How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a console-first wired headset with punchy, bass-forward sound and a mic you can tuck away when you're not talking, choose Razer Kraken Gaming Headset; if you need a lighter, all-platform headset built around long-session comfort and a broadcast-style mic, choose SteelSeries Arctis 3.
• Razer Kraken Gaming Headset — biggest strength: Custom-tuned 50 mm drivers plus software-enabled 7.1 surround on Windows 10 64-bit, wrapped in a bauxite aluminum frame with cooling gel-infused cushions.
• Razer Kraken Gaming Headset — biggest trade-off: The surround feature is Windows-only, and it's the heavier of the two at 11.36 ounces, so it's less of a "toss it in a bag" headset.
• SteelSeries Arctis 3 — biggest strength: A ski-goggle suspension headband and AirWeave fabric cushions built for all-day wear, plus the ClearCast mic with background noise cancellation.
• SteelSeries Arctis 3 — biggest trade-off: The mic isn't retractable, PS5 needs a manual settings change (disable Sony 3D Audio, raise volume to 100%), and the driver range tops out lower than the Kraken's.
• Pick the Kraken if you game mostly on a Windows PC or console and want big sound and a hideaway mic.
• Pick the Arctis 3 if you play across many platforms, wear a headset for hours, or care most about voice clarity.
The Kraken is the headset you buy when you want your games to sound big. Those custom-tuned 50 mm dynamic drivers push a 12 Hz – 28,000 Hz frequency range, and the tuning is deliberately bass-forward — subtle footsteps on one side, explosions on the other. On a Windows 10 64-bit machine you can switch on software-enabled 7.1 surround for positional audio, which is the feature that matters most if you play shooters and want to place sound directionally. Note the caveat baked into the spec: that surround mode is Windows-only, so console players get stereo.
Comfort here is a genuine design decision, not an afterthought. The oval, cooling gel-infused cushions are meant to cut heat buildup and pressure over long sessions, and the leatherette rims add passive sound isolation. The frame is bauxite aluminum — flexible, light for metal, and rated for a 2-year manufacturer warranty. The headband padding is thicker than you'd expect on a headset this shape, which helps if you have a larger head.
The mic is the quiet winner for a lot of people. It's a retractable unidirectional cardioid mic — pull it out when you're on comms, push it back into the ear cup when you're not. No dangling boom in your face during single-player. In-line analog volume wheel and mic mute sit on the cable, so you're not hunting through software menus.
SteelSeries Arctis 3: Who It's For
The Arctis 3 is the comfort play. SteelSeries built it around a ski-goggle suspension headband — a stretchy band that contours across the whole top of your head instead of pressing on one spot — and paired it with athletics-inspired AirWeave performance fabric cushions that are designed to keep your ears cool and dry. At 10.4 ounces it's the lighter of the two, and the fabric enclosure means less heat trap than leatherette. If you've ever taken a headset off after three hours and found a hot band across your skull, this is the design that addresses it.
Sound-wise, the s1 speaker drivers are engineered for ultra-low distortion, with a 20 Hz – 22,000 Hz range and 98 dB sensitivity. The signature here isn't thump — it's clarity of the small stuff: reloads, distant footsteps, directional cues. That's a deliberate tuning choice, and it pairs well with Windows Sonic spatial audio on Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One consoles, where native surround is built in.
The microphone is arguably the headline. The ClearCast bidirectional mic is Discord certified and designed for studio-quality voice clarity with background noise cancellation. It's not retractable — it's a fixed boom — so you're always visibly "on a headset," but the trade is that voice quality is the priority rather than convenience.
Platform flexibility is the other big draw. Detachable 3.5 mm cables mean the same headset works across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, VR, and mobile. Two things to know from the spec sheet: on PS5 you have to disable Sony 3D Audio and set volume to 100% for optimal results, and the warranty is 1 year versus the Kraken's 2.
Who should skip it? If you want a retractable mic, the deepest bass, or Windows-only 7.1 surround, the Arctis 3 isn't chasing those. And if you dislike the look of a suspended headband, this isn't your design.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for big, bass-forward game audio → Razer Kraken Gaming Headset (50 mm drivers, 12 Hz – 28,000 Hz range).
• Best for voice clarity on comms → SteelSeries Arctis 3 (ClearCast bidirectional mic, Discord certified).
• Best mic convenience → Razer Kraken Gaming Headset (retractable, so it disappears when you're solo).
• Best for Windows positional audio → Razer Kraken Gaming Headset (software-enabled 7.1 surround, Windows 10 64-bit only).
• Best for platform hopping → SteelSeries Arctis 3 (detachable 3.5 mm cables across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, VR, mobile).
• Best for durability spec → Razer Kraken Gaming Headset (bauxite aluminum frame, 2-year manufacturer warranty vs 1 year).
• Best for cooler ears in summer → SteelSeries Arctis 3 (fabric cushions vs gel-infused leatherette).
• Best for a PS5-focused setup with minimal fuss → Razer Kraken Gaming Headset (the Arctis 3 requires a manual PS5 settings change).
In my opinion, the SteelSeries Arctis 3 is the safer buy for most people. The suspension headband and fabric cushions solve the problem that actually ends gaming sessions — heat and pressure — and the ClearCast mic plus detachable cables make it the headset you can carry across every platform you own. I'd only steer you to the Razer Kraken Gaming Headset if your setup is Windows- or console-centric and you specifically want that bigger, bassier sound signature with a mic you can hide. Since neither spec sheet tells you what either costs today, check the current price on Amazon before you commit — that's the one variable that can flip this decision.
Both work over 3.5 mm, but the Arctis 3 requires you to disable Sony 3D Audio and raise the volume to 100% for optimal results on PS5. The Kraken doesn't carry that requirement, so it's the simpler plug-and-play pick on PlayStation.
By spec, the Arctis 3's ClearCast bidirectional mic is the more voice-focused design, with background noise cancellation and Discord certification. The Kraken's unidirectional cardioid mic is also noise-isolating, but its advantage is being retractable rather than studio-style clarity.
The design points that way for long sessions: the Arctis 3 is lighter (10.4 oz vs 11.36 oz) and uses AirWeave fabric cushions plus a suspension headband. The Kraken counters with cooling gel-infused cushions and thicker headband padding, so it's a close call depending on whether you prefer gel or fabric.
For software-enabled 7.1 surround on the Kraken, yes — it's Windows 10 64-bit only. The Arctis 3 instead relies on Windows Sonic spatial audio, which is native to Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One consoles.
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