Last year, I reviewed the ARC 3 Gaming ear buds from Cleer Audio. They were nifty little earbuds that let you hear what’s going on around you. You can read the review here, but this week I was able to try out their new ARC 5 over the ear buds. The ARC 5’s are essentially the same as the ones I reviewed, but they’re slightly cheaper and have a bunch of upgrades. But it has one of the same downsides too.
Despite not touching your ear, the volume is pretty good, and the overall quality is great. The buds utilize Dolby Atmos to ensure your audio is crisp and clear. The buds also allow you to hear your surroundings clearly without sacrificing quality or comfort. When I went to see Project Hail Mary the day after they arrived, I kept the buds on the entire time. It didn’t feel like I was wearing anything, and I was able to hear the movie like normal.
There is just one downside, your ability to hear your surroundings can overpower your audio depending on where you are. It’s not an issue with music, but when I’m on the train, I’ll hear the train sounds way more than the dialogue. This is a fantastic device for being aware of your surroundings when you’re outside or talking while listening to music. But if you’re in a crowded or very noisy area, your audio won’t feel as loud as regular in the ear buds.
One of the new features of the ARC 5 is that it’s the first to utilize THX spatial audio. I don’t know the science of what it is, but it was immediately noticeable with some songs. When paired with Dolby Atmos, it felt like my brain was directly in the center of a giant concert. Again, they’re not as loud as buds that get jammed right in your ears, but the quality of the audio is far superior.
These buds also work great with gaming despite not having gaming in the title like the previous ones. In fact, I’d say these were even better. I hooked these up to both my Switch 2 and Steam Deck, and the differences were night and day. Video games heavily rely on orchestrated soundtracks, sound design, and atmosphere. These buds give you the full immersion when playing select titles. I especially loved them out with the Fire Emblem, Persona, and Metroid franchises.
The buds themselves aren’t the only ones getting an upgrade, the charging case is better too. The touchscreen lets you change things like volume and EQ and comes with a mirror, but that’s standard stuff for Cleer Audio devices. What sets the ARC 5 apart is that the case is much smaller. The buds are the same size but a lot of the extra space in the case was removed to create a very compact and portable case.
The case also offers up to 60 hours of battery life. That’s huge considering most people won’t use the buds for more than a few hours per day. I only expect to use mine during my two or three hours of travel on days that I’m working. Diehard users will likely be able to use these buds for a week in between charges. Honestly, of all the earbuds I’ve ever used, this one has the best case by far.
While it’s cheaper than the ARC 3 Gaming, the ARC 5 is still very expensive with its $220 price tag. They will be out of reach for many casual consumers and will be hard to use in very crowded areas, but they’re totally worth it. Great quality, great comfort, and an amazing case. If it’s within your budget, the ARC 5 buds are definitely worth checking out.
the buds come in two colors and you can find more information here.
10/10