Steelseries has become a powerhouse in the past couple of years with all their new technology revolutionising the form of gaming. But one Product that’s recently been blowing up is Steelseries Arctis 9x Headset. This headset is packed with all you need, and more to enhance your overall awareness whilst gaming. 

What’s Included-

This package includes the Steelseries Arctis 9x Wireless headphone, the headphone manual, and headphone charger. This headphone comes with little supplies for the reason that this headphone connects wirelessly only to Xbox. That is why no extra cords are needed.

The Steelseries Arctis doesn’t even need a USB Transceiver to connect. All you’ll need to do to connect it is turn on your Steelseries headset, and press the “Sync” button on your Xbox. It’s exactly like trying to connect your Xbox controller to your Xbox.

The microphone is stored in the headset making it retractable. My thoughts on this mechanism is that it is a smart concept because you’ll always know where it is, and it’s ready to go. However, the flaw is that you don’t get the best out of the microphone. Meaning that usually a microphone will sound better if it is it’s own piece, rather than it being part of the actual headset. 

Nonetheless the only issue with the microphone is that it would sometimes cut out or have a hard time picking up some of the things that I said. It only happened a couple of times so i’m assuming there was just a little bug, but it’s nothing that I was concerned about. 

One thing that I do admire, and thought was really clever about the microphone is that when you mute yourself the top of the mic will turn red indicating that it has been muted. It also has sound cancelling technology that will keep your voice sounding clear and natural.

Battery Life-

As we all know the Steelseries Arctis 9x is wireless, but just how long does it work? The Arctis has an estimated 20hr battery life! However, there have been many times that I would go a week, and still not have to charge my headset. Of course I’m not playing 20 hrs a week (at least I don’t think so) so I can’t exactly tell. Either way, 20 hrs is a long time. Charging life doesn’t take long either. I went to charge my headset and within an hour my headset was fully charged and ready to be used.

Comfort-

The Steelseries headset is equipped with memory foam ear cushions, and a rare appearance of a ski goggle headband. Many headphones don’t have the ski goggle headband, but I would recommend it for all headsets. The reason for this is because it is very thin and absorbs no heat. It is also a one size fits all, you can still adjust it, but there’s little need to do so.

The Arctis 9X ear cushions are made from memory. The ear cushions on this particular headset are very plush, as well as breathable. Your ears are snug within the cushions allowing you to get all the in depth noise that comes with this headset. A nice touch is that the clamping force is enough to stay on, but not too much where it starts to hurt. The headset can get a bit tiring to wear after a couple of hours, but, usually after a 10 minute break you’ll be good to go. 

There’s nothing special about the comfort, though it is definitely one of the more comfortable headphones that I have used. Manly in the sense that the ratio between breathability to clamping force is mixed in very well. Out of 10 i would give this headset a rating of 8.5/10. 

Durability-

The Steelseries Arctis 9x is made all from plastic. The thick plastic covers the exterior of the headset. It is also used to create the swivel motion. The headband on the other side is fairly thin plastic. But this thin plastic is surprisingly durable, and nonetheless flexible. Whichever way you twist or turn it, there is a great chance that it will not break. All components used to make this headphone will assure you outstanding durability.

Headphone Features-

You can find the different controls on both the left, and right side of the ear cup. On the left side you’ll find the ChatMix dial, as well as the microphone. Then, moving to the right side you’ll find the more important controls such as the Volume control, microphone mute button, Sync button, Power button, Micro USB jack (for charging),and the Headphone share jack for mobile devices. 

There wasn’t any type of restriction when trying to use these controls. My only problem was that the controls are unquestionably small, so trying to find them without looking was a little challenging. I’ve been using the headset for a couple of months and I’ve still been having some problems locating the buttons. 

It doesn’t annoy me but I sometimes question why the controls are so small. Another thing I would have liked is if the headphone would make more noise when it is turned on, and at least some noise when it connects. This in my opinion, would make it easier, instead of having to look at the back of my headset just to make sure it’s connected, or even on.

A plus to the headphone is that it swivels. Many people wonder why is it so great that a headset can swivel? Well it can do many things for a person. For starters if you don’t want to scratch up the shell of your ear cushions then you can swivel the headphone and lay it on the ear cushions preventing any scratching. Another reason is because the swivel motion can help with comfort. It has more angles that you can set the ear cushions to so it’s not uncomfortable. Being able to swivel is more of a preference thing than something that will help you in game.

Is the Arctis 9x Glasses Friendly-

No one likes when their glasses get in the way of having fun playing games. So I tested the Arctis 9x to see how it felt. My result is that the headset did put some pressure on the glasses but it never hurt. Especially if you’re distracted gaming, you’ll have no problem wearing your glasses. The soft memory foam ear cushions from around the glasses put the absolute minimum pressure on your head. Making it almost impossible to tell that you are wearing anything. 

Costs-

This headphone costs around $200 dollars on amazon. I wouldn’t say that’s a bad deal. Though I wouldn’t say it’s the best either. Don’t get me wrong this headphone is amazing and definitely one of the best in the world. 

But minor tweaks like the mic not picking up what I said definitely ticks off some points. This is without a doubt a Tier A headset. But, for $200 dollars I would want my headset to work for a couple of years before it started having these problems. 

It always could have been my headset so I don’t want to derank the Arctis. But, because it happened to me I do want to share it. Out of all honesty the mic situation isn’t a big deal at all. Minor tweaks do happen with most of the headphones that I use so I’m not the most surprised. 

My final verdict of the cost is that it is reasonable, especially for the quality of headphone that you are getting. 

Pros

Cons

Overall-

The Steelseries Arctis 9x Wireless would be a fantastic choice for any Xbox player. The smooth but significant highs, and deep bass that the headphone produces is amazing. Other than the microphone having a hard time picking up some words, the headphone never gave me problems. As said before this is a Tier A headset and is one of the best that I have used. This also goes for the sound cancellation. It was one of the best sound cancelling headsets that I have ever used! 

All the components to this headset in fact come together really nicely to make this amazing headset. Please try this headset out. It was awarded by Wired,Forbes,PcGamer,Tom’s Guide, and more for best gaming headset. Also pros have won more money using the Arctis 9x than any other brand. So do try it for yourself.

If you are interested in this headset but don’t have an Xbox, you can check out the Steelseries Arctis Pro, Arctis1, Arctis 7P, and Arctis 3. Just find which one is suitable for you and your console and as always enjoy.