My main headset is a Turtle Beach Z300 wireless, which was $300 when i bought it last year from Turtle Beach. Its still doing well and sounds very good but I wanted to see what was out there for a backup set and a set that my GF can borrow when she needs it. These are some nice looking cans (lol).

-Excellent sound quality -Mids and highs are emphasized and well done, bass is there but its very crisp and tight, not "loose" as in other headsets; -Quick visit to the manufacturers website to download the Steel Series Engine 3 software and you can tweak the EQ

-For this price point based on what you're getting; none

If you've been looking for a new headset and want something that advances the category forward in new and exciting ways, . That said, I can only imagine how much better the next Arctis update will be once the company irons out the kinks and streamlines everything to a T.

The SteelSeries Arctis 5 Gaming Headset is one of the more exceptional new-release headsets at a fantastic price. Not only do they look and feel more durable than the competition, they're actually designed with sound quality as the number one priority.

The SteelSeries Arctis line of gaming headsets is the latest release in a string of gaming peripherals that have moved away from loud, ugly design and toward something more sleek and modern.

The stereo and virtual surround sound quality found after running our usual battery of gaming, movie, and music tests, was superb. The new Clearcast microphone is far beyond many that we've tested before, including the one found in the much more expensive H-Wireless.

Fantastic sound reproduction in stereo and surround sound modes in all scenarios; New Clearcast microphone is a major step forward; Suspension headband keeps the headset light and comfortable; Middle of the road price point for high-end quality across the board

In game surround sound quality might be hit or miss depending on the title

In the eight and a half years that I have been doing reviews here at LanOC, I've had the opportunity to work with SteelSeries on every one of their headset launches. But in that time none of the new headsets have been a completely new design.

Today we will be checking out the Arctis 5 gaming headset by SteelSeries. In my opinion SteelSeries is one of the leaders in manufacturing gaming headsets. I don't think I am alone in that thinking either. For

Fantastic Sound; Very Lightweight; Suspension Headband; Many accessories available to customize your headset; RGB; SteelSeries Engine; Price; Compatible with everything

Not-a-one

Great sound even just out of the box without the need for 7.1 drivers having been installed; with said drivers installed it's got a fantastic sound quality for what it is[a headset].

-Amazing 7.1 sound drivers with nice highs mids and lows; great bass, -The option to make chat programs louder while turning down game/music volume[vice versa] with the chatmix, -Has a nice feel on the head, fairly lightweight not as much strain on the neck and shoulders, -Microphone has a lot of...

-Microphone does not have enough input volume and is generally quiet; -Price point for this product is kind of not worth just a decent pair of headphones minus microphone; -Drivers only seem to really affect the 7.1 surround sound; -Since the headset is USB again the microphone input volume seems to...

The SteelSeries Arctis 5 is a great gaming headset, chock-full of useful features, and carefully tuned to sound as accurate as possible instead of just focusing on the bass. Thanks to that, it's great for playing games on a high level and just as good for listening to music, both at home and on the...

Great audio performance; both for music and serious gaming; SteelSeries Engine 3 software is easy to use and filled with useful features; ChatMix Dial is a fantastic addition; one I'd love to see on every high-end gaming headset; Mic Sidetone setting improves chatting experience; Superb comfort...

You'd expect metal instead of plastic in this price bracket; Poor virtual 7.1 surround sound; The supplied sound card causes a bit of microphone buzz when its sensitivity is set above 80% (can be removed by connecting it to a different USB sound card or lowering the sensitivity; ChatMix Dial is...

If you're in the market for a gaming headset and have found the market is flooded with so many variants and brands Or perhaps have become accustomed to a specific brand but want something a bit more refined in some ways… may I bend your ear and introduce you to SteelSeries' new line of Arctis...

Comfortable and light weight; Great overall audio performance; Mic upgrade sets the bar for headsets; Mic and volume control on headset is convenient

Expected a more robust build at its price point; 7.1 virtual surround could be better