SteelSeries Arena 3 speakers review: Detail-rich sound for every game

Best Prices Today: SteelSeries Arena 3

$129.99

SteelSeries’ 2.0 speaker system, the Arena 3, made a great first impression on me with its clear, detailed sound and a power profile that can easily fill up a room with immersive audio. Its useful mix of wired and wireless connectivity conveniently took care of my gaming and other audio needs. It was also a cinch to set up and use. Read on to find out more…

SteelSeries Arena 3 design, size

Pulling the Arena 3 system out of the box, I noticed two things: Firstly, the two speakers are of medium height — they measure 4.13 x 7.72 x 4.97 inches, with each of the two units being about the size of a cantaloupe. That makes them a lot bigger than other 2.0 speaker systems like the Creative Pebble Pro.

Secondly, the all-black design with simple black-on-black SteelSeries logos ooze gamer appeal. That’s heightened by their shape, an oblong that narrows towards the top and flattens out at the very top. Does anyone else see Darth Vader’s helmet in that?

Further reading: See our roundup of the best budget computer speakers to learn about competing products.

A speaker this slick could have really done with more RGB accents, though, rather than just the tiny indicator light present on the right speaker.

As with other SteelSeries products, the build quality is very good. The main body is comprised of a strong plastic that’s both thick and tough. Each speaker sits on broad circular base that will only wobble if you nudge it. For that privilege you do have to pay a little more than some other speakers — they currently cost $150, compared to the $99 for the Creative Pebble Pro.

The speaker bases allow each unit a few degrees of up / down movement, so if you like to angle your speakers towards your head, you can do that with Arena 3.

SteelSeries Arena 3 connectivity and controls

The Arena 3 works on a PC or a Mac. It has a mix of wired and wireless connectivity so you can easily hook it up to a TV, tablet, or smartphone. Not only do you get a 3.5mm jack for making an analog connection, but you also get a 3.5mm aux-in jack and a dedicated 3.5mm 4-pole jack for a headset too.

The convenience of having all three options at your beck and call is you don’t need to continually unplug your devices when you want to switch between them.

Bluetooth 4.2 functionality is another big plus that allows you to play audio from any Bluetooth enabled device. For me, I liked the convenience of being able to stream music from my smartphone while not having to get up from my gaming rig between bouts. The Arena 3 lacks USB-C connectivity, however, and therefore also has no USB-C passthrough.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The Arena 3’s controls are quite simple. They consist of just a multi-function button and a volume knob on the base of the right speaker. The multi-function button does what its name suggests, allowing you to pair Bluetooth, mute the sound, and switch your audio signal to your headset with just a few presses.

The tiny RGB indicator light is a handy addition that denotes which mode you’re in at any given time. If that gets distracting, though, you can turn it off, too.

How does the SteelSeries Arena 3 sound?

With its powerful sound, the SteelSeries Arena 3 easily fills a room at 60 percent volume. The 4-inch organic fiber drivers produce a very clear audio signature and do a great job warding off distortion when the sound is cranked high.

There’s also a fine level of detail in at different audio frequencies — the lows, mids, and highs. That makes the Arena 3 perfect for what it’s primary intent: PC gaming. It has no trouble delivering the kind of sound immersion that gamers love.

That balance means games of all genres sound rich and satisfying. Personally, I lapped up the detailed zings, chimes, and tings of spells I cast in Baldur’s Gate 3. But I also loved the way the speakers conveyed radio calls, explosions, and bullet ricochets in games like Counter-Strike 2, that seemed all the more real.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Vocals, too, sounded crisp and warm in movies, podcasts, and phone calls. A decent bass presence shook a veil off some of my old favorite music tracks, like Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry be Happy.” In this case, I was delighted with how the speaker brought the background bass vocals to the fore, when they usually get lost in a cacophony of other sounds on other audio devices.

Plugging in a headset proved the Arena 3 could deliver the same kind of sound experience in this mode. If anything, I enjoyed listening even more than when it was unplugged since all that glorious detail was channeled directly into my ears.

Some devices with multi-function buttons can be tricky to work out, but the Arena 3 is straightforward. I didn’t need to lift a finger to switch to headset mode, the speaker automatically registered me plugging it in and switched for me. Bluetooth connected seamlessly to my PC and smartphone on the first go too, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

Should you buy the SteelSeries Arena 3?

SteelSeries’ 2.0 speaker system is a well-rounded device. It packs clear, crisp, and detailed sound, has a mix of wired and wireless connectivity, and fills up a room at just 60 percent volume. I think the speaker design even slightly resembles Darth Vader’s helmet.

The speakers’ range is excellent, so playing games in any genre is immersive and invigorating. For that versatility, you can expect to pay $150, which is a little more than some rival systems. But for enthusiast gamers, that’s going to be money well spent.