For the primary devoted microphone by gaming peripheral producer SteelSeries, the Alias is a really spectacular debut. Bringing the identical ease of use that you’d discover in a SteelSeries mouse or keyboard to the audio house, it is a easy, plug-and-play microphone that sounds completely glorious out of the field. Though you may squeeze comparable audio high quality from cheaper merchandise by non-gaming manufacturers (the distinctive Blue Yeti for instance) doing so requires some extent of software program information and a stage of fiddling that’s completely absent right here.
Along with performing effectively, the Alias seems a minimize above the remainder because of an understated design that merely oozes class and high quality. The RGB lighting on its underside could also be purely beauty and a slight letdown, however the modern LED show discovered on the entrance of the microphone is the proper mix of fashion and substance. Conveying info in your present noise stage, to not point out offering a helpful indicator as as to whether the microphone is presently muted, that is one function that may make you marvel the way you ever managed with out it.
The identical can’t be stated of the SteelSeries Sonar software program, nonetheless. Though it’s at the very least satisfactory for tweaking your settings earlier than leaping right into a recreation, it’s disappointingly primary and brings only a few further options to the desk past some mildly amusing voice filters and a quantity mixer.
SteelSeries Alias – Value and availability
Retailing for an eye-watering $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$399, the Alias ranks amongst among the costliest gaming microphones in the marketplace. That is some huge cash to spend on a microphone, even when in comparison with probably the most high-end choices by different well-known gaming peripheral producers. The Razer Seiren V2 Professional, for instance, retails for $149.99 / £149.99 whereas the HyperX QuadCast prices $139.99 / £119.99.
This lofty price ticket places it squarely in competitors with expensive non-gaming choices from manufacturers like Rode or Blue, the place we expect it manages to discover a first rate area of interest. Whereas these different choices will undeniably supply superior audio high quality with the precise setup, unwieldy desk mounts, massive pop filters and intrusive increase arms make them a ache to make use of if you happen to simply wish to chat whereas in a recreation. From a purely informal gaming standpoint, it’s simple to understand why many would possibly think about this a greater all-in-one possibility because of the sheer comfort issue.
The Alias is available from the SteelSeries web site or Amazon in each the US and UK. It can be discovered at a variety of different retailers, together with Finest Purchase and Walmart within the US or Currys within the UK. It’s a little tougher to seek out in Australia however is in inventory at JB Hello-Fi on the time of writing.
SteelSeries Alias – Design and options
The design of the Alias definitely seems the half for such a premium product. A pill-shaped microphone sporting sturdy metallic grills and lined in a glossy black cloth, every little thing concerning the aesthetic comes throughout as suitably high-quality. It’s suspended in a shock mount out of the field which makes for an impressively hassle-free setup.
Though it’s additionally appropriate with increase arms (by means of an included adapter) the pack-in stand is probably going all that the majority will want. Just like the microphone, it feels very sturdy and is constructed from a mix of easy plastic and metallic. The underside of its base is coated with a rubbery materials that helps stop the microphone from slipping round your desk and, whereas your mileage will inevitably differ relying in your desktop, this proved greater than sufficient to maintain it safe on the vary of surfaces that I examined.
A small panel sits on the entrance of the microphone, with a dial to regulate headphone achieve and a mute button. On the rear, you’ll discover a 3.5 mm headphone jack (permitting you to insert headphones for audio monitoring), a USB-C port, and a microphone achieve dial. The dial placement is somewhat unusual right here, as it will have made extra sense to group the headphone jack and headphone achieve dial collectively, however this setup remains to be pretty intuitive and, extra importantly, very simple to regulate.
On the underside of the microphone is a small ring of RGB LEDs, which could be configured with a variety of presets or customized colours throughout the SteelSeries Sonar software program. Whereas the inclusion of some RGB lighting is definitely welcome, particularly in a product so closely marketed in the direction of players, the impact isn’t significantly spectacular and solely actually serves to light up a small portion of the stand’s base. For house owners of different SteelSeries peripherals, nonetheless, there’s in all probability going to be some additional enchantment in having the ability to coordinate this small area of lighting with that of your mouse and keyboard.
Much more spectacular is the implausible LED show on the windscreen of the microphone itself. Shining by means of the entrance cloth, this show signifies the mic’s present standing. It reveals a crimson cross when the system is muted and a helpful audio stage monitor when it’s selecting up sound. This stage monitor is split into 5 separate levels, starting from inexperienced to crimson relying in your present audio stage. Seeing frequent crimson illumination whereas talking would recommend a must lower your quantity or alter the microphone’s achieve stage, making this an addition that not solely seems implausible, however is genuinely sensible.
The power to inform whether or not the microphone is muted at a look is extremely handy, particularly if you happen to intend to make use of the Alias for on-line streaming. The brightness and colours of each the mute indicator and audio stage monitor can be totally personalized (and even disabled) throughout the SteelSeries Sonar Software program which provides a welcome diploma of personalization.
SteelSeries Alias overview – Efficiency
The Alias performs extraordinarily effectively out of the field with none software program customization. Audio sounds crisp and clear even when utilized in a purely plug-and-play trend, with a large cardioid sample that helps guarantee your voice is picked up. It’s very simple to place in your desk and, experimenting with a variety of on-line video games together with Counter-Strike 2 and Name of Responsibility: Trendy Warfare 3the microphone by no means interfered with my potential to ship very important comms. The mute button is responsive and straightforward to make use of, whereas the achieve monitor proved a extremely helpful technique to test the affect of any undesirable background noise whereas on calls.
The microphone can be extraordinarily succesful exterior of gaming, producing clear professional-sounding recordings in packages like Audacity. This could make it a favourite for content material creators or podcasters, particularly given the placing look. For these purely involved with audio high quality, nonetheless, it’s value noting that I used to be in a position to squeeze equally good outcomes from the cheaper Blue Yeti which, regardless of its age, stays a prime decide for streamers for good cause. This did take some software program changes although, which wasn’t wanted with the pricier Alias.
If you’re the sort to rely closely on software program, then that is maybe the one space the place the Alias is behind the curve. The SteelSeries Sonar software program is somewhat primary, that includes a quantity mixer, some alternate EQ choices, a number of voice filters, and little else. The AI background noise removing is undeniably extraordinarily spectacular, permitting me to play loud video games with out headphones whereas on calls with no tangible impact on background noise ranges, however doesn’t appear that rather more superior than the choices present in competing software program like Nvidia Broadcast.
To make issues worse, the UI is bloated, and redundant options like Moments, which mechanically data your gameplay, are frustratingly intrusive and, worse nonetheless, switched on by default. Even so, this software program is wholly non-compulsory and would possibly nonetheless present some worth relying in your setup.
Ought to I purchase the SteelSeries Alias?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
How we reviewed the SteelSeries Alias
I used the SteelSeries Alias as my main PC microphone for over three weeks. This included a whole lot of use in a wide range of on-line video games and frequent chats with mates on platforms like Discord. To be able to check the audio high quality, I recorded myself in a variety of settings with totally different ranges of background noise utilizing Audacity.
Throughout my time with the microphone, I additionally made positive to discover the SteelSeries Sonar software program and tried to check the vast majority of the software program’s obtainable options and settings.
For extra {hardware} suggestions, see our information to the greatest gaming earbuds or the greatest gaming desks obtainable now.
