HARDWARE REVIEW

SteelSeries Siberia 800 Wireless Gaming Headset Review

by Luke Walsh, February 1st, 2017

The Siberia 800 was one of the first wireless headsets from SteelSeries and the predecessor to the recently reviewed Siberia 840. Like the 840 in every way but without the Bluetooth connectivity we decided to look back now it has dropped in price to see if it is worth considering over a multitude of different competitors on the market. Just to note, this review will be a look back comparison on the 840 rather than a full review as you can read a lot of the same stuff minus the Bluetooth on our SteelSeries 840 review.

Even with the discount SteelSeries are offering, the Siberia 800 is still a pretty expensive headset, being priced on their website at the time of this review of £199 (est. currency exchange). Setting up the headset again for a quick session in Overwatch, opening the box I remembered flashbacks to the sheer numbers of cables that comes it contains.

Again, the setup was not easy and the instructions are pretty basic, as it expects you to have some previous knowledge of wiring up audio systems. I had to look up how to set up the headset as I could not get past the initial base station starting screen (the button clicks in). Each cable does come packaged in a separate bag and labeled for quicker access i.e “Xbox Chat Cable”. If you use the cable and lose the bag however, you might want to tag them as they all look the same and could be troublesome for future set up migrations.

The design is very similar to the 840 as you can expect but with more plastic looking plastic. The ear cups are made from a hard glossy plastic instead of the 840’s carbon effect, while the rest of the headset is a toned down matte black colour. In terms of durability the headset feels solid. For a headset which has gone from a “suspension band” back to the usual, it feels much tighter than I was used to. With the memory foam ear cups and band though, the tightness is not felt once your head sinks into it. It is something to consider, gamers who like a more “airy” feel will want to try the headset in a store before committing.

Swappable batteries and a rechargeable base unit make it effortless to always have power for your 800’s, this is probably one of the most important features but often overlooked. With other headsets, you normally have one built in lithium-ion battery which can be charged via usb. This of course is all well and great, reduces weight and space but it means once it is dead, its dead and you’ll need to take it off charge it and wait. With the Siberia 800 line they have really thought about what gamers want, uninterrupted gaming and with two batteries this is perfect.

One difference with the amp compared to the 840 is the lack of customisation available through the SteelSeries Engine 3, there is none. This was an added upgrade along with the Bluetooth on the 840, if it is something you’d like then the upgrade you’ll need. Personally, I’d see no difference as using it while mid-game would mean switching windows and defeat the purpose of the amp itself.

It is worth noting the base station is the same on both units. With it being one of the best features of the Siberia 800 range. You can change any setting on the headset through the base station or using the headset itself with the volume control wheel which can also be “clicked” in to select. To charge batteries while using the other, you need to make sure you connect the usb and the power cable. Although it can be powered alone via a usb from your PC, without the additional power you won’t charge the additional battery.

As the Siberia 800 have the same drivers as the Bluetooth version, the sound quality was pretty much…exactly the same. Playing Overwatch while using Discord, the voice chat is crystal clear and in-game you could hear enemy footsteps easily with the 7.1 surround sound adding an extra layer of depth.

Overall, the SteelSeries Siberia 800 is another decent gaming headset but is still pretty expensive compared to what gamers are used to spending. The price is backed up by the quality of the audio drivers, the base station and low profile design (no lights, or whistles) but gamers are still in the era of looking for balance between cheap and good. Now the 800 has been dropped in price, personally I think it is the better option as the Bluetooth and Engine 3 customisation does not seem worth the additional £100 if your just using it as your PC or console.