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Review Verdict: While there are certainly cheaper options, the SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds are the best TWS currently in the market in the Philippines. Its excellent audio quality, ergonomics, reconfigurability, and actual, physical controls make it the perfect choice for the discerning gamer who wants only the best sound quality when they’re gaming.
Pros
- Fantastic audio quality
- Comfortable design
- Easy-to-use app on both desktop and mobile
- Wireless charging for the case
Cons
I like TWS buds when I’m traveling or commuting, but I’ve always gravitated to over-ear headphones for gaming for most of my adult life. That’s changed since SteelSeries handed me their Arctic Gamebuds to test the past few weeks, and it looks like I’ll be hanging my headphones for good because of it.
SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds Review Philippines: Design
I’ve yet to find a pair of TWS buds that comfortably sit in my ear without causing me any discomfort during long listening sessions. And while I still had to take out the SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds once in a while to give my ears a rest, it’s objectively been one of the most comfortable ones I’ve tried this year. Unlike most gaming buds that use ostentatious lights in their design, the Arctic Gamebuds only have SteelSeries’ logo on the outside. The buds come in different colors, denoting their console compatibility, namely Black (which is made for the XBOX) and White (which is made for the PlayStation). Both versions work with PCs and the Nintendo Switch.
The case is quite substantial since it holds both the buds and a 2.4 GHz dongle that plugs into devices via a Type-C connector. You don’t have to use that if you don’t want to since the Arctic Gamebuds also have Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, but if you want latency-free audio during gaming, going the dongle route is the way to go.
What I like about the Arctic Gamebuds is the fact that each bud has an actual physical button that you can press. I’ve come to loathe touch-sensitive controls on earbuds and having a tactile click when you press the side of your buds is a godsend for elder millennials like me who prefer controls that give you feedback so you know if you’ve hit them or not. You can customize what the buds do when you press the buttons too, so there’s a certain customizability available here if you need it.
There’s no physical re-pairing button on the case of the buds unlike other TWS available in the market, so you’ll have to do that via the actual earbuds. The case also has Qi wireless charging, which is great since most higher-end phones nowadays have reverse wireless charging, so you’ll be able to charge your case on the go.
SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds Review Philippines: User Interface and Fit
The Arctic Gamebuds use SteelSeries’ Arctis app to control sound and audio presets on mobile, and their GG app when you’re using them with the 2.4GHz dongle when it’s connected to a PC. Both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth mode have their audio settings since the GG app recommends you keep the Arctis Gamebud’s audio preset flat so you don’t get distortion from the app when it applies its audio settings.
As far as fit goes, this is probably one of the few TWS buds I’ve used that felt comfortable in my ear. I usually can’t stand wearing TWS buds for extended periods because of comfort reasons, but that’s not the case with the Arctis Gamebuds. I’ve managed to run the batteries dead on them while grinding for samples in Helldiver 2, which tells you how much I enjoyed wearing these things while gaming.
SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds Review Philippines: Performance and Battery Life
The SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds sounded great when I first put them on, and it’s impressive how much soundstage the small 6mm drivers on these things put out. You can fine-tune audio settings via the GG app on the PC, which came in handy while I was playing Squad and Escape From Tarkov which requires cans that have excellent positional audio so you can hear your enemy before you get head eyes’d by a player who runs across you while you’re looting in Interchange.
The ANC is fairly good as well, and while it didn’t completely drown out the sound of my desktop fan going full tilt right beside me, few headphones could. As it stands it managed to drown out all of the unpleasant noise of traffic while walking in BGC, and there are transparency modes built-in as well so you can safely use these buds when you’re walking around or biking.
When it comes to music, the Arctic Gamebuds stack up well against more expensive buds and cans. As small as the drivers are (and they are tiny) they’re still capable of belting out serious bass. The mids and highs are very clear, and the sound is extremely detailed. There is nothing that the Artic Gamebuds can’t handle sound-wise.
As for the built-in mic, well, it’s ok. It’s not going to beat a dedicated desktop mic or even a boom microphone mic, but it’s good enough for calls and the occasional trash talk in Valorant.
Battery life claims for the Arctic Gamebuds are 10 hours, and I’ve found with testing that the actual number isn’t too far off, though take note that you’re going get lower run times with ANC and Bluetooth on. The case has an additional 30 hours, and has Qi wireless charging tech should you find the need to top them up with a phone that has reverse wireless charging.
SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds Review Philippines: Wrap-up and Conclusions
If it wasn’t obvious already, I love the SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds. It’s a comfortable pair of TWS gaming buds that perform as well as they look. It’s jam-packed with features, has excellent sound quality, and has great battery endurance for something so small. The only gripe I have with them is that they’re quite expensive for TWS buds, but it’s definitely worth it for all the features that you get from it.
SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds Review Philippines: Price
The SteelSeries Arctic Gamebuds have a price of Php 10,458 in the Philippines.