SteelSeries makes some of the best wireless gaming headsets, among which are the Arctis 7 and Siberia 800. At the time of writing, it has discontinued the Siberia lineup in favor of the Arctis, but that doesn’t automatically mean the Siberia 800 doesn’t have anything to offer.
While it’s more expensive, the Siberia 800 does have hot-swappable battery packs and an OLED transmitter. On top of that, its wireless connectivity works across multiple platforms. However, the Arctis 7 has the upper hand with its streamlined design, more modern features, and lower price point.
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SteelSeries Arctis 7 vs Siberia 800 Comparison Chart
| Model | SteelSeries Arctis 7 | SteelSeries Siberia 800 |
Deal Finder  SteelSeries Arctis 7 SteelSeries brings improved comfort, impressive mic clarity, and lossless wireless audio to the Arctis 7 gaming headset. Awarded Best Wireless Gaming Headset of 2019 by PC Gamer. We are reader supported. When you buy through our links we may earn an affiliate commission. | Amazon product | |
| Price | Deal Finder SteelSeries Arctis 7 SteelSeries brings improved comfort, impressive mic clarity, and lossless wireless audio to the Arctis 7 gaming headset. Awarded Best Wireless Gaming Headset of 2019 by PC Gamer. We are reader supported. When you buy through our links we may earn an affiliate commission. | Amazon product |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz – 20kHz | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Drivers | 40mm neodymium S1 | 40mm neodymium |
| Positional Audio | DTS Headphone:X v2.0 | Dolby 7.1 Surround |
| Microphone | Retractable, noise canceling, ClearCast bidirectional | Retractable, unidirectional |
| Connection | USB, 3.5mm analog, lossless 2.4 GHz | USB, optical, 3.5mm analog, lossless 2.4 GHz |
| Wireless Range | 40 ft. | 33 ft. |
| Battery Life | 24+ hours | Up to 20 hours per pack |
| SteelSeries Engine 3 Support | Yes | No |
| Compatibility | PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, mobile, Xbox One (via 3.5mm analog) | PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, mobile |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs | 1.1 lbs |
| Colors | Black, white | Black |
Design and Build
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 feels more durable and arguably looks better with its renewed design.
SteelSeries stepped up its design game with the Arctis family, and it really shows on the Arctis 7. For starters, it has a metal headband with a ski goggle strap that adjusts to your head and distributes weight evenly for maximum comfort. Its ear cups are made from hard, durable plastic with a matte-textured outer layer. Volume control is on the left cup, and the ChatMix dial (read: in-game audio and chat volume balancer) is on the right, along with the power button. Overall, it has a sleeker appearance, making the Siberia 800 look relatively outdated.
Meanwhile, the Siberia 800 has a plastic build, and for a headset marketed as premium, that’s a bit disappointing. However, it does sport thick cushions on its headband and ear cups so comfort won’t be an issue at all.
Both have retractable, flexible microphones. Thanks to that, they can be positioned easily toward your mouth or put out of the way when they’re not needed.
Audio Performance
The SteelSeries Siberia 800’s wireless connectivity works on more platforms.
On one hand, the Arctis 7 has a wireless transmitter, but there’s no OLED display or other controls, and it only connects via USB to the PlayStation 4 and PC. On the other hand, the Siberia 800’s wireless base station has a ChatMix dial and a screen with a battery indicator. It connects to the PC with USB and to the Xbox One or PS4 with an optical cable.
Both have a 2.4GHz lossless connection, meaning that you shouldn’t have problems with audio quality and latency. Signal strength should be reliable as well in most cases, as long as the headsets and their respective transmitters are positioned correctly.
Also, both can be used wired like any ordinary headset with their 3.5mm analog cable. If it weren’t clear, the Arctis 7 doesn’t have wireless support for the Xbox One, but because of the 3.5mm cable, it can be used connected to an Xbox One controller. In the same vein, the Siberia 800 needs to be connected to an Xbox One controller if you want voice chat, but if not, it can work wirelessly, as noted.
One of the biggest differences between the gaming cans is their surround sound. While the Arctis 7 has DTS Headphone: X v2.0, the Siberia 800 uses Dolby 7.1 Surround. Basically, the former is considered to be better, more immersive, and more balanced than the latter. For the record, positional audio is available only on the PC.
Now the two headsets have the same frequency response range of 20Hz to 20kHz. They also boast 40mm neodymium drivers, but the Arctis 7 has the edge with its S1 drivers to produce ultra-low distortion for added clarity.
Battery Life
The SteelSeries Siberia 800 has swappable battery packs, something the Arctis 7 doesn’t have.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 can go more than 24 hours at a time. Needless to say, it can last a long time between charges.
However, the Siberia 800 wins on this front. At that, it has hot-swappable battery packs, each one holding up to 20 hours of juice. Assuming you regularly charge these packs when not in use, the headset will always be ready for long gaming sessions all the time.
Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 isn’t just less expensive but also better in a lot of ways than the Siberia 800.
Amazon productAt the end of the day, we’ll have to go with the SteelSeries Arctis 7 here. For one thing, it has a fresher design, a ski goggle headband for comfort, volume and ChatMix dials on the ear cups, and a lower price tag. Moreover, it has better surround sound, and even if that doesn’t matter to you, it has S1 speaker drivers for ultra-low distortion.
Still, there are reasons to get the Siberia 800. To begin with, its wireless connectivity works on the PC, PS4, and the Xbox One. Additionally, it has swappable battery packs, so you won’t be caught with a dead wireless headset. All things considered, these don’t really outweigh the advantages of the Arctis 7, unless they’re really important to you.
FAQs
Yes. The SteelSeries Arctis 7 wireless headset has top-notch audio performance, reliable wireless connectivity, surround sound, and a comfortable fit, and it can even last over 20 hours on a single charge.
Yes. The SteelSeries Siberia 800 has hot-swappable batteries with 20 hours’ worth of charge each, and it can be used wirelessly across platforms, from the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to the PC.
Arguably, the SteelSeries Arctis 7 is better than the Siberia 800 because of its renewed look, ski goggle headband that evenly distributes weight, and improved speaker drivers for ultra-low distortion. In addition, it’s more affordable.
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 is considered as one of the best Arctis headsets available. It ticks all the right boxes, including sound quality and performance, features, battery life, and ease of use.