How do you improve upon near perfection? That’s the biggest challenge for SteelSeries, the top-rated and extremely-well crafted gaming accessory company. Late last year, the brand rolled out a new version of their excellent Arctis 7 headset, which we reviewed back in 2020 and loved. So how did SteelSeries manage to evolve on what we consider the best headset in the market? And how would it work with the PlayStation 5 and a PC? We were eager to test it for ourselves, and SteelSeries provided a unit for review for us to see the changes firsthand.
SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Gaming Headset: What We Liked
Clad in space white (although there is a black option as well) with royal blue accents, the Arctis 7P+ will fit right in with your PlayStation 5 (should you have been so lucky as to snag one) but remains essentially unchanged from a standard Arctis. Your primary control wheels and buttons are allocated to the back of the headphones with the lefthand side, including a button to toggle the mute setting, a slider wheel for volume, a 3.5-millimeter jack, and standard USB and USB-C ports. The righthand side features a slider wheel for the sidetone and the power button.
The ski goggle headband is easy to adjust if you need to tweak it. One of the best features of the Arctis remains the Airweave ear cups which are great for extended play sessions; they don’t overheat your ears while providing a considerable amount of cushion.
If a lot of these features sound like what you’d get in the Arctis 7, you’d be half right. But the 7P+ makes two critically important upgrades: USB-C charging and improved battery life. The C port takes the place of the Micro USB port, but the simple swap significantly improves the charging of the 7P+, providing about three or so hours worth of talk time off a 15-minute charge. Pair this with the increased battery life (from 24 hours up to 30), and the 7P+ doubly impresses.
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The 7P+ excels no matter when you use it (save for Xbox), but you’ll get a lot out of it if you’re gaming on a PlayStation 5. Connecting to the gaming console via the USB-C dongle is a breeze, and the headset works seamlessly with the 3D audio feature built into the PS5, making it so that games come alive.
As I tested it with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, I felt the game come alive in a way I hadn’t before. That may sound cheesy, but it’s really the best way to describe the experience. The overwhelming roar of the crowd during the game’s arena matches was impressive, but I could still hear the individual noises of enemies all around me — even if they were across the landscape from me. There aren’t many PS5 games out right now that take advantage of 3D audio, but once they do, I can’t wait to use the 7P+ to experience those worlds.
The headset also works like a dream on PC. The epic score of Destiny 2‘s raids and campaign missions roared to life, and even the lush environment of Fortnite popped with a resonant frequency.
SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Gaming Headset: What We Didn’t Like
Honestly, we’re getting down to nitpick territory here. We wish the 7P+ had better support for Xbox users. The keyword there, however, is a wish. If you were to purchase the 7P+ for your Xbox, you’d still get an excellent headset, but you’ll need to connect via the audio jack instead of the USB-C connector. This isn’t a dealbreaker by any stretch of the imagination, however.
The Verdict: The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Gaming Headset Proves That The King Stays The King
It’s hard to improve on greatness, but SteelSeries has managed to make two crucial upgrades with the 7P+ that make it an essential purchase for PlayStation 5 owners and a highly recommended purchase for those who already have an Arctis 7. The fact that I can move between my PS5 and my gaming PC by moving the USB-C dongle makes the 7P+ an incredibly versatile headset. Combine that ease of use with a comfortable design, quality sound, and two critical quality of life improvements, and you’ve got a can’t miss recipe for success. In short: the king stays the king.
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