SteelSeries Wireless GameBuds Up For Preorder At Amazon, And They Work With All Platforms

Amazon is now taking preorders for the Arctis GameBuds, the first wireless gaming earbuds manufactured by the team at SteelSeries behind multiple of the best wireless gaming headsets in 2024. Announced last month, the Arctis GameBuds cost $160 and release October 29. They sport 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connections, so they can pair to all of your game consoles, PC, and Bluetooth-enabled devices. With the GameBuds, SteelSeries squeezed its custom speaker drivers inside ergonomic ear buds with active noise-canceling tech, all while maintaining the best-in-class comfort its known for with its over-ear Arctis Nova series. For those who prefer the form factor of earbuds, the GameBuds offer impressive performance at a lower price than multiple other competitors in the nascent gaming earbud market.

At the moment, Amazon is taking preorders for the Xbox edition, which can aptly be referred to as the universal model, as they’ll also work on PlayStation, PC, Switch, Steam Deck, and mobile. Best Buy is taking preorders on the Xbox and PlayStation editions, and the latter works with all platforms except Xbox. Both models are available in an all-black design, but PlayStation users who want to match their earbuds to their PS5 console have the option of white GameBuds, too.

SteelSeries says you can get over 10 hours of battery life on a full charge, and the included charging case increases the total playback time to up to 40 hours before the case needs to be charged, too. These numbers will vary considerably depending on your connection type and listening mode; with all headsets, active noise cancellation always depletes your battery faster than transparency mode. The charging case supports Qi wireless charging and USB-C charging (cable included). The latter is quick-charge enabled and replenishes three hours of juice from 15 minutes of charging. I have been able to get roughly five hours of continuous playback with noise-cancellation mode active.

To come up with the ideal shape for its first gaming earbuds, SteelSeries scanned the ears of over 62,000 people. The aim was to create earbuds that are comfortable for all-day use while also offering a secure fit. GameBuds come with three different sets of silicone eartips. After placing the silicone tips in your ear canals, you lightly twist the earbud, which effectively locks it into place. As someone who often finds earbuds to be uncomfortable and prone to falling out, I’m thoroughly impressed with the design. They are lightweight, snug, and I’ve worn them all day for weeks now without any discomfort.

Audio and microphone performance are impressive, too. They sound similar, though not quite as good, as the pricier Arctis Nova 7, which is GameSpot’s pick for the best wireless gaming headset. Simply because of the form factor and larger speakers, gaming headsets always provide a more immersive audio experience than comparably priced earbuds. But the GameBuds offer the usual SteelSeries audio features, including 360-degree spatial audio and the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio tech. The built-in microphones work well, and I didn’t need to speak any louder than usual while making calls on iPhone.

Earlier this year, SteelSeries released the Arctis Nova 5, a new mid-range wireless gaming headset for consoles and PC. It launched alongside an exclusive mobile companion app for customizing your audio experience. It’s a handy app that features a bunch of game-specific audio presets created by SteelSeries. The GameBuds are the second SteelSeries product to support the app. On-ear shortcuts can quickly switch between ANC and transparency modes, change devices by bouncing between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections, and pause playback. Instead of touch sensors for on-ear controls, the GameBuds have clickable buttons. Even after a few weeks of testing, I’m still getting used to this change, but it’s nice to not inadvertently toggle a setting from tapping for too long.

The inclusion of both ANC and transparency modes is great for everyday use. The ctive noise cancellation works as well on the GameBuds as it does on the Arctis Nova Pro, which is SteelSeries’ only other audio product with ANC and one of the better examples of noise cancellation in the gaming space. The Nova Pro retails for $350, so this is certainly a nice perk for the $160 GameBuds.

In general, gaming-focused gear doesn’t offer the same caliber of ANC as premium, traditional headphones, such as Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra headphones or earbuds. I have found one exception on this front: Sony’s Inzone Buds for PC and PS5. The Inzone Buds utilize tech found in Sony’s XM5 earbuds, so the ANC is next-level compared to other gaming gear. Unfortunately, Inzone Buds only support Bluetooth LE, which is found on some newer Android phones. You can only connect the Inzone Buds to iPhone via the USB-C dongle, which means you’ll need an iPhone 15 or newer, or a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter for older models. At $200, the Inzone Buds are $40 more than GameBuds, and they don’t work with as many platforms (no Xbox support).

New gaming headsets release seemingly every week, but there are very few wireless gaming earbuds for major manufacturers. The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds is the most versatile option yet in terms of platform support. As a reminder, the Xbox edition can be viewed as universal, while the PlayStation version will work with all of your devices except for Xbox. You can use the GameBuds on Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, Meta Quest headsets, including the newly released Meta Quest 3S.

If you prefer over-ear headphones, Amazon has some nice deals on wireless gaming headsets in the SteelSeries Arctis Nova line.