Transparency mode, on the other hand, really impressed me. In this mode, the GameBuds picked up subtle ambient sounds and piped them into my ears so effectively that I forgot I was wearing earbuds. In one instance, I didn’t realize I still had them in until my voice sounded muffled. I could hear everyone else I was speaking to just fine.

ANC does drain the battery faster, as does using Bluetooth. SteelSeries claims the GameBuds will get up to 10 hours on a single charge, with the charging case extending that duration up to 40 hours. In my testing, the earbuds lasted a bit longer than 10 hours with mixed ANC use, but I rarely needed to use them for more than 10 hours straight. Between the charging case topping them off, and popping the case on a wireless charger at night, I never got so much as a “battery low” warning.

Built for Gaming

The 2.4-GHz dongle isn’t the only thing that makes the Arctis GameBuds ideal for gaming. SteelSeries has put a fair amount of development behind its Arctis app, with nearly 200 game-specific profiles designed to highlight the sounds you’d want to hear in each game.

I tried this out in my go-to competitive game, Overwatch 2. With this profile, the more bassy tones were somewhat muted. Meanwhile, the higher-pitched sounds—like, say, a Tracer’s footsteps—stuck out way more than they do on my usual headsets. I won’t claim that the GameBuds gave me superpowers, but the subtle footsteps of a flanker behind me now sounded like lightning striking next to me.

At times, it was almost a bit too much. I found myself playing on a lower volume than I typically do, just so that the harsh sounds weren’t quite so piercing. Still, games like Overwatch 2 rely heavily on sound cues to know what’s happening around you, and noticing a Reaper sneaking up behind you a second earlier can be the difference between life and death.

It’s hard to say how helpful every single one of the nearly 200 profiles would be. And, it goes without saying, but a slightly more optimized audio experience isn’t going to magically make you better at whatever game you play. That said, I’m grateful the option is there. It feels and sounds nicer when care has been taken to tailor my audio experience to a specific game.

Before trying out the Arctis GameBuds, I wasn’t convinced that “gaming” earbuds needed to be a thing. Now? I’m more convinced. The 2.4-GHz dongle, the audio profiles, and the impressive Transparency mode all helped make my gaming sessions easier and more comfortable than I would normally get wearing a full-size headset.