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SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: One-minute evaluate
The Arctis Nova Professional is yet one more spectacular headset from SteelSeries and completely one of many best wired gaming headsets cash should buy proper now. With a modern design and the flexibility to plug it in and use it straight out of the field, there’s so much to reward right here.
If you happen to’ve ever felt restricted by the variety of options on an ordinary wired gaming headset, like a single scroll wheel for quantity, then the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional is a headset price contemplating including to your setup.
Although the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional is in no way a budget-friendly headset, it’s nicely well worth the cash. Providing a snug listening expertise alongside crystal clear audio, it’s laborious to discover a fault – even after hours upon hours of testing.
You possibly can tailor your listening expertise to your tastes by means of its desktop management panel, and the extra software program out there offers you the chance to take this additional by opening the doorways to adjusting your audio settings relying on which style of recreation you are enjoying.
After utilizing a wi-fi headset for a while (particularly the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro 7P), I used to be skeptical about going again to wi-fi. It took no time in any respect to regulate, and I felt like I had extra management over my audio than ever earlier than. I additionally appreciated not having to fret about battery life at any level. Every thing was able to go the second it was plugged in, so nothing might interrupt no matter I wished to play.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: Value and availability
- $249.99 / £179.99 / AU$405
- A worthy improve in the event you’re keen to splash out
- Wired model solely out there in black
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional wired headset will set you again $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$405, which makes it far dearer than even a number of the finest wired gaming headsets. However in the event you ask me, it justifies the worth completely by means of its efficiency and customization choices.
If you happen to’re available in the market for an improve and also you’re able to spend money on a product that gained’t allow you to down and provides you the flexibility to change your auditory expertise completely.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: Specs
|
Value |
$249.99 / £249.99 / AU$405 |
|
Weight |
16.08oz / 456g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Swap |
|
Connection kind |
USB, 3.5mm audio jack |
|
Options |
40 mm Neodymium drivers, Bidirectional microphone polar sample, ClearCast Gen 2 microphone, GameDac Gen 2 management panel |
|
Software program |
SteelSeries GG |
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: Design and options
- Smooth, light-weight design
- One scroll wheel
- Management panel isn’t cumbersome
Straight out of the field, it’s straightforward to see and really feel that the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional is a high-quality headset. Its modern black design is light-weight, and there are few options on the earcups which maintain issues neat and tidy.
The microphone tucks into the left earcup, which is considered one of my favorite options, and there’s just one scroll wheel on the cup, which you utilize to regulate quantity. As well as, the earcups are very padded, which ensures no discomfort, irrespective of how lengthy I used them for. The floating headband additionally helps make all the expertise as comfy as doable.
You’ll additionally discover a mute button to your microphone on the left cup, however aside from that, there’s no extra prospers. So, nothing to fumble round with in the event you’re attempting to regulate your settings. Most of your audio changes are made by way of the management panel, too, which matches this modern aesthetic.
With a small LED display and a dial to regulate the audio settings, the entire panel simply suits within the palm of your hand. Or extra moderately, anyplace in your desktop.
Inputs and outputs are clearly labelled on the again of the unit to make the setup even simpler. When you could have plugged every thing in, this management panel will show directions and particulars in white. Even when the display dims after a interval of no use, it’s nonetheless straightforward to learn because of the font selection and shade.
Having this management panel on my desk made me realise simply how a lot I modify my audio settings. If something, I modify them extra so now I don’t must fiddle round with scroll wheels to try to get the right sound.
When buttons and wheels are too shut collectively on an ear cup, I all the time discover myself altering the improper one. So when all I’ve to do is flip the dial on the management panel, use voice chat, and even immersing myself within the recreation I’m enjoying has by no means been really easy.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: Efficiency
- Crystal clear audio
- Noise-cancelling microphone
- Simple to arrange
When utilizing the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional for gaming, it’s laborious to not absolutely immerse your self in no matter you’re enjoying, because of the stellar audio high quality on show. It’s so clear, each single sound in a recreation is definitely picked up.
From the gentlest footstep within the distance to feeling like a personality is respiration down your neck in actual time, there’s a powerful spectrum of sound on show always.
The microphone, which I already adore for tucking into the ear cup moderately than folding towards the cup and headband just like the Turtle Beach Stealth 500, additionally provided spectacular sound. It’s straightforward to regulate, so after I obtained suggestions from a name saying my audio felt a bit harsh, it was straightforward to maneuver the mic round to rectify this.
The headset additionally comes with a foam pop filter, which might be slipped over the mic, which I used on a couple of event for gaming and normal voice chats.
With that mentioned, the management panel actually feels just like the star of the present right here. I’m so used to counting on ear cup controls with gaming headsets, particularly as a result of so lots of the merchandise I’ve used up to now have been wi-fi, being able to regulate my audio settings within the palm of my hand undoubtedly made me really feel extra in management.
You possibly can have a number of USB connections to the panel, too, which is right for anybody continuously switching between platforms. This makes the transition between platforms seamless.
If I wished to leap from PC to console, I might accomplish that with the press of a button. There was no must unplug wires, faff round a bit, after which plug them again in to my desired platform. It’s clear this function has been designed with the participant in thoughts, for the reason that entire expertise, from the audio capabilities to the benefit of arrange and seamless connection, simply makes life simpler.
The addition of SteelSeries GG is price mentioning, too. I’m fast to miss extra software program in relation to headsets because it by no means appears like a necessity, however the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional doesn’t offer you a selection. The headset gained’t play any audio if it wants a firmware replace, and the one approach you possibly can repair that’s by means of the app.
I used to be initially annoyed about that because you anticipate a headset constructed with comfort in thoughts to make this a bit of simpler, however I ended up utilizing the app much more than I assumed I might.
Not solely are you able to kind your updates out right here, however you possibly can take your audio barely additional by toggling on options like spatial encompass sound. Having this app may also let your headset clip components of your gameplay while you’ve had a selected response, ridding you of the stress to seize you and your folks’ finest bits. It’s principally like having your personal compilation video prepared and ready on the finish of a gaming session.
Do you have to purchase the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional?
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Nonetheless not bought on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional wired gaming headset? Right here’s the way it stands towards some equally priced wired gaming headsets.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional |
Razer Blackshark V2 Professional |
Turtle Seashore Stealth 600 Gen 3 |
|
Value |
$249.99 / £249.99 / AU$405 |
$199 / £199/ AU$349 |
$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179 |
|
Weight |
16.08oz / 456g |
11.3oz / 320g |
10.61oz / 301g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Swap |
PS5, PC, Nintendo Swap |
PC, Xbox Collection X | S, PlayStation, Cellular, Nintendo Swap |
|
Connection kind |
USB |
Kind A Wi-fi (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5.2 |
Wi-fi (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, Wired (3.5mm) |
|
Options |
40 mm Neodymium drivers, PlayStation 3D audio, Bidirectional microphone polar sample, ClearCast Gen 2 microphone, GameDac Gen 2 management panel |
THX spatial audio, twin connectivity, PlayStation 3D audio |
AI noise discount, flip-to-mute microphone, PlayStation 3D audio, spatial audio, quickswitch button, built-in EQ modes, superhuman listening to |
|
Software program |
SteelSeries GG |
Razer Synapse |
Swarm II |
How I examined the SteelSeries Arctis Arctis Nova Professional
- Check over a number of weeks
- Tried with each PC and console
- Explored the included software program completely
I spent two weeks with my Steelseries Arctis Nova Professional headset and spent hours upon hours every day utilizing it for gaming, conferences, and music. Due to the wired setup, it was extremely straightforward to plug in and use throughout platforms, however I predominantly used it with a gaming PC and Nintendo Switch.
To take advantage of out of its efficiency, I performed a wide range of video games corresponding to REPO and Content material Warning to check the mic readability inside proximity chat, alongside Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 to check how massive the spectrum of sound the headset picks up is.
For video games the place audio cues are so necessary, like The Outlast Trials and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional by no means did not impress. This was additionally massively helped by the flexibility to customise each observe by means of the GameDac Gen 2 panel and the audio presets out there by means of SteelSeries GG.
First reviewed April 2025.