SteelSeries Siberia v3 Review

For the second time in its history, SteelSeries’ best-selling Siberia Gaming Headset has been refreshed. The new model, dubbed with the v3 moniker, supposedly improves upon what has been established as an award-winning formula of comfort, design, and quality. It’s a bold undertaking, and one that SteelSeries’ designers have taken very seriously. After all, the Siberia line has earned its share of fans over the years, including myself.

I’ve spent the past few days using the Siberia v3’s exclusively when playing games, listening to music, and enjoying video content on my PC, HTC One smartphone, Xbox One (Headset Adapter is required), and PS4. During these few days I’ve clocked over 12 hours of use. I had high expectations given that the Siberia v2’s are my favorite sub-$200 gaming headset on the market. So, how did this new generation of Siberia hold up?

Design: Matte is Here

The look of the Siberia v3 is very familiar to previous iterations. It has a sophisticated design that makes it appear more mature than its competitors in the price range, easily mistaken for a set of audiophile headphones. Available in white/black or all black, both colorways look professional. This isn’t a bulky set of headphones. Everything you see has a purpose, and there is no fluff to make it look like a Transformer is on your head.

There have been a few adjustments since the days of the v2. For one, the only glossy finish can be found as an accent around the exterior side of the ear cups. Everything else on the headset is matte. While this means it isn’t as eye-catching as its predecessor, you won’t have to worry about fingerprints and dust anymore. It’s a good change.

The headband still uses a suspension system, which earned previous products a reputation for being the most comfortable in the world. The headband has undergone a mild change in this iteration, opting for a synthetic padded material on the underside where your head makes contact with the device instead of the felt-like material of the last generation which would attract a lot of hair and require cleaning. This change, along with a redesign of the headband cable, has improved durability; these are likely to last through thousands of hours of media consumption.

Comfort: Uncontested Territory

As previously mentioned, the suspension style system using a headband supported by wire is back from previous iterations. The band material might be changed, but nothing has been compromised. The synthetic band wraps around the top of your head with two bars of plastic creating an outer shell that provides support around the curvature. The headset evenly distributes its light-weight combination of plastic and synthetics so long sessions aren’t a problem.

The ear cups on the Siberia v3 haven’t changed much since the v2, but the memory foam is a bit thicker. As a result, it doesn’t deform as easily, isolates noise more effectively, and feels better on the ears. There are no pressure points, and unless you have particularly large ears you shouldn’t have any issue with your ears making contact with the speaker housing.

Between the head band and new ear cups, you’ll be hard pressed to find another set of gaming headphones anywhere near the price range of the Siberia v3’s that are as comfortable. This is, simply put, the most comfortable headset on the market.

Audio: Blurring the Line

One common misconception about Gaming Headphones is that they have poor audio quality. This isn’t necessarily an ungrounded belief as many peripheral manufacturers end up prioritizing gaming features on their headsets instead of high quality drivers delivering an engrossing acoustic experience. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Steelseries has always done a great job of delivering solid audio in its products, and the Siberia v3 continues that prestige. The audio delivered here is rich for the price range, delivering great highs, mediums, and lows. Racing in Forza Horizon 2, you’ll find a great contrast between music production and the exhaust notes of the vehicles. In World of Warcraft, actions are easily distinguishable. For first-person shooter junkies, deciphering footstep and gunshot location isn’t a problem despite the headset not supporting Dolby Digital or any emulated surround sound software.

Bass is on the heavier side of the spectrum, which can be overpowering in some scenarios, especially in explosion-heavy games. If you tend to be a bass-junkie, it could be right up your alley. Since the Siberia v3s are 3.5mm only, there is no included sound card, so the environment is static. If you happen to find the bass troubling, there is no way to adjust it.

The Siberia microphone is still one of the best on any gaming headset, too. Strangely enough, it sounds a lot better than Steelseries’ more expensive offerings such as the Wireless H. There’s a talk show host timbre that’s perfect for professional scenarios such a podcasting, or casual environments where you’re leading a group of players.

Features: A Mixed Box

One of the biggest functional differences between the v3s and v2s is the removal of the in-line audio control unit. Previously, you were able to adjust volume and mute/unmute the microphone from a few feet down the cable. Steelseries doesn’t appear to like this concept anymore, and has moved it onto the unit itself for most if not all of its products.

However, while there is a mute/unmute switch located on the exterior of the left ear cup, there is no way to adjust volume anymore. This is problematic in many situations where the speaker settings of your entertainment center or PC are inconsitent with the headphone output. Basically, you’ll have to adjust your audio manually each time you make the switch between other audio sources, instead of letting a volume control do that for you.

The cable setup is still very friendly. There’s a 5′ 3.5mm cable descending from the headset that makes it optimal for use with the PS4, Xbox One, and even mobile. If you need to plug it in farther away to a device with dual audio ports, there’s an extension cable for that. The cables are flexible and well-made, so fraying shouldn’t be an issue.

If you want more features, you may want to consider waiting for the release of the Siberia v3 Prism, which will be a USB headset that supports the latest SteelSeries Engine 3 as well as 16.8 million color illumination.

Conclusion: A Winner in the Sub-$100 Price Range

The SteelSeries Siberia v3s are the most well-rounded gaming headphones you can buy in the sub-$100 range. In a segment dominated by products that have poor audio quality and over-enthusiastic design, the Siberia v3 shows its maturity with sleek design, unmatched comfort, and a rich audio experience that makes the headset a valid choice for more than just gaming.

The lack of a volume control is unfortunate, and there is no way to equalize the audio output. But in every other regard the Siberia v3 is king of the jungle.