overall, the manufacturer has made use of the matte look and an ergonomic design. The headband that comes made from steel is second to none in quality. Its earcups can swivel to any side that you want.

It also comes with a secondary headband quite similar to that of a ski goggle suspension band. Gamers can replace the headband with something interesting if they want to enhance the comfort levels.

BUILD QUALITY

SteelSeries is known for its sturdy models, and both the models come with robust designs. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 comes with the exceptional build quality. The overall build and design are pretty good.

The metal headband is quite flexible but quite robust in design. Likewise, the earcups come with adequate padding and feel quite thick. The same can be said about the boom microphone, which comes with a retractable arm.

It can easily take in few falls effortlessly. However, we found that the earcups backplates can break off without much effort. When compared to the previous models, they come with a robust design.

Coming to the SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset, it comes designed along with a premium finish. They are pretty similar in shape and design to the other models in this product lineup. However, the robust, elegant, and solid design quality makes it stand out.

The earcups are quite thick and elegant. It has a headband that is made of silicone material. Besides, they feel solid and premium. We thought that they could not get damaged easily with few drops.

Its earcups come with backplates that are removable and magnetic. You can replace them if they become damaged. The right side comes with a battery that is removable. You will adore the microphone that is flexible and slightly bent without breaking.

We loved the fit on our heads once you have them, and since they are wireless headphones, there is no wiring to annoy you. Unlike most of the headsets we have reviewed, this one can come in handy for exercising like jogging.

But your ears can become warm upon usage. When using a transmitter, the volume can be adjusted by clicking the dial access. The right earcup also comes with buttons for accessing the Bluetooth and the power button.

We also like the LED lights that run around the earcups, and you can customize them accordingly. We found the microphone twisting in the direction that we wanted to. In a sense, the microphone can be accessed from the earcup when it is not in use.

Does it come with any flaw? We felt that the mute button and the volume dial were not placed well. They are located at the back, and adjusting them can be pretty difficult. But the good thing is that there is no need to remove the headset to do so.

AUDIO PERFORMANCE

The sound quality of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 depends on the fitting. It is as simple as that. That is what we found during our testing. If you wear spectacles or have long hair, then the fitting can be awkward.

So would be the music quality. It gives you inconsistencies in the treble and bass. However, when the unit is fitted ideally on your head, you can listen to opulent audio. The mid and the high-bass ranges are offering you more power.

We felt that the frequency response consistency was slightly disappointing. However, the bass was quite good and well placed. The range of the treble was somewhat on the poor side of things. The frequency response is based on the fitting and positioning of the unit.

We were not satisfied with the noise isolation performance. But they were able to remove higher-pitched sounds. If you have machines or AC running right next to your setup, then you won’t hear any noise.

As far as the audio quality sounds, the Arctis Pro is knightly. You can choose the digital or analog on it. We were not able to find much of a difference between the digital and the analog input.

The wide surround sound enables it to be natural. We also felt that the virtual surround sound pretty convincing. However, the headset can act as a compression feature coming using the high-mid bump, pushing audio sound better, enhancing poor sound effects.

A notable feature in the Arctis Pro is the GameDAC that is like a mixer that can easily enable you to adjust the sound. It is similar to built-in converters. This allows you to listen to some top-notch audio.

Though it comes with an amplifier circuit, the feature does not give the headset a decent sound. But the sound is provided at low distortion in the highest output levels. It needs a USB power source. The Arctis Pro can work efficiently by simply plugging it into the smartphone.

It offers the sublime sound quality that you can expect from it. This is one detail you can overlook. The OLED screen is massively enabling you to adjust the volume, EQ curve, and input. The GameDAC has a built-in limiter, but you can turn it off if you want.

MICROPHONE PERFORMANCE

The SteelSeries Arctis 7 microphone is very stellar and comes with the exceptional recording quality. Voice sounds crisp and sublime. However, it does not come with the force that you may want it to have.

The boom microphone offers you with clear sound quality. You can be heard clearly on the other side. This is extremely helpful while gaming and online conferencing. Like the headset, the microphone has poor noise isolation performance.

It blocks low-frequency sounds and may not keep you happy when you want to speak privately in an office or outside. The leakage is mid-range, so the audio sounds much better when you compare them with other headsets.

On the other hand, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is another powerful gaming headset. Our testers felt that the boom microphone comes with an impressive noise capability. Your voice can be easily separated even when there is plenty of sound in the background.

Few users said that a hissing noise comes out often. We felt that the problem delves into the fact that the microphone is set to 0, and you can effortlessly turn off the volume limiter. But it may be inconsistent, and some units may have the issue.

Besides, you will appreciate that the unit comes with a boom microphone that is retractable and has a windscreen. On the whole, the microphone of the Pro comes with a remarkable noise handling capability.

Noise-canceling is pretty good and phenomenal. The voice is separated from noisy environments seamlessly so that you can get heard efficiently.

COMPATIBILITY

The compatibility of a headset says it all. You will be happy to know that the SteelSeries Arctis 7 comes with solid app support. That is because the companion app is offering valuable features. You will find the software simple to use, and the controls can be found on a single page.

The gaming headset comes with a graphic EQ with presets, surround support, adjustable auto-off timer. Besides, we also saw that you could save settings according to your requirement. There is a transmitter for your setting.

It has an audio cable that is compatible with most consoles. The unit is compatible with most devices thanks to the micro-USB cable you use to charge the device. They work just fine with consoles like a laptop, PC, PS4, and PS5.

You can also make use of the 1/8″ TRRS cable for a wired connection. They work fine on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X. But it does not work well on the Xbox Wireless. It comes with a small wireless USB dock that does not have dock charging.

We want to mention the battery working of the headset that can last for 25 hours on a single charge. It also has an auto-off timer you can set using companion software. The headset also comes with an audio cable.

On the other hand, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro unit has an 8-pin connector cable through which you can connect directly to your headphones. You can also use the 1/8″ TRRS cable, which comes compatible with several gaming consoles and operating systems.

You can use them with a USB wireless transmitter base too. When you want to use them as a wired connection, you can use the audio cable. Please do know that the unit can only receive audio if the transmitter is connected to the Xbox One.

Additionally, it does not come with microphone support along with the Xbox One. In this case, you will have to use the Bluetooth connection. The USB wireless transmitter base is a notable feature on the headset.

The battery gets charged and through the transmitter. Gamers can plug the transmitter into the USB port for utilizing the headset through wireless. The optical audio is required to use these headphones along with your Xbox One.

PRICE

The pricing between the SteelSeries Arctis 7 vs Arctis Pro gaming headset can play a significant role for some consumers. If you are particular about the pricing, then you may be delighted to know that the Arctis 7 is priced much lower than the Arctis Pro.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset is priced under $350. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 gaming headset is priced under $250. However, you can get them both for cheaper prices during discount and sale.

But, when you want a control device that enables you to decide how you want to listen to the sound, then the Arctis Pro can help you. If you are particular about the price, then you know which unit to choose.

VERDICT

Which gaming headset would you consider? Well, this was a really close call. Both come from the same manufacture and are priced almost the same. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 gaming headset is alright for mixed usage.

It offers you a good experience when you are gaming, has a powerful microphone, and comes with low latency. They are quite comfortable to have on your ears and also have excellent battery life.

Besides, you can consider using them for commuting effortlessly. But they are not portable and cannot block the noise. Depending on whether you are wearing glasses or have long hair, the headset fits.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset comes with the GameDAC. Using it, you can now effortlessly pair with consoles and smartphones. Besides, they also come with a retractable microphone.

It offers you with a barrage of connectivity options, and balanced sound makes them suitable for playing games, watching movies, and listening to music as well. The winner is definitely the SteelSeries Arctis Pro gaming headset for providing you with a sleek, comfortable design and a GameDAC enabling you to control the audio quality seamlessly.