I look down on the SteelSeries’ $160 Arctis GameBuds case, and I really feel my face screwing into a good ball of puzzlement. I’m not confused by the GameBuds, a easy and—largely—efficient design for taking good-quality gaming audio on the go. I’m perplexed why extra firms don’t do one thing as apparent as what SteelSeries has executed. As in, they put the rattling dongle contained in the buds case. In the event you’re on the lookout for the easiest way to get private, wi-fi audio in your Steam Deck or handheld, these are simply your best choice.

Bluetooth earbuds are common and near-ubiquitous, however—inexplicably—the low-profile buds design hasn’t grow to be in style amongst players. Extra particularly, gaming gear manufacturers haven’t jumped into the house with as a lot gusto as they’ve with headphones. This previous yr’s most up-to-date, notable try was Sony’s PlayStation Pulse Earbuds, a companion to the Pulse Elite headset. Whereas they supported PlayStation 5’s 3D audio options, they have been contained in an extended strip for a case, not one thing I might name moveable.

Different wi-fi bud choices like Razer’s Hammerhead Hyperspeed and Turtle Seaside’s low cost Scout Air lack 2.4 GHz connectivity. What I actually need from these gaming earbuds is the two.4 Ghz connectivity and Bluetooth in a bundle I can take in all places. SteelSeries put each the buds and dongle in the identical case. The one different related design comes from Sony with the $200 InZone buds and the marginally extra pronounced dongle.

The GameBuds are the follow-up from the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Headset. These over-ear headphones have been alright for his or her value, however the low-profile dongle was poorly designed, and it will cowl up your console’s or PC’s different USB-C slots. The GameBuds’ USB-C dongle is offset, that means you’ll be able to plug two right into a PlayStation 5 Slim’s entrance ports. It additionally means it received’t stick out the aspect of your Steam Deck like an antennae, prepared to interrupt or bend if knocked the unsuitable manner.

Contemplating all that, you’re nonetheless getting good audio with strong ANC, a powerful battery life, and a match and really feel that make me eager on swapping out my common buds for listening to music on my commute. My solely actual difficulty was their tendency to disconnect if the buds ever jostle inside your ear.

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds Assessment: Construct High quality and Consolation

I’ve routine points with earbud consolation. I usually must strive on a number of sizes of silicon in-ear buds, and even then, they have a tendency to slide out of my ear. The design on the GameBuds is the candy spot for me, at the very least on most events. I would want to regulate one or the opposite if I’m strolling about, however they’re significantly comfortable and—for probably the most half—snug.

You received’t overlook they’re in your ears, however there’s no sense of tightness both. The plastic is supposed to sit down flush in opposition to your ear, so the automated shutoff will work in the event you take away your buds. I had occasional points when transferring the place they’d jangle in my ears and trigger them to change off once I didn’t need them to, although just for a second. You may flip off this setting within the app, however that’s a ache in the event you’re used to related options in your AirPods or different high-end earbuds. The difficulty is just whenever you’re transferring round, so it shouldn’t be an issue in the event you’re enjoying a recreation sedentary.

The GamBuds additionally use bodily buttons for his or her controls reasonably than the capacitive ones on different costly buds just like the Pixel Buds Professional 2. The correct aspect controls your music or recreation, whereas the left lets you choose from transparency or ANC modes. In the event you triple-tap the buds, you’ll be able to change between 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth on the fly. In order for you extra management over your buds, you’ll want to make use of the Arctis app. As soon as linked, you fiddle with the low by way of excessive ANC settings or modify the microphone’s sidetones. You may’t use the app on the similar time your buds are linked by way of Bluetooth to a different machine, although you’ll be able to in the event you’re set to 2.4 GHz mode.

SteelSeries says you need to get a 40-hour battery life with the GameBuds’ case or slightly greater than 10 hours for every bud. In my expertise, utilizing them for gaming and music for a full week is true on level. I didn’t cost them for a full week and a half, utilizing them every day, and nonetheless had sufficient energy to make use of when scripting this evaluate.

The opposite main function of the app is the massive collection of EQ presets. SteelSeries claims all 179 are constructed for particular video games. I couldn’t discover a main, current title that wasn’t there, however even with the common Flat EQ preset, I wasn’t uncomfortable in any recreation. Relying on the sport, it may be exhausting to identify the distinction, although, for sure titles, the EQ distinction could be important.

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds Assessment: Sound High quality

You don’t get an obscenely loud pair of earbuds with the Arctis Gamebuds, however they do the job of immersive audio when enjoying throughout each console and PC. I’ve used them throughout PC, Steam Deck, and PC and didn’t discover a scenario the place the GameBuds weren’t welcome, even when they received’t be as intense as an over-ear headset.

I used to be glad with the bass ranges on the gamebuds, particularly for one thing priced at $160. The treble was additionally honest, however the sound high quality may rely on the sport. I used to be very pleased with the sound in a recreation like Cyberpunk, however I discovered it was simply honest when enjoying Mortal Kombat 1, with or with out every recreation’s separate EQ profiles. Then, when enjoying Star Wars Jedi: Survivor with 3D audio on PS5, the EQ profiles would imply the distinction between okay audio and wonderful directional audio, the place the kick of a lightsaber felt prefer it was buzzing proper subsequent to my ear.

On Steam Deck, I’ve used the GameBuds to play Metaphor: Refantazio on the sofa whereas my roommate completed Persona 5. There’s at present no EQ profile for that recreation, although I loved it for the sake of listening to the sport’s soundtrack anyway. The ANC does a very good job suppressing all by the very best or lowest tones. I’ve taken the buds out as my day-to-day pair of earbuds, and the ANC is nice sufficient to dam out all sounds save for a passing subway prepare. It was ok to drown out a bongo busker on a prepare in movement, which is strong sufficient in my e book.

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds Assessment: Verdict

For the sake of simplicity, I feel these buds are the proper companion to a gaming handheld like a Steam Deck. I’ve had points connecting my Bluetooth earbuds to my Steam Deck and related points with Home windows 11 handhelds just like the Asus ROG Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go.

These are the sorts of buds you’ll be able to take with you anyplace and nonetheless get good audio even when you’ll want to plug it into your PC, PS5, or Change. There’s a separate pair for Xbox that’s additionally appropriate with PC, however except you’re an Xbox mainstay I might counsel choosing the extra open audio machine. There’s loads of different high quality buds on the market, some for barely cheaper than the GameBuds. However for pure portability, SteelSeries is my present decide for gaming on the go.