SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless headset chats up the Nintendo Switch and more
A big dongle for your little console.
SteelSeries hits four gaming platforms with the new Arctis 1 Wireless, a $100 version of its entry-level Arctis 1 headset. It uses a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle to connect wirelessly to the Nintendo Switch as well as Android phones, the PlayStation 4 and PCs. And just in time for your new Switch Lite!
The mic's removable rather than retractable, but it uses a deep 3.5mm jack and keys in. So it's less prone to breakage and you won't waste minutes making sure the tiny mic holes are facing your mouth rather than away from it. It's the same mic that's on the Arctis 1, though.
All your preferences are saved to the headset if you like to platform from one device to another. You can use it to pick up or make calls on your phone the way you can with any other headset. SteelSeries rates the battery life at about 20 hours.
It comes with a cornucopia of adapters, including a USB-C extender -- which you'll need if you're using the headset with a laptop, because the wide dongle otherwise blocks every port in a 2-inch vicinity. There's no pass through either, so you can't dock the Switch or charge your phone while it's attached. But you can use the headset wired on anything with an analog jack.
While the ear cups are comfortable and the headset feels sturdily constructed, it doesn't have the adjustable band that SteelSeries puts on its higher-end models, so all you can really do is extend the cups. Even completely contracted the cups lie a little far down on my ears, but that's probably good news for all you big-headed gamers. They connected seamlessly to a Switch and on a PC sounded good with no latency in the brief time I had to try them.
You'll see four different packages marketing to each platform, but there's zero distinction among them except for the accent color and packaging, such as silver for PC and blue for PS4.
