SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds 2024 Review

Gaming on the go seems like a fickle beast to me. Sure, when I take out my Nintendo Switch, I can pair it with noise-cancelling headphones, but they’re optimized for my music and podcasts, not my games. SteelSeries already has the best gaming headset on the market, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless headset (which I personally use at home), but for a company that makes gaming peripherals, that’s not enough. Now they’re entering the wireless headphone market with the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds Wireless Gaming Earbuds, a pair of dedicated wireless gaming headphones.

Since they promise noise canceling features as well as Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity, I’m testing them on my PlayStation and Far Cry 6 PC sessions were simply not enough. I wanted to see how these gaming headphones worked, so when I went to Mexico last month, I threw them in my carry-on luggage and played with them on the flight. After testing them on two different flights over eight hours, here are my thoughts on the design, performance and more.

Best for:

• Enjoy high-quality gaming audio in a low-profile design
• Gamers who want to optimize game audio on the go

Skip if:

• You want the best quality surround sound
• You don’t want to worry too much about battery life

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Steelseries Arctis GameBuds: Design

Low profile

The SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds look sleek and sophisticated, and if you’re shopping for a PlayStation and PC model, they’re available in white and black (Xbox and PC are currently only available in black). I received the white pair; Personally, I prefer white as the logo stands out a little more. At first I thought the carrying case was a little big compared to my Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8s, and my favorite Denon PerL Pros cases. Upon further inspection it is only slightly larger and still fits in the leather case I use to protect my headphone cases. This is an impressive result considering that in addition to the charger, the case also includes a USB-C dongle. This 2.4GHz dongle can be used for almost anything: a laptop, a PlayStation, or, during my personal in-flight testing, a Nintendo Switch. The case also includes wireless charging.

The headphones themselves come with different sized ear tips to ensure they fit securely in your ears, and I found the headphones to be very comfortable when worn for long periods of time. And while most of the headphones lying around my house have touch controls, SteelSeries proudly bucks the trend; they have a programmable physical button on each side. This is a blessing, especially since during a game accidentally pressing a touch button can turn into a vital situation.

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SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds: Performance

Be sure to download the Arctis app

While I’ve used them on a few flights, they’re not a plug-and-play kit; You must download the Arctis app and install it on your iOS or Android device. This is important because it has two separate modes: 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth. They can pair with different devices, but currently cannot pair simultaneously.

It is in this application that you can also install presets for both modes, and the great thing about SteelSeries is that it does not compromise compatibility with games and systems. For example, if you are playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Nintendo Switch it offers a preset, but you can switch to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3and there is another preset for this. There are a total of 179 presets available at launch, and during testing they really seem to make a difference. I recommend using them for your gaming purposes. If your favorite game isn’t there, I expect more in the future, or you can create your own listening profile.

When I was on a plane, I also had up to six different active noise cancellation (ANC) options. It technically comes with two levels – ANC and Transparency, but you can customize each of them to up to three levels. To be clear, ANC isn’t the most powerful, especially compared to the best Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless headphones. But it’s good enough that if you pull out the Switch mid-flight, you won’t feel overwhelmed when the kid in the aisle in front of you starts crying (true story). I connected the dongle to the Nintendo Switch because my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was connected to Bluetooth. I could connect my switch via Bluetooth, but it makes more sense to leave it on the 2.4GHz band connected to my switch. This only comes at the cost of losing the USB-C port for charging.

It’s also worth noting that while I initially had to plug my headphones into the Switch, every time I got up to stretch my legs, I put the headphones in the case and left the key in the console. I then had to re-plug the headphones every time I turned the switch back on and put the headphones back in my ears. It’s not a big deal, but it did prevent me from getting back into the game right away.

Sound quality is on par with SteelSeries counterparts

When it comes to audio quality, Steelseries knocked it out of the park with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless gaming headset, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised here. However, I was; The GameBuds sound great, on par with my Denon PerL Pro headphones and their Nova Pro Wireless sibling.

Although I needed to turn up the volume a bit to compensate for the plane’s engines, I could clearly hear spatial audio on my Nintendo Switch. Even when I got home and connected to the computer Far Cry 6 in co-op adventures or on the PlayStation to test out different games, it seemed exciting enough that I found myself really engaged with my gameplay. They’re not the best option for spatial audio—so you’ll likely need a gaming headset for PC gaming—but if you’re on the go or aren’t a big fan of spatial audio, these headphones are a great choice. . But then again, I’ve recently moved away from my own gaming headset in favor of using one at home, so your experience may vary.

However, it is worth noting that the headphones last about ten hours on a single charge, and even less with ANC. They’re about on par with other headphones on the market, but significantly smaller than gaming headsets. A quick 15-minute charge gives you several more hours of gameplay, which again is on par with headphones designed for music and podcasts.

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SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds: verdict

Great for mobile gamers

If you’re on a plane and want to play a handheld gaming console, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are a must-have. For a set of first-generation wireless headphones, they don’t seem like the company’s first foray into this niche. Although they are designed for listening to games, I also use them for listening to music on the go.

Those who want to take games with them on the go and get high-quality sound, or use them as a way to enjoy audio without the need for a bulky headset, should buy them. The sound is good enough to satisfy most needs, and while it’s not the strongest, ANC handles flight noise quite well. However, keep in mind that unlike a gaming headset that can have double-digit battery life, these headphones offer significantly less battery life and you’ll have to charge them before you can wear them.

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How I tested SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

I picked up the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds on a recent trip to Mexico City, where I spent over eight hours on planes. Before the flight, I downloaded the app and tested the settings and app for ease of use.

Once in the air, I tested the GameBuds in a variety of games and genres, including The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Hollow Knight, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and much more. I cross-tested ANC and Transparency mode to see how each performed at high volumes, and also regularly checked the battery life to see how long it lasted. I also tested spatial audio to see how it performed, especially compared to dedicated gaming headsets.

Also, when I got home, I connected the GameBuds to my laptop and took a deeper dive into spatial audio while playing Far Cry 6 to see how it performs in first-person shooters. I completed a total of three different gaming sessions with the headphones, for a total of six additional hours on PC and over 14 hours on Nintendo Switch and PC.

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My experience

I’ve been involved in tech journalism for more than five years, including about a year as the consumer technology and electronics editor at Forbes Vetted. In addition to home entertainment work like testing the best gaming TVs, I’ve also tested most of the latest smart wearables on the market, from Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses to Apollo Wearable and more.

My time testing tech gear caters to everyone from everyday people who want a simple phone to take calls to hardcore gamers who want a full-fledged device ready to play their favorite games. In this article, I focused on the various features of the GameBuds that apply to both airplane and home settings, including ANC, battery life, sound quality, and more.

When I’m not testing the latest audio equipment, I spend a lot of time testing the latest mobile devices. I took a deep dive into the Apple ecosystem with the iPhone 15 Pro and reviewed a variety of Android devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Google Pixel 8. Most recently, I tested the Google Pixel 9 Pro.