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As stated above, most headsets simply do not offer this feature, and it's excellent to see SteelSeries finally offer something specifically for Xbox gamers. The Arctis 9X's most important feature is its out-of-the-box wireless connectivity with the Xbox One. You don't really need to make use of the chat and mic options if you stick to single-player games, but they're extremely intuitive if you decide to experiment with them. Changing the chat/audio balance is as simple as rotating a dial, and you can mute or unmute the mic with a simple button press. Thanks to a strong, clear microphone and an easily accessible voice chat/game volume dial, the Arctis 9X is also a perfect companion for multiplayer matches. It's worth noting that you can indeed run Bluetooth and Xbox audio simultaneously, in case you'd like to funnel in music or take a phone call while you level grind.įrom the strategic supervision of Wargroove, to the fast-paced first-person shooting of Doom, the Arctis 9X provided beautiful, clear, clean sound. You can also hook up the Arctis 9X to a PC, either via Bluetooth or an Xbox Wireless Adapter, where it performed just fine with titles like StarCraft: Remastered. With a lightweight design and an even weight distribution, it's easy to wear the Arctis 9X for hours at a time, whether you're listening to music at the office or immersed in a great game at home. Thanks to its elastic headband, you're almost guaranteed to get a perfect fit every time you don the Arctis 9X. SteelSeries continues to dominate the headset market when it comes to comfort. This is probably one of the reasons why the Arctis 9X is so expensive whether or not it's worth the premium will depend almost entirely on how much you use your Xbox One. The Arctis 9X connects wirelessly to the Xbox via Microsoft's proprietary protocol and to most other devices via Bluetooth. On the bright side, there are no dongles to worry about. MORE: The Best Headsets for Immersive Gaming And it's not as though 3.5-mm audio cables are expensive, but for $200 up front, it feels like something that SteelSeries should have included. Since the Arctis 9X offers Bluetooth, you may not really need this cable for your mobile phone, but it's helpful for a Switch, or a PS4 controller, or any older device you may still have in your tech arsenal. Previous Arctis models have used a proprietary connection on one end, with a regular 3.5-mm jack at the other end, and these cables have always come right in the box. What's strange about the audio port on the Arctis 9X is that it's just a plain 3.5-mm connection - and the headset doesn't come with a cable. The left ear cup has a volume dial, a mic mute button, a Bluetooth button and a power button in the back as well as a micro USB charging port and a 3.5-millimeter audio port on the bottom. On the right ear cup, you'll find a retractable, flexible mic in the front and a chat/game volume dial in the back.
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