At first we would like to thank SteelSeries for offering the Siberia 840 Wireless Gaming Headset for testing and reviewing.

 

About SteelSeries:

"From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making high performance gaming gear used by the most demanding, top professional gamers worldwide and peripherals that provide superior quality and a competitive edge to gamers of all skill levels. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying!

 

What originally began with two people who recognized the need for superior, high-quality/performance gaming gear that would give gamers a competitive edge, has grown into a global leader in gaming and entertainment gear sought after for their high performance capabilities.

 

Fast-forward to today, and we’ve come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

 

While we are proud of our technology and product innovation, we are even more excited about how these products are developed to meet the needs of gamers. Many companies may claim to develop superior gaming products but few actually do. Instead, they spend countless hours with lab engineers trying to force fit a new technology with bells and whistles and mediocre functionality for the end-user.

 

At SteelSeries, we develop our products with a small internal team and a vast network of technology partners, channel partners, game publishers, and gaming communities around the globe. We aren’t afraid of being challenged and implementing new ideas. Our main goal is to always to listen to the collective feedback of our professional gaming community.

 

We won’t bore you with cheeky slogans, trying to underline our authenticity as gamers. We fully acknowledge that the best professional gamers in the world know more about what they want and what will make them better, than we do. We are proud to be working with our partners, but we can’t take credit for their invaluable input and feedback. Instead we tell it like it is: they help us. We want to know what works and what doesn’t. For this reason, SteelSeries creates innovative solutions that provide a competitive advantage for all gamers.

 

Critical to our company’s success is also our reinvestment in the gaming communities and the individuals who support them. As a result, our corporate philosophy is to take a substantial portion of our revenue and put it back into the gaming community to help spur industry growth. We support our community in numerous ways, ranging from co-hosting tournaments like Iron Lady and King of the Hill, and supporting gaming competitions of all sizes, to promoting the top and up-and-coming gaming teams/organizations.

 

Put simply, SteelSeries does not claim to invent or reinvent the gaming industry. Nor do we focus on one specific product, copy other companies or follow the crowd.

 

Instead we leave it to you, the gamer, our customer/partner/inspiration, to decide if we are deserving of such declarations and accolades. What we do promise, however, is to remain committed to you. We will continue to work with you and the gaming community to make the best products possible and give you that competitive edge. We will continue to do our best to support the growth of the professional gaming industry and give back to the gaming communities. By doing so, we don’t just talk a good game, we win!"

Product Features:

 

Breaking The Mold

 

The Siberia 840 is the perfect gaming headset. Armed with a lag-free wireless connection, transmitter with OLED display, on-ear controls, crystal clear mic and Bluetooth connectivity, the Siberia 840 is everything you need for every gaming platform.

 

No Lag

 

The Siberia 840 uses continuous frequency-hopping technology to prevent lag between your game and your headset.

 

Surround Sound

 

Immerse yourself in incredible virtual 7.1 surround sound. While most headsets simply feature Dolby Headphone, we feature three different types of Dolby technologies.

 

Soundscape

 

The Siberia 840 delivers exceptionally-tuned audio that is perfect for gaming, movies, music and more.

 

Siberia 840 with Bluetooth

 

Bluetooth connection lets you chat via VoIP clients through your mobile devices. Gamers can also take calls and stream music, all without ever having to take off their headset.

 

See Your Settings

 

No more looking at blinking LEDs to decipher your current settings. The Siberia 840 transmitter box has a vibrant OLED display the shows all of your settings and more.

 

Display

 

Profiles, audio sources, battery life, and volume are shown with crystal clear visuals. The large display makes it easy to see and operate from the comfort of your couch.

 

Wireless Controls

 

The on-earcup controls make adjustments quick and intuitive. With the control wheel, you can adjust volume and navigate the most commonly used settings right from your seat.

 

Visual Chat Mix

 

You control the audio level balance between the action in your game and the communication from your team. Simply turn up the chat audio to ensure hearing your friends over the explosions. Or turn down your friends if you want to focus on the action.

 

Hot-Swappable Batteries

 

Never lose power, never go wired. We included two 20-hour lithium-ion batteries, which can be changed mid-action without the hassle of any cables or wires. The spare battery charges inside the receiver so it's ready when you need it most.

 

Memory Foam Earcups

 

A sleek and stylish mix of matte black and glossy finish are highlighted by SteelSeries Orange stitching for a polished look. Add in comfort to style, memory foam padding on the headband and ear-cups delivers enduring wearability.

 

Hinged Earcup Design

 

The earcups are equipped with a hinge that allows them to swivel. This allows the earcups to lie flat against your neck when not on your head, as well as the ability to lie flat on your desk when not in use.

 

On Ear Control

 

The on-earcup controls make adjustments quick and intuitive. With the control wheel, you can adjust volume and navigate the most commonly used settings right from your seat.

 

Retractable Mic

 

The unidirectional retractable microphone of the Siberia 840 picks up the subtle details of your voice with incredible clarity. With the red LED at the tip of the mic, you will always know when you are muted.

 

Share port

 

Never leave a friend hanging with the onboard share port. Just plug in a second pair of headphones, and you both can watch that movie in privacy.

 

Easily Customizable

 

Right out the box, the Siberia 840 is ready to be used. With the OLED receiver, gain access to basic controls, settings, volume, and ChatMix without ever needing drivers.

 

Personalize with Engine

 

With SteelSeries Engine, get the most out of your gear when you tie it with SteelSeries Engine 3. Manage your profiles, equalizer settings, and OLED GameSense features all through the user-friendly software.

 

Complete control

 

We’ve designed the Siberia 840 to work with all of your devices. Wherever and whatever you use for entertainment, we have you covered.

 

 

Product Specifications:

 

 

Not long ago we have taken a look at the high-end wireless headset offering from SteelSeries, the Siberia 800, which did feature an easy to operate console along with swappable batteries. At that time, people were quite annoyed because the device was not designed to operate with the SteelSeries Engine unified software while the console was connected on USB and the revised SS Siberia 840 is meant to fix that. This is not the only improvement! Even if the Siberia 800 had a ton of connectivity options, the Siberia 840 also adds Bluetooth connectivity options, which does not imply a mandatory use of the console.

Siberia 840 has arrived in a medium-sized cardboard enclosure, and on the frontal side we have a photo of the product, along with the list of compatible platforms:

 

 

 

On one of the box sides, we will learn of the included retractable microphone with Mute LED functionality:

 

 

 

Some of the settings can be altered on-the-fly thanks to the volume wheel which can be also pressed downwards:

 

 

 

The box contents along with the main product features can be spotted on the back side of the box:

 

 

 

SteelSeries has not forgotten though to also include the hardware specification list:

 

 

 

The cardboard box is also provided with a plastic handle, for store display purposes:

 

 

 

After removing the top packaging layer, we get to see a custom box art, along with a central SteelSeries logo:

 

 

 

The packaging styling of the Siberia 840 seems identical to the one we have found with the previous generation:

 

 

 

Besides the headset, we will also find the console along with the bundle box:

 

 

 

The bundle box does contain the documentation, along with quite a bit of cables/adapters:

 

 

 

From the installation guide, the customer will learn of the headset functionality and how to connect it depending on the sound source:

 

 

 

 

The bundle box seems better organized than the one we have found with the Siberia 800, even if the cables aren’t wrapped individually in plastic bags:

 

 

 

 

SteelSeries is supplying an XBOX Chat Cable for the Xbox 360 console:

 

 

 

Next, we have a Chat Cable for both Xbox One and PS4 consoles:

 

 

 

The Analog Cable can be used with any analog audio sources:

 

 

 

The Mobile Cable can be used with tablets, smartphones or laptops which do sport a combo audio jack:

 

 

 

The Optical Cable can be used with consoles, but also with PC setups which sport S/PDIF interfaces:

 

 

 

The USB cable is usable when working with PlayStation and PC setups:

 

 

 

Next, we do have the Power cable, which is recommended to be used in all conditions, for supplying extra power to the console:

 

 

 

As the Siberia 800, the Siberia 840 comes with two batteries: one which will be used inside the headset while the second can be fitted inside the console for charging:

 

 

 

The rechargeable batteries are rated on the output as 3.7V/1000mAh/3.7Wh:

 

 

 

These look very similar to smartphone batteries and feature three gold-plated contacts:

 

 

 

The power adapter is also the same design as the previous generation; it is manufactured by Ktec and supplies on the output 5V at 1A:

 

 

 

 

On its side, we can clearly spot an USB connector for charging purposes:

 

 

 

The product was designed in such a way so it would fit plugs for different regions (which are also supplied):

 

 

 

 

Another similar feature from the Siberia 800 is the console box, which comes with the same design; since it does have a surrounding shiny black plastic texture on the side, SteelSeries has protected it with a transparent plastic film, so it won’t get scratched during transit:

 

 

 

The top cover of the console comes with an embossed SS logo:

 

 

In the frontal area of the console comes with an OLED display, a small Back button but also a Volume controller; the volume controller can be pressed inwards for navigating through the menus:

 

 

On the left side of the product there are no additional interfaces:

 

 

The right side though does have an opening, where we can fit the battery which needs recharging; this can be done while using the product while the charge status will be always shown on the frontal OLED display:

 

 

In the back area of the console, we will find an Analog In interface, one Chat Out, the DC-IN port, one USB port, the Optical In interface, along with an Optical Out:

 

 

The bottom area of the product features a large rubber foot, while in the middle we will learn of its power ratings:

 

 

The Siberia 840 headset does feature a combination of matte plastic, coated plastic side panels, but also very comfortable ear cup/headband paddings:

 

 

The main interfaces have some small white stickers with instructions attached to them, which must be removed before the first use; the volume wheel can be also used for navigating through the menus, if pressed downwards:

 

 

For optimal comfort, the ear cups can be fully rotated in order to fit most head shapes and sizes; the Siberia 840 no longer features glossy black side panels which were dust magnets and could also scratch easily. Now we are seeing a metallic paint which imitates brushed aluminum, while in the middle we can spot the SteelSeries company logo:

 

 

The left cup comes with a retractable microphone; its tip features a red LED ring, which signals when muted:

 

 

 

Thanks to its flexibility, it can be adjusted as needed:

 

 

 

On the right cup we do have not one but two separate buttons this time; we can use the Power button to turn on the headset (which will automatically pair with the console box), tap it twice for Mic mute, while the secondary button can be used for Bluetooth pairing:

 

 

 

Also nearby we do have the Chat and Share audio jacks, hidden under a protective black rubber cover:

 

 

 

 

The external cover of the right cup is removable, which reveals an USB port:

 

 

 

On the left side cup however, we will be able to spot the battery compartment, along with the second, pre-installed battery:

 

 

 

 

On the back side of the cover, we will be able to spot the “Winning is Everything” saying, along with the SteelSeries logo:

 

 

 

The interior of the ear cups has a thin orange mesh, besides the comfortable leatherette material. Each cup houses a single 40mm neodymium driver with a frequency response between 20Hz and 20000KHz:

 

 

 

 

The headband can be easily adjusted as needed:

 

 

 

The top area of the headband features an additional rubber layer, which holds the embossed SteelSeries logo:

 

 

 

The thick padding on the headband does help the headset to stay comfortable even during longer gaming sessions:

 

 

 

After powering up the console, we will be asked for the initial setup steps, thanks to the included wizard:

 

 

 

Both Power and Bluetooth buttons are assisted by LEDs, both white but with different shapes:

 

 

 

 

Bluetooth pairing procedure is also signaled on the OLED display:

 

 

 

The OLED dashboard does displays the charge status of both batteries at once, the operating modes, current volume level along with the name of the profile and more:

 

 

 

Unlike the Siberia 800, the 840 model is successfully detected by SteelSeries Engine 3:

 

 

 

The GUI allows us to define new profiles which will be uploaded to the hardware of the device, will display the current audio source, allow us to switch the Dolby Headphone feature in a snap, configure the EQ on 5 bands, set one of the presets, work with the ChatMix function or LiveMix (when applicable):

 

 

 

Here are the available EQ presets we ca work with:

 

 

 

The saved configurations can be assigned to different applications:

 

 

 

After connecting the Siberia 840 to our PC via USB, we started testing it by watching quite a few YouTube videos, some TV Shows, and of course, we did play some games: Carmageddon Max Damage, Devilian, Paladins, Mafia III and Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon. As the older version, the headset comes with a well-balanced output, which means that the bass is not over-the-top as we may expect from a headset exclusive for gaming; this "feature" does transform the Siberia 840 into an ideal companion for watching movies as well as listening to music.

 

By having a Dolby-certified console, the headset can emulate a 7.1 audio system, which offers a nice experience especially when watching movies. One of the negative points we did note with the Siberia 800 was the fact that sometimes the headset volume was quite low and audio material which was recorded at lower volume levels was sometimes hard to distinguish; the manufacturer listened carefully to the user requests and have added an extra option in the console: Vol Limiter. This new option allows the user to get 10 to 15% more volume, which is a big plus in YouTube content like ASMR.

 

The console allows us to change the EQ presets on-the-fly or define custom ones; the OLED technology screen on its front does allow us to read the current headset operating status, monitor the battery levels and more; during standby, we can choose for the display to dim, turn off or even use a screensaver for our viewing pleasure.

 

The headset does come with the same rechargeable batteries as the Siberia 800, and we were not surprised to see that they are lasting the same: about 17 hours from a single charge. Since the process of charging and switching batteries is so fast and easy, we would recommend performing this step each time they are close to 25% charge and not leaving them reach 0% so we would prolong their life.

 

With the previous revision, people were unhappy because this headset was not featuring integration with the SteelSeries Engine; the issue is now solved, since the new product is recognized by the manufacturers’ unified software and we can perform modifications on-the-fly, without even touching the console. This does not seem to be all: as an extra, SteelSeries have also added Bluetooth connectivity, which we did successfully test via our Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone. While using this feature, we did like in particular the fact that it is not needed to use the console as a middle-man, we can, in fact connect the headset directly to our Bluetooth device in a snap.

 

This headset is packed with lots of connectivity options, sounds great and the exotic console is adding quite a bit of functionality to it. The only negative aspect of this product is its current sale price: 349 Euros. Because of its quite high price, it is available only for enthusiasts or high-end users which are not afraid to spend some in order to get a fully-featured quality product.

 

SteelSeries Siberia 840 Wireless Gaming Headset is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to SteelSeries for making this review possible!