SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless review – the total package

We’ve nicely and really entered an age of audio bliss in gaming and the SteelSeries Acrtis Nova Professional Wi-fi headset is nearly as good because it will get. This headset is for anybody who’s after an unparalleled degree of audio management and high quality with none compromise.

SteelSeries is not any stranger to high quality headsets, and I can distinctly bear in mind my first encounter with the model again through the launch of Diablo 3 once I purchased one of many limited-edition V2 wired headsets. Lots of the qualities I adored about that headset have solely been improved upon and culminate within the Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi being simply among the many greatest gaming headsets I’ve ever used.

Professionals

• Wi-fi base station is greater than only a gimmick
• Crystal clear microphone
• Mild and cozy with out feeling low cost
• Audio cancellation expertise could be very intuitive

Cons

• GG software program could be fairly intrusive and complicated 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi Options

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi comes full of options, and all of them benefitted me in a roundabout way, there’s no filler right here. Like many gaming headsets, twin wi-fi is featured and works like a dream. You’ll be able to join through the two.4GHz wi-fi and Bluetooth 5.0 and there’s no clunky channel switching because the streams can function concurrently. 

360-degree audio is current, and it provides a transparent benefit in video games like CS2 the place the path of sound is essential. It’s a function that’s commonplace in premium headsets now, and I really feel we take it as a right, as it may be carried out poorly. Nonetheless, it’s very nicely optimized within the Nova Professional Wi-fi. 

Battery life on the Nova Professional Wi-fi is nice, with simply over 20 hours per cost, however SteelSeries included two batteries that may be hot-swapped for comfort. Higher nonetheless, the wi-fi base station can be the battery charger so this helps scale back the necessity for an ungainly separate unit or further cables being wanted. This isn’t a novel function available on the market, however one which makes spending a bit extra on a headset fully justified. 

SteelSeries’ GG software program, sadly, is a bit overbearing and is maybe the one minor draw back to proudly owning the Nova Professional Wi-fi. In order for you management over your audio, it’s essential to have it put in and operating. The difficulty right here is that GG isn’t only for audio, it has a ton of different makes use of reminiscent of capturing in-game moments and exploring the newest giveaways. This is just too a lot bloat contemplating I simply need to have the ability to simply entry my audio settings and tinker. Many elements of GG could be ignored or turned off, however it’s the precept behind the software program that didn’t sit nicely with me. 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi 

Design

I’ll all the time again SteelSeries for his or her headset design, purely as a result of as somebody who struggles to seek out any gaming headset really comfy, be it resulting from measurement or weight, the Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi is miles forward of the competitors on each fronts. Consolation is king with gaming headsets, and whereas some supply stern competitors, just like the Turtle Seashore Stealth Professional, the head-to-head matchup falls in favor of the Professional Wi-fi for its considerably lighter really feel. At 336g, the Nova Professional Wi-fi is significantly lighter than a lot of its opponents, however it avoids feeling low cost within the course of, which is so much more durable to realize than I initially appreciated.

SteelSeries continues to impress with its headbands, and the Nova Professional Wi-fi makes use of a ComfortMAX system which focuses on 4 elements; peak adjustment, a versatile rigidity band, pivoting hangers, and rotating earcups. I get a bit fed up with studying buzzwords and flashy taglines on product containers, particularly when the product itself fails to ship on large guarantees, however there’s no such concern right here. Each side of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi design is inch-perfect and creates a gaming headset I really feel was made only for me. That is most evident when taking the headset off after utilizing it. There’s no second of aid, no rigidity immediately lifted, it’s the final word signal {that a} headset is getting consolation proper. 

Aesthetically, the Nova Professional Wi-fi isn’t overly chunky, it doesn’t have any loud and misplaced patterns, and it appears to be like like a premium headset ought to. In the event you’re not completely bought on the design or simply need to add some shade, SteelSeries sells booster packs that enable you to customise your headset. Every one comes with two substitute earcup plates and a cloth headband. It’s a small change however I fairly loved having a bit freedom to personalize how my headset appeared.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi 

Efficiency

It ought to come as no shock given how I’ve waxed lyrical concerning the Nova Professional Wi-fi up to now that its efficiency additionally delivers. Nonetheless, relatively than beginning with the audio high quality, I first need to spotlight the wi-fi base station. This little system isn’t solely an enormous purpose behind the beautiful audio high quality, however it will probably supply added perks in case you are enjoying a appropriate sport. 

When attempting out the Nova Professional Wi-fi in CS2, I seen that the bottom station would report on my efficiency between rounds and even let me know which spherical was beginning, and what number of rounds my group had received to that time. The bottom station additionally acts as a fast solution to tweak quantity, chat/sport combine, or EQ, to save lots of having to blindly fondle the earcups for the precise management. It’s a degree of management that might be unimaginable for anybody enjoying on one monitor as you wouldn’t have to hold switching between applications to make changes. 

AI lively noise cancellation is an enormous a part of the Nova Professional Wi-fi, as relatively than it being a easy function you activate and off, the headset is all the time monitoring your environment to create a really perfect stability. If you’re gaming, it’s stronger, blocking out any potential interference, however in case you’re merely shopping the net, it’s weaker, permitting you to work together together with your environment simply. This additionally extends to the microphone, to make sure you’re by no means too loud or distorted when speaking with others. In the event you would relatively set your noise cancellation, transparency mode permits for this, handing again management by way of a number of ranges to fit your wants. 

Having tried out quite a lot of video games to get an concept of the standard the Nova Professional Wi-fi provides, I can safely say that there aren’t any weaknesses to be present in pure audio high quality. It’s simple to take sport audio as a right. Nonetheless, SteelSeries is nicely conscious of how necessary it’s, and their high-fidelity  40mm drivers carry an countless high quality that turns into so obvious when switching between a number of premium gaming headsets. 

Sound-sensitive video games are a pleasure, however even simply listening to music can be elevated with the Nova Professional Wi-fi. I used to be anticipating a noticeable drop-off in high quality between the two.4GHz and Bluetooth connections, however this was non-existent regardless of the frequency variations between wi-fi and wired. The very best abstract of my time with the Nova Professional Wi-fi is it doesn’t matter what I threw at it, or how I attempted to reveal a weak spot, it stood sturdy.

Do you have to purchase the

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi?

Sure. Merely put, you’ll discover it laborious to return by a greater gaming headset than the SteelSeries Arctis Professional Wi-fi. Premium comes at a value, and the Nova Professional Wi-fi will set you again $349.99 / £329.99, however you’ll get each penny of this price again as added worth to your gaming, after which some, for years to return. 

If the value is a blocker, we might recommend the Razer Blackshark V2 Professional, which is a touch cheaper choice at round $199 however places a better concentrate on its high-band microphone, and fewer so on the audio high quality or customization. 

Verdict

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi is an unimaginable gaming headset. It provides you all the things you can want after which nonetheless finds room for extra helpful options and hard-to-beat efficiency. 

I’ve tried for over a month to discover a fault with the Nova Professional Wi-fi, and it’s been a fruitless expedition. It passes each take a look at you can put a headset by way of and it’s handed with flying colours. Not often would I even state {that a} value north of $300 is value it for a gaming headset, however the Nova Professional Wi-fi justifies its value right down to the final penny, even when it’s important to cope with bloated audio customization software program.