The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are wired gaming headphones designed for competitive esports and tournaments. They have a comfortable fit and feel well-built. Their boom mic also has excellent recording quality, and it can separate your voice from moderate ambient noise around you. However, while they have a somewhat neutral sound profile, they lack companion software to help you customize their sound. Our unit's L/R drivers are mismatched, and there's a small difference in level with real-life content. That said, this may be unique to our model.
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are satisfactory for neutral sound. While they have a fairly neutral sound profile, the high-mid to low-treble is recessed, so vocals and lead instruments sound somewhat weak and veiled. Our unit's L/R drivers are also mismatched, although this issue may be unique to our model. Unfortunately, they lack companion software to help customize their sound. They're very prone to inconsistencies in bass and treble delivery, so you may need to adjust them each time you use them to get a more consistent sound.
- Comfortable, well-built design.
- Prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are disappointing for commute and travel. They struggle to block out background noise like the low rumble of bus or plane engines and have a bulky design, making it difficult to take them with you on the move. They also lack music-related controls like play, pause, or track skipping. On the upside, they have a comfortable fit.
- Comfortable, well-built design.
- They struggle to block out ambient noise.
- Not very portable.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are sub-par for sports and fitness. They're not designed for this purpose as they can easily fall off your head with moderate movement and trap in some heat, which may make you sweat. Since they're wired headphones, the cable can also snag on something, pulling them off your head. Although we don't currently test for it, they lack an IP rating for water resistance.
- Comfortable, well-built design.
- Can fall off your head with moderate movement.
- No IP rating for water resistance.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are fair for office use. They have a comfortable fit and feel well-built. They also don't leak a lot of audio at high volumes. However, they struggle to block out ambient chatter around you and don't support multi-device pairing.
- Comfortable, well-built design.
- They struggle to block out ambient noise.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are wired-only headphones and can't be used wirelessly.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are decent for wired gaming. They have a comfortable fit, and their wired design ensures a virtually latency-free gaming experience. Their boom mic also does an excellent job of recording your voice, even in moderately noisy environments. However, the headphones are prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery and don't have companion software to help you adjust their sound to your liking.
- Comfortable, well-built design.
- Excellent recording quality.
- No companion software.
- Prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are decent for phone calls. Their retractable boom mic can capture your voice clearly, even in moderately noisy environments like a busy street. That said, since they don't have active noise cancelling (ANC), they struggle to block out the noise around you, which can make it hard to hear your conversation.
- Comfortable, well-built design.
- Excellent recording quality.
- They struggle to block out ambient noise.
- Limited call-related controls.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime Headset comes in one color variant: Black; you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are wired gaming headphones designed for competitive gaming. Their retractable boom mic does an excellent job of recording your voice, even in moderately noisy settings. That said, unlike most SteelSeries headphones, they aren't compatible with SteelSeries Engine software, and they don't have a graphic EQ or presets to help adjust their sound. They also lack more robust controls like channel mixing, which some users may find disappointing.
Check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best headsets for PS5, and the best headsets for Xbox Series S|X.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha are somewhat better wired gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Prime. The HyperX are more comfortable and better built. Their boom mic also offers a better noise-handling performance. However, the SteelSeries' mic has a better recording quality.
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless are better overall gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Prime. You can use the Arctis Pro wired or wirelessly. They're compatible with companion software, so you can customize their sound to your liking using the graphic EQ and presets; their boom mic also offers better overall performance. They also support Bluetooth, so you can listen to audio from your phone while you're connected to your console.
The SteelSeries Arctis 5 2019 Edition are slightly better gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Prime. While both headphones are similarly comfortable, the 5 are compatible with SteelSeries Engine software, which allows you to customize their sound profile using the graphic EQ and presets. They also come with a dock that has a channel mixing knob. However, the Prime are better built, and their mic has a better recording quality.
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC are better gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Prime. While both headphones are comfortable, the Arctis Pro GameDAC have more robust controls, and are compatible with SteelSeries Engine software, allowing you to customize their sound with a graphic EQ or presets. Their mic also does a better job of separating your voice from ambient noise around you. However, the Arctis Prime are better-built, and their boom mic delivers a better recording quality.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless are better overall gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Prime. While both headphones are comfortable, the 7 can be used wired or wirelessly. They're better-built, compatible with SteelSeries Engine software, so you're able to customize their sound to your liking using the graphic EQ or presets, and their mic has a better noise handling performance. However, the Arctis Prime's mic has a better recording quality.
The Logitech G Pro X Gaming Headset are somewhat better wired gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Arctis Prime. The Logitech are more comfortable, better-built, and have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have a virtual soundstage feature, although we don't currently test its performance. They're also compatible with Logitech G HUB software, which offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. However, the SteelSeries' boom mic delivers a significantly better recording quality.
The SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless and the SteelSeries Arctis Prime have different strengths. While both headphones are comfortable, the Arctis 9 are better built; you can also use them wirelessly, which some users may prefer. They're also compatible with SteelSeries Engine software, which allows you to adjust their sound to your liking using the graphic EQ or presets. However, the Prime are wired-only headphones, and this connection ensures a virtually latency-free gaming experience. Their L/R drivers are also better matched, and their sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless are better gaming headphones than the SteelSeries Artcis Prime. While both headphones are comfortable, the 7X are better-built and can be used wirelessly with low latency, which some users may prefer. However, the Prime's mic has a better recording quality.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are better for wired gaming, while the Beats Solo Pro are more suitable for casual use. The SteelSeries are over-ears that are more comfortable, have a more immersive passive soundstage, and can connect to consoles via analog with full audio and mic compatibility. Their boom mic also offers better overall performance. However, the Beats are on-ears with a wireless design, which some users may prefer. They're better-built, have a great noise isolation performance thanks to their ANC, and have an H1 chip so that you can seamlessly pair them with your Apple devices.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime and the ROCCAT Syn Pro Air Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either. The ROCCAT are wireless headphones. Their boom mic has a much better noise handling performance, and they have an app with a graphic EQ. On the other hand, the SteelSeries have a wired design and a more stable fit. Their boom mic also has a much better recording quality. While both headphones are compatible with PCs, PS4, and PS5, only the SteelSeries work with Xbox consoles. However, the ROCCAT are compatible with Android devices with a USB-C input, unlike the SteelSeries.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime look very similar to other SteelSeries headphones as they have the same unique ski-band headband design. Both ear cups have SteelSeries' logo, and overall, the headphones look very plain and minimalistic. They only come in black.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime are comfortable headphones. They have good clamping force, but some users may find their ear cups a bit shallow. The ski-band headband design also may not be for everyone.
These headphones have sub-par controls. There are only two physical buttons: a volume wheel that stops at min and max and a microphone mute button. The buttons are also clicky. However, they lack controls like channel mixing.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have mediocre breathability. They're not designed for use during physical activities and can trap heat, which may make you sweat over time. That said, you shouldn't feel a noticeable difference if you're sitting in front of your console gaming.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have sub-par portability. They have a bulky design, and while the ear cups can swivel to lay flat, they can't fold into a more compact form. You can see another image of the headphones' default position here. They also don't come with a case to help protect them when you're traveling.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have a good build quality. They're mostly plastic, with a metal headband and elastic ski-band headband. The faux leather padding feels good against the skin. However, the hinges and yokes seem to be the weakest point of the build. Although we don't currently test for it, they also lack an IP rating for water resistance. That said, they should be able to withstand most bumps or drops without taking too much damage.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have decent stability. They're not designed for use during sports and can go flying off your head during moderate head movements. However, they should remain stable while you're gaming at your desk or on your couch.
- SteelSeries Arctis Prime Headset
- Mini-B 8-pin to 1/8" TRRS audio cable
- Y-splitter extension cable
- Boom microphone windscreen
- Manuals
These headphones have a fairly neutral sound profile. It's balanced enough for most audio content, although vocals and lead instruments are a bit veiled. Unfortunately, they lack companion software support, so you can't customize their sound to your liking.
Note: There's a noticeable mismatch between our unit's left and right drivers. However, the difference is more apparent during our test sweeps. With real-life content, there's a small difference in level between the drivers. However, this issue may be limited to our unit. If you experience similar issues, please let us know in the discussion section below.
Like most SteelSeries headphones, the SteelSeries Arctis Prime have disappointing frequency response consistency. They're prone to inconsistencies in bass and treble delivery, and you may especially notice a drop in bass if you have thick hair or wear glasses. You may have to adjust their fit on your head each time you wear them to get a more consistent sound.
The bass accuracy is great. It's fairly flat, although a bit underemphasized in the low to mid-bass. Mixes lack a bit of boom and punch. However, the high-bass is more neutral, resulting in adequate boom. However, note that their bass delivery varies significantly across users and is sensitive to the quality of fit, seal, and whether you wear glasses or have thick hair. The response here represents the average bass response, and your experience may vary.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have great mid accuracy. The low and mid-mid are very well-balanced and neutral, so vocals and lead instruments are present and clear. However, a dip in the high-mid weakens these same instruments.
The treble accuracy of these headphones is decent. It's underemphasized in the low-treble, so vocals and lead instruments are veiled. However, the mid-treble is overemphasized, making sibilants like cymbals piercing. Note that their treble delivery varies depending on the headphones' fit and seal. The response here represents the average treble response, and your experience may vary.
The peaks and dips performance of the SteelSeries Arctis Prime is decent. There's significant mismatch between the left and right driver, so while the left driver is overemphasized across the bass range, which adds boom, punch, and thump, the right driver is underemphasized, lacking rumble and warmth. The left driver is overemphasized in the mid-range, so vocals and lead instruments are muddy and a bit forward. Both drivers dip in the high-mid to low-treble, making the upper harmonic of these sounds weak and veiled. Silibants like cymbals are very sharp and piercing.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have decent imaging. There are some peaks in the group delay response, which suggests a loose bass. Treble reproduction is transparent, though. There are also some peaks in the phase response's bass range, and although the mismatch falls within good levels, the bass seems stronger from the left ear cup. Although the L/R drivers are somewhat well-matched in amplitude, there's some frequency mismatch present as well. This mismatch can indicate holes in the stereo imaging and inaccuracies in the placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo field. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.
The passive soundstage of the SteelSeries Arctis Prime is sub-par. The soundstage is perceived as natural and large. However, sound seems like it's coming from inside your head, rather than coming from speakers placed in the room around you. Since these headphones also have a closed-back design, their soundstage won't seem as spacious or open as open-back headphones.
The weighted harmonic distortion performance of the SteelSeries Arctis Prime is very good. There's a peak in the low-bass range, but it may be hard to hear with real-life content. That said, most of the frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in fairly clean and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings used to test the SteelSeries Arctis Prime Headset. Our results are only valid when using these settings.
The noise isolation performance of the SteelSeries Arctis Prime is disappointing. They can't block out any of the low rumbles from bus or plane engines. While they do a slightly better job of cutting down office chatter, it may not be enough for moderately noisy environments. They can significantly block out the high-pitched hums of an AC unit, though.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have a decent leakage performance. Most of the leakage falls below the noise floor of an average office, so you can listen to audio at high volumes without disturbing others around you.
The mic's recording quality is excellent. Your voice sounds clear, full-bodied, and natural.
The mic's noise handling performance is decent. It can separate your voice from moderate ambient noise around you, so whoever's on the other end of the line can still hear you.
These headphones come with a mini-B 8-pin to 1/8" TRRS audio cable. They also have a Y-splitter extension cable that you can use to connect them to your PC.
The SteelSeries Arctis Prime have full audio and mic compatibility when you use their mini-B 8-pin to 1/8" TRRS cable on PCs.
These headphones have full audio and mic compatibility with PlayStation consoles via their analog cable.
These headphones are fully compatible with Xbox consoles when you plug their analog cable into your controller.