SteelSeries Arctis 7P review: The best PS5 headset on the market, bar none

I didn't think I could be any more impressed with a headset than I was in my Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review, but I am with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P. I have several headsets I'm currently testing out at home, and the Arctis 7P is used more often than any of them right now. It's a good thing it boasts 24 hours of battery life.

I've heard nothing but good things about the SteelSeries Arctis line of headsets for several months now, so I was eager to try one out for myself. I put it through the wringer when I went to platinum Dishonored on PS5 over my vacation, which took four playthroughs. Since that's an older game, I also decided to test it out on newer titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, too. It's safe to say it exceeded all of my expectations.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P What I like

While I tend to make sure I test out headsets I think will be comfortable with my glasses, very few actually feel like I'm wearing nothing at all. The Arctis 7P is one of those few. The first few hours of wearing it I almost couldn't tell I even had a headset on. After those initial hours, I could sense it with some slight pressure on my head from the clamp, but nothing out of the ordinary. I felt perfectly comfortable wearing these for 7 to 8 hours straight with no problem. What's weird is that it's noticeably a bit heavier than some of my other headsets, yet you wouldn't be able to tell from wearing it. It feels as light as a feather on my head. I suspect that has a lot to do with the ski goggle suspension headband.

The ski goggle headband wraps around the frame of the band and is adjustable with a Velcro strap. It can be a little finicky trying to find just the right size if you don't hold the headband firmly in place, but once you have it you're good to go. The velcro is very secure and never felt like it was going to come undone.

Because my Dishonored playthrough couldn't give me the best sense of how well the headset handles 3D audio on PS5, I tested it out with Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Again, like with the PULSE 3D wireless headset for PS5, I still couldn't tell you how 3D audio is better than 7.1 surround sound, but it sounded damn good for what it's worth. There were moments in the game where I heard distant sirens that I thought were actually outside of my apartment.

Like other brand name headsets, the Arctis 7P is compatible with a customization app, the SteelSeries Engine. It's here you can adjust the speakers' equalizer, dynamic range compression, and microphone, along with general power options for when you want the headset to turn off after being inactive.

On-headset controls include a volume wheel, sidetone wheel, and buttons for its power and microphone. The wheels offer a level of granular control that I really appreciate, something you just can't get with simple up and down buttons. The microphone itself smoothly retracts into the headset and has a built-in LED to indicate when you're muted. As for the earcups, those can swivel 90° for easy storage.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P What I don't like

In the box along with the Arctis 7P you'll get a USB-C wireless dongle, a Micro-USB charging cable, a 3.5mm audio cable, and a USB-C to USB-A adapter. This is all great, but the shape of the USB-C dongle has me scratching head my. It's designed in such a way that it blocks any ports on either side of it, such is the case with my PS5. Now I could use the USB-C to USB-A dongle, but I shouldn't need to. And I technically don't, as long as I'm okay with that front USB-A port being blocked off on my console.

Also, for a microphone that's labeled as "Discord Certified," I don't find it to be anything special. It's certainly not bad, but not as amazing as it would seem. It's about what you'd expect on a headset like this.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P The competition

There are quite a few headsets on the market competing with the Arctis 7P, like the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. It comes in at $30 more, but it offers basically the exact same amount of comfort and delivers THX 7.1 surround sound on PC. Unfortunately, it doesn't do so on PS5, giving the Arctis 7P an advantage with its 3D audio.

If you want a headset for the same price, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 also costs $150. In our Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 review, we said that you get "excellent audio, a flexible design, and great comfort in a well-built package." Its battery life is lower than the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro and Arctis 7P (both with 24 hours) coming in at around 20 hours, but it's still a long time for several gaming sessions.

For anyone looking for something more stylish — not to mention cheaper — there's also the Logitech G733 headset. At just $120 or $130 depending on which color you choose, it's a great deal. Turn off the RGB lighting and you can get a whopping 29 hours of battery life out of them.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

• You want to make the most of PS5's 3D audio
• You're mostly concerned with comfort and battery life
• You want the option to choose between colors
• You want an app for additional customization options

You should not buy this if ...

• You don't want to spend $150
• You want full compatibility with additional consoles like Xbox

5 out of 5

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P is by far the best PS5 headset you can buy currently... well, when it's in stock, because it can be a bit difficult to find right now. Regardless, it's an amazing headset that spares no expense to deliver excellent comfort and audio without costing too much money. I'm not someone who usually plays games with a headset on — I primarily use them on PC for work — but I continually picked up my Arctis 7P before turning on my PS5 the last couple of weeks.

I'd only say to pass on this if you want full compatibility with all consoles. There's definitely something to be said for a headset that works seamlessly with PS5 and Xbox Series X, it just isn't this one. SteelSeries makes a dedicated Arctis 7X on the Xbox front instead.