The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are the wired version of the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless and are decent gaming headphones with an excellently-performing boom microphone. However, their build quality reflects their entry-level price point as they feel plasticky and fairly fragile. They also don't support the SteelSeries Engine for customization options. On the upside, they're very lightweight, and thanks to their 1/8” TRRS connector, they offer audio and microphone support on pretty much all gaming platforms. They can be a good option for people who are looking for a straightforward and versatile headset.
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are alright for neutral sound. While they fall a bit flat of reproducing a thumpy bass, they bring a bit of boom to their sound. Their mid-range is also well-balanced and neutral, although their treble is underemphasized across the range, resulting in dull and dark vocals and lead instruments. They also reproduce bass and treble inconsistently across users, and due to their closed-back design, have a somewhat unnatural and closed-off soundstage.
- Decently comfortable.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are poor for commuting. These headphones have porous cloth pads that let a lot of ambient noise seep into your audio. They don’t do much against the rumbling of engines, so they won’t be a good option for public transit. On the upside, they're fairly comfortable and don’t leak too much, so you might be able to mask some ambient noise by raising your listening volume.
- Decently comfortable.
- Cheap, plasticky build.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are poor for sports. These headphones shouldn’t be used for sports as they aren’t stable on the head. They easily sway around and can fall off with head movement. The over-ear design is also quite bulky and won’t be ideal for working out. They are also wired-only and won’t offer the freedom of wireless headphones.
- Decently comfortable.
- Cheap, plasticky build.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are disappointing for office use. While they're decently comfortable, they struggle to reduce noise around you such as ambient chatter. They also don't have any music controls, so you have to rely on your desktop or phone to change tracks or play/pause. On the upside, although they leak a bit of sound, those around you shouldn't hear too much of it, even if you're listening to audio at max volume.
- Decently comfortable.
- Cheap, plasticky build.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are wired-only headphones, and can't be used for wireless gaming.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are decent for wired gaming. They're decently comfortable and can be used with full audio and mic compatibility with most consoles that have an AUX port. Their boom mic does an excellent job of capturing your voice, even in demanding environments. However, they offer extremely limited controls and don't have companion software to tweak their sound.
- Excellent microphone performance.
- Decently comfortable.
- Comes with a Y-splitter.
- Cheap, plasticky build.
- Lacks software support for customization options.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are decent for phone calls. Their boom mic does an excellent job and your voice sounds clear and natural, even if you're talking in a noisy environment. That said, they struggle to cut down ambient noise around you, so it may be a little hard to hear whoever is on the other line.
- Excellent microphone performance.
- Decently comfortable.
- Cheap, plasticky build.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 20, 2022: We've updated this review with a comparison of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 in the Compared section.
- Updated Jul 22, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Nov 20, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Mar 24, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 come in one variant: 'Black'. If you come across a differently equipped variant of the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wired, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are entry-level gaming headphones from the Arctis lineup. Unlike the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless, these headphones use a 1/8" TRRS cable that gives them full audio and mic compatibility on most consoles. While they have very good audio and microphone quality like the rest of the lineup, their build quality feels a bit cheaper, especially when compared to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. They also don’t have access to a companion app for customization options.
See our recommendations for the best gaming headphones, the best Xbox One headsets, and the best PS4 headsets.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 offers a marginal improvement over the SteelSeries Arctis 1. The Arctis Nova 1 are more comfortable and better built. However, both headphones offer a fairly similar overall performance.
The SteelSeries Arctis 3 2019 Edition Wireless are better gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis 1. While their sound and microphone quality is practically the same, the Arctis 3 are better built and feel slightly more comfortable. Additionally, they are also Bluetooth compatible for you to use with your phone, which is useful. On the other, the Arctis 1 have a fully detachable microphone, which is more convenient than the retractable one on the Arctis 3. Overall, the Arctis 3 offers more features and better value than the Arctis 1.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 and the Turtle Beach Battle Buds are similarly performing wired gaming headphones. While the SteelSeries have a more comfortable over-ear design, the Turtle Beach are in-ears that are more portable and breathe better during longer gaming sessions. The microphone of the SteelSeries performs a lot better, and their sound profile is much more accurate and better-balanced.
The SteelSeries Arctis 1 are better wired headphones than the SteelSeries TUSQ. The Arctis 1 have a better overall mic performance and can create a more wide and spacious passive soundstage. However, the TUSQ are better built and have more consistent audio delivery.
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