SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Is (Almost) Gaming Audio Perfection

Games SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Is (Almost) Gaming Audio Perfection Mitch Wallace Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about gaming hardware, software and news. Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Sep 9, 2022, 04:07pm EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Credit: SteelSeries I’ve tested a lot of gaming headsets and only one or two can come close to the excellence that is SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. At $350, it’s not the most budget-friendly option around, not by a long shot. But what you get in the box is very much worth it, especially in terms of battery life and sound quality, though it stumbles in a single key area, at least for me.

So let’s address one of those big pluses right off the bat: The battery life on the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is sublime, mostly due to its swappable design. The headset is wirelessly tethered to a separate base station that connects to consoles and PC via USB, and this understated LED-screened unit contains a charging dock for naked batteries. You get two of them in the retail box, so while you’re using the headset, an extra battery is always juicing up in the dock.

Swapping the batteries is as simple as popping off one of the magnetic earcup faceplates, removing the spent battery, placing that into the base station to charge, then popping the fresh battery into the headset. What’s cool is that the headphones retain just enough power to stay on while this quick switch occurs, and then auto-reconnect once the new battery is inserted. SteelSeries claims that it only takes 15 minutes of charge to get 3 hours of battery use, and from what I’ve experienced, that feels mostly accurate.

Also, the company promises roughly 44 hours of gaming time using just the 2. 4Gz wireless mode, while a lesser but still impressive 36 hours if you’re utilizing simultaneous audio on Bluetooth for connecting to a phone or other device. For the months I’ve been using this pair of headphones, I can honestly say they last longer than any I’ve tried before, even on a single battery, let alone factoring in the whole seamless swappable Infinity Power System (that’s what it’s called, I swear).

It basically feels like I never need to charge it, and that’s a great thing for marathon sessions of Red Dead Redemption II , an older title I’ve finally been playing through lately. What a game, that one. Lenny! But I digress.

MORE FOR YOU ‘Demon Slayer’ Season 2 Finally Has An Actual 2021 Release Date Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Not A Sure Thing, Says Director ‘Genshin Impact’ Still Refuses To Increase Anniversary Rewards, Despite Fan Outcry I mentioned faceplates earlier, and what’s cool is that you can buy different colored varieties to spice up the aesthetics of the basic factory-fresh all-black. SteelSeries sent over a mint kit, and it changed the earcup plates and adjustable headband to a pleasant light green. A mojito flavor, if you will.

Speaking of the headband, this is my only complaint with the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless so far. It’s not particularly comfortable, at least not on my big head. Even after trying all the offered size notches, I often have to adjust the headset after an hour or two, or take it off entirely for a few minutes, because it’s digging into my scalp and ears.

It’s not terrible per say, or even a deal-breaker, but I’m desperately wanting a different fit. I’m willing to put up with the discomfort, however, because the sound quality on these cans is superb . I’ve mostly been testing them out on PS5 with supported 3D audio, and wow does this device do the Tempest Engine justice.

Spatial audio really shines here, as does music and bass-heavy moments. Lots of additional customization is available on PC, way past what you can do on console, but what I’ve played with on PS5 has seriously blown me away. Active noise cancellation is pretty solid as well.

On that note, there’s two versions of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, one for Xbox and one for PlayStation. As far as I can tell, they’re both identical, but the Xbox version is the only one that can work on Xbox. So you’re probably better off buying the Xbox variant, even if you have a PS5, as it will work on that too, in addition to stuff like Switch, PS4, Mac and PC.

Why do companies do this? You can keep two devices wired to the base station simultaneously, too, and switch back and forth on the fly. Did I mention that the volume wheel on the base station is very satisfying to turn? Well, it certainly is. The wheel on the headset itself is less so, but that’s neither here nor there.

By the way, I never did get a chance to test out the included retractable microphone, mostly because I almost never play online anymore. I’ll need to get on that soon. Overall, the sound quality of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is worth the price of admission alone.

Yes, these aren’t the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever used, but that could possibly be a personal gripe due to head size. Who knows. The base station is sleek, the headset itself is rather lightweight, and the sounds coming out of the drivers is immaculate.

I don’t think I ever experienced a single pop, buzz or disconnect in all the hours I’ve used these, something I can’t necessarily say for other wireless headsets. If SteelSeries can tweak the fit for whatever the next iteration is, I’ll be a complete convert. Disclaimer: SteelSeries provided review product for coverage purposes.

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