ARC 3 Gaming Earbuds Impression – PAX East 2025

by on May 27, 2025 at 11:22 PM, EDT

When it comes to gaming, you have one of three options on how to listen to the game’s audio. The first option is to just have the audio come out of a speaker and be heard by potentially anyone. The second option is to put on headphones and not be able to hear what’s going on around you in your gaming area; in a day where swatting is still sadly a thing, this can be problematic and potentially deadly. Additionally, gamers are playing more games on the go, so having headphones that improve their gaming experience is even more important. The third and final option is to play without sound, and honestly, that can be more trouble than it’s worth. This is where the Cleer ARC 3 Gaming Earbuds come in to be a helpful tool. 

Below, we will be going over our experience with the Arc 3 Gaming Earbuds from PAX East and the Earbuds’ specifications. 

Although we did not have an official meeting with Cleer at PAX East 2025, we were interested in checking out the ARC 3 Gaming Earbuds after they emailed us. As someone with a big head and big ears, gaming headsets can get uncomfortable after a while, and gaming earbuds can easily fall out of my ears. If the earbuds are over the ear, they are normally too tight and feel rather uncomfortable.

This was the first thing I checked out when trying the ARC 3 Gaming Earbuds. The ARC 3 has an adjustable back that allows it to slide to be more comfortable for all sizes. The person who was with me had very tiny ears and was used to the over-earbuds falling off easily; in both instances, the earbuds stayed on even when jumping. 

The second test for the earbuds was how well the game sounds with all the other sounds going on around the booth. Surprisingly, despite a lot of ambient noise, I could still hear the game clearly; additionally, I could hear the representative next to me talking about the headphones and how they are mostly waterproof.

The third and final accidental test was how well they would do if accidentally dropped. When trying to hand them back to the representative, I accidentally dropped them, and they fell to the floor. For others, this would only be like a four to five-foot drop, but in my hands, it was closer to a six-foot drop. Surprisingly, the audio was still clear, it did not sound like there was any kind of distortion. 

Overall, I would say that I was rather impressed with the ARC 3 Gaming Earbuds and would like to try them out again for longer than a few minutes. As someone who travels a lot, not only for these events, but also for work, having a good sounding pair of wireless earbuds would be helpful, especially when you compare it to others like Skullcandy earbuds or Beats earbuds.

Now, we will go over what Cleer says the Arc 3 Gaming Earbuds provide. 

  • Open-ear design with flexible hinge for an all-day comfortable listening experience

  • Powerful sound with its improved 16.2mm Neodymium Dynamic Driver and Lossless audio for an unrivalled immersive listening experience with aptX™ Lossless technology, Snapdragon Sound™ S5 Gen 2 certification and LDAC Hi-res ultra-clear wireless audio transmission. Supports aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, AAC, and SBC

  • Immersive gameplay with Dolby Atmos optimization on the Arc 3 Gaming

  • USB-C and Bluetooth MultiPoint connection options

  • USB-C Dongle provides sub <30ms low latency audio on the Arc 3 Gaming and <60ms low latency audio on the Arc II Gaming

  • Clear calls and in-game chat with noise reduction mics

  • On-device touch controls for volume, playback, and more

  • New touch screen smart charging case supports wireless charging and with touch screen controls, and mirror on the Arc 3 Gaming

  • UV-C Light built-in to the charging case for cleaning and sterilization on the Arc 3 Gaming

  • Deeper bass, frequency response 50-40kHz

  • Spatial Audio, Optimized for Dolby Atmos with Dolby head tracking on the Arc 3 Gaming

  • Bluetooth 5.4 Multipoint connectivity. Seamlessly switch the audio input from two simultaneously connected devices

  • The Cleer AVC (auto volume control) adjusts audio based on surrounding noise for consistent listening

  • Voice and head gesture command makes hands-free operations possible. 6-Axis motion sensor for immersive hands free, head gesture controls

  • Crystal-Clear voice calls with aptX™ Voice technology and wind noise reduction design

  • Anti-loss Detection. If you drop an earbud, it will beep to make it easier to locate

  • Arc 3 Gaming offers 50 hours of total battery life (10 hours, plus 40 hours with the smart charging case), plus 5-minute quick charge giving 1.5 hours of playtime and the Arc II Gaming offers (8 hours, plus 27 hours with the smart charging case), plus 5-minute quick charge

  • IPX7 IP Water-Resistant and Sweatproof, Intensity-Proof Rating makes ARC3 even more protected around sweat, moisture, water and rain

  • Compatible with Android, and iOS

  • Lightweight, Arc 3 Gaming <12 g (per earbud), and 130g with case and Arc II Gaming <14 g (per earbud), and 130g with case

  • Cleer+ app for customizable sound performance, battery monitor and a step counter

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About

Hardcore gaming enthusiast, cosplayer, streamer, Tall Anime lover (6ft 9), and a die-hard competitor. I have been a Pop-Culture Journalist since 2011 specializing in shooters, Pokemon, and RPGs.


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