The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are wired gaming headphones designed with PCs in mind. They're at the lower end of the Arctis Nova lineup and are worth checking out if you want something more wallet-friendly. They're a step up from the SteelSeries Arctis 1, with improved build quality and attention to comfort, but offer marginal performance gains overall. They also come in PlayStation and Xbox variants, but the difference between these models is mostly cosmetic, as only the PC variant comes with a Y-splitter.
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are decent for neutral sound. These headphones have a warm sound profile out of the box that delivers extra boom to mixes. While vocals and lead instruments sound present, a dip in the treble range veils their details. Sibilants like cymbals are also slightly dull and lispy. These headphones are prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, too. If you have thick hair or wear glasses, you may especially notice a drop in bass, as this can rupture the ear cup's seal on your head.
- Well-built with comfortable fit.
- Prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 aren't designed for commute and travel. They're gaming headphones, so they're bulky, lack a carrying case, and don't block out any of the low rumble of bus engines. If that's not an issue for you, they have a comfortable fit and are well-built.
- Well-built with comfortable fit.
- Really struggles to block out background noise.
- Bulky and not stable enough for high-intensity movements.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 aren't suitable for sports and fitness. These bulky over-ears are designed for gaming, and their wired design means that you can accidentally snag them on something, which can pull them off of your head. Moderate physical movement can also cause the headphones to fall off your head. On the upside, they have a comfortable fit and are well-built.
- Well-built with comfortable fit.
- Bulky and not stable enough for high-intensity movements.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are mediocre for office use. They're gaming headphones and have a gamer-centric design, but if that doesn't bother you, they have a comfortable fit suitable for long days at the office. They also have a boom mic, which is great for online meetings as it can capture your voice very well. Unfortunately, they struggle to reduce noise like office chit-chat and lack dedicated call and music-related controls.
- Well-built with comfortable fit.
- Boom mic has great overall performance.
- Prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
- Really struggles to block out background noise.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 only support a wired connection.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are decent for wired gaming. These comfortable and well-built headphones have a warm sound profile that delivers extra boom to audio, which can help emphasize sound effects like footsteps. Since they use a 1/8" TRRS cable, you can connect them to any console with this jack. They have a boom mic, which does a great job of capturing your voice clearly, even in moderately noisy environments. Since they have a closed-back design, their soundstage doesn't feel very immersive, and they're prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, so you may need to readjust their fit each time you use them to get a more consistent sound.
- Well-built with comfortable fit.
- Boom mic has great overall performance.
- Prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
- No app support.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are alright for phone calls. While they're designed for gaming, you can still make calls with them, thanks to their boom mic. It offers great performance, ensuring you're heard clearly, even in moderately noisy environments. The headphones aren't designed to block background noise and struggle to reduce sounds like ambient chatter.
- Well-built with comfortable fit.
- Boom mic has great overall performance.
- Really struggles to block out background noise.
- No call-centric controls.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 19, 2024: We've made minor changes to this review's text to ensure it's up-to-date and accurate. There hasn't been a change in our recommendations, though.
- Updated Oct 20, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Oct 17, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 12, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
These headphones come in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see our model's label here. Keep in mind that this model is designed primarily for PCs. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P are designed for PlayStation, while the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X are for Xbox. However, the difference between all three models is largely cosmetic; only the Nova 1 comes with a Y-splitter for PCs. As a result, we expect all variants to perform similarly.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are the budget-end headphones of the 'Arctis Nova' lineup. They're based on the SteelSeries Arctis 1, but the manufacturer has significantly improved their design, especially when it comes to comfort. While their passive soundstage isn't as immersive as that of the Astro A10 Gen 2 or Logitech G433, they still offer a well-rounded performance that's worth considering if you're shopping with your eye on your wallet.
Check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best headsets for PS5, and the best SteelSeries headsets.
The Razer BlackShark V2 X and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are both budget-friendly gaming headphones. Both have a comfortable fit and very good mic performances. However, the SteelSeries are better built and have a more neutral sound profile, although it's still warm overall, and their audio cable is detachable, so you can easily replace it if it gets damaged. On the flip side, the Razer leak less audio at high volume.
The Astro A10 Gen 2 and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are budget-friendly wired gaming headphones with slight differences in performance. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the Astro headphones have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their passive soundstage feels larger and more immersive. However, the SteelSeries headphones' mic has a better overall performance.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 offers a marginal improvement over the SteelSeries Arctis 1. The Arctis Nova 1 are more comfortable and better built. However, both headphones offer a fairly similar overall performance.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha have the edge over the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 when it comes to wired gaming. The HyperX are more comfortable and have a significantly better build quality, and their sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer. That said, the SteelSeries have a better overall microphone performance.
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