Steelseries Arctis 7 vs Pro, which gaming headphones of Steelseries is better? Comparing two headphones may seem difficult because of the number of factors that need to be considered.
Steelseries has a reputation for manufacturing gaming headphones of high standards. Among the Arctis series, the Arctis 7 and Arctis Pro are widely known. At first glance, these headphones might look like twin brothers, but the deeper we get to know them, the more we realize how different they are.
Whilst the Arctis Pro definitely wins in terms of sound performance, the Arctis 7 offers comfort and class at an affordable budget. For a gamer, it’s a difficult choice to make. But this article will help you decide better which headphone suits you best.
Side by side comparison of Steelseries Arctis 7 vs Pro
Steelseries Arctis 7
Comfortable and show vivid experience
The Arctis 7 are really well-performing over-ear headsets produced by Steelseries. These headphones not only provide premium comfort for long use but also wow passionate gamers with their exception DTS technology which makes the audio sound vivid and sparkling.
Design and durability overview
The Steelseries Arctis 7 gaming headphones have a sleek and sophisticated outlook, with a perfectly streamlined black exterior. The sturdy headset which is composed of lightweight steel alloy includes an adjustable round headband with thickly padded earcups and a noise-canceling microphone.
These over-ear headphones have quite an excellent build quality. The metal headband is quite robust but can be flexibly adjusted. The controls are placed rather impeccably too, with the left earcup having the chat mix thumb wheel, volume thumbwheel, and mic mute button for quick and easy access. The retractable mic is easy to set up.
Whilst the exterior built of the sturdy headphones have been crafted to be able to withstand great force, the backplates of the ear cups are at risk of falling out under pressure. However, the Steelseries has a number of different designs of headbands and backplates for you to purchase separately if you need any.
Sound quality overview
The 40 mm neodymium drivers certainly do the magic for the Steelseries Arctis 7. These closed-ear headphones use DTS virtual surround sound technology that works wonders for gaming- making even the smallest sounds of footsteps to the loud bang of a grenade explosion sound three dimensional.
The bass performance is quite decent, but it varies from user to user. Although these wonderful headphones boost the bass, it fails to do so like most other gaming headphones. There’s an overemphasis on the higher bass which eventually adds a muddiness to the sound.
Most of the midrange is fairly even and has satisfactory accuracy. However, in the mid to high mid-range, some subtle inconsistency in audio was noticed.
The treble response has overall great accuracy despite the dips in low treble and peaks in mid-treble.
With low distortion, clarity, and versatility in sound, the Steelseries Arctis 7 will certainly not disappoint gamers looking for high performing headphones.
Comfort overview
The Steelseries Arctis takes a different route from the traditional plastic headband to a more effective and carefully crafted elasticated band. This small change in design has a substantial increase in the comfort level and breathability of using these headphones for a prolonged time.
The earpads are also composed of thick, soft, and porous foam which reduces the risk of them being worn out too fast. This extra padding ensures that the user feels at ease and can enjoy the audio experience without any discomfort.
The unique ski-band which can be adjusted if feels too tight is a bit too bulky. These aren’t suitable for intense physical activity and may fall off if worn whilst exercise.
And. if you are confused about buying stereo and surround headphones, then you can take a peek at our article.
Steelseries Arctis Pro
The Aural Legend
The Steelseries Arctis Pro is a high resolution compatible wireless headset that combines both comfort and sound to offer an ultimate enjoyable gaming experience for users. The headphones are a treat to the eyes as well as their ears when we combine their elegant design and wide frequency range.
Design and durability overview
The Steelseries Arctis Pro has a sleek and uniform black design with rubber plastic cups. Steelseries said goodbye to plastic headphones and moved on to more premium quality headphones with the Arctis Steelseries Pro, which is built of lightweight aluminum alloy and steel. The headset includes magnetic earcups which can easily be removed and both the microphone and earcups can be customized with RGB lighting as pleased.
The premium matte finish is not only the good thing about these headphones. The Arctis Pro is designed to withstand force and not fall apart. The wide metal frame feels quite sturdy and the large earcups composed of soft and high-quality foam padding feel comfortable to the touch. The earcups which are retractable also have removable battery housing for convenience.
The retractable microphone is well built and can be adjusted without a crackle. There are also mute and volume buttons that are located at the back of the left earcup. Overall, the Arctis Pro combines both comfort and fashion quite nicely.
Sound quality overview
The frequency range of the Arctis Pro is impressively wide at10 Hertz to 40000 Hertz. The Arctis Pro’s frequency response range is massive, ranging from 10Hz to 40KHz. Similar to its competitor, the Arctis 7, these gaming headphones have dynamic 40 mm neodymium drivers which help it achieve high-resolution audio quality.
The Arctis Pro has neutral bass with outstanding accuracy. However, you should keep in mind that the bass accuracy depends on and is sensitive to how well the headphones fit on your head.
The gaming headphones shine when it comes to the mids. The Arctis Pro has outstanding and scrupulously precise flat mid-range, which delivers clear and distinct vocals and instruments.
The treble response is overall good but it varies from user to user.
These headphones also follow the DTS technology which offers impressive surround sound.
Well, DTS also a company name and they have some nice headphones that might grab your attention. We’ve compared DTS with another amazing company’s headphones. let’s dig more into it!
Comfort overview
The over-ear headphones are quite comfortable if used for casual gaming. The headset itself is pretty lightweight, weighing about 1.5 pounds, although it is composed of aluminum alloy.
The wide and curved metal headband attached to the earcups is adjustable so that the headset can rest successfully on different shaped heads.
The soft and thick padding of the earcups ensures that they won’t wear off pretty easily. However, the breathability of the Arctis Pro could have been improved. When you’re working out with these headphones on, it can easily make your ears sweat. Moreover, the elastic strap comes in limited size so it might be tight for some people.
Nonetheless, the Steelseries Arctis Pro is convenient to use for gaming.
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Steelseries Arctis 7 vs Pro: Feature
The table above shows the comparison between Arctis Pro and Arctis 7 at a glance. However, to understand which headphone performs better, we have to compare the features of the headphones in details.
Design
According to most audiophiles, the Steelseries Arctis line has the most sophisticated design of all gaming headsets. Evidence of this lies in the elegant exterior of both the Arctis Pro and the Arctis 7.
Both the headphones are available in two color options: pearl white and piano black. I personally prefer the black headphones because they look more appealing to me, but I think the Steelseries really caught my attention with the timeless white design.
When compared, both headphones look quite identical: Both over-ear gaming headsets have stereo speakers, retractable mic, and tangled free detachable cable. However, one thing that is missing from the Arctis 7 is the L shaped plug that the Arctis Pro has.
Winner: Overall, I think the Steelseries Arctis Pro looks more modern with its matte black but sometimes glossy exterior and jazzy contrasting RGB illumination.
Durability
Unlike traditional headphones which use plastic, the Arctis series is built of metal. I always feel that metal gives off a more premium vibe than plastic, no matter how good the quality of the plastic is.
Whilst the Arctis 7 is built of lightweight steel alloy, the Arctis pro offers both the durability of steel and the lightweight construction of aluminum. Both are equipped with steel ski-google-like suspension headbands and a strong retractable microphone.
Winner: Both Arctis 7 and Arctis Pro are built to be sturdy and can withstand extreme force.
Comfort
The Arctis Pro weighs 0.72 pounds more than the Arctis 7, so it can seem a bit heavier around the head.
Both the Arctis Pro and Arctis 7 have earpads that are made of the same textured material. Instead of velour and leather, the pads are made of airweave fabric which is more flexible but stiffer. The advantage of this material is that it does not heat up as much as leather and is comfortable for use.
The headband strap can be adjusted but are a bit bulky. The chat volume slider and power button are found on the headset’s right earcup of Arctis 7, unlike the Arctis Pro. However, the 3.5mm audio jack port and the micro USB port, and the regular volume slider are located on the left-side earcup.
Winner: In conclusion, both Arctis Pro and Arctis 7 are comfortable for gaming use but not for strenuous exercise that requires a lot of moving.
Microphone
The microphone quality is a very important feature of gaming headsets since it is used by gamers to communicate their moves to their teammates. Both headphones have retractable and noise-canceling clearest bidirectional microphones attached to them. The microphones, however, are not removable. But they are fairly flexible and do not make much noise when adjusted. The Arctis Pro has a mic sensitivity of -38 BV/Pa and the Arctis 7 has -48 BV/Pa.
Winner: Both headsets have mediocre microphone quality, but the Arctis Pro has a better microphone build.
Battery life
Both the over-ear headphones have rechargeable batteries, with the charge indicator. The Arctis Pro requires 2 hours more to be fully charged and lasts for a shorter time than the Arctis 7. However, the advantage that Arctis Pro has over Arctis 7 is that it has removable batteries.
Winner: Although Arctis Pro has the removable battery option, the Arctis 7 definitely has a long-lasting battery.
Sound Quality
Both headsets have 40 mm, dynamic neodymium drivers. The main difference lies in the frequency range of the competitors. The Arctis Pro headphones have a much wider frequency range than the Arctis 7. This means that the Arctis Pro offers better low response and clearer high range.
The Arctis Pro also has a higher sensitivity rating than its competitor, suggesting that it can sound louder. Both headphones have the DTS technology feature with 7.1 surround sound.
Winner: Overall, the Arctis Pro definitely performs better in terms of audio quality.
Connectivity
Arctis Pro and Arctis 7 headphones both have a 3.5 mm male connector and both have wireless connectivity options.
The Arctis 7 does not include device enabled connectivity such as USB and Bluetooth connection. It simply comes with app connectivity where you can control settings like volume, mix, and equalizer. On the other hand, the Arctis Pro comes with a USB chat mix dial.
Lastly, both headsets are compatible with Playstation but only the Steelseries Arctis 7 is compatible with Xbox.
Winner: The Arctis 7 has better connectivity since it can be used with Xbox as well.
Read: HyperX has two amazing headphones for top-notch gaming experiences.
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Price
The Steelseries Arctis Pro costs more than the Steelseries Arctis 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, we are at the end of the article now. But before going let’s learn something new. What’s here now? Some basic questions and answers about these two headphones.
Who is the Steelseries Arctis 7 for?
The Steelseries Arctis 7 is for enthusiastic gamers who are looking for affordable gaming headsets that can be used for Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
What’s good about the Arctis 7?
- The Steelseries Arctis 7 is at a reasonable price range.
- The headphones are very lightweight.
- Arctic 7 has versatile connectivity options.
- The headphones have a long-lasting battery.
- The Arctis 7 takes quicker to charge.
- The headphones use DTS surround sound technology.
Why should you not get the Arctis 7?
- The headphones can cause discomfort and may not fit all head shapes.
- The bass for the Arctis 7 is not very powerful.
- The battery of Arctis 7 is not removable.
Who is the Steelseries Arctis Pro for?
The Steelseries Arctis Pro is made especially for gamers who are looking for a fulfilling and enjoyable gaming experience. These headphones are particularly suitable for PC and PS4 gamers, who will enjoy the audio performance that these gaming sets have to offer. Moreover, if you are someone who likes to accessorize their gaming experience, these headphones can give you a wide range of options to choose from.
What’s good about the Arctis Pro?
- The headphones offer excellent audio quality.
- The Arctis Pro incorporated DTS surround sound technology.
- The gaming headphones are classy and elegant.
- There are a wide variety of accessories to choose from for the headphones.
- The headphones are comfortable to wear.
- The Steelseries Arctis Pro has removable batteries.
Why should you not get the Arctis Pro?
- The headphones are a bit pricey.
- The Arctis Pro does not have many connectivity options.
- The Arctis Pro takes longer to charge.
What are some better alternatives?
Some other great gaming headsets include:
HyperX Cloud Alpha
The HyperX Cloud Alpha are high performing wired gaming headsets manufactured by HyperX. These headphones have a sleek design that is humble and does not stand out too much.
They are comfortable to the ears for prolonged use and have a sturdy build. The microphone that comes with these headphones have a great sound quality and has the functionality of separating the vocals from background noise.
The gaming headphones offer well balanced and neutral sound but they aren’t much breathable and do not have many customization options. Nevertheless, it’s a good choice for gamers.
Audeze Mobius
The Audeze Mobius is great gaming headsets which have some different features that set them apart from other gaming headsets.
The specialty of these gaming headphones is their unique head tracking feature which combines three-dimensional audios to create a simulated soundstage that offers an outstanding gaming experience.
These headphones also have a lot of connectivity options such as Bluetooth. Attached to the headset is a boom mic that can be separated from the headphone if required.
Razer BlackShark V2
The Razer BlackShark V2 are customizable and user-friendly gaming headsets which has decent and neutral audio and versatile performance.
These headphones are very comfortable to wear. The best thing about these trending gaming sets is that they are absolutely compatible with PC, PS4 and can be used with Xbox One. The quality of the retractable boom mic is also up to the mark.
Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2
The Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 are great gaming headphones that have premium looks and impressive audio reproduction.
These gaming headsets are very comfortable for long gaming sessions since their earpads are composed of thick and breathable material. The headphones also come with a decent microphone with which your teammates can hear you pretty clearly thanks to the noise-canceling feature.
Get ready for an enjoyable and fulfilling gaming journey with these premium headphones.
Final Verdict
As you can see, Steelseries gaming headphones have a lot to offer. Whatever choice you make you won’t be disappointed. The company takes quality very seriously, which is difficult to find in headsets these days.
The Steelseries Arctis Pro is specially designed for PC games and offers a high-level gaming experience. Not only do these gaming headphones offer high-quality audio but it also offers splendid wireless connectivity.
The frequency range is huge and the precision in audio is remarkable for these headphones. The DTS technology is just the cherry on top-it gives you the ultimate three-dimensional gaming adventure.
If you are looking for stylish and premium gaming headphones, the Arctis Pro will definitely blow your mind.
But that does not mean that the Arctis 7 are behind. Whilst the Arctis Pro has many advantages over the Arctis 7, the latter has some additional features. One of these is the connectivity Bluetooth option. So if you are on a budget, these headphones can work quite well for you.
Freelance tech journalist & author soundboxlab.com Read More