The SteelSeries Arctis Prime’s retractable boom microphone is decent, albeit quieter than I would prefer. Despite that, between the vocals, guitar and percussion, each instrument stood out in the song, creating a wonderful melody. However, during the chorus, the electric guitar was overtaking the vocals a bit. The following vocals were deep and rich, full of life. I listened to Dream State’s “I Feel It Too,” and the introductory guitar was bright and hypnotic. The piano was mellow, but not to its own detriment. The percussion also leaned on the sharper side as well, not pumping enough bass to create a well-rounded performance. In Bo Burnham’s “All Eyes On Me,” the vocals were a bit piercing and slightly congested.

All of the instruments were distinguishable from one another thanks to the generous soundstage. When Kimbra goes full blast, her vocals were resounding and present. The vocals fell slightly behind the other instruments, but they still sounded clear. Listening to Gotye and Kimbra’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” the percussion was bright and lively. While the SteelSeries Arctis Prime was built for gaming, it has enough bass and the balanced audio needed to provide a pleasant music-listening experience. SteelSeries Arctis Prime music performance Meanwhile, the stringed tunes of the Viking voices serenaded my ears with sweet highs and mids. Even when I charged him and went full Mike Tyson on this dude’s face, each punch was rich and meaty.

I also played Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and when I unleashed a torrent of arrows into my enemy, each snap was thick and bold. The Arctis Prime also captured the full scope of Lady D’s voice as she seductively threatened me. However, the sound effects from those flying monsters on the roof were properly sharp, and thanks to the Arctis Prime, I could pinpoint where they were. And while the gunshot was loud and decently satisfying, it could’ve used a little more bass for that weighty oomph you expect from firing a gun.

In Resident Evil Village, I made my way through Lady D’s infested courtyard only to unload my pistol into someone’s face. When I was attempting to solve the puzzle with the Tesla reactor, the ball of electrical death produced a lovely shocking sound when it killed me.

In the game, the voice of the NPC that is going to lead me to my death sounded crisp and clear. The melodic strings of the guitar in the main menu sent chills down my spine as the headset captured the fullness of the mids and lows. I played We Were Here Together, a co-op puzzle game with a really bangin’ soundtrack.

Steelseries gg 8.0