For the first dedicated microphone by gaming peripheral manufacturer SteelSeries, the Alias is a very impressive debut. Bringing the same ease of use that you would find in a SteelSeries mouse or keyboard to the audio space, this is a simple, plug-and-play microphone that sounds absolutely excellent out of the box. Although you can squeeze comparable audio quality from cheaper products by non-gaming brands (the exceptional Blue Yeti for example) doing so requires some degree of software knowledge and a level of fiddling that is totally absent here.
In addition to performing well, the Alias looks a cut above the rest thanks to an understated design that simply oozes class and quality. The RGB lighting on its underside may be purely cosmetic and a slight letdown, but the innovative LED display found on the front of the microphone is the perfect blend of style and substance. Conveying information on your current noise level, not to mention providing a useful indicator as to whether the microphone is currently muted, this is one feature that will make you wonder how you ever managed without it.
