SteelSeries has launched the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, its newest flagship gaming headset and a huge step up from the previous model.
The market is flooded by hundreds of gaming headsets, earbuds and the like – but not many come close in quality to this.
The latest headphones from SteelSeries offer incredible sound, a modern look and it is packed full of features.
Comfort and design
The first thing I noticed out of the box is the design. These headphones look really clean, so much so you could wear them as your everyday Bluetooth headphones and no one would bat an eye.
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Gaming headphones usually stick out in public like a sore thumb! Little did everyone know on the train this morning I had a brilliant pair of gaming headphones comfortably cuddling my ears.
The ear cushions on these headphones are like pillows for the sides of your head. But that’s not at all to say they aren’t stylish – because they are, in my opinion at least.
Much like previous SteelSeries headsets, there’s a leather strap that rests between the frame in your head.
The microphone is also retractable, you can simply pull it out when needed.
Sound quality, noise cancelation and software
When it comes to sound, these headphones cover all bases.
I’ve road tested plenty of headphones over the past couple of years and none come close to SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.
But it’s not just gaming where the headset shines; movies, TV shows and music come across beautifully.
Like with most modern headphones, 360 degree sound is also on offer.
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The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless has fantastic active noise cancelation, unwanted sounds from keyboard tapping, PC fans and noisy house guests will be erased from your ears – that is only if the headset’s volume is high enough.
Of course if you’re listening at a very low volume or have no audio coming through the headset at all you’re more susceptible to background sounds.
There’s also transparency mode, enabling you to open up sounds through the microphone without removing the headset.
The included software is truly remarkable, and if you’re a gamer or streamer who loves to snack, you now have the power to remove any unwanted chewing, crunching or slurping sounds from your microphone’s output.
It may sound quirky, but it’s truly amazing how well this works.
It’s all done through SteelSeries’ GG software, in association with the included GameDAC, a controller device that acts as a hub for your headset.
The game DAC displays battery life and volume level, while also allowing you to change basic settings for the device. It has an inbuilt charging station for the headphone’s spare battery – easy access to this means charging your headphones and swapping the battery is never an issue.
Connectivity and battery life
It’s been days and I’m yet to swap the battery over.
Each battery lasts around 22 hours, giving you a total of 44 hours of potential playtime while on the go. This is a huge increase since the Arctis Pro Wireless, which only offered 10 hours per battery.
Should you need it, the headphones also offer fast-charge – 15 minutes on the charger equates to about three hours of play.
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The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless allows you to listen to multiple audio sources at once, from a Spotify playlist, to a phone call and a video game – all at the same time thanks to the multiple connections.
It has two types of wireless connection, a 2.4GHz as well as Bluetooth.
There are two models of the Nova Pro on the market, the Nova Pro and the Nova Pro X. If you’re gaming on Xbox, make sure you pick up the ‘X’ version – that’s the main difference.
But don’t be fooled by the Pro X packaging, there may be a “designed for Xbox” sticker on the box, but the SteelSeries Acrtis Nova Pro Wireless is perfectly compatible with the PlayStation 5.
During my review period, I had a moment of panic when I couldn’t get the headphones to connect to either my PC or gaming consoles.
After doing some digging I found that it had unpaired itself from the game DAC and the included instructions weren’t helping.
After a deep dive into forums from earlier models, there was a really simple solution that was not outlined in the headset’s manual. If you come across this issue, simply hold down the Bluetooth and power buttons for 5-10 seconds – that’ll fix it.
What’s in the box?
Inside the box, in addition to the headphones, you’ll find the wireless base station (game DAC), two USB-C connections, two batteries, two USB-C to USB-A Cables, a 1.5 metre 3.5mm audio cable, a microphone pop filter and the product information guide.
There’s also a fabric bag to store your headphones in.
Price and availability
Other than a connection hiccup, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Wireless are easily the best pair of gaming headphones I’ve ever used, not only in comfort but in overall sound quality.
The headset retails for about $679, more than a new PlayStation 5 (Digital) or Xbox Series S.
If being wireless isn’t a dealbreaker for you, you could save a bit of cash by choosing the wired version of the Arctis Nova Pro, priced at $499.
Ultimately, it’s the best audio experience I’ve ever had and truly justifies its price tag.
While they are out now, you may struggle to get your hands on a pair straight away. JB-HiFi has pre-orders in place until September 30.
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9News was supplied with a review unit of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Wireless Pro for the purpose of this review.
Source: 9NEWS
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