SteelSeries have been always leading the gaming peripheral market for years. I was so impressed with the Siberia v2 gaming headset when I reviewed it last year, unfortunately, the successor Siberia v3 couldn’t do the same thing.
Unboxing Video
Design & Features
The Siberia v3 has almost the same design as its predecessor, there are just a few minor changes on the earcup holders and audio cable. The in-line control is now moved to the left earcup, so the mute switch for microphone is easier to reach now. Otherwise, everything else stays the same. You still see the plastic headphones with well-padded earcups, retractable microphone and self-adjusting headband.
What I don’t like about the design is the self-adjusting headband because it makes the earcups unable to fit snugly around my ears. Therefore, there is a lot of sound leakage which does not only affect the sound but also the microphone. When you speak to someone via the microphone, that person will be able to hear what you are listening from the headphones. Besides, the headphones are said to provide better noise isolation but probably my head is too big, so it can’t block noises from the outside.
An advantage of the headphones is that they are quite lightweight and comfortable, but I still prefer bigger earcups.
Audio Quality
As the headphones don’t stay properly on my head, the sound signature is significantly changed. Many other reviewers reported overwhelming bass responses but due to the sound leakage in my case, the bass is quite powerful and sufficient. Unfortunately, that’s the only advantage of the sound.
The Siberia v3 is good enough for games but I can’t listen to music for more than 10 minutes. It is because the sound is a little harsh and I can hear treble spikes sometimes, which is quite uncomfortable for my eardrums. Therefore, the old Siberia v2 seems to be the winner in terms of audio quality.
Conclusion
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Doesn’t fit my head
- Undetachable audio cable
- Disappointing sound
I prefer the older version but you can give it a try if you have a small head.
