On the other hand, the transparency mode really impressed me. In this mode, the GameBuds picked up subtle ambient sounds and delivered them to my ears so effectively that I forgot I was wearing headphones. In one case, I didn’t realize I still had them until my voice sounded muffled. I can clearly hear everyone else I’m talking to.
ANC drains the battery faster, as does using Bluetooth. SteelSeries claims the GameBuds will last up to 10 hours on a single charge, with the charging case extending that up to 40 hours. In my testing, the headphones lasted a little longer than 10 hours with mixed ANC, but I rarely needed to use them continuously for more than 10 hours. Between removing the charging case and turning on the charging case wireless charger at night, I never got so many “low battery” warnings.
Built for gaming
The 2.4 GHz dongle isn’t the only thing that makes the Arctis GameBuds ideal for gaming. SteelSeries has a lot of development behind it Arctis applicationwith nearly 200 game-specific profiles designed to highlight the sounds you want to hear in each game.
I tried this in my competitive game, watch out 2. With this configuration, the deeper tones are somewhat muted. Meanwhile, higher-pitched sounds — such as Tracer’s footsteps — came through more than those on my regular headphones. I won’t claim that the GameBuds gave me superpowers, but the subtle footsteps of a wingman behind me now sounded like lightning striking right next to me.
Photo: Eric Ravenscraft
Sometimes, it’s almost a little too much. I found myself playing at a lower volume than usual, just so the harsh sounds weren’t too jarring. However, games like watch out 2 relies heavily on audio cues to know what’s happening around you, and noticing a Reaper sneaking up behind you a second earlier could be the difference between life and death.
It’s hard to say how useful each of the nearly 200 profiles will be. And, it goes without saying, but a slightly more optimized audio experience won’t make you any better at any game you play. That said, I’m grateful to have this option. It feels and sounds better when I carefully tailor my audio experience to a specific game.
Before trying the Arctis GameBuds, I wasn’t convinced that a “gaming” headset was a must-have. Currently? I’m more confident. The 2.4 GHz dongle, audio profile, and impressive Transparency mode all made my gaming sessions easier and more comfortable than if I usually wore a full-size headset.
