SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless: Review

SteelSeries, famed for comfort and quality, released the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless gaming headset. SteelSeries clearly wants to set a wireless gaming standard. Its low-key design and superb build quality make the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless a good gaming headset and daily headphones for commuting and Zoom meetings. We tested the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for a week to determine if it meets expectations.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Specs

How is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless?

The well-built, comfy Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has a slightly modified ski-goggle-inspired headband. Other SteelSeries headphones use gravity-based headband suspension. With headset pins like a snapback hat, this one lets you modify the band height differently. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless fits comfortably on my head despite the wireless headset’s weight. The metal-plastic mix feels strong.

The faux leather ear cushions feel good but heat up after two hours. The left ear cup conceals a retractable microphone that integrates with the shell. A wireless base station for controlling the headset is a great feature. The base station has two USB-C ports to charge the hot-swappable headset battery and connect the headset to two devices at once, such as a PC and a PlayStation 5. The wireless base station’s black and white OLED display and wheel manage all headset software capabilities, including a 10-band EQ and game/chat mix balance.

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How to manage Arctis Nova Pro Wireless?

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has easy-to-use controls on both ear cups. The left ear cup has a microphone mute, volume slider, and power button with an active noise cancellation switch. The right side of the headset has a Bluetooth pairing button. SteelSeries does a good job of distinguishing each control, which reduces confusion for beginning users compared to competing headsets.

The SteelSeries GG software works how?

SteelSeries GG (Windows/macOS) is included with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for software upgrades. SteelSeries GG lets you record and manipulate sounds with the Moments and Sonar suits. The elegant companion app lets you select game, chat, and mic audio devices with a few clicks in Sonar Audio. You can fiddle with Sonar Audio’s EQ settings or design your own. However, the base station reacts weirdly. After installing GG and updating the wireless base station, Sonar’s audio channels can be adjusted separately. Great. Changing the game/chat balance requires software, but it’s not too difficult. When you apply an EQ through Sonar, it replaces the wireless base station’s built-in EQ.

How good is SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless battery life?

The base station of SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has a slot for charging a detachable battery (two). Each battery lasts 18–22 hours, yet in our tests, it lasted 22 hours 36 minutes when playing music continuously at 75dB. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless and SteelSeries Arctis 7+ outperform this result. However, the base station has a gimmick to even the odds. Removing the headset’s right magnetic cover lets you switch batteries fast. The headset will stay on for eight seconds without a battery, giving you time to swap it for the other supplied battery in the base station’s charging slot. This technique lets you use the headset for long periods without turning it off. The headset’s left ear cup has a USB-C connector under a magnetic cover for charging the battery when using Bluetooth.

Does the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless block noise well?

Due to its closed-back and durable design, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless isolates noise well without active noise cancellation. The active noise cancellation (ANC) makes this headset ideal for boisterous games. ANC reduces AC unit and traffic noise to half the volume, making room-level discussions impossible to hear.

How does SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless sound?

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless emits a pleasing frequency response. Compared to our ideal consumer curve, this headset has a small bass emphasis (about 100Hz) and a slight dip around 4kHz. The tight 8kHz peak and high-end roll-off at 10kHz aren’t obvious, but note them if you’re sensitive. This frequency response isn’t ideal, but it’s still great for games and music.

Should you buy SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless?

The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is our top option due to its high pricing and extensive features. This headset boasts heat-swappability, long-lasting battery life, and great sound and noise cancellation. The wireless base station distinguishes these headphones and improves gaming. The comfy Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headphones look great whether playing video games or listening to music. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is cheaper without wireless connectivity. SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless saves money. The chassis of this gaming headset matches the more costly Nova Pro Wireless. Despite its 41-hour battery life, the Nova Pro WiFi WiFi base station lacks some user-friendly features. Arctis Nova 7 Wireless supports SteelSeries Engine and Sonar.

FAQs

Arctis Nova Pro Wireless lifespan?

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are commuter and travel friendly. One battery pack provides 25 hours of continuous listening, and you can link them to your smartphone via Bluetooth while travelling.

Know whether my ANC is on Arctis Nova Pro?

Press the headset’s Power button once while it’s on. A double beep indicates the ANC is on. Press Power again to hear a single beep, indicating that you switched off the ANC.

Does Arctis Nova Pro have two batteries?

Two disposable batteries may be charged in the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless base station.