Coming from a music background, I've had lecturers drilling into my head that headphones (and gaming headsets) are the only things I should have anywhere near my ears. But even without their insistence, I've always preferred the comfort of a pair of cups sitting across my head - until I picked up the SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds.
When I finally popped the best gaming earbuds in and discovered not just the remarkable sound quality they could muster, but that a pair of high-quality buds out there existed, and felt comfortable to wear, it was music to my ears. At $159.99 / £159.99, these compact little buds don't come cheap, and are up there with Apple AirPod pricing, which would rightfully be a deal-breaker for many. Yet, when compared to the best gaming headsets, they sit within the mid-range price range, and are undoubtedly more convenient due to their compact size, and sound almost on par with their mid-range rivals.
Whether I'm curled up in bed with my Steam Deck, in the living room with my big TV and PS5 at the ready, or even if I'm just out and about listening to my favorite Spotify playlist, the Game Buds are with me. They've become as much of a necessity as my phone, something I didn't quite think would ever be the case. When playing my beloved Sony console, the best PS5 headset I reach for time and time again is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless. That's thanks in part to its astoundingly great-sounding 40mm Neodymium drivers, which lend themselves to everything I play, from Marvel Rivals to Sea of Thieves, to my favorite game as of typing, Master Detective Archives Rain Code.
Never did I think that the brand could take its booming audio and fit it in a petite pair of buds, and I'm half right. The 6mm drivers of the Game Buds aren't anything on those of the Arctis Nova 5 Wireless, and definitely not the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, but nevertheless, their quality is still pretty remarkable. Other earbuds I've tested tend to sound like I'm hearing over-spill from a stranger's audio on public transport, not that they're an inch away from my eardrum. But, each time I had the Game Buds nice and snug in my ears, my favorite games sounded almost as great as they do on my favorite headsets.
They aren't the first earbuds I've ever tested, but the quality that oozes from every inch of these little buds is still impressing me. It's not just the sound that continues to blow me away, but I'm still taken aback but how comfortable they are. There's been several instances where I've popped them in to catch up on some YouTube video essays, only to wake up the next day and realise I've had them in all night. I totally don't recommend that, especially to keep your ear health intact, but it's not hard to forget they're in your ears in the first place.
The Game Bud's convivence is like music to my ears
One of the biggest factors that made me take out my everyday pair of headphones in exchange for the Game Buds was its case. Not only is its design pretty sleek, with its softened rounded edges, but it can be charged wirelessly, which in turn changes the buds. Each night, I can pop the buds on a wireless mat or the wireless pad of my phone charger, and that's enough to keep them full for the day ahead. With the Qi wireless case, you get a bout 10 hours of charge, which isn't the 60 hours I'm used to with the Arctis Nova 5 Wireless, but it does the job.
On top of all that, the buds themselves actually have physical buttons, instead of tap-sensitive controls. This could be a negative for anyone used to other earbuds on the market, but I'm always an advocate for something tangible to press, and they work as intended. If you're considering making the change from wearing a gaming headset every day, they can still take getting used to. Especially as there's a range of combinations which will do different things - from turning on and off ANC, to switching between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz. They can even be remapped to your liking, too, if you have the SteelSeries Arctis software at hand.
That leads into one of the best aspects of these little buds, which has made them a key part of my gaming setup, no matter the platform - the Arctis app. I get that having to make space for it sounds like a pain, but it's become of of the most highly used apps on my Samsung S24, as it's full of audio presets for just about every game I play. SteelSeries has worked alongside developers to create finely tuned audio settings that you can toggle through in seconds, and the Dead by Daylight one is easily my favorite from the lot.
Without it, the buds bring out the creepy atmosphere of my favorite modern horror game, regardless. But with it turned on, I can better hear every footsteps killer mains take. I swear it's even contributed to me escaping more matches than normal, and I'm not the best DBD player. Popping on ANC on top of that can make the game utterly terrifying, even in the middle of the day.
While I've truly fallen in love with the Arctis Game Buds, they're wear sensors can get a little annoying. These are built-in to register when you've actually placed them in your ears, and for the most part, they work fine. But if I'm laying back in bed, watching YouTube or Disney Plus on my iPad, I expect the sensors to trigger at least a a few times despite the fact I haven't moved an inch, which can start to get frustrating.
The only other issue for me, was that multiple people in my life regularly try to steal my Game Buds for themselves. I mistakenly let both my fiancé and my mom give them a try, especially as they both also come from a lifetime of preferring headsets and headphones, above all else. Now, it looks like I may need to invest in multiple pairs come this year's holidays.
Fortunately for me, SteelSeries drops the price of the Arctis audio tech throughout the year, so I might be able to save some cash in the process. Better yet, SteelSeries has engraving options for the gaming earbuds straight from their website, which I wish I had known before finally receiving my own pair.
If you aren't quite convinced the SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds are for you, check out the best PS5 headsets, best Xbox Series X headsets, and even the best Nintendo Switch headsets to find the perfect pair for the console of your choice.
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