Save on Gaming Earbuds Perfect for Playing on Switch or ROG Xbox Ally
While I tested Many gaming headsets are intended for sitting on a couch or desk, but very few are easy to throw in your pocket and take on the go. The Steelseries Arctis GameBuds meet this need and are perfectly suited to consoles like the Nintendo Switch 2 and the ROG Xbox Ally. They’re currently marked down to just $160 at Best Buy, which is $40 off their usual price.
Photography: Éric Ravenscraft
Steel Series
Arctis GameBuds
While most gamers prefer over-ear headphones for their noise isolation and comfort, these headphones have special features that help them bridge the gap. The Arctis mobile app offers a wide variety of sound profiles for individual games, allowing you to quickly change equalizers when switching from a shooter to a racing game. The included USB-C dongle ensures a latency-free 2.4GHz wireless connection, much better than Bluetooth for the serious gamer on the go. They also have excellent battery life, around 10 hours on a single charge, and up to 40 hours when you include the battery in the case. They’re compact enough to fit in the extra compartment of my favorite Switch 2 carrying case, the Belkin Charger Case.
They’re not just great for gaming. I often use them when doing yard work or walking the dog, thanks to their perfect fit. I also like that they have physical buttons instead of touch controls, which helps prevent accidental track skipping during intense workouts. While they don’t sound as clear as some of our other favorite wireless headphones, they have a clear, punchy sound profile that works great for a little Steely Dan. Noise cancellation is also surprisingly effective. I recently took a short flight with these and didn’t bring my usual Sony over-ear ANC headphones, and they worked perfectly to squeeze in a few hours of Donkey Kong: a godsend without missing this superb soundtrack.
If you’re ready to up your portable gaming, head over to Best Buy for $40 off the black Arctis Headphones, or check out our other favorite gaming headsets for something more traditional.
