SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ review

The best PS5 gaming headset just got better with the launch of the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+. 

For an additional $20, chalking up to $170, you can pick up the upgrade of the Arctis 7P, which gets you longer battery life, USB Type-C charging, and PS5 3D audio compatibility. That adds to a headset that already flaunts solid gaming audio and comfortable ear cups packed into a gorgeous aluminum design. Despite its high price, the microphone could be better, and it would’ve been nice to see some EQ settings. 

But overall, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is one of the best gaming headsets you can buy.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ design

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is practically identical to the original Arctis 7P. It features a durable steel band wrapped in a woven ski goggle fabric suspension headband. The band is thick and durable, but the subtle difference between this and the original is that the velcro part features a black and white outline as opposed to the blue and white. There’s still blue padding protruding from the base, which gives the Arctis 7P a nice offset to the overall white.

Like the original, the ear cups are matte white, and below the center of each cup is a black SteelSeries logo. The insides of the cups are blue, while the cushions feature a neat hexagonal pattern. Similar to the rest of SteelSeries’ premium headsets, there’s a slit above the cups where the band slides in and lets you adjust the size. The band attunes to your head based on how tight the velcro strap is.

Another big change for the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is the inclusion of a USB Type-C port for charging, which replaces the old microUSB port. From top to bottom on the left cup, there’s the mute button, a volume rocker, the Share Port, a 3.5 audio jack, the USB Type-C port for charging and the retractable ClearCast microphone. The right cup features the power button and a sidetone rocker. The aforementioned Share Port lets you plug another user into your headset with an included proprietary cable so you can share audio.

In the box, you’ll find the 2.4-GHz USB Type-C receiver, a female USB Type-C to male USB Type-A adapter, a USB Type-A-to-USB Type-C cable for charging and the Share Port cable, which is a proprietary audio jack that feeds into a male 3.5mm audio port. SteelSeries does not include a traditional 3.5mm audio cable in the box.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ comfort

SteelSeries’ Airweave fabric ear cushions are some of the most comfortable cups in the gaming headset industry. It’s tough to beat cushiony pleather, but the Arctis 7P+’s cups put pleather through its paces. They slip onto my bald head like a glove and fit snugly over my ears without squeezing them to death.

The last time I tested a SteelSeries Arctis headset, I had a full head of hair, but now that I have forsaken my luscious curls and joined the bald club, how does it feel? Still amazing. The soft texture of the band felt gentle against my head, caressing me as I cut down giant bats in Elden Ring. Since it uses a velcro strap, the headset is easy to adjust, but it takes some time to pull it apart and stick it back together.

Since it features the same design, the Arctis 7P+ boasts roughly the same weight as the original Arctis 7P (12.9 ounces). It’s lightweight enough to feel like it’s not there, but hefty enough to not fly off my head when I turn.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ gaming performance

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ uses 40-millimeter neodymium drivers to pump out these epic gains (pun intended).

I played Final Fantasy XIV, and my fire spells caused concussive blasts that reverberated through my ears; the Arctis 7P+ captured the intensity and the heat of my Black Mage power. When I ascended The Vault, the voices of my enemies were loud and clear, but their taunts were drowned out by the bellowing cries of the soldiers that I tore through in my stride.

I also played the Elden Ring network test with the Arctis 7P+ and found that the explosive magic, sword slashing, and rolling was thick and heavy, immersing me into the Lands Between. When I came upon the first real boss and he delivered his famous lines, shivers were sent through my spine thanks to the bassy oomph headset delivered.

Okay, so what about PS5’s 3D Tempest audio? I reinstalled Spider-Man: Miles Morales and sat down with both the Arctis 7P+ and the Arctis 7P, but ultimately found the difference between them to be negligible. The audio from the Arctis 7P+ sounded slightly more balanced, especially when blending the in-game sound effects with the music, but the punches, web-slinging and voice dialogue sounded similar on both devices.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ music performance

I was impressed with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ while listening to music. It not only amplified mids and highs, but did a decent job of highlighting percussion instruments, which the previous version had issues with. It still doesn’t have enough well-rounded bass, but it’s certainly an improvement.

I listened to “abcdefu” by GAYLE; the opening vocals were bright and blended well with the lively electric guitar. The following bass from the percussion was a little too soft, but it sounded decent. When the chorus dropped, it did feel like there was some more oomph missing from the lows, but the mids and highs were on point.

When I tuned into Måneskin’s “Beggin,’” Damiano David’s resounding voice boomed on the  Arctis 7P+. It sounded good, but occasionally peaked into a shrill tone. This is a result of the brighter EQ. However, the drums and bass guitar were clear albeit a bit low. Meanwhile, the guitar sounded a bit muddy.

I also listened to “Bad Habits” by Ed Sheeran, which opened with a muffled electric guitar that was slightly uncomfortable to listen to. However, the vocals were melodic and the bassy beats that accompanied them were sharp but full.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ microphone

The Arctis 7P+’s retractable ClearCast bidirectional microphone made my voice sound very loud and picked up a lot of noise in the background, including my typing and breathing.

Despite that, my voice was clear and crisp. I didn’t sound too noisy or obnoxious, but I did get requests from people I was playing with to move my mic away from my face because they could hear me breathing. Once again, I noticed that the sidetone is a very inaccurate representation of how I sounded and how my audio was coming through. Talking, typing and even breathing was way louder than depicted. Mine was set to 100%; you can lower it, of course, but you’ll have to tinker for a while to get something equivalent to what you really sound like.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ features

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is compatible with PS5’s 3D Tempest audio unlike the previous model. However, the headset can also be used with almost any device. It can connect wirelessly to the Nintendo Switch, PC, Android devices and the Google Stadia controller. And thanks to its 3.5mm jack, it can even connect to the Xbox Series X.

But like its sibling, the headset doesn’t feature any EQ settings, so no software that can help you along if you’re having some audio balancing issues.

Despite that, SteelSeries managed to give a bump to the Arctis 7P+’s battery life, advertising that it can last for up to 30 hours. That seems pretty realistic based on my own usage; I’ve used the headset for several days and I haven’t had to charge it yet. SteelSeries also fixed my previous issue with the headset — before, there was no battery life indicator, but now the power button blinks red, yellow or green depending on where the battery level is at.

Bottom line

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ boasts great audio, a sturdy design, a comfortable fit, long battery life and compatibility with most devices. The only real cons are that it doesn’t have the best microphone nor does it have any EQ settings.

If you’re an Xbox user, you might want to look into the SteelSeries Arctis 7X, which hits most of the same high notes as this headset.

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is an amazing headset, and a real heavy-hitter for PS5 owners.