Arctic Sound P531 Surround Sound Gaming Headset

Performance and Comfort
Sound quality is one of the most important aspects of a gaming headset and, considering the P531 is Arctic’s top-end model, we are expecting it to deliver on every level. For gaming, the Arctic P531 is ideal thanks to the excellent sound panning – a result of having four dedicated driver units angled differently in each earcup – and the ability to adjust the level of each channel. We did find that the P531 became a little uncomfortable to use after an hour or so due to the weight of the headset.

When listening to music, the Arctic P531 returns reasonable quality, even if there is a slight bias towards the lower registers compared to other gaming headsets. This is a likely result of having a dedicated subwoofer in each earpiece. We expect these headphones would go down well with those who enjoy bass heavy music when they’re not gaming. For those who don’t, however, you can turn down the bass level using the in-line remote control.

The integrated surround sound creates a much more immersive experience when watching movies compared to other gaming headsets on the market. We found that the maximum volume level of the headset was a little much for most activities but we’re sure some users out there will feel the need to max it out! The sound produced overall isn’t quite as clear as that produced by headsets like the SteelSeries Siberia V2 but considering the price difference, this is to be expected.

Arctic seem to have done everything they could to make the P531 as comfortable as possible considering it’s substantial size and weight. In fact it is almost twice the weight of most gaming headsets out there at over 400g. It is fine to use for an hour or so but does become a little uncomfortable if you use it for longer. The cloth covered ear pads do help matters, though.