And of course, you can use the Arctis 9X as a standalone Bluetooth headset, though it's noticeably bulkier than most other wireless cans. Even better, it lets you mix that input together with the Xbox One's audio, allowing you to continue a phone call or Discord conversation while still hearing your gameplay. I was surprised to find two dials on the earcups, one for balancing the mix between voice chat and game audio, and another for volume.īy subscribing, you are agreeing to Engadget's Terms and Privacy Policy.Īs you'd expect, there's also Bluetooth connectivity on the Arctis 9X. The Arctis 9X uses the same 40mm speaker drivers as the Arctis 7, and it has a retractable microphone along with a physical mute button. It looks and feels like a high-quality piece of equipment, and not just a gimmicky toy for gamers. It has the same basic design: plush earpads with a fabric covering, a sturdy steel headband, and a 'ski goggle' suspension band to adjust the fit. If you've seen the SteelSeries' Arctis 7, you've pretty much seen the 9X. (The Xbox One doesn't support Bluetooth headphones, which is one reason why it hasn't seen many wireless headsets.) SteelSeries says it worked with Microsoft while developing the Arctis 9X to make sure it took full advantage of their proprietary wireless connectivity. In my testing, that took around five seconds. The Arctis 9X pairs with your Xbox One just like a controller - hit the wireless pairing button on the console and headset at the same time, and wait for them to connect.

Arctis 9x