Review: SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

I think SteelSeries finally might turn me into an earbuds person. I usually use gaming headsets when I play video games—not only do most earbuds fall out of my ears, but they also don’t do most of what I need while gaming. SteelSeries stepped up to solve this problem with the Arctis GameBuds, and they're shockingly great.

The GameBuds are AirPods-like wireless earbuds that will probably be familiar to anyone not living under a rock the past decade. They come in a small black or white case that supports USB-C or Qi wireless charging. There's one notable difference over other wireless earbuds: a low-profile dongle inside the case.

There are a lot of things that make these “gaming” earbuds, but this is, in my opinion, the key factor. Most earbuds use Bluetooth for connectivity, which can introduce a little audio lag. It's fine for music, podcasts, and watching videos, but in gaming it can be a crucial problem if you’re hearing audio cues a second too late. That’s where the dongle comes in. It uses the same 2.4-GHz connection as most full-size gaming headsets, and many other computer peripherals like wireless keyboards and gaming mice, for lag-free connectivity. The difference is palpable.

Stylish Design for Everyone

SteelSeries has been making gaming headsets for years, so it’s no surprise that its first foray into earbuds feels premium. The soft white matte case is stylishly simplistic and houses not just the two earbuds but also the GameBuds’ low-profile USB-C dongle.

The USB-C dongle allows the GameBuds to connect to almost any device with a USB-C port, utilizing the low-latency 2.4-GHz connection. It fits comfortably on the bottom of my Nintendo Switch and the front of my PS5. It even fits neatly on my phone, which was a surprise because I keep mine in a thick case.

The only device that causes a (minor) issue, as always, is the Xbox. SteelSeries makes a separate version of the GameBuds with a switch on the USB-C dongle that toggles between Xbox mode and, well, everything else. So why wouldn’t everyone just buy the Xbox version just in case? Well, they only come in black. The non-Xbox version has black or white options. That’s about it. Otherwise, they’re functionally identical and cost the same.

The dongle is crucial if you plan to use these earbuds for gaming, and the wide compatibility is all the sweeter. I played with the GameBuds on every device I game with and never noticed any audio lag as long as I was using the dongle. Naturally, you can bypass the dongle and connect via Bluetooth, which is handy if you want to use the earbuds with your phone when you're not gaming.

Comfortable Isolation

I haven't tested the wide range of wireless earbuds, but the ones I have rarely stay in my ear. (This could be a me problem.) Good news! I never had a problem with the GameBuds. SteelSeries says it scanned tens of thousands of ears to get the shape right—something every wireless earbud company has been saying. Despite my skepticism, the GameBuds are a comfortable fit.

Like most wireless earbuds today, the GameBuds can cycle between active noise cancellation and Transparency modes with a button on the left earbud. The ANC isn't anything to write home about, but it got rid of most of the annoying background noise that normally interferes with my audio.

Transparency mode, on the other hand, really impressed me. In this mode, the GameBuds picked up subtle ambient sounds and piped them into my ears so effectively that I forgot I was wearing earbuds. In one instance, I didn’t realize I still had them in until my voice sounded muffled. I could hear everyone else I was speaking to just fine.

ANC does drain the battery faster, as does using Bluetooth. SteelSeries claims the GameBuds will get up to 10 hours on a single charge, with the charging case extending that duration up to 40 hours. In my testing, the earbuds lasted a bit longer than 10 hours with mixed ANC use, but I rarely needed to use them for more than 10 hours straight. Between the charging case topping them off, and popping the case on a wireless charger at night, I never got so much as a “battery low” warning.

Built for Gaming

The 2.4-GHz dongle isn’t the only thing that makes the Arctis GameBuds ideal for gaming. SteelSeries has put a fair amount of development behind its Arctis app, with nearly 200 game-specific profiles designed to highlight the sounds you’d want to hear in each game.

I tried this out in my go-to competitive game, Overwatch 2. With this profile, the more bassy tones were somewhat muted. Meanwhile, the higher-pitched sounds—like, say, a Tracer’s footsteps—stuck out way more than they do on my usual headsets. I won’t claim that the GameBuds gave me superpowers, but the subtle footsteps of a flanker behind me now sounded like lightning striking next to me.

At times, it was almost a bit too much. I found myself playing on a lower volume than I typically do, just so that the harsh sounds weren’t quite so piercing. Still, games like Overwatch 2 rely heavily on sound cues to know what’s happening around you, and noticing a Reaper sneaking up behind you a second earlier can be the difference between life and death.

It’s hard to say how helpful every single one of the nearly 200 profiles would be. And, it goes without saying, but a slightly more optimized audio experience isn’t going to magically make you better at whatever game you play. That said, I’m grateful the option is there. It feels and sounds nicer when care has been taken to tailor my audio experience to a specific game.

Before trying out the Arctis GameBuds, I wasn’t convinced that “gaming” earbuds needed to be a thing. Now? I’m more convinced. The 2.4-GHz dongle, the audio profiles, and the impressive Transparency mode all helped make my gaming sessions easier and more comfortable than I would normally get wearing a full-size headset.