SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless  Headphones Review

Reviewed May 04, 2021 at 09:24am
Writing modified Jan 17, 2024 at 12:33pm
Tested using Methodology v1.6 
SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless

Track

0.0
Neutral Sound 
0.0
Commute/Travel 
0.0
Sports/Fitness 
0.0
Office 
0.0
Wireless Gaming 
0.0
Wired Gaming 
0.0
Phone Calls 

Track

 4

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless are the Xbox variant of the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless. Like the 7P, they have a well-built design that's comfortable enough to wear for long gaming marathons and deliver almost 24 hours of battery time. Their boom mic does a great job of recording your voice, even in noisy environments, and thanks to their companion software, you can customize their sound profile using the graphic EQ or presets. Their USB dongle also allows you to wirelessly connect to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in addition to PCs as well as PS4 and PS5 consoles with low latency. Unfortunately, like many SteelSeries headphones, they're prone to inconsistent audio delivery.

Our Verdict

0.0
Neutral Sound 

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are good for neutral sound. They have a boomy and excited sound profile right out of the box. While their soundstage is large and feels out-of-your-head, it doesn't seem spacious due to their closed-back design. Luckily, their companion software offers a graphic EQ and presets so you can tweak their sound. Even though they're very prone to inconsistent audio delivery, once you take the time to adjust their fit, you should get a more consistent sound.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
0.0
Commute/Travel 

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are sub-par for commute and travel. They're bulky, not very portable, and don't have Bluetooth, so you either need to use them wired or with a device that supports their wireless USB-C dongle. They also don't block out almost any bus or plane engine noise, which can be annoying during your commute. On the upside, they have a comfortable fit and last just under 24 hours continuously.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Bulky and not very portable.
0.0
Sports/Fitness 

The SteelSeries 7X are passable for sports and fitness, although this isn't their intended purpose. While they're comfortable and well-built, they can fall off your head with more intense movement, and they don't support Bluetooth, so they need to be used wired or with their wireless USB-C dongle. They also don't have an IP rating for water resistance, though we don't test for it, and their ear cups can trap some heat around your ears, which could make you sweat more.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Bulky and not very portable.
0.0
Office 

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are fair for office use. They don't support Bluetooth, but if your computer has a USB-C port, you can connect the dongle for wireless use or can use them wired. They have a comfortable fit and have a battery life of just under 24 hours, which should be more than enough for long days at the office. However, they struggle to block out office chatter.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Graphic EQ and presets available.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Bulky and not very portable.
0.0
Wireless Gaming 

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are very good for wireless gaming. Thanks to their USB dongle, you can wirelessly connect to PCs, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, and Nintendo Switch consoles with low latency. These headphones have a comfortable fit and last just under 24 hours on a single charge. Their boom mic also does a great job of recording your voice.

Pros
  • Low latency via wireless dongle.
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Great overall boom mic performance.
  • Graphic EQ and presets available.
Cons
  • Prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
0.0
Wired Gaming 

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are very good for wired gaming. You can use them with their 1/8" audio cable with full mic and audio support. They also have a comfortable fit and 23.7 hours of continuous playback time, which is good for long gaming marathons. Their boom mic does a great job of recording your voice, even in noisy environments.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Great overall boom mic performance.
  • Graphic EQ and presets available.
Cons
  • Prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
0.0
Phone Calls 

The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are decent for phone calls. They have a retractable boom mic, which does a good job of recording your voice so that you sound natural and full-bodied. You shouldn't have too much of a problem being understood by whoever's on the other end of the line if you take calls in a noisy environment like a busy street. However, the headphones do a poor job of isolating noise around you, which could make it harder to hear your call.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Great overall boom mic performance.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • 0.0
    Neutral Sound
  • 0.0
    Commute/Travel
  • 0.0
    Sports/Fitness
  • 0.0
    Office
  • 0.0
    Wireless Gaming
  • 0.0
    Wired Gaming
  • 0.0
    Phone Calls
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Jan 17, 2024: The following test groups have been updated following TB 1.6: Wired Connection, and Wireless Connection (Dongle). There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons to match these results.
    2.  Updated Jan 17, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.6 , which updates how we measure latency. We've updated and renamed the following test groups: Wired Connection, Bluetooth Connection, and Wireless Connection (Dongle). We've also added new codec latency measurements and provided an audio sample of recorded latency.
    3.  Updated Sep 29, 2022: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless in the Compared box.
    4.  Updated Feb 14, 2022: Retested 'Connection' in our Wired test.

    Check Price

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are the Xbox console variant of the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless. They come in one color variant: 'Black'. You can see our model's label here.

    If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.

    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    The SteelSeries Arctis 7X are the Xbox-wireless variant of the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless and have a very similar design and overall performance. They're also compatible with SteelSeries Engine software, which allows you to customize their sound profile to your liking. Unlike the 7P, however, their USB dongle has a switch that allows you to wirelessly connect to Xbox consoles or PlayStation consoles and PCs with low latency, which makes them more versatile if you own different gaming systems. They don't support Bluetooth, so if you care about this feature, consider the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless instead.

    Check out our recommendations for the best Xbox One headsets, the best wireless gaming headsets, and the best gaming headsets.

    Xbox Wireless Headset

    Track

    The SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless are better gaming headphones than the Xbox Wireless Headset. The SteelSeries are better-built, have a more neutral sound profile out of the box, which some users may prefer, and have a better overall mic performance. They have a longer continuous battery life and lower wireless latency and can be used wirelessly on PCs and PlayStation consoles in addition to Xbox consoles.

    Razer Kaira Pro Wireless

    Track

    The SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless are more versatile than the Razer Kaira Pro Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the SteelSeries have a USB dongle that allows them to be used wirelessly with PlayStation and Xbox consoles. They also have lower wireless latency too, and have a better battery performance. However, the Razer support Bluetooth, which some users may prefer, and have a slightly better performing boom mic.

    SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless

    Track

    The SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless and the SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless are similarly performing gaming headphones, and depending on your usage, you may prefer one over the other. Both are comfortable, but the 9X support Bluetooth. However, the 7X have a dongle that allows you to use them wirelessly on PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

    SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless [7, 7P, 7X]

    Track

    The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless and their variants have a slight edge over the SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless. While both headphones are equally comfortable and have similar microphone performances, the Nova 7X variant have a longer continuous playback time and support Bluetooth. However, the Arctis 7X are better built.

    Show more 
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    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeLockedOver-ear
    EnclosureLockedClosed-Back
    WirelessLockedYes
    TransducerLockedDynamic

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    0.0
    Comfort
    WeightLockedLock lbs
    Clamping Force
    LockedLock lbs

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    0.0
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Ease Of UseLockedLocked
    FeedbackLockedLocked
    Call/Music ControlLockedLocked
    Volume ControlLockedLocked
    Microphone ControlLockedLocked
    Channel Mixing
    LockedLocked
    Noise Cancelling ControlLockedLocked
    Talk-Through
    LockedLocked
    Additional ControlsLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.DifferenceLockedLock °C

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    0.0
    Portability
    LLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    WLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    HLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    VolumeLockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)
    Transmitter RequiredLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Case
    TypeLockedLocked
    LLockedN/A
    WLockedN/A
    HLockedN/A
    VolumeLockedN/A
    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Stability

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    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

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    Sound
    Sound Profile
    Bass Amount
    LockedLock dB
    Treble Amount
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Frequency Response Consistency
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    LockedLock dB

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    Raw Frequency Response
    0.0
    Bass Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    LockedLock Hz
    Low-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Bass
    LockedLock dB
    High-Bass
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Mid Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Mid
    LockedLock dB
    High-Mid
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Treble Accuracy
    Std. Err.
    LockedLock dB
    Low-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    Mid-Treble
    LockedLock dB
    High-Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Peaks/Dips
    Peaks
    LockedLock dB
    Dips
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Imaging
    Weighted Group Delay
    LockedLock
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    LockedLock
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    LockedLock

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    0.0
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    LockedLock dB
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    LockedLock dB
    PRTF Distance
    LockedLock dB
    Openness
    Locked
    0.0
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    Locked
    0.0

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    0.0
    Virtual Soundstage
    Head Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Speaker Modeling
    LockedLocked
    Room Ambience
    LockedLocked
    Head Tracking
    LockedLocked
    Virtual Surround
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    WHD @ 90
    LockedLock
    WHD @ 100
    LockedLock

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    Test Settings
    Firmware
    LockedLocked
    Power
    LockedLocked
    Connection
    LockedLocked
    Codec
    LockedLocked
    EQ
    LockedLocked
    ANC
    LockedLocked
    Tip/Pad
    LockedLocked
    Microphone
    LockedLocked

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    Isolation
    0.0
    Noise Isolation
    Isolation Audio
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    Overall Attenuation
    LockedLock dB
    Noise CancellingLockedNo
    Bass
    LockedLock dB
    Mid
    LockedLock dB
    Treble
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Leakage
    Leakage Audio
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    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    LockedLock dB

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    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    LockedLocked
    In-Line
    LockedLocked
    Boom
    LockedLocked
    Detachable Boom
    LockedLocked
    MicLockedYes
    0.0
    Recording Quality
    Recorded Speech
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    LFE
    LockedLock Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    LockedLock dB
    HFE
    LockedLock Hz
    Weighted THD
    LockedLock
    Gain
    LockedLock dB

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    0.0
    Noise Handling
    SpNR
    LockedLock dB
    Noise Gate
    LockedLocked
    Speech + Pink Noise Handling
    Locked
    0.0
    Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
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    Speech + Subway Noise Handling
    Locked
    0.0
    Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
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    Active Features
    0.0
    Battery
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Continuous Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Additional Charges
    LockedLock
    Total Battery Life
    LockedLock hrs
    Charge Time
    LockedLock hrs
    Power-Saving Feature
    LockedLocked
    Audio While Charging
    LockedLocked
    Passive Playback
    LockedLocked
    Charging PortLockedLocked

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    0.0
    App Support
    App NameLockedLocked
    iOSLockedLocked
    AndroidLockedLocked
    macOSLockedLocked
    WindowsLockedLocked
    Equalizer
    LockedLocked
    ANC Control
    LockedLocked
    Mic ControlLockedLocked
    Room Effects
    LockedLocked
    Playback Control
    LockedLocked
    Button MappingLockedLocked
    Surround Support
    LockedLocked

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    Connectivity
    0.0
    Wired Connection
    Analog Audio
    LockedLocked
    USB Audio
    LockedLocked
    Detachable
    LockedLocked
    Length
    LockedLock ft (Lock m)
    Connector
    LockedLocked
    Latency - Analog
    LockedLock ms
    Latency - USB
    LockedN/A
    Recorded Latency
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    Recorded Latency ConnectionLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Bluetooth Connection
    Bluetooth Version
    LockedLocked
    Multi-Device Pairing
    LockedLocked
    Quick Pair (Android)
    LockedLocked
    Quick Pair (iOS)
    LockedLocked
    Line Of Sight Range
    LockedN/A
    Latency - SBC
    LockedN/A
    Latency - aptX
    LockedN/A
    Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality)
    LockedN/A
    Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
    LockedN/A
    Latency - LDAC
    LockedN/A
    Recorded Latency
    N/A
    Recorded Latency CodecLockedLocked
    AAC Support
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Wireless Connection (Dongle)
    Line Of Sight Range
    LockedLock ft (Lock m)
    Latency - Dongle
    LockedLock ms
    Recorded Latency
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    PC Compatibility
    Analog
    LockedLocked
    Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    PlayStation Compatibility
    PS4 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PS4 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Analog
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    PS5 Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Analog
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
    LockedLocked
    Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Base/Dock
    Type
    LockedLocked
    USB Input
    LockedLocked
    Line In
    LockedLocked
    Line Out
    LockedLocked
    Optical Input
    LockedLocked
    RCA Input
    LockedLocked
    Dock Charging
    LockedLocked
    Power Supply
    LockedLocked

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