The SteelSeries Arctis line of gaming headsets has generally been some of the best headsets out on the market, whether you play on console or PC. I’ve personally been using them since 2017 in some form or another, whether it be the original Arctis 7 or my last go-to headset, the Arctis 1 Wireless. I’ve never had issues with them and the sound quality has always been top-notch. So with that said, I was quite eager to check out one of their latest, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ which has been made specifically for PlayStation 5, but also works with PC, Android, Switch, USB-C iPads, and more.
THE DESIGN
The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ has much in common with the Arctis 1 Wireless which I’m coming off from. The main similarity is in their connection method. Both use a small USB-C dongle that plugs directly into the USB-C port of your device or USB port with the USB adaptor. This allows for the headset to work with multiple different consoles. Also, both headsets use the same award-winning high-quality speaker drivers as the Arctis 7 Series.
And that’s basically where the most obvious similarities end because the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is a definite upgrade in every other way. While the Arctis 1 Wireless had a few cost-cutting measures, the Arctis 7P+ retains the familiar Arctis shape and design with its flexible steel band and signature ski goggle suspension design. Not only that, but it also has the retractable Discord Certified ClearCast microphone. Other familiar design cues are the on-ear controls which have been a staple of the Arctis line since the beginning.
Back to the overall design, this is an aspect I really love about SteelSeries and it’s the comfort and the fact that you never have to really adjust these for size. Because of the ski google suspension band, all you need to do is just put on the headset and they automatically adjust to your head. SteelSeries just seems to slightly evolve this design over time but doesn’t mess with it too much because, in all honesty, it’s very difficult to improve on perfection.
I am digging the PlayStation 5 themed colors on the Arctis 7P+ with the white and blue. Most of my other SteelSeries headsets have been black, so this is a nice change-up.
THE SPECS
The SteelSeries 7P+ is no slouch when it comes to specs. In fact, it’s chock full of them and while it’s not their top-of-the-line gaming headset, you’ll find more than enough features here to keep you satisfied.
Let’s start off with the speaker drivers. the Arctis 7P+ uses the same 40mm neodymium speaker drivers as their award-winning Arctis 7. These are supposed to emphasize subtle sounds that give you an audio advantage in games and are fully compatible with Tempest 3D Audio on the PS5. Headphone frequency response is between 20-20,000Hz which is excellent. Also, we should note that these are not Bluetooth headsets. Instead, you’ll need to use SteelSeries’ proprietary 2.4GHz dongle for lossless audio. These are also ultra-low latency.
Next up is the mic which uses features Discord Certified ClearCast technology for noise cancelation. That means players on the other end will hear more of your voice and less of the sounds around you. That is thanks in part to the bidirectional microphone. There is a neat Sidetone feature (microphone monitoring) that allows you to control the amount of mic input that is routed back into your headset.
Because these are wireless headsets, the Arctis 7P+ utilizes USB-C charging. A quick 15-minute charge will charge your headset up for 3-hours of use. If you charge them up fully, they’ll last for up to 30 hours on a single charge.
THE EXPERIENCE
Audio on the SteelSeries 7P+ is excellent. You’ll notice we did not mention anything about 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound. That’s because the spec sheet makes no mention of it anywhere. Yet, I think that it has it or at least seems to have Surround Sound because when I test it using this, I swear I can hear the sounds move all around me. It might not officially say it has it, but I honestly think it does in some form.
Moving on to the quality, these things are amazing and I would expect no less from SteelSeries. You can use the SteelSeries GG app to adjust audio settings via the equalizer or use some of the built-in presets they have available. Anyways, the highs are super clear and crisp while the lows provide deep clean bass. These so far have been perfect for gaming as well as media consumption from music and videos.
Is there anything I dislike about the Arctis 7P+? I’m still not a big fan of the tiny dongle you need to use. While I do understand why they use it and the benefits, it’s just that it’s so small that you easily lose it or misplace it somewhere. This is even more possible if you use this on multiple platforms. If you just use it on one console or your PC, just plug it in and never take it back out. Other than that, there’s really nothing else to dislike here.
THE FINALE
SteelSeries has another winner here with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+. It’s no wonder why it’s been rated the best wireless headset by a bunch of other outlets. For me, I just love them because they’re super comfortable, really well made, and sound terrific. You’ll also love the fact that these can be used with a multitude of platforms, though if you want to use these on Xbox, you’re out of luck. You’ll need to buy the other version of this headset, the Arctis 7X.
So with that said, I’ve never had any issues with their Arctis line of headsets and I don’t foresee any with this one either. This is a headset that not only looks really good but will give you years of enjoyment.
You can grab yourself the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ here on Amazon.
