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Quantum Error review – playing with fire
5:00 pm | October 30, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: | Comments: Off
Review info

 Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: November 3, 2023 

Quantum Error is a cosmic horror shooter action game from TeamKill Media that has a very original premise, one that I’m surprised hasn’t been explored more in games: putting you in the boots of a firefighter and having you utilize their specialist skills and tools.

You are Jacob Thomas, an accomplished firefighter Captain. On a regular search and rescue fire mission that goes south - and spookily supernatural - you soon become stranded in a research facility and have to rely on your distinct firefighter skills as well as the weapons you find on-site. Throughout the adventure, you'll need to save employees, liaise with survivors, and find out what’s at the heart of a cosmic horror nightmare - all while confronting terrorists and otherworldly monsters. 

Quantum Error is an intriguing horror game that’s well done, uses the PS5's DualSense controller smartly, has robust weapons, and deploys its firefighter USP terrifically. However, frustrations affecting pacing, progression, gunplay, and art direction hold the game back. 

Fanning the flames

Screenshot from cosmic horror action game Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)

Quantum Error’s setup is a mix of original and familiar. The former is the concept of being a stranded firefighter in a high-tech facility, trying to save lives, find your crew, and rely on your vocational talents and tools to get to the bottom of a dark mystery. The familiar part is quite familiar, however: a solo protagonist, cut off from their team, is on a rescue mission gone wrong and must navigate a dark and mysterious facility taking on terrorists and supernatural enemies with whatever tools they can find. This gives Quantum Error some particularly strong Dead Space vibes, making protagonist Jacob reminiscent of Isaac, the frontman of EA's own seminal sci-fi horror series.

The meat of the game is set in the 22nd century at the Monad Quantum Research Facility, an installation on the cutting edge of quantum travel. You traverse multiple floors of the Monad, following objectives and uncovering information, but there’s no strong USG-Ishimura-type sense of place here. It’s rather monotonous and samey by design, and unfortunately, a lot of the Monad is just too dark to appreciate. The approach in Quantum Error does seem to be ‘more dark = more scare’. However, the darkness also helps reinforce the sensation of Jacob being alone and isolated which ramps up the fear factor. It still successfully gives you the jumps when hearing cries or whispers in the distance or rounding a corner and getting rushed by an enemy. Skulking around the corridors and rooms of the Monad is rewarding, too, offering the chance to find new weapons, resources, or even NPCs to save. Some of the side quests to rescue folks are particularly enjoyable to pull off, and it’s always satisfying to solve a puzzle using your firefighter's brain or lead stranded Monad employees to escape points.  

Jacob's face in Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)

Several well-designed and helpful safe spaces throughout the Monad facility help Jacob survive, along with plenty of resources and ammo to assist your journey through each zone: Firewings and armories offer safe rooms in which to stock up, change your suit depending on the specific fire or damage resistance you need, and upgrade your weapons (with the firmware resource found throughout the game); and ARGUS (Advanced Retinal Global Unity System) sites provide place to upgrade Jacob and to save progress. A mysterious substance called ‘quintessence’ - introduced to you without comment, somewhat frustratingly - is used to upgrade Jacob’s stats, and overall, his personal and weapon upgrades are pleasingly simple and streamlined - there are no branching skill trees here, just good old-fashioned numbers that you can make bigger. 

The healing system is particularly satisfying to use. Jacob can boost his health with a syringe (the ‘E.M.I’) but you can store healing items up to ‘stock up’ said syringe. This means you can gather healing packs to both top yourself up in the short term, and prepare for future encounters in the long term. The game encourages you to maintain full health and stock up so Jacob is in the best possible condition and position going forward.

A lot of Quantum Error plays as a straight-up action shooter, that can be played first-person or third-person. The firefighter tools are weighty and brutal when used in melee combat; smash the fire axe or halligan into enemies and you’re met with heavy and satisfying thuds which yield explosive results. Most of the guns are cool in and of themselves, and deliver solid punches and satisfying blows on enemies. The shotgun. great for cutting enemies in half, and the spitter (a heavy-duty shotgun-type gun that fires clusters of ammo) are definite highlights, and I had great fun laying into all the different enemy types with them too. However, the actual gunplay is a bit sluggish: fire rates and reloads are very slow, weapon switching takes an age, and there are no automatic reloads when you get to the end of a mag. At best this could be interpreted as something to remind you that Jacob is only a firefighter, not a soldier, but at worst (and most of the time) it slows down the action, is frustrating, and can leave you helpless in a fight if you’ve emptied a clip.

Burning bright, and burning dim

Screenshot from cosmic horror action game Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)
Best bit

The DualSense reflecting and assisting with firefighter skills is always very cool - receiving localized rumble when checking the temperature of doors, performing CPR compressions and mouth-to-mouth with the triggers and mic, and feeling the intense rumble when porting open doors with the halligan are particular highlights of the tech.

Where Quantum Error shines brightest, however, is when you can go hard on playing Jacob as a firefighter. There are a host of firefighting tools at your disposal which are so cool, and that are implemented very successfully. From simple things like working out how to restore water supplies to hosepipes when fires are blocking the way ahead or using a mallet to slowly close heavy-duty valves, to more specialist abilities like identifying gas flows and pinching the pipes off with the jaws of life, prying open closed doors with a halligan bar, checking doors to avoid backdrafts, and venting rooms with a saw, are all incredibly well done and satisfying,  adding to the immersion. So much so that these are some of the best bits of the game - something further enhanced when putting some of those specialist tools to very good effect against bosses; knocking a boss down and then laying into them with the K12 saw is grimly satisfying.

These tools and skills are then terrifically deployed with the PS5’s DualSense controller: when checking to see if a door is hot with Jacob’s left hand (to work out if a deadly backdraft will occur if you were to pry it open), the left wing of the DualSense will subtly vibrate to indicate that the door is hot, and the room on the other side needs venting first; the adaptive triggers will resist and then rumble intensely as your halligan jams into and then opens doors; the haptics will alter according to the intensity of flames and how you’re approaching them; and you can blow through the microphone to deliver breaths when performing CPR.

There are a host of firefighting tools at your disposal which are so cool, and that are implemented very successfully

However, it’s not all white hot. Quantum Error’s art direction is very over the top at times, to the point of being cringeworthy. It feels like it's trying to be so cinematic and cool with the amount of lingering close-ups on character faces, super slow-mo sequences, and forced faux-dramatic delivery of lines. The eyebrow-raising art direction also extends to the characters: Jacob is another member of the wooden-voiced, blank-expression protagonist club, for starters. Elsewhere, especially in cutscenes, there are strange poses, weird animations, inaccurate lip-syncing, and very wooden voice work and facial expressions, all of which are jarring and falter the immersion and storytelling.

The pacing throughout the game is strange, but also annoying at times. Especially in the first few hours, the story is hard to follow due to the implementation of flashbacks, and elsewhere cutscenes can just suddenly appear in areas of otherwise normal game time, causing you to be on hold for a few minutes. I also had to wait for what felt like an age to get the second main weapon in the game. The pacing also affects some levels with long gaps between save points making for frustrating checkpointing - some particular enemies that are thrown at you along the way make this even more annoying and can quickly ruin progress.

Screenshot from cosmic horror action game Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)

Quantum Error’s use of Unreal Engine 5 is splendid and gives the game a slick and chic finish, but, overall, the title does show some signs of its small-scale development. I’ve had multiple instances when the weapon and item menus would just not appear when pressing the appropriate buttons; Jacob often struggles with ladders and has strange transitions between standing, crouching, and going prone; and, at one point, I managed to skip a level’s whole main objective by using a save point. When I booted up after this save, the companion I was escorting disappeared and I could only go into the final area of the level with the game starting the end boss fight as if nothing happened.

Quantum Error is a well-executed mystery horror game that realizes the childhood dream of “being a firefighter”. Broad chunks of it are robust, such as its guns and Jacob’s specialist skills, but numerous frustrations hold it back. In the year of Dead Space Remake and Alan Wake 2, Quantum Error struggles to burn as bright as its contemporaries.

Accessibility features

Image 1 of 3

Screenshot of the menu from Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)
Image 2 of 3

Screenshot of the menu from Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)
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Screenshot of the menu from Quantum Error

(Image credit: TeamKill Media)

There are no dedicated accessibility features in Quantum Error. Subtitles are present but small and there is no way to change subtitle size which is a huge problem at early points in the game where some tutorial boxes are unbelievably text-cramped and hard to read - so much so that I had to get close to my TV to read them. Elsewhere, the best-looking features that would benefit accessibility - ‘cheats’ offering things such as infinite oxygen and health - are unavailable until you finish a playthrough (this qualifier is not displayed).

How we reviewed Quantum Error

I played Quantum Error on PS5 for nearly 15 hours enjoying its full technical capabilities on a Samsung Q6F QLED TV. I explored as much of the Monad facility as I could in my time with the game following the main story as well as exploring and finding side missions. I used as many weapons and tools as I could find to get a handle on all that the game offers in that respect, and I enjoyed the game’s creepy audio on both a soundbar and with a PS5 headset.

If you’re looking for more inspiration for PlayStation 5, then check out our guides to the best PS5 games and best PS5 exclusives. 

The Expanse: A Telltale Series review – the cold equations of survival
11:24 am | July 27, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off
Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Release date: July 27, 2023

Nothing good has ever come from exploring a derelict spaceship – except great stories. 

The Expanse: A Telltale Series doesn’t reinvent the adventure genre, instead streamlining and refining many of its conventions. That it does so while providing a relentless and engaging story is a testament to the smart decisions taken by developer Deck Nine, which has scraped away much of the extraneous features of graphic adventure games to reveal their underlying appeal.

The game is a prequel to the cult show of the same name. Despite that, it feels very much standalone, with a story that provides insight into one of the show’s main characters while being wholly accessible to newcomers. 

As such it is in the execution of the story that The Expanse lives or dies. Happily the game doesn’t overload the player with exposition, relegating much of the backstory of the setting to lightweight audio and text logs found scattered throughout its world. It shows rather than tells the impact of that setting through the interactions of main character Camina Drummer and her supporting cast, all of whom feel fully realised right from the off.

Characters that in less assured hands would feel cliched instead feel like genuine products of their environment. Khan, the irascible and tetchy pilot of the Artemis – the game’s primary location – can be humanised considerably throughout the first two episodes, transforming from a silhouette in a pilot’s seat to a tormented ally to Drummer.

A real scrap

Screnshot from The Expanse Telltale game

(Image credit: Telltale)

It’s a neat way to integrate the characters’ occupations as scavengers into the narrative while also reiterating that space in the Expanse-verse is inherently hostile to humankind. That fact plays into the story repeatedly, from the threat of execution through being ejected from an airlock to the impact it has upon the psyches of Belters – a faction who have no affiliation to any planet within the solar system.

That hostility is at the core of the story. Over the first few episodes Drummer and the crew of the Artemis discover the existence of a valuable item from a derelict ship, the mere knowledge of which makes them the target of pirate attacks and in-fighting within the crew themselves. It provides impetus for the decisions that you-as-Drummer have to make in order to keep the crew alive, while also emphasising the lack of value placed on human life that is integral to the setting.

The game mixes up the exploration sequences with scenes of relatively calm relationship development and QTE-based sections similar to those of previous Telltale Games. It provides welcome variety within each episode – and it doesn’t hurt that the action sequences have stellar art direction, making each shot and impact feel visceral. Those looking for reaction-based action won’t find it here, however: the timing on QTEs feels very forgiving by default, and the alternate settings are even laxer.

Despite the variety, each episode itself feels relatively short. Even seeking out everything in the environments it took me about 90 minutes to complete episode two, while actively seeking out every obtainable item in the zero-gravity section. These scenes are always fun, reminiscent of a more chilled-out Dead Space 3’s debris field section, but if you rushed through them the total playtime of each episode would be severely curtailed.

Short but sweet

Screnshot from The Expanse Telltale game

(Image credit: Telltale)

That brevity also negatively affects the character development. You’ll find Drummer going from relative strangers to bosom buddies with other characters in only a few interactions. Likewise, the inevitable betrayals sting less than they should because of the short amount of time you’ve spent getting to know the characters. That’s mitigated by some fantastic performances from the voice actors – including Drummer’s original actor Cara Gee – and career-best facial animation from Deck Nine, but it does limit the impact of some game-changing interactions.

Best Bit

Navigating a vast environment in search of fuel, main character Camina Drummer explores her relationship with the other characters as much as the shattered skeletons of the fragile ships upon which they rely for survival. A perfect encapsulation of the setting and the cast – all in zero gravity.

Performance is never less than rock-solid even in the zero-g sections. That focus upon consistent frame rate and visual fidelity (a far cry from the Telltale games of old) is a huge part of what makes The Expanse feel so engaging: Deck Nine’s experience with the Life Is Strange series is paying dividends here, cementing the developer as a frontrunner in the graphic adventure genre.

There are the occasional muddy or repeating textures, as well as a bizarre glitch relating to audio levels I came across where Drummer’s internal narrative was roughly half the volume of her normal speech, making it seem like she was whispering in her own mind. One early graphical issue is also one of the most easily noticed, as an entire moon seems out of place due to texture resolution. Photos and posters dotted around the environment seem to have a default Photoshop filter applied to them, and though this is easily chalked up to a stylistic choice it still sticks out compared to the environments they feature in.

While the game’s physics never break, it is occasionally disconcerting to see Drummer nonchalantly bat a severed head through a zero-gravity environment as though it were a ping-pong ball, or to snap upright going from wall to ceiling.

Sidehead 3

The Expanse promises that most of the choices you make in the first three episodes will come home to roost in the fourth and especially the fifth episodes of the season. Given that I only had access to the first three for this review, it is impossible to say to what extent that is true. If, ultimately, the game’s choices dovetail towards a single canonical ending, that would be a disappointment given the numerous possibilities opened up during my playtime.

However, the fact that the game provides only one or two major choices per episode – helpfully signalled by a unique binary choice effect on screen – makes me believe the developers are deliberately avoiding that possibility. They promise that everyone aboard the Artemis can live, or all of them save Drummer can die. The first three episodes are a pared-back, streamlined story that seems to set up multiple branches towards the end, rather than a traditional adventure game diamond-shaped narrative structure.

That makes the choices you do make feel weighty. You dimly sense the shape of negative outcomes behind every decision: the game even lightly lampshades the fact that often there are no good options in as hostile an environment as space. The cold equations of survival are as much an antagonist as the pirates Drummer fights, and The Expanse makes you face them directly. It’s merciless, and the better for it.

At $39.99 for the base five episodes (with a bonus DLC episode to be released later), The Expanse’s success as an adventure game will be judged on how much those choices ultimately matter. While fans of the show already know the fate of some of its characters, as a standalone experience the game is compelling from moment to moment, a pared-back exploration of what makes adventure games so appealing. 

Accessibility

The Expanse: A Telltale Series provides a welcome range of accessibility features that impact gameplay and playability. It offers three separate colourblind options, in addition to a number of warnings before scenes that use bright lights or loud noises. 

In addition, the developers have included options for QTEs and critical decisions that either expand or remove time restrictions. These options are offered from the very start of the game, ensuring that there are no situations in which accessibility is an issue for any player.

How we reviewed The Expanse: A Telltale Series

The Expanse’s first three episodes were initially played over 4 hours, with a further 90+ minutes played to see how different choices played out within the first two episodes. I didn’t have review access to the final two episodes, nor the DLC episode. I played with first an Xbox controller and then a mouse and keyboard (preferred the controller, but both work well). 

I haven’t watched any of the show upon which it is based, nor read the books, but have endured friends endlessly telling me to watch it.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series is out now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 review – Iteration over innovation
7:29 pm | April 26, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 is the latest console-focused headset from the boutique gaming manufacturer. Armed with the same 50mm TriForce Titanium drivers and HyperSense haptics as the original model, this minor revision, which features the brand’s Hyperspeed low latency wireless connectivity, makes for a solid product but doesn’t address our issues with the first Razer Kaira Pro for PlayStation.  

If you’re after one of the best PS5 headsets in 2023, then the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 could be worth considering. However, it’s a little too expensive and lacking in wow factor to wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wanting a truly premium audio experience on the PS5.  

Price and Availability

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 was released in March 2023 and is currently available in the US, the UK, and Australia for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$369. It’s exactly the same price as the standard Razer Kaira Pro PlayStation model from 2022; a move that makes sense since this version effectively replaces its predecessor. It’s worth noting that, while no price increase has happened, you’re paying a platform premium compared to the Razer Kaira Pro for Xbox and PC, which sells for  $149 / £149 / AU$259, a noticeable mark-up that’s hard to ignore.  

Design and Features

Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed review

(Image credit: Future)

The Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed’s new addition to the established Razer Kaira Pro includes the Hyperspeed 2.4 GHz low latency dongle. It’s curved in such a way that you can slot it into the front of your PS5 console without obscuring the USB-A port to keep your controller charging or at the expense of your connection to the best PS5 external hard drives, if you’re lucky enough to have one.

Returning from the base Kaira Pro for PS5 model is the dual connectivity between the 2.4 GHz wireless and Bluetooth connection. There are also dedicated volume and microphone-monitoring scroll wheels on the rear of the left and right cups, respectively. Little has changed with the "HyperClear Supercardioid Mic", which is detachable and comes on a flexy arm, as the brand has been doing for many years now. 

The earcups are plush and feature a leatherette feel as opposed to the mesh that could be found on the Xbox variant. You’ll note that the branding is spot on here, with the blue, black and white finish complimenting the PS5 well, meaning it will slot into your setup as easily as Sony’s Pulse 3D headset does.

You won’t be shocked to hear that the Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm audio drivers power the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 headset. These are drivers that have appeared in over half a dozen headsets since their introduction in 2020. It’s a case of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. That’s been the approach with the HyperSense haptics, which first appeared in the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense and the Razer Kraken V3 Pro in late 2021. Tried-and-true really is the name of the game here; nothing is new or exciting, but that’s not necessarily a problem. 

Performance

The cups of the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed

(Image credit: Future)

What’s good about returning internals in hardware like this is that you know exactly what you’re getting with the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5.he Razer TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers may be a fair few years old. However, they still do a great job of bringing out the distinction between the lows, mids, and highs, just as they did back in 2020 when replacing the original TriForce drivers. 

The width of the 50mm drivers means that everything from the rumble of the micromachines in Hot Wheels Unleashed boosting around the orange plastic tracks, to the agonized screaming of Necromorphs mid-dismemberment in the Dead Space remake hits with the weight you would hope to hear on the platform. Thanks to the PS5 3D audio being available through every headset, the TriForce Titanium drivers do an excellent job of bringing the surround sound out in full force. They make listening to music nice, too. While no rival to some of the best headphones, spinning Cannibal Corpse’s Kill or Become and Vulvodynia’s Flesh Tailor hit with the right amount of weight in the bass and the drums. 

What’s disappointed me as a fan and long-time user of the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense is how the haptics have translated here, going from wired to wireless. Regardless of which of the best PS5 games I was playing with the highest of the three settings and the volume dialed all the way up, the in-ear feedback didn’t quite live up to the intensity I was hoping for. Moments in UFC 4, such as a brutal double-leg takedown or that round-finishing spinning elbow, lacked the weight that a heavy strike should have. 

While they work a good portion of the time, things are inconsistent with the haptics in Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5. There were times when the HyperSense and the 3D Audio, combined with the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller for a truly unrivalled experience. One such moment occurred when I took a tight corner in Hot Wheels Unleashed and felt the throaty roar of the engine mid-drift through the gamepad and headset at max volume. It was a truly immersive experience, but one that stood out more as an exception to the rule rather than the status quo. 

The microphone and battery life have seen no improvement over the Razer Kaira Pro's base model. While Razer claims that you can expect around 30 hours of playback in total regardless of connectivity method, that’s only if you disable the RGB lighting and the HyperSense haptics entirely. The company suggests up to 11 hours with these features enabled, and that’s slightly more generous than I found in my experience. For the first few charges, I noticed around 10 hours, but I was charging this headset up between uses far more than with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ or the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition that I use on rotation. 

The microphone on the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 is not great. It didn’t really matter which tweaks I made through the console’s settings or when plugged into my PC; things just sounded shrill and tinny. While completely serviceable for playing some of the best FPS games online with friends, this isn’t something that you’ll want to rely on as a replacement for one of the best microphones for streaming. It will get the job done, but I’ve heard better from cheaper gaming headsets. 

Should you buy the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5?

Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed microphone and RGB

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…  

You want a stable wireless connection

The Hyperspeed 2.4 GHz dongle included with the new Razer Kaira Pro for PS5 works incredibly well and takes up little space on the console’s front ports.

You’re after strong audio performance

While the TriForce Titanium 50mm drivers are nothing new, they sound great at delivering distinctive audio when playing games or listening to music. 

You want total immersion

While the wireless HyperSense in-ear haptics can be a little hit-and-miss, when they work alongside the 3D Audio and the DualSense controller, it truly feels awesome. 

Don’t buy it if…  

You want a PS5 headset with leading battery life

There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll be charging the Razer Kaira Pro Hyperspeed for PS5 up a fair amount if you want to use the RGB and haptics regularly.

You already own the Razer Kaira Pro for PS5

There’s very little that separates this from the original version, so it isn’t worth upgrading if you have the first version. 

Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5) review
4:34 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: | Comments: Off

If you’re after something with a smaller form factor than what we typically see from some of the best PS5 headsets then the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed for PS5 could be what you’ve been waiting for. Boasting a generous battery life, a cool design, and decent audio performance, these buds do just enough to distinguish themselves as some of the best gaming earbuds around. 

Until very recently, it’s felt like achieving lossless true wireless with earbuds has been a tall order. Not so with the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed which delivers on the promise of lag-less sound without compromise. 

It’s as instant as if they were plugged in, but there are some factors to take into account with popping in a pair of these as opposed to putting on a headset. Namely, the audio quality and connectivity are a little hit-and-miss at times which stops me from being able to wholeheartedly recommend them as a must-have product for PS5

Price and Availability

The Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5) are currently available in the US, the UK, and Australia for $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$259. That’s around $30 / £30 / AU$40 more expensive than the older Razer Hammerhead True Wireless in their standard form.  

Design and Features

Hammerhead Hyperspeed in case

(Image credit: Future)

At first glance, there’s nothing that screams “gaming” about the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed earbuds for PS5. The white chassis looks eerily similar to Apple Airpods and they even come in a comparable chargeable case via USB-C, too. Once you power them up is when everything changes, though. That’s because (to no one’s surprise) you’re greeted with an RGB Razer logo that adorns each side, and that’s one of those love-it-or-hate-it details. 

As someone who happens to enjoy Razer’s Chroma RGB and has it on several gaming accessories, I think it helps the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed earbuds to stand out from the competition. Normally when these additions are included I worry about the strain on the battery life, but that’s something that the boutique lifestyle brand has already considered; you can expect around 30 hours of playback from these either through the included USB-C 2.4 GHz dongle or via Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. 

The case itself is small enough to fit into a sizable jacket pocket or slip into a bag and it makes storing the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed easy. A minor frustration is that there’s nowhere to store the 2.4 GHz Hyperspeed dongle when you’re out and about, but seeing as Bluetooth is the primary connection when in transit, and it works as intended, that’s not necessarily something to deduct points for. 

A total of three sizes of earcups are included (small, medium, and large) which means you can get a rough fit to slot inside of your ears. I personally didn't find any of them to be incredibly comfortable for long gaming sessions, but for the short term, these were serviceable. Your mileage may vary as your tolerance with earphones may be better than mine but the fit was a little less ergonomic than some I've had my hands on in recent memory. 

Performance

Close up on the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5)

(Image credit: Future)

The Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5) earbuds pleasantly surprised me with their sound quality when gaming. As expected from 10mm audio drivers, they aren’t going to be as crystal clear as what you may expect from some of the company’s best PC gaming headsets like the Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless or the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. However, there’s something really throaty in the low-end, especially when it comes to racing games and shooters. 

A particular example that stood out to me was how well the engines of the many vehicles in Hot Wheels Unleashed came across through the haze of the electronica music. Getting to hear the transmissions shift and take drifts around the seemingly endless sweeping orange tracks never got old. The Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5) earbuds also did a great job of conveying the dissonant sounds aboard the USG Ishimura in the Dead Space remake. Despite their small size, I was able to fully appreciate Isaac Clarke’s Plasma Cutter and heavy footsteps roaming around the confining corridors. 

One thing I noticed in my time with the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed earbuds is that the connection was a little spotty through the 2.4 GHz dongle. There were several times when, after a full charge, my review unit would occasionally stop audio playback despite being connected to the PS5 console with the Bluetooth disconnected on my iPhone 14 Pro Max. It didn’t happen often enough to be anything more than an annoyance, but it happened a fair few times in my testing to warrant mentioning. 

Using the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed earbuds out and about for music was an average experience, but the ANC did help to filter out background noise during commutes. They are no rival to some of the best earbuds, such as the Sony WF-1000XM4 in terms of sound quality, but they absolutely get the job done. Most genres of music translated over well, including Sleep Token’s DYWTYLM and Hozier’s Work Song with their more simple compositions, but more intense tracks like Paradise Lost’s Darker Thoughts and Imperial Triumphant’s Alphaville sounded a little muddy and indistinct at times. 

Should you buy the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5)?

Buy them if... 

You want a smaller form factor way to enjoy PS5 games

The Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed (PS5) earbuds are a great way to experience some of the best PS5 games without breaking out a far bulkier headset.

You want gaming earbuds with a decent battery life

These earbuds carry an average lifespan of around 30 hours (with recharges from the case) which is in line with other leading brands.  

Don't buy them if... 

You want them primarily for music

While certainly not a bad choice for audio playback, the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed earbuds are geared around gaming first and foremost. If you’re after an AirPods Pro 2 or Galaxy Buds 2 Pro rival then you’ll need to keep looking.  

Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition review – This is the way
8:00 pm | April 6, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

To coincide with the release of The Mandalorian’s third season, Astro has brought out a specially designed version of its all-star A30 mid-range gaming headset which takes many design cues from the Disney Plus show’s iconography. 

While we’ve reviewed the standard version of the Astro A30 on PC, this time I’m reviewing it for the PS5, and it also works with Xbox Series X, too. If you’re a Star Wars fan then this can easily be considered one of the best PS5 headsets for its sound quality, construction, and style.  

Price and Availability

The Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition comes in slightly more expensive than other color schemes of the gaming headset, and launched on February 28 mere days before The Mandalorian season 3 debuted on Disney Plus. You can get your hands on this themed variant for $249 / £249 / AU$469.95 in the US, the UK, and Australia respectively. That’s $20 / £20 / AU$40 more than the standard versions that currently ship in either White or Navy.  

Design and Features

Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition in case

(Image credit: Future)

The design is the obvious win for the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition gaming headset. Fittingly, there’s a gray and black color scheme which appropriately matches Din Djarin’s Beskar armor. There’s also iconography that fans of the series like myself appreciate, such as the Mythosaur and a silhouette of Mando wielding the dark saber. Inside the ear cups is lore-accurate script, too. 

It’s a beautiful design, I can’t fault that whatsoever, but I do wish that the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition leaned a little further into the Beskar armor look with detailing based upon Djarin’s suit instead of the gun metal gray and black. As a more subtle decal, I think it’s really cool and sure to appeal to those who are into the character. 

Cosmetic differences aside, this is the same all-star Astro A30 wireless gaming headset which launched back in October 2022. That means you can expect around 27 hours of playback through either Bluetooth or the included 2.4 GHz wireless receiver. My review unit is for the PS5 but this headset also works on Xbox Series X. There’s also the option of staying plugged in through the included 3.5mm and USB-C leads as well. You’re able to simultaneously connect to several devices at once, including your smartphone and best gaming consoles, too. 

I like the ergonomic design of the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition a lot. While the squared ear cups and detachable bulky microphone aren’t to my personal tastes, they feel great to wear for long periods of time. There’s memory foam in the earcups, and the headband itself is also padded for a premium feeling gaming headset on your head. The leatherette feels a little weird in the hand, but the materials are high quality here. 

Performance

Mandalorian headset and microphone

(Image credit: Future)

The Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition gaming headset has quickly become one of my go-to models when playing some of the best PS5 games. In my testing I’ve found that the sound balancing has been incredibly warm and faithful, whether that was running through the claustrophobic corridors in Dead Space or riding through the roaming hills of Red Dead Redemption 2.

Thanks to having Bluetooth connectivity and a detachable boom microphone, the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition can also act as dedicated headphones. While a far cry from the best headphones, this headset did a great job of bringing out the bass and the weight of heavier songs like Paradise Lost’s Darker Thoughts and rock tracks such as Ozzy Osbourne’s One of Those Days through the 40mm drivers. Alternative music seemed to really shine bright with Father John Misty’s Total Entertainment Forever coming through crystal clear with the acoustic guitar into the big band mix. 

Even the best wireless gaming headsets have hit and miss microphones, but that’s thankfully not the case with the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition. While I’m not a big fan of the flexible boom mic here, which tends to not hold its shape all too well, it does sound a cut above what many small-scale mics do in my testing. My voice came through clear when chatting to friends and making isolated records, but isn’t quite up to the same level as the Rode NTH-100M’s NTH mic. 

Proving itself to be just as much substance as style, the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition is an awesome looking and beautiful sounding gaming headset for your console of choice. While expensive, it’s something I can recommend based on its versatility alongside its looks. 

Should I buy the Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition?

Mandalorian earcups

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…  

You love The Mandalorian

With its Beskar armor color scheme and iconography, there’s a lot to love for the seasoned Star Wars fan here.

You want a versatile gaming headset

The Astro A30 Mandalorian Edition can be used on not only the PS5 and Xbox Series X but with a gaming PC and phone of choice thanks to its many connectivity options.  

Don’t buy it if…  

You don’t care about The Mandalorian

You’re paying around $20 / £20 /AU$40 more for the Star Wars show branding, so if you’re not a fan then you can save yourself money for the standard versions.  

Adata Legend 960 review – Late to the PS5 SSD party
6:21 pm | March 20, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

The Adata Legend 960 is the latest PS5-ready SSD from the brand. It boasts some respectable figures overall but lacks the wow factor in a world that’s already seen everything possible from Gen 4, and often at lower prices, too.

For this reason, the Adata Legend 960 cannot be considered one of the best SSDs for PS5. While more-than-serviceable at what it does, there are simply many better alternatives for storing and playing some of the best PS5 games on the market that make this Gen 4 drive unremarkable in 2023.  

Price and Availability

The Adata Legend 960 was released in October 2022 and is available in the US, the UK, and Australia in capacities ranging from 1TB and 2TB for $109.99 / £105.48 / $AU209.52 and $209.99 / £160.96 / AU$279.11. A 4TB variant from the company is coming but doesn’t appear to be available yet.  

Design and Features

Adata Legend 960 without heatsink

(Image credit: Future)

The design of the Adata Legend 960 shares a lot in common with the brand’s budget XPG Gammix S70 Blade which launched back in 2021. That means that this drive comes exposed with a PS5 SSD heatsink with a sticky back to cool the components of the NVMe down. 

On the silicon, there’s the tried-and-true SM2264 controller, which has been around since late 2020. By no means a bad performer, it isn’t as powerful as the top-end Phison E-18 controller, as Silicon Motion’s offering tops out at 7,400 MB/s read and 6,800 MB/s write. Read-wise, that’s very much top of the line, but I’ve seen so many Gen 4 drives that excel to the 7,000 MB/s write mark, such as with the Kingston Fury Renegade, Seagate Firecuda 530, and PNY CS3140. Where the Adata Legend 960 does keep up with this NVMe SSDs is with the 176-layer Micron TLC flash memory, considering it’s nearly the cap for what NVMe 1.4 can do, that’s not entirely surprising. 

The Adata Legend 960’s heatsink is a nice touch but isn’t robust or sturdy. It’s thin and has an adhesive layer to connect with the silicon, making it ideal for the PS5’s M.2 port, but it doesn’t offer the same level of protection as what you’ll find with the Kingston Fury Renegade SSD, for instance. 

Performance

Adata Legend 960 in PS5

(Image credit: Future)

The Adata Legend 960 is a solid performer when slotted into the PS5 and has consistent file transfer rates of around 1GB / sec, which scales with the file sizes. Some of the largest PS5 games, such as Horizon: Forbidden West’s 99.69 GB, copied over in just 1 minute and 19 seconds. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut was similarly brisk, with its 69.35 GB of data transferring in 61 seconds, and Dead Space (31.15 GB) copying over in 27 seconds. These are fast rates, but this drive is ever-so-slightly slower than the Seagate FireCuda 530 and the cheaper XPG Gammix S70 Blade. 

In-game loading times aren’t much of a problem for the Adata Legend 960 as Dead Space can go from the main menu into gameplay in around 4 seconds, with Death Stranding taking 7 seconds. Again, it’s not the fastest I’ve seen from an SSD for PS5 in my years of testing them, but the performance overall is hard to fault. 

I feel torn with the Adata Legend 960. The sequential performance on display here is good, but nothing stands out about it. It isn’t cheap enough to rival the likes of the WD Black SN850 or the Samsung 980 Pro, nor does it outperform the Samsung 990 Pro. What’s here is ultimately a good SSD for PS5 but not a great one, not with Gen 5 SSDs already on the horizon.  

Should I buy the Adata Legend 960?

Buy it if... 

It’s cheap enough where you live

The Adata Legend 960 isn’t the most expensive SSD for PS5, so if you can find it for a low enough price at 1TB and 2TB, then it could be worth the price of investment.

You’re after an SSD for PS5 with a heatsink

The Adata Legend 960 comes with its own separate heatsink that applies straight to the silicon so there’s no need to DIY one here. 

Don't buy it if... 

You want a drive from a more well-known brand

For a similar price, you can get the likes of the WD Black SN850, Kingston Fury Renegade, and PNY CS3140, making the Adata Legend 960 a tough sell in a competitive market.  

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 review – Serviceable, but not stellar
1:00 pm | March 17, 2023

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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is the cheapest entry into the Arctis line, providing an accessible way in the world of dedicated headsets. Armed with a 3.5mm jack for connectivity, you can use this model on various devices, such as your PS5 or Nintendo Switch, or Xbox Series X

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 gains extra points because you can use it on any device with a headphone jack, such as one of the best Android phones. It’s a viable, if dull option, for a starter setup. It does just enough to be considered one of the best wired gaming headsets.  

Price and availability

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is currently available for $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$139, which makes it one of the best budget gaming headsets on the market. It was released in August 2022 and essentially replaces the older SteelSeries Arctis 3 from 2019. You’ve got the choice of either white or black, though you’ll see the black variant discounted more often.  

Design and Features

The microphone extended on the SteelSeries Nova 1

(Image credit: Future)

Nothing stands out about the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. You’ve got a sturdy ski-band head strap, as you’ll find with some of the SteelSeries’ other models, coupled with some memory foam earcups. What I most appreciate about the design above all is the lightweight nature of the headset, as it clocks in at just 236g grams, making it one of the lighter headsets I’ve had sat on my head for some time. 

You’ll find the standard suite of on-cup controls with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1, including a volume rocker and a mute mic button placed sensibly behind your head for easy access. The microphone is cleverly hidden in the main body of the right cup and sits flush with rounded edges. It’s a neat touch, as it can be pulled out, ready for use, and retracted when you don’t need it. It also means that there’s no risk of losing it as you may with a detachable mic, nor do you have to put up with its presence at all times. 

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is rocking the same 40mm custom Neodymium audio drivers that you’ll find in higher-end offerings, such as the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless. It’s great SteelSeries didn’t cheap out with smaller or weaker audio drivers here. As expected from a vastly cheaper headset, the frequency range and sensitivity aren’t as good as with the flagship models; you’re looking at 20–22,000 Hz and 93 dB, which is serviceable for a broad soundscape but will miss the more nuanced details. 

Performance

Close up on the cups and design of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1

(Image credit: Future)

Considering the price tag, I was impressed by what the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 was able to crank out both as a gaming headset and as a pair of wired headphones. For the asking price of $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$139, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck here, as this model sounds better than it has any right to be. 

I wasn’t exactly blown away by the sound reproduction when playing Dead Space on PS5, but every key beat was present. I could accurately hear Isaac Clarke’s heavy footsteps, slamming doors behind me, and the screech of undead nasties bursting out of the vents. It’s a similar story with EA UFC 4, the headset captures everything from checked leg kicks to knockout strikes with suitable weight, despite feeling a little flat and muddy at times when the audience piped up. 

Listening to music with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is a pleasant experience, but it doesn’t really wow either. I put the 3.5mm jack-enabled headset through its paces with Party Cannon’s Partied in Half EP and Pharmacist’s Flourishing Extremities On Unspoiled Mental Grounds album. Surprisingly, there’s enough bass presence and accuracy on the low end to convey the weight needed with minimal fuzziness. Listening on my Sony Xperia 1 II, softer genres of music sound better, such as Aqua Regia by Sleep Token and Fight by Me and That Man. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is no replacement for the best headphones, but they aren’t a write-off. 

Where I felt most let down by the SteelSeries Arctis 1 was with the microphone itself. While the quality is passable, it’s the connectivity method where this model suffers. Because you can only plug in with a 3.5mm jack through the DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller, you don’t come through as crystal clear as with USB. A dedicated splitter, featuring both a microphone and headphone jack, is provided for use on PC, and I found it to be a little middling when hooked up to my Razer Blade 15

As much as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 achieves as a budget product, I can’t help but think you’re better served by spending a little more and going for the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 instead. At $99 / £85 / AU$199 (roughly $40 / £35 / $AU60 more), you’re getting a far more capable gaming headset that sounds much better, and benefits from microphone monitoring and USB-A and USB-C connectivity. Still, if you’re in a tight spot and after something cheap and cheerful, the Nova 1 could be the right holdover. 

Side view of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 headset?

 Buy it if… 

You’re working with a tight budget

While the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 isn’t exceptional, it’s certainly decent enough for the asking price of $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$139 from a build and sound quality point of view. 

You need an extra pair of headphones

The 3.5mm jack on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 means you can also use them as dedicated headphones on a compatible smartphone or gaming laptop. They sound good enough to be considered a good spare if you need something sturdy to chuck into your bag.  

Don't buy it if... 

You want fuss-free connectivity

There’s no getting around the inelegant solution of the headphone and microphone splitter cable included here. With headsets like this, USB is the way to go, making this outdated choice a little hard to understand. 

You want microphone monitoring

If you’d like to hear yourself through the chaos of gameplay, then the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 isn’t for you. You’re better off spending a little extra money and opting for the Nova 3 instead.  

Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade review – Outclasses its pricier competition
8:08 pm | March 16, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Since the launch of the PS5, the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade has been the frontrunner of the budget SSDs. It’s a punchy performer despite its humble price tag. 

With its competitive price-to-performance ratio, the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade is easily one of the best SSDs for PS5. If you’re on a budget, you can still get top-end Gen 4.0 NVMe rates, and that hasn’t always been the case from this storage generation.  

Price and Availability

The Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade is one of the most affordable Gen 4.0 NVMe SSDs that come with a PS5-ready heatsink. It can be widely found in the US, the UK, and Australia. Prices range from $84.99 / £87.13 / $161.95 (1TB), and $169.99 / £161.52 / AU$362.78 (2TB). That 1TB is the sweet spot here as it’s still rare to find an SSD for PS5 under the $100 / £100 / $AU180 range.  

Design and Features

heatsink and board of the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade

(Image credit: Future)

The design of the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade is where corners were cut. That’s because the SSD comes with the controller and flash memory modules exposed; the PS5 SSD heatsink comes separately with an adhesive layer that fuses to the plastic. This low-profile heatsink doesn’t feel sturdy or durable, but does the job well enough when in place. 

The drive’s price also explains the choice of controller. The Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade utilizes the Innogrit IG5236, which doesn’t quite touch or exceed 7,000 MB/s, as the popular Phison E-18 does. Adata claims this SSD can reach read speeds of up to 6,300 MB/s inside the PS5, and boasts maximum write rates of up to 6,800 MB/s. While not as impressive on paper as the Kingston Fury Renegade or the Seagate FireCuda 530, it doesn’t have to be. 

Performance

The Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade inside the PS5

(Image credit: Future)

Inside my PS5, the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade achieved a read figure of 6,384 MB/s, slightly faster than the claimed 6,000 MB/s. Few drives can boast this figure outside of the top-end Kingston Fury Renegade and the Seagate FireCuda 530. Yet, this budget SSD for PS5 easily outdoes the pricier PNY CS3140 in terms of raw numbers. 

That’s impressive, but more so are the file transfer and loading times I experienced with the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade. Horizon: Forbidden West’s 99.69 GB made the leap from the internal storage to the Gen 4.0 drive in only 1 minute and 18 seconds (or 78 seconds). Smaller PS5 games kept up the momentum, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut (68.97 GB) and Dead Space (31.15 GB) wrote onto the NVMe SSD in only 53 seconds and 28 seconds, respectively. That’s just over 1 GB/sec and as fast as the premium SSD equivalents. 

As some of the best PS5 games take full advantage of the NVMe technology, loading times with the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade are brisk. The most fitting example is the Dead Space remake, which gets you into gameplay in less than 3 seconds. Deathloop and Death Stranding are not far behind, both go from the menu to gameplay in around 5 seconds. That’s even slightly faster than the internal storage of the console itself.

There’s little I can fault the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade on. If you’re in the market for a 1TB SSD for PS5 and are working with a strict budget, I can wholeheartedly recommend this one. The heatsink isn’t great, and the build is as basic as it comes, but there are no performance worries from this Gen 4.0 drive. 

Should I buy the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade?

 Buy it if…  

You want good value for money

The Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade considerably undercuts the competition while providing similar performance in the PS5 console. 

1TB is your capacity of choice

The speed spot with the budget pricing is 1TB for the best price-per-gigabyte here.  

Don't buy it if... 

You’re considering 2TB or above

If you want to go bigger with your storage, you may be better served with a higher-end alternative as the prices become less aggressive.  

Seagate FireCuda 530 review – Still a trailblazer
1:46 pm | March 15, 2023

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The Seagate FireCuda 530 launched back in 2020, around the same time as the PS5, making it a frontrunner to slot into Sony’s system. While it’s no longer the absolute fastest of its class, the performance here is still high-end, showing that top-end Gen 4.0 never really slows down. 

There isn’t much room for innovation when you push up to the 7,000 MB/s read and write mark. The Seagate FireCuda 530 came storming out of the gate with these figures as the benchmark to beat. Few have all these years later, making it easily one of the best SSDs for PS5. Even better, its once monstrous price has come down significantly. 

Price and availability

 The Seagate FireCuda 530 is widely available in the US, the UK, and Australia in all capacities with a heatsink. Prices start from $69 / £55 / AU$119 for the 500GB version and scale up to $129 / £103.99 / AU$217 (1TB), $239.99 / £189 / $AU414.78 (2TB), and $529 / £449.99 / AU$984.75 (4TB). That’s a fair bit cheaper than the original launch price but still a touch more expensive than other Gen 4.0 models with similar performance.  

Design and Features

Aleksha McLoughlin

(Image credit: Future)

My Seagate FireCuda 530 review unit is the 1TB model which comes with the PS5 SSD heatsink. Its thick aluminum all-over wrap firmly encases the silicon and controller nicely while allowing maximum heat dissipation. It’s important, too, because the PS5’s native M.2 port has no form of passive cooling on its own. While a little bulky and weighty, that added heft is ideal for staying in place during installation with adequate room once the cover is re-installed. It’s one of the smartest-designed heatsinks I’ve seen on an NVMe SSD to date. 

As expected from a high-performance Gen 4.0 model, the Seagate FireCuda 530 utilizes the exceptional Phison E-18 controller, and that’s how it can push up to 7,000 MB/s read and write. It was impressive in 2020, and even three years later is still as solid as ever. There’s also 176-layer Micron TLC flash memory which few newer drives, such as the Kingston Fury Renegade, also used over two years later. We’re very much talking about the cap of what’s possible with this current generation of NVMe models, so to hit it out of the park so early on is commendable. 

As is par the course with NVMe SSDs, there’s a five-year warranty here, and the write endurance is slightly better than you see from the competition. It scales from 640TBW (500GB), 1,275TBW (1TB), 2,550TBW (2TB), and 5,100TBW (4TB). That’s substantially higher than the likes of the WD Black SN850 and the PNY CS3140, too. We don’t generally see figures this good, and it adds to the longevity of a drive that will be able to keep up for a long time of hard-wearing use. 

Performance

Seagate FireCuda 530

(Image credit: Future)

Gaming on the PS5 with the Seagate FireCuda 530 is as quick and painless as you would expect, given what’s on the silicon here. In my testing, it achieved a read score from Sony’s official benchmark tool of 6,539 MB/s, making it one of the fastest I’ve ever used. 

File transfer times were some of the most impressive I’ve seen in all my time testing SSDs, with particular highlights being with some of the biggest PS5 games. Horizon: Forbidden West, with its 99.35 GB file size, jumped from the internal storage to the NVMe SSD in just 1 minute and 19 seconds (or 79 seconds). Equally impressive is Death Stranding: Director’s Cut (69.35 GB), which transferred in only 54 seconds. That’s well over 1 GB/sec being more-than-enough to copy your entire game library over in just a few minutes. 

It’s a similar story with smaller file sizes where the speed of the Seagate Firecuda 530 really shines. This is evident with both Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (47.29 GB) and Dead Space (31.07 GB), which transferred over in 39 seconds and 27 seconds, respectively. Loading into games was just as brief, with Dead Space hailing leading the charge going from the main menu to gameplay in less than 3 seconds. It’s even faster than the already nearly non-existent times from the internal storage. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut was almost as quick, with less than 6 seconds between the menu to the open world. 

Should I buy the Seagate FireCuda 530?

Seagate FireCuda 530 next to a potted plant

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if... 

You want an SSD for PS5 that will last

The Seagate FireCuda 530 features best-in-class write endurance for its price and performance, meaning it’s a drive that will keep up for a long time. 

You want lightning-fast performance

Inside of the PS5, the Seagate FireCuda achieves 6,539 MB/s, making it one of the fastest NVMe drives I’ve ever had my hands on in all my years of testing SSDs. 

Don't buy it if... 

You’re thinking of going for lower capacity 

You can really only get the most out of the Seagate Firecuda 530 with 1TB and up, so if you’re gunning for a 500GB SSD, you can get a cheaper one that does the same job. 

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless review – the best PS5 headset yet
6:06 pm | March 6, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: | Comments: Off

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is a premium PS5 headset that focuses on delivering leading audio quality and comfort, and it uses all the console-specific audio hardware. The latest iteration from the manufacturer builds on the original 2020 model, this time with a significantly improved battery and more versatility through USB-C and quick charging. 

It deserves pole position as the best PS5 headset available right now. Given its price-to-performance ratio, wide market availability, and audio quality, this is the PS5 headset that acts as a benchmark to test all others on the platform to come in 2023.  

Price and Availability

You can currently get your hands on the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless for $149.99 / £174.99 / AU$338 in the US, the UK, and Australia respectively. It’s available in either black or white color schemes. Recently, it’s been possible to find the PS5 gaming headset significantly cheaper than the sticker price.  

Design and Features

On-cup controls on the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+

(Image credit: Future)

The SteelSeries Arctis headset line has a distinct look that the 7P+ Wireless continues. You’ve got a ski-band head strap and a retractable microphone complete with the Sidetone mic monitoring. All the controls can be found on the back of both cups when you wear this PS5 headset. On the left side, you’ve got a dedicated mute button, volume roller, USB-C for charging and connection, and a 3.5mm jack. Your power button and a dedicated wheel to control the mic monitoring are on the right side. 

Thanks to its large, plush ear cushions made of what the company describes as “AirWeave” material, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless is second to none when it comes to comfort. This breathable fabric won’t get warm when on your head for hours on end, unlike cheaper leatherette. 

The USB-C receive is the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless’ most exciting feature because it means the headset can be used on loads of devices, besides your PS5. The headset is also compatible with Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, and some of the best Android phones. If you’re in the market for a versatile gaming headset, this could be the one for you. 

Performance

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+

(Image credit: Future)

Gaming on the PS5 with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless is one of the best headset experiences ever. I’ve reviewed countless different models over the years, and the sound quality and versatility of this one aren’t easily rivaled. That’s unsurprising, as this version features the same 40mm custom neodymium drivers of the company’s flagship models, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Pro.

The biggest difference that separates the older SteelSeries 7P from the 7P+ is this new model's greatly improved battery life. That’s because you can expect around 30 hours of playback when plugged into your PS5 instead of the roughly 24 hours from the 2020 model. One particular feature I’ve really been enjoying is the quick charging via USB-C. SteelSeries claims you can get a full three hours of playback from just 15 minutes of charging. In my testing, I have to say that’s right on the money, meaning you won’t have to wait around long to get a gaming session in. 

Like the excellent PS5 Pulse 3D headset, the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless takes full advantage of the TempestTech PS5 3D Audio, so some of the best PS5 games support the enhanced virtual surround sound technology. There are not many PS5 headsets that can do that, making this a more premium option than Sony’s official offering. 

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ microphone

(Image credit: Future)

Gaming with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless has been excellent. The nuances in the audio drivers picked up the spatial sounds in games like The Last of Us and Dead Space making for an immersive experience. Games where music is more prominent were a particular highlight, including Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, especially in the mix between gunfire and pumping Synthwave techno. 

Listening to music with the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless is decent. While no rival for some of the best headphones on the market, this PS5 gaming headset does a more-than-serviceable job. More tame genres had better success, as songs like Mr. Tillman by Father John Misty and Granite by Sleep Token came through loud and clear. Extreme metal had more mixed results, with heavier tracks like Insomnium’s Lilian and Cannibal Corpse’s Inhumane Harvest not quite having quite enough punch. Because media playback is secondary behind gaming, it’s far from the worst I’ve used this year. 

Overall, I’m very impressed with what the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless does for the money. As a mid-range effort from the brand specifically engineered for console, you can’t ask for much better at its price. 

Should you buy the SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless headset?

Buy if... 

You want a PS5 headset with a long battery life

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless features 30 hours of playback so it’s good to go for many gaming sessions without needing to be juiced up

3D Audio is a must

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless fully supports the TempestTech 3D audio for supported PS5 games. 

You want a versatile gaming headset

Through the USB-C receiver, you use this gaming headset on more than just your PS5 as the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and smartphones are also supported. 

Don't buy if... 

You already own the SteelSeries Arctis 7P

There isn’t much more of a jump between the original model and this new version so if you’re already in the SteelSeries ecosystem this isn’t an essential upgrade. 

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