SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless [PC, PS, Xbox] Headphones Review

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless look somewhat similar to the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless. They have the standard SteelSeries ski-band headband design, but the plastic frame is shinier than other headphones from this manufacturer. While they only come in black, you can purchase the Arctis Nova Booster Pack separately, which comes with a set of speaker plates and a nylon ski-band in one of several colors: 'Cherry Red', 'Lilac', 'Mint', and 'Rose Quartz'.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are decently comfortable headphones. They don't clamp as tightly as other models from this manufacturer, like the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC, and they're a little lighter too. The ear cups have a good range of motion, and the padding feels soft against the skin. However, they're still a bit bulky in design, which is normal for gaming headphones. The sizing of the headband is also limited to the length of the ski band and the metal frame, so they may have a very snug fit if you have a large head.

Some users have also reported experiencing discomfort due to the protrusion inside the ear cups. This the ANC's mic, and it can hurt if your ears are pressed against it. It depends on how you place the headphones on your head, though, as well as on the shape of your ears. If you're wearing the headphones further back on the head, it can cause the mic to touch your ears, which isn't very comfortable. It can also disrupt the headphones' seal and affect sound quality.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have excellent controls. The headphones have a couple of physical buttons built into each ear cup. They're easy to use and provide tonal feedback. There's also an infinite volume wheel, but it lacks a middle notch to let you know when you're over 50% volume. That said, the feedback can be loud, even if you set the transmitter's volume to its lowest setting and then use the controls to take you back to the main menu, which can be a bit annoying.

On the left ear cup:

• Power button
• Single press: Turns ANC on and off.
• Double press: Activates talk-through mode so you can better hear your surroundings without taking the headphones off.
• Press and hold: Powers the headphones on and off.

• Mic mute button
• Mutes and unmutes the mic.

On the right ear cup:

• Bluetooth button
• Single press: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and declines calls.
• Double press: Skips to the next track.
• Triple press: Skips to the previous track.

In addition, these headphones come with a DAC that provides controls at your fingertips. You can access channel mixing, EQs, the virtual soundstage feature, gain, sidetone, and mic volume. However, it can be tricky to use since there are only two buttons.

Like most gaming headphones, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless aren't very portable. Although the cups can swivel to lay flat, they have large ear cups and a rigid headband, so they can't fold to save up more space. You can see a photo of the headphones in their default position here.

These headphones come with a cloth pouch to help protect them from dust. It's a bit sheer, meaning it won't keep your headphones from water or fall damage. Although the bag has a drawstring, it also doesn't fully close.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' build quality is great. They're mostly made of plastic, but the headband has a metal plate and a nylon sling to keep them sturdy and comfortable. Unlike the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, there isn't extra nylon to wrap over the top of the headband, and there are only three settings for adjusting the strap. The hinges can expand the metal headband to better fit larger heads. The mic is retractable too, and you can remove the ear cup plate to access the battery or USB port.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are fairly stable. While they won't move around if you're gaming on your couch or at your desk, they become a lot less stable if you wear them during a run in the park and can fall off your head altogether.

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headphones
• Wireless USB transmitter
• 2x Batteries
• 2x USB-A to USB-C cable
• 1/8" TRRS cable
• Mic wind screen
• Pouch
• Manuals

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have a somewhat neutral sound profile. They have a touch of extra thump, boom, and punch to help intensify sound effects like explosions. However, vocals and instruments are harsh, while sibilants like cymbals are piercing. Luckily, you can customize the headphones' sound to your liking using the companion software's EQ and presets or use their wireless dock's built-in EQ. You can only transfer your custom settings from the GG app if you disable Sonar. If you're looking for more neutral-sounding gaming headphones, take a look at the Audeze Maxwell Wireless instead.

Unfortunately, some users have reported a high noise floor when the ANC and Bluetooth are both active, and we were able to confirm this with our own unit. Switching between Bluetooth on and off doesn't significantly affect the noise floor. We also noticed that having the mic on adds a slight hiss to your audio. It's not very noticeable when the mic is being used, but if you have a live mic and you're not speaking, you'll hear the hiss in the feedback. Some users have also experienced this issue with ANC off or sidetone on and Bluetooth enabled. If you've encountered this issue, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' frequency response consistency is very good. Bass delivery is fairly consistent, although you may notice a slight drop in bass if you have thick hair or wear glasses. There are also tiny deviations in treble delivery due to fit and positioning; however, as long as you take the time to adjust them on your head, you'll achieve consistent audio delivery each time you use them.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' bass accuracy is excellent. The range is slightly overemphasized, which adds a touch of extra thump, punch, and boom to mixes. It can help emphasize sound effects like the explosion of Link's bomb arrows against enemies in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, it doesn't overwhelm vocals and lead instruments.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have good mid accuracy. The low-mid is very well-balanced, so vocals and lead instruments sound clear. However, a peak in the mid to high-mid can push the upper harmonics of these sounds forward and make them honky. In songs like Glimpse of Us by Joji, his voice is harsh and aggressive when he hits the high notes within the chorus.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' treble accuracy is disappointing. A dip in the low-treble veils vocals and lead instruments while a peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants like cymbals a bit piercing.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' peaks and dips performance is sub-par. A small dip in the low-bass lessens the thump and rumble in your mixes, while a peak throughout the mid to high-bass adds punch and boom to mixes. Another dip in the low-mid thins out vocals and lead instruments, while a peak in the mid to high-mid makes the upper harmonics of these sounds harsh and forward. A deep dip in the low-treble veils vocals and lead instruments while a peak in the mid-treble turns sibilants like S and T sounds piercing.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have excellent imaging. This test allows us to see the alignment of the left and right drivers and indicates how well headphones accurately reproduce and place spatial objects like footsteps in the stereo image.

The group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. The L/R drivers of our unit are also matched in terms of phase, amplitude, and frequency response. It's important for the accurate placement of objects like voices or footsteps in the stereo image. Keep in mind that imaging can vary between units, and it can indicate a manufacturer's quality control and ergonomics.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' passive soundstage performance is bad. The soundstage feels large but unnatural and as if sound is coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed in the room around you. These headphones also have a closed-back design, so their soundstage won't feel as open or spacious as that created by open-back headphones.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have a spatial audio feature in their companion software. You can adjust the settings to fit a more gamer-centric or movie-centric sound. You can also access a slider to change the distance of the passive soundstage. These headphones are compatible with PlayStation 5's Tempest 3D AudioTech, which you can turn on and off in the PS5 settings. Keep in mind that if you're using GG Sonar software and want to set up Dolby Atmos, you'll get a warning message letting you know that this feature may not be compatible with the software.

The weighted harmonic distortion is decent. There's some distortion at normal listening volumes in the low-treble range, but it can be somewhat hard to hear with real-life content. That said, the rest of the frequency response falls within good limits, which results in fairly clean and pure audio reproduction.

These are the settings used to test the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, and our results are only valid with these settings.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have a fair noise isolation performance. Unlike other headphones from this manufacturer, like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless, they have a noise cancelling (ANC) system, which can help block some background noise like ambient chatter and the hum of a computer fan. However, they have a high noise floor, and a buzzing sound may be heard when the ANC is on, which can be annoying. In terms of isolation, they also struggle a lot more when cutting down the low rumbles of bus engines. If you want to tackle commute or travel-related noise, you'll want to check out more casual-use headphones like the Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless instead.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' leakage performance is great. The leakage is mostly concreated in the mid to treble range, and sounds somewhat thin. That said, if you're gaming at high volumes in a moderately noisy environment, it's unlikely you'll disturb others around you.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' boom mic has a good recording quality. Your voice sounds clear, natural, and easy to understand. A bump in the low to mid-treble can make your voice sound overly bright or sharp.

A user has reported that a buzzing noise appears whenever there's silence on a call, which can be quite annoying. This issue may also be related to the high noise floor when Bluetooth and ANC are both enabled. If you've experienced this, please let us know in the forums.

The microphone's noise handling performance is good. With the noise gate off, your voice is easy to understand, even in moderately noisy environments. That said, you can access additional noise handling controls in the companion app, like ClearCast AI NC, which the manufacturer advertises to further cut down ambient noise surrounding your voice. We've recorded a pink noise and subway noise pass using this feature. There's also a noise gate feature, which you can turn on and off. We've recorded pink noise and subway noise pass using this feature too. However, both features seem to produce the same results as when the noise gate is off.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless' battery performance is excellent. Like the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, they have a dual battery cartridge system. The manufacturer advertises one battery to last 18 hours continuously with Bluetooth on, using the dock. In comparison, the battery is advertised to last 22 hours when using the DAC and non-Bluetooth wireless. That said, we measured 25 hours when connected to a phone via Bluetooth and PC via non-Bluetooth wireless, with audio playing only from the PC. Battery life can vary depending on use, though.

There are two ways to charge the headphones: you can place one battery in the dock while using the other one, or you can plug in the headphones using the USB port behind the left ear cup's plate. However, if you're directly charging the headphones with the cable, you can't use them. Although there aren't markings on the dock as to how to insert the battery, the battery has small markings indicating how it should be oriented. The dock also won't accept the battery unless it's properly inserted.

SteelSeries GG and Sonar are excellent companion software if you're gaming on PC. However, you'll only be able to transfer settings to your console if you're using the GG software and if you disable Sonar in the GG Engine tab. If you make changes using Sonar, they won't be transferrable to your console.

Within the default GG software, you can access a graphic EQ and presets as well as mic sidetone and volume. If you want even more features, Sonar is available within the GG ecosystem. It offers a parametric EQ and presets in addition to the robust mic and chat controls. You can adjust the mic's EQ, noise gate, and noise reduction.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are also compatible with the Dolby Atmos app, and you can even use it on Xbox. However, you need to pay for this app. It's designed to improve the immersiveness of your audio, but you can only turn it on or off. We didn't notice a significant difference in sound quality when using it, though. We also ran a sweep to compare Dolby Atmos on vs. off, and you can see a comparison of both frequency responses here.

Although these headphones support Bluetooth, some users have reported a buzzing noise when using it, which is quite annoying. Other users have also reported the noise when ANC is also turned on when Bluetooth is enabled. However, it most commonly appears when there's no audio playing or when the headphones pick up your voice in calls while Bluetooth and ANC is enabled. If you've experienced this issue, please let us know in the forums.

You can connect them to your console and smartphone at the same time, which is handy if you want to hear your game audio while simultaneously listening to music from your phone. Using Bluetooth, they have low latency on iOS and Android devices, which is great if you like to stream video. However, their latency on PCs is much higher, and your audio and visuals can fall out of sync. Keep in mind that apps and devices compensate for latency differently, though.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless have excellent non-Bluetooth wireless latency. There are two settings you can select within the DAC: 'Speed' and 'Range'. Using 'Speed' mode results in 28 ms of latency, which is low and better than competitors like the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Wireless PS/Xbox, ensuring that your audio and visuals stay in sync while gaming. We also measured this mode's range and got over 95 feet (29 meters), which is a fair distance. Switching to 'Range' mode increases the latency to 38 ms, but it won't be very noticeable when gaming. The range is significantly longer at over 120 feet (36.8 meters), which is good if you don't sit near your TV or monitor when you game.

These headphones come with two USB-A to USB-C cables: one is to connect your PC or console to the DAC, and the other one charges the headphones or connects them to another console. They also come with a 1/8" TRRRS cable, which allows you to receive audio and use the mic.

You can connect the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless to your PC by Bluetooth, their 1/8" TRRRS cable, and non-Bluetooth wireless via the DAC with full compatibility.

Even though we tested the Xbox variant, this model can also connect to PS4 and PS5 consoles with full audio and mic compatibility via analog and non-Bluetooth wireless, thanks to their wireless transmitter base.

You can use the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless with the included 1/8" TRRRS cable. If you have the Xbox variant, you can also use the base station for wireless gameplay when connected to an Xbox console. Using these connections delivers full audio and mic compatibility.

Like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless comes with a wireless transmitter base that charges the extra battery pack and offers several connectivity features and controls at your fingertips.