GamesRadar+ Verdict
The SteelSeries Arena 3 speakers are a great addition to any gaming PC setup.
Entry-level speakers have a tall order to fill these days.
The best options tend to target audiophile purists and as a result, don’t compromise on price.
Design & Features
Upon unboxing the Arena 3 speakers I was met with a very premium experience.
I personally love an unboxing and this was no exception.
The speakers themselves are well-designed, with an oval-like shape and a matte black finish.
This is similar to the Arena 7 and Arena 9 design except less rounded.
You wont find any fancy RGB or bright lights here - a simple design does the job nicely.
I would have liked the ability to rotate them, but sadly, thats not found here.
I personally found them a little large for my desk but thats only a small complaint.
Attached to this is a speaker cable which attaches to the left-hand unit and connects the two together.
When louder, it filled my entire flat with sound - sorry neighbors.
But its not just music where the Arena 3 performs well.
During more intense gaming, it does an incredible job of immersing you in virtual worlds.
Gunshots packed a punch here with every shot ringing out with weight to it.
The Arena 3 speakers were a perfect weapon for jumpscares to wield as well.
SteelSeries Arena 3 speakers performed similarly, albeit with fewer jumpscares, in Assassins Creed Mirage.
The sounds of a bustling Baghdad were picked up very well and were delivered with clarity.
Despite only being a 2.0 stereo system I still wanted to test out spatial audio.
Despite not being surround sound, the two channels conveyed spatial audio really well.
Its not perfect, but its a good attempt for the price.
Should you buy the SteelSeries Arena 3?
Regardless, for the price of the Arena 3, you cant really go wrong.
I tested the Arena 3 speakers within Alan Wake II, Assassins Creed Mirage, and Starfield.
I spent a couple of hours in each to test the capabilities of the speakers.
I also compared my time with these speakers to my use of older speakers I had in my setup.
Looking for more gaming PC upgrades?
Check out thebest PC cases, thebest RAM for gaming, and thebest Alienware gaming PC.
