SteelSeries Siberia Raw Prism Gaming Headset is the first headset in a long time that I actually don’t mind wearing. Most of the time when I’m playing games on my PC, I’ll wear the headset around my neck and use it only for the built-in microphone. Typically, I’ll play sound through my regular computer speakers as I hate the feeling of a headset on my head.
Most of the time, it’s too tight, too loose, too heavy, or just plain uncomfortable. With the Siberia Raw Prism, it was none of those. I’ve been using this headset for over a week now, mostly on PC, and I absolutely love it — mostly because of its lightweight design.
The Siberia Raw Prism is built with a plastic frame, which definitely has me concerned about its durability; however, seeing as how they never leave my office I don’t have to worry about that sort of thing. The earcups and headband are also a soft mesh fabric, not a leather as some of the more expensive headsets tend to be. I actually prefer the fabric as it’s still comfortable and doesn’t get sweaty like leather tends to do. Even though the earcups don’t fit entirely over my ears, the lightweight design of the headset makes up for that.
Settings for the headset are accessible through the SteelSeries Engine 3 software which can be downloaded from the SteelSeries website. From this software you can customize and store your sound preferences, although I found the audio to be crisp and clear right out of the box. Of course, everyone has different preferences and the SteelSeries Engine 3 was perfectly functional for my audio needs. You are also able to change the illumination color of the light on the earcups from Engine 3. With built-in CloudSync technology, you can even backup and retrieve your settings from the cloud, which is pretty convenient if you do intend to use these on different rigs. Unfortunately, the headset doesn't offer any digital surround sound.
There's also a built-in microphone that integrated into the left earcup — no extended boom or retractable extension to fuss with. There's also a convenient on/off button located on the left earcup for a quick mute button. Although the microphone is perfectly functional, it did pick up a lot of the ambience in my room. Adjusting the sensitivity helped, but finding a delicate balance was a bit tricky.
My only real gripe with the Siberia Raw Prism is with its USB. I don’t mind that it’s not wireless; the problem is the USB cable is too short. For PC, it’s perfectly suitable. However, the Siberia Raw Prism is also compatible with the PlayStation 4. If you plan on using these with your PS4 you may run into some problems with the cable length as it likely won’t be long enough to stretch from your console to your couch. If you sit close to your console you should be fine, but if you sit across the room like I do it might pose a problem. For the computer though, the length is fine.
For $59.99, the SteelSeries Siberia Raw Prism is on the more affordable side of the gaming headset spectrum. If you're not concerned with all of the fancy bells and whistles that a more expensive headset might offer, and you're simply in the market for an affordable, comfortable, and perfectly capable headset, the SteelSeries Siberia Raw Prism is definitely worth a listen.
