SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless  Headphones Review

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have a warm sound signature that boost the bass quite significantly compared to our target curve. As with more wireless headphones with multiple connection methods, the frequency response will vary based on your connection type. 

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have poor frequency response consistency. The bass delivery varies, and a drop in bass can occur if the ear cups aren't flush to your head, like if you wear glasses or have thick hair. The treble range is also inconsistent. As the overall frequency response depends on fit, seal, and positioning of these headphones, once you achieve a good overall fit, you'll get a more consistent frequency response each time you use them.

Their bass range compliance to our target is good. While the low-bass is relatively aligned with our curve, the mid and low-bass is significantly exaggerated, making for a very boomy sound. As a result, basslines and kicks have plenty of rumble but can overshadow instruments from other frequency bands. 

The mid-range compliance to our target is excellent. The response is virtually flush with our target. There are subtle deviations in the response, but these can be attributed to L/R imbalances. Consequently, dialogue and vocals come through with plenty of detail and realism. 

The treble compliance is good but features more deviations from our target than the other ranges. The low-treble range is relatively even in response, lending plenty of weight to the upper harmonics of vocals. However, a dip at the top of this range is followed by a peak in the mid-treble that can cause sibilants, like S and T sounds, to vary in their timbre. There's also some roll-off around 10k that can take some of the shimmer and air out of breathy vocals. 

The peaks and dips performance is okay. The frequency response generally follows the warm sound profile in the bass and mid-range but there are some more significant deviations in the treble range. A peak in the low-treble brings voices and vocal melodies to the forefront. However, a dip at the top of this range is followed by a sharp peak in the mid-treble, meaning sibilant reproduction can be inconsistent. Finally. There's a major dip near the top of most people's hearing range that translates to less air in instruments like cymbals and acoustic guitars. 

The stereo mismatch performance is good. The L/R drivers are well-aligned in terms of amplitude but there are some imbalances in certain frequency ranges. Fortunately, they're all relatively minor or fall outside of most people's range of hearing, so they're difficult to hear in everyday content, unless you're listening intently. There's also some phase mismatches present in the bass and mid-range, though these are also quite difficult to detect unless you're listening out from them. Of these, the phase mismatch between 200 and 300Hz is the most perceptible, as it can subtly thin out male voices. 

The group delay performance is terrible. During testing sweeps, the bass-range would rattle the drivers quite a bit. Group delay issues were harder to hear in everyday audio content though, the extremely bloated bass range can obfuscate looseness in bass-range transients. Given there's also some phase mismatches present in this range, it's hard to tell how these metrics contribute to the frequency response, though it's clear they both have an impact. 

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have a great PRTF performance. While the response doesn't exactly mimic that of an angled loudspeaker, these headphones are able to create a solid impression of space and size with audio. 

The harmonic distortion performance is excellent. There's no audible coloration of sound at both regular and elevated listening levels, meaning audio playback is clean and pure. 

When using a wired connection, these headphones are capable of reaching high listening levels without needing an amp to drive them as they're battery powered. 

These headphones have virtual sound support and a speaker modeling feature.

We originally reported that we tested these headphones using PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz codec. However, this was incorrect and thanks to user feedback, we've updated our results with the correct codec settings: PCM, 16-bit, 48kHz.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro's results are only valid for these settings.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless are very similar in design to the rest of the Arctis lineup. They have a wide metal headband with a pronounced curve wrapped in an elastic strap to adjust the fit, reminiscent of ski goggles, that has a premium, durable feel. They’re a bit bulky, but have a retractable microphone for added versatility. They have a sleek, uniform look that's more understated than gaming headsets with flashier designs like the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019, but is more versatile for everyday use. If you want your headphones to stand out more though, you can purchase more colorful headband straps, magnetic ear cup plates, and leather or velour ear cushions directly on the SteelSeries website.

Like the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless and the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless are comfortable gaming headphones. They have a curved metal headband frame with a ski goggle-like elastic that adjusts the fit. The ear cups are large, spacious, and well-padded, and are coated with breathable and soft padding that feels nice on the skin. Unfortunately, the sizing is limited by the length of the elastic strap and the shape of the metal frame, which can’t expand to accommodate all head shapes and sizes. The fit will be fine for most but may feel a little tight for some.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have good controls that are easy to use and provide great feedback. Like the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC, these headphones have a control dial and a microphone mute switch on the left ear cup. When using Bluetooth, the control dial only adjusts the volume. If you're using the transmitter, you can also adjust the volume by default, but clicking the dial accesses more settings like channel mixing, EQ presets, and audio sources. The right ear cup has a power button and a dedicated Bluetooth Sync button, which controls music and calls when you're using a Bluetooth connection. The power button also curves outwards while the Bluetooth button curves inwards, which helps to distinguish the two.

Like most gaming headphones, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless aren't very portable. Even though they have practically the same design as the SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 and the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC, they’re a bit larger too. They have large ear cups, a rigid headband, and they can't fold into a more compact format. Their wireless transmitter is also fairly bulky. However, you don't need to carry it with you when you're on the go as these headphones have Bluetooth support or can be used passively with their audio cable. Still, they're not the easiest to carry around unless you have a bag or backpack to stash them in.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless don't come with a case or a pouch. However, you can purchase one directly from SteelSeries.

Despite their high-end price, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have a mediocre build quality. They’re nearly identical to the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC with a mostly plastic frame and a headband that's a mix of metal and silicone-like material. Unfortunately, there have been multiple user reports of the hinges of the headphones breaking over short and long periods. The plastic yoke area can crack and cause the hinge completely break off, which is very frustrating.

Unlike most other gaming headphones, the right ear cup houses a removable battery, and the headphones come with two swappable batteries. The microphone is flexible and can withstand being bent in different ways without breaking. It also smoothly retracts into the left ear cup when not in use.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have similar stability to the SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 and the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless. They have a tight yet comfortable fit that prevents them from moving much once on your head. Since they’re also wireless, there’s no audio cable that can snag on something and yank them off your ears. That said, their fit is tight enough that you can jog with them if you want to, provided you don’t mind your ears getting a little warm.

• Arctis Pro Wireless headset
• Wireless USB transmitter
• Mini-USB to USB audio cable
• 8-pin to 1/8" TRRS audio cable
• Toslink optical cable
• Micro-USB to USB charging cable
• DC to USB power cable
• Microphone windscreen
• Additional battery
• Manual

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have poor noise isolation. They don’t isolate sounds in the bass range at all and instead, they can let the rumbles of a subwoofer into your audio. Although they block out slightly more mid-range noise like office chatter, it won't be enough for an office or cafe setting. On the upside, they do a better job of reducing treble range noise like A/C fans. However, if you want gaming headphones with better noise isolation, check out the EPOS Sennheiser GSP 600. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are also worth considering as they have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system.

The leakage performance of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless is decent, similar to that of the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless. They mostly leak between the low-mid to low-treble and it sounds fuller and speaker-like than leakage coming from in-ear or more tightly closed-back, over-ear headphones. If you're listening to music at a high volume, it may be audible to those around you, even in a moderately noisy environment.

Update 04/03/2019:A few reports mention a hissing noise that could be a deal-breaker for some users. This issue seems to be related to the mic as setting the sidetone level to 0 and turning volume limiter off slightly helps. However, this seems inconsistent and may vary per unit, as some users don't have this issue. We have a very slight hiss with our unit, but it's barely audible, especially when you have audio playing.

These headphones have a retractable boom microphone that also comes with an optional windscreen.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless' microphone has a very good recording quality. Speech recorded sounds full-bodied, clear, and detailed. However, it lacks airiness and brilliance. As the microphone doesn't have volume control, it's always at max volume, which causes the recording to sound distorted in our test PC.

There have been numerous reports on user forums of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless' microphone being too quiet on consoles and mobile apps. Resetting the wireless transmitter and updating the firmware seems to resolve this issue for many. You can visit this link to see the discussion surrounding this issue.

The microphone of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless has remarkable noise handling. It can easily separate your voice from demanding or noisy environments like gaming events, so you can be heard clearly.

Update 10/12/2021: We retested both batteries to see if we could achieve a result closer to the advertised 10 hours of continuous battery life. We were able to measure roughly 13 hours of playback time. However, our unit is over a year old and has seen a lot of use, which could explain the difference between our original measurement of roughly 15 hours and this measurement of 13 hours. We also managed to get more than the advertised 10 hours of battery life after both retests, and even though these headphones have been regularly used for several months. As a result, we haven't changed our results.

These headphones have an excellent battery system. Two swappable batteries can be inserted into the wireless transmitter for charging when not in use. They use one battery at a time, and they each have over 15 hours of continuous battery life, which means that you don't have to worry about running out of juice during more intense gaming sessions. When you're deep in gameplay, the transmitter can also show the charge level of your headphones as well as the battery that's being charged. There's even an auto-off timer that can be set via their companion software, and if you can't put down the game, you can also use these headphones while charging. You can also use them passively with their included audio cable.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless are compatible with the SteelSeries Engine desktop app, which is a good app with lots of customization features for gamers. You won’t get as many features as you do with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC, but there’s a graphic equalizer with presets, DTS surround sound, live mic preview, bass boost, and dialogue enhancement, to name a few. The charge level of the battery in the headset and the battery in the transmitter is available on the app, and the app specifies when the charging battery is fully charged.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless come with an uncommon mini B 8-pin connector cable that connects directly to the headphones. However, the other end is a 1/8" TRRS cable that's compatible with most gaming consoles and operating systems. When the headphones are on, they have slight latency via analog, but your audio and visuals are still well-synced. Using them completely passively drops the latency to virtually imperceptible levels, though.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless have okay Bluetooth connectivity. Although they don't support multi-device with more than one Bluetooth device like the Turtle Beach Elite 800 Wireless, you can still pair them with a Bluetooth device. You can also connect to a PlayStation console and a Bluetooth device simultaneously. With this setup, you can listen to audio from your smartphone while still gaming.

These headphones only support the basic SBC codec. The latency using this codec is quite high, causing lip-sync issues. Some apps and devices compensate for latency, though. Bluetooth also isn't really the best choice for gaming, so if you're looking for lower wireless latency, you'll want to see how the wireless transmitter base performs.

These headphones have excellent wireless connectivity via their wireless transmitter base. Their audio latency is quite low, ensuring your audio and video stay in sync. They also have a very good line-of-sight range, allowing you to use them further away from their audio source.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless can only receive audio when their wireless transmitter is connected to the Xbox One via an optical connection. If you like to stay in touch with your teammates using your microphone, you can use a Bluetooth connection with a phone or other device that has the Xbox app for chat. However, you have full audio and microphone support when you plug their analog cable directly into the controller.

Update 03/27/2019: The SteelSeries don't have native mic support with the Xbox One. You have to use the Bluetooth connection with a phone or device that has the Xbox app for chat. You can also use a USB connection with your PC. For full instructions on how to set this up, you can read more by following this link. However, since the microphone isn't being routed through the Xbox console, we have adjusted the score to reflect this.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless come with a USB wireless transmitter base. The headset's battery is charged directly in the transmitter and is inserted like a cartridge. You plug the transmitter into a USB port of a PC or console to use the headset wirelessly. Optical audio is required to use these headphones with the Xbox One or to access the surround sound and ChatMix features on PS4. If you're looking for headphones with a base station that supports HDMI passthrough and offers simultaneous connectivity with PC, Xbox and PlayStation family consoles, it's worth checking out the Astro A50 X Wireless instead.