Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset Review!
Steelseries dropped the brand new Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset and MAN OH MAN is this something crazy, check it all out in my review!!!
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That base station acting like a changer for the battery as well is such a good design! 👏🏼
They've had that since the Arctis Pro Wireless.
@@RaptorFaceRumble you’re so cool
The Arctis pro has done that for years haha it’s not new
This is the one feature that lead me to add it to my bday wish list. That is so useful!
It was great on the Arctis Pro Wireless, it doesn't actually have that working on the Arctis Nova Pro. The moment that you try to put the battery in it turns the device off because they cheeped out and didn't put in a charging input. Thus, the dock can't really be used like that in any effective sense. If you just have one USB plugged in, you might be able to make it work but then again, it might not. You actually need to find a way to build your own battery charger somehow if you want to use it. Also, it's proprietary so that probably won't work either. The only real solution with the Arctis Pro Nova given how low quality it is, is to simply throw it away and upgrade to the MUCH better Arctis Pro Wireless or some other headset unless/until they get their act together and start making quality products again.
I bought these the day after they released. I was super excited about them and had to get them. It seemed others were not that hyped about them as much as I was. Your video review just put a big ole smile on my face because your excitement about this headset feels like my excitement.
and what would you say about the headset today?
@@henrikjohansson5370 I bought one for my wife recent because she has had all kinds of issues with different ones. She loves this headset probably more than me because the ease of use, the sound quality, and how comfortable they are. I do not have anything bad to say, I thought it was weird that they give you a removable pop filter for a retractable mic. Unless you don't need it, you're good but I have a fan going strong so I need it but I have to remove it when I retract the mic when not in use. There is a good chance of losing that pop filter.
@@MrBuddhalicious A year later do you still use the same headset?
I've had mine for about two months now and absolutely love them. The noise cancelling is on another level and the quality of the sound is top notch. STUPID easy setup and that battery swap makes it super convenient w/o having to recharge or hook it up to a wired connection. They're pricey, but well worth the cost.
@@paulweston8184 I dunno, the headset I have...well...the Mrs has to tap me on my shoulder to get my attention or straight out yell at me. I think the NC is excellent for 'affordable' headsets...I mean, we're not talkin about the same level of NC that NFL coaches get, right?
Can we use it for mobile gaming or have you tried fps on mobile/ipad ?
@@rickysekhon5706it’s raw on Bluetooth but recently been having issues with them. Probably need to update the drivers as the “reset” button seems like a gimmick. They’re great when they work in that aspect
ive just got these and really dissapointed with the noise cancelling it doesnt even seem to work for me and it is deffo active i can feel the change on my ears but can still hear quiet noises in the room
@@clawy22 agree noise cancelling kinda mid
Sonar is pretty lit. I use the software with my rog strix fusion 700s. it really does make a difference and the spatial audio is pretty nutty, also helped with noise gate and noise cancelling was great on the actual mic. its pretty neat
Glasses test thank you! Great stuff as always FrankP
I’ve used my Siberia 800s and absolutely love them. Didn’t like the feel of the original Arctis wireless. These might be my upgrade. Also the fact that steelseries hasn’t changed their batter since the first wireless set release is amazing.
sold! so excited to try these out! thanks for the non bias review.
Have been using arctic pro wireless for over a year now. Sick headset. The fact that you always have a swappable fully charged battery is insane. You basically never got wired with this headset. Every other “wireless” headsets I had went wired after some time and it was driving me crazy
this was exactly my issue with the so called "wireless" headsets. The fact that they die during gameplay or gets low battery during long game hrs drives me nuts when I need to wire them in for charging. These seems to be only headset that gives some kind of hope to be truly wireless. My only hesitations are build quality and mic at this price point
I had the Arctis Pro Wireless too. My eventually broke down (I can't blame it though, I used it CONSTATNLY for years). Unfortunately, I've downgraded to the Arctis Nova Pro. Trust me, you don't want the new stuff.
should you remove the battery when its fully chared in the dock?
@@stevenmerritt4960 sorry to bother you but i'd just like to know why you dislike the wired over wireless, not hating or anything just curious because i wanna get a pair myself.
Just switched from the Arctis Pro Wired to the Arctis Nova Pro Wired and they are definitely an upgrade. Not only better sounds quality, but the spatial audio features and the combination of Sonar and the mic changes are very nice. The sound/mic are also better on the wired version for $100 less which is why I decided to pass on the wireless model. The new pleather earcups helps with noise isolation. Big upgrades on the DAC too. Bigger screen, larger knob, dedicated mute button and switching from that strange proprietary cable to 3.5 audio jack is a really nice change.
Does it still have option for dual audio channels (one for games one for chats) because that is the main reason I bought the Acrtis 7/9 in the first place.
@@Shadowtron1221 it’s the same base station thing just with a wire
Yeah Don’t even bother with wireless one unless you are using it solely for music. Mic quality degrades with wireless. Corsair on the other hand doesn’t degrade the mic for wireless.
Does the Nova Pro have the same ability to switch on 96KHz 24bit audio like the Arctis Pro via the DAC?
@@Oiidz I just looked through the options, I didn't see any option to switch to 96kHz/24bit. By default it is 48kHz/24bit. In any event, I would suggest sticking with the Arctis Pro. They cheeped out with the Arctis Nova Pro to the point that it doesn't even have a power input. As a result, only one USB input can be used (if you want to charge the battery anyways) and even that is iffy. It is extraordinarily unreliable and awkward to attempt to use. The Arctis Nova Pro is a definite downgrade from the much superior in design Arctis Pro Wireless.
Oh also Sonar works on the output of the DAC. With the spatial audio enabled and with Performance set to about -10 and Distance at 50, I have found that a lot of my really good IEM's are really nice for gaming now. Really pulls the sound away from the inside of my head :)
Yes but sadly for me when I use sonar, my friends mic audio in discord doesn't go through :/
I really appreciate the glasses test. Thank you for that❤
Frank, your B roll shots are amazing. Especially with the focus changes.
I know this is a year later but I thought the exact same thing 😭
Been a huge fan of Steelseries headsets and had the previous Pro Wireless for more than 8 years now. I don't have a massive need to upgrade to these at the moment but once they come in white and my current Pro Wireless had bit the dust, I'll certainly be getting these.
Same^
Same!!!!!! I have had mine for 2.5 years. I love them and got like, 6 buddies to buy them! These are a nice upgrade but I think I need to wear mine out a little more before I ditch em. Or... they can become my headset at my gaming setup at my parent's house:)
They seem the same. I don’t know what makes it “the best headset ever”
It seems like a simple repackaging of the old ones, with a few minor tweaks
@@whitenat pretty much
Sonar + AutoEQ is the way. with that combo, you can get a gaming headphone with all the features it brings, with a harman tuning and a parametric EQ if you want to tweak it more. No more choosing between sound quality or creature comfort, you can get both with this.
I need this apps on my phone please tell me there is one like sonar or autoEQ
I find it amusing that you called out Sonar unlocking all potential because I made it my mission to avoid it 😆 I don't like that it forces the sound resolution to 16bit so instead I used Engine to EQ the headset directly and turned on Dolby Atmos which I already had and it sounds INCREDIBL! For game chat I ran an aux cable from my motherboard's output into the Line in connector on the back of the dac and set that to default communications device so that I could still get volume and EQ control separately.
Great review, awesome shots! Just a quick note, The link in the description seems to be going to the older model (at least in the UK Amazon store)
don't buy from Amazon lol the prices suck more often than not
Unless I'm missing something, when you were doing the mic test and giving us the "raw" mic test you had the steelseries software in the background with sonar turned on for the mic and the same eq as when you specifically showed us the nasally preset with sonar. Just wanted to point that out because I would like to hear the actual comparison!
I think that that base station and hot-swapable batteries are excellemt features.
I've gone thru 3 of the Arctis Pro Wireless headsets because the plastic case between the ear speaker and the headband keeps breaking, because it's cheap plastic. I hope they've fixed this issue on the new versions. What gets me is that I'm not hard on my equipment either... I am so careful about where I put it up, and how I put it up... I think I'll make the switch to the newer version soon. Thanks for doing this review.
Bought this beauty today, had a EPOS GSP 670 before, but was fed up with it, because the cushion and the leather started to disintegrate after a year, and the Software never really worked for me, the Price Tag was a bit hefty but after just a few hours of use I am immensly glad I bought this one. And coupled with sonar it's the best experience i've had with wireless headsets in the last Decade. Wholly recommend it.
Just a note, you can use the headphones with both the Xbox and PS5, you just need to get the Xbox version. One of the USB-C ports is specifically designed for the Xbox but the other port can be used for anything else (PC, PS5, Switch etc)
i have heard xbox version is 16bit instead of 24bit on pc. and secondly the chat mix on either headset or receiver not working on pc. that's why i just bought pc version for pc.
@@p4p4juju yeah I’ve heard about some issues with the Xbox version, hopefully those kinks get ironed out. I have the ‘PS5 version’ Also, I know if you’re using the Sonar software you get down sampled to 16-bit, but imo it’s not a bad trade off
@@F001i0 can you use this with an iphone or a phone in general?
@@josephineokorie6448 They have bluetooth capabilities, so yes you can use them with any device that supports bluetooth (or you can use the 3.5mm jack to wire them directly) You can also have them connected to a console/PC and a bluetooth device at the same time
@@F001i0 that's so crazy Right now I have a Logitech g733 headset with a Shure SM7B mic And I'm considering getting this to use with my phone and laptop Would you recommend?
I love how you were playing 2042 on the "testing audio" b roll! Also appreciate the vid! Coming from the Arctis Pro Wireless, the hinge broke and SS is sending me this as replacement for free! I'm excited!
The fact that I can listen to my TV and my game at the same time (in n addition to all the other awesome features) made this headset a must for m. Best headset I've tried. I just wish they used more aluminum in the construction. I was coming from the Corsair virtuoso pro se, and that had such good build quality, but that's my only criticism.
Just got these and they work like a dream, the comfort is incredible, the battery system is ingenious, and I absolutely love the look. I would rate them a 9/10.
How's the sound? Is the directional audio really good? Does it crackle or snap when there's an overload of sound?
My wife got them for me today.! It’s awesome! You can pin point enemy easily. Love it
After months of thinking about it, I finally ordered these and I'm really glad I did. The sound quality is EXCELLENT. It's great for gaming, but it's also very easy to create an EQ for music. The battery charging feature in the DAC is probably one of most convenient things I've ever had in headphones.
Hey man. The one thing I'm struggling with, the reason I RETURNED the Arctis 9x. Is the plastic Hinge. I worry desperately about it cracking out of the plastic housing
is your music EQ saved to the headphones or do you need to be listening on your computer with the sonar software open for it to be active? i'd love for my music EQ to carry over to when I'm listening via my phone where i won't have the software installed
@@floatinggoose9197 These ones feel very sturdy
How is the Bass?
@@PapitotiIs the hinge plastic or metal??
Just ordered these. While they are too expensive for my taste, the battery and base station setup made it better than any other decent headset I could find. My current headset works fine, but I constantly have to turn them of and charge in-between rounds in CSGO, which sucks! By far the best selling point for me is that I will never have to pause gaming to charge my headset!
how does the footstep or directional sounds of this headset?
@@mryong4021hey bro, this is my concern too. ive been looking for a headset that can hear footsteps from afar. Did u already found one?
RFP you can use the Xbox NPW with both Xbox and PS. The dedicated Xbox port will only work with Xbox, the other USB port will work with PC, PS, Switch too (if you care). You will just need to change the USB Input setting on the transmitter.
Good looks this comment helps
Owned the previous version of this headset and loved it. It unfortunately went bad a couple years ago and I had to step down to the Arctis 7s. Not bad by any stretch but nothing compared to my previous headset. Just been waiting for the successor to come out and now looks like a great time to pick them up.
Just curious. What went bad on the old ones? Was there any communication with Steelseries customer support and how was it?
@@nathankim9170 The old ones has a horrid design flaw that's seemingly fixed on this one. The original Pro Wireless would snap on the ear cuffs and become basically useless.
@@sandwhichbag No clue. I bit the bullet on a pair of these soon after making this comment and they've been wonderful about a month in now. Honestly, more comfortable than the original Pro Wireless for me. Though slightly more annoying in that Sonar is required for chatmix, when previous headsets did it automatically. But, with the updates and how they just added a third media device for music to be separate from game and chat audio/EQs, it's pretty nice.
@@pixelsilzavon77how are they holding up? Looking at these. Anything to be concerned about?
@@pixelsilzavon77any updates? Thinking of grabbing a pair today
I’ve always avoided wireless headsets like the plague because of how inconvenient it is to have battery running out while using them. Since I use them for work and gaming I’m on them just about all day and the hot swappable batteries on these are a game changer for me! Plus all the other awesome features this was a no brainer
What camera do you use? What mic do you use? What editing and color software do you use? What lighting equipment do you use? And lastly, how do you make your color look so natural?
Thnx a lot for the glasses test!! Awesome video!
I bought Corsair Virtuoso XT wireless but I got too annoying charging the battery constantly. I've just picked these up, seems good so far. Note that they work with Dolby Atmos in W11/Xbox if that floats your boat.
Thank you! You answered my question, they didn't show anything on their site for Dolby Atmos.
My Corsair HS80 eats battery too. LOL
Great review Frank! You always go into a lot of detail! What EQ setting are you using for PS5? I couldn't find one I liked so I just plugged the headset into my controller and It was so much better great Imaging and sound stage too. Just no volume control. Oh and for muting headsets I have found just remapping one key on my mouse for mute all fixes that issue. Of course if you have a mouse with a lot of buttons :)
I like the Broadcast pre set the best for the mic. You’re right about Sonar. It unlocks the full potential for these headsets.
Your videos have been very helpful in narrowing down which headset to purchase. I recently built a PC and have an older wireless SteelSeries model (Arctis 9x). I therefore have an issue with my mic when gaming. I believe its because I'm using Bluetooth without a transmitter. This update should fix my issues. Due to how helpful your videos have been, ill be purchasing through your link in hopes you get compensated. Thank you!
been using these for a month now and i’m not really an audio person at all but holy the difference between my g pro x wireless to these is actually insane i don’t think i’m gonna need a different headset for a long long time
didn't know they released this for a month already
@@yungg1799 it was just a roundabout amount of time it flies now that i’m older so my bad 26 days to be more precise
@@untaxableacorn5685 I love them, they do get hot tho.
Are they waaay heavier than the g pro x wireless or just a bit? And how is the sweat/oil situation?
@@Softload3r they actually feel much lighter than the g pro x wireless to me and yes the only downside to this headset is the ear cups they make me feel like i’ve been working out after a 2 hour gaming session
My arctis pro is on the 4th yr...and still good... Maybe I'll buy these after 2 yrs and have a white colour model.. It's kinda pricey but ..u can simultaneously have Bluetooth on the phone while in the game... U can answer calls and not having to take off Ur headset..isn't that great! What I didn't find is the output jack on the arctis nova headset..the arctis pro have the jack audio output w/c I can share with my GF when were travelling thru her wired headphone..it's kinda sad... Coz sometimes I jack in my headset to a speaker in my house and play some Spotify and it's great!
just bought the arctis nova pro x... and you cant simultaneously mix the Aux on the headset with the BT and 2.4g because it will automatically turn off when u plug in the 3.5mm jack on the headset...im sad =((
I just ordered a pair. Can't wait, I've been using arctis for years now
Can u have like two audio sources at once, like i can hear game from my ps5 and also be connected to my pc and hear and talk to my friends on discord? Great video bro!❤💪🏽
Just got this for my boyfriend for Christmas for his ps4-5 along with a lot of other gifts. Hope he loves these better than the Astro a50s because man… that price is up there ):
He’s gonna love it. My gf got it for me as an early Christmas gift. Probably one of if not the best headset for the price range. Studio quality sound and super comfortable
my wife has got me some i cant wait to open them tomorrow. merry xmas
That's awesome :) He's gonna love them, merry christmas!
the microphone is as good as it gets on any headset and the sound quality doesnt really get much better without paying absurd prices
@@sneaky5141 seriously. the mic quality its dog sh*t
I'm not one to ever buy expensive/high end headsets but the thing that made me jump to order these was the universal compatibility. I've been looking for a headset that can wirelessly work across both PS5 and Xbox Series X....and finally, this headset does it!! Being able to use only one headset for both of my consoles was enough for me on its own, but also being able to use them as regular headphones over Bluetooth, listen to both console audio and Bluetooth audio at the same time, active noise cancelation and transparency mode...ahhh an hot swappable batteries that charge directly on the dac!!!!! This headset is shaping up to be the best headset around, period!
these can work for either console? i thought if u get the playstation ones u can’t use them on xbox and vice versa?
@@koegz correct, you need the Xbox version in order to use PlayStation, PC and Xbox. I’m not sure why anyone would buy the PC or PS4 variant, when the box one works on everything and the other ones do not
@@DioneyMoralesXicer oh ok thanks
@@koegz it's true what he is saying you'll need the xbox version for full compatibility
Hi! Do you know how to setup the chat mixer on the deck? Im playing on ps 5 and series x.
Hey, thanks for the video, how quick would you say it is to switch between wired and wireless modes? I like staying wired but switching quickly to wireless if I need to get up and want to keep talking or listening.
I've noticed while using the headset, the side tone feature *only when mic is not muted* works similar to transparency mode. I do like the sidetone feature while gaming, but it does have a major effect on A.N.C when both the mic and sidetone are active.
I missed out on the Bang and Olufsen for $150 at microsoft website. They were getting rid of stock. They were very good at noise cancelling. Missed the sale. Hopefully these will go on sale soon.
150 for this one?
most definitely they will,
Got the XBOX version for $80 off @ adorama last week. They were delivered yesterday and I'm loving them.
@@FilipeFleming 350 😬
The USB-C port being hidden away I think is done on purpose. The major use-case for these is at home with the base station. With the swappable batteries (and the fact that they don't turn off while switching them out, huge win over the old model) there is absolutely no need to ever plug in. The plug is there in case you're out and about using them with your phone and need a battery top-up.
Also hardware manly
omg THIS IS AWESOME, the DAC and headset design and with 2 batrey
Been thinking of getting a nice pair of wireless noise cancelling headphones. I've pretty much only used open can Sennheiser headphones. the base station and sonar integration looks really cool. Kinda sucks that the mic sounds such poor quality, but I have my own dedicated mic on an arm if I want the quality, I just wonder whether there's a quick and easy way to switch between the two.
From my experience, the swappable batteries are wonderful but they tend to stop functioning properly after a few years. I had a pair of Siberia 810s that I used nearly everyday for 4 years or so and the spring contacts used in the headphones and the base station just lost the required strength to keep the contact with the battery.
i used the arctis pro wireless for 4 year's and never had that problem
@@chris-jg9rz same
Everyday for four years yeah you'll see wear and tear lol -
Same for my Siberia 800
But isn't it good that they are swappable since you can replace just that part?
I got these the first day they came out and have mostly enjoyed them...my only issue so far has been with the ANC nub on the inside of the ear pad. Was that not touching your ears at all? Maybe due to the shape of my ears, but they definitely touch mine. Its not the worst thing in the world but after several hours I find myself constantly adjusting the headset to get it off my ears.
I returned mine for this reason, very uncomfortable
you need some thicker cups with those giant fat ears XD
@@accidkvlt.3844 apparently haha! When they make some I’ll be getting them!
I just picked these up and the ANC mic’s were the first thing I noticed. I don’t have big ears by any means too. Im honesty shocked that everyone isn’t complaining about that terrible design flaw.
@@originalspooon1209 right? I still use them as my main but after like 2-3 hours of straight wearing them my ears are sore. And I’m constantly adjusting them as well to help with the soreness
Started playing with my pair and these are my favorite gaming headphones that I have used
Just ordered them tonight. Had the arctis pros for about 3 years now. Most reliable pair of headphones I've ever had. They still work perfectly fine but I wanted something with better sound. Hopefully these fit that need.
While these are pretty good, they are currently only the best, on PC. It's true potential seems to be with Sonar, which does sweet FA on consoles, which is where I play. It still sounds good but it does seem to be geared towards really embracing that feature. I had these, and returned them, but will probably get them again, when my current headset dies, and after they do some more updates on this headset because it definitely could use a few tweaks, and is missing features the Arctis Pro Wireless had, that suck to not have in this headset.
Thats's where I am at too. It seems worth it for PC, but since I only play on PS5 it seems like it's a little steep for just that use. If only the new Sony H9s had better reviews...
Wait so soñar doesn’t carry to ps5?
@@damian4727 No, at least not yet
@@gigolocalypsetv5520 Damn I actually wanted the headset because of the comfort but I had a feeling they were not that impressive out of the box.PS5 owner.
@@damian4727 Same, which is why I ended up returning them and finding a different path. They aren't feature complete, on console. I'm on PS5 and I can't get the true potential of this $350 headset, which kinda sucks.
Once they get sonar for console it'll be a 10/10 for me great features and easy to connect bluetooth to computer. Love it.Just give us sonar with a software update I dont see why they cant
Sonar for mac will get 15/10
Yeah I wish sonar worked for console. Hopefully soon.
Why can't sonar work for console if the settings are saved in the headset?
The "social mode" is great for just that, when someone tries to talk to you if your using bluetooth on your phone it's really useful to switch to be able to hear them easily. I think that is the main use case.
This feels like a dream headset, I'm definitely gonna look into picking one of these up to try it out in the future, thanks for the review! amazing as always :)
Most of them are good but you have a chance of getting a glitchy one it’s not rare. I have the steel series Arctic’s pro wireless and I’m happy with it. If you get it, tell me about it!
@@subwoofr True I got the Arctis Pro and had to return them they could not handle much Bass.
umm did you listen to that mic test?
@@varunaX you can always buy a separate mic which is better than any normal headset mic anyway.
@@varunaX who uses headset mics in 2022
I've had this headset for less than 48 hours and I am absolutely and 100% obsessed!! As a consumer of high-end hardware, I can't even begin to state how happy I've been with these. ALSO! I was so jealous when my coworker told me that their ASUS ROG headset had equalizer supports via the Armory software, and now the Nova Pro having it in the dac is sooo dope.
Good to know bro!
Do you lose sound randomly? I owned Arctis 9X that were made for Xbox and they kept losing sound. Then i upgraded to Astro A50s and had them for two years and they started to cut in and out. Bought Corsair Virtuoso headset and it also cuts out a lot on wireless. I need a headset that will do both Xbox and PC and wont lose sound connection through the wireless options!
@@weekendtravel7358 To be fair, I don't have a Xbox so I don't use it on one. I have not lost sound at all in the 60+ hours I've used it on PC, though.
I had and used these for 4+ hours and they become uncomfortable FAST. The build and audio is great, features are superb. The issue is there is an extruding plastic piece (for ANC I think) You dont feel it at first, but after a few hours you can really feel it pushing on your ear.
That sucks🥺 I have the arctis 3 still and I can use them forever without that problem, guess I’ll wait to upgrade
i was thinking the same. the prob with that stupid 'floating' headband is that 100% of the pressure is being placed on your ears in order to keep them secured to your head. the headband\headrest is doing nothing to ease the pressure being placed on the sides of your head right?
4 hours straight should take a break anyway head outside
For larger heads like mine, I flex the headset (backwards?) outwards to bend the metal and force a more relaxed position from the sides.
Man am I glad they were out of the 7p a few weeks ago when I went to get them. So busy I didn’t even know these came out now I’m ordering.
Thanks for a very exciting and much appreciated review. Do you know if bluetooth aptX is supported?
And for that price tag, the artics pro wireless are still better. WAY better mic, soundstage is a bit wider because of the fabric coushins, and are comfortable as hell too. They also don't fully rely on software to be great either. They are fantastic strait out of the box. And sonar is supposed to work with all wireless headsets so that's only gonna enhance them even further. And now that the new line up is out, their price tag is gonna go down during sales too.
I believe the Xbox version lets you use it on all devices including ps5
So gotta be careful w that. Overall yes. But if you hbe a PC and non Xbox device you wouldn’t want Xbox. That’s because the Xbox has a dedicated Xbox port. If you plug pc into it then you can’t use sonar.
Bought these day 1. They are indeed amazing!
I consider myself an audio nut, I have a pair of wired open back beyerdynamics 990 pros but I'm picking these steel series up because it will be nice to have that comfort and portability and features as a second option.
Compared to the 990 how are they?
@@warcriminal_ I personally still prefer the 990 in terms of sound quality but these are still very good I use both but as my main desk headphones I still prefer beyerdynamics
The headset swivel joint looks the same as the previous models. Two of the most expensive Arctis Pro wireless sets from two separate friends have broken at the swivel joint. A year or two of use before breaking.
Funny you say that, 10 minutes ago as I logged off my PC for the night it broke on the ride sides swivel joint. Haven’t even owned this specific pair for more than 10 months. :(
1:00 I died lol
so subtle and then just moves on haha
Thanks! Dude, really good reviews and content. Always look forward to your vids before buying any tech. Quick question: have you tested the Artics Nova Pros on the Xbox, pS5 as well? I'm considering getting a pair but would like to use them wirelessly on all my gaming setups like PC, ps5 and Xbox with the PC being the main use case
This model doesn’t support that, but the Nova Pro X version does and supports PC, Xbox and PS5 wirelessly
@@randomfrankp thanks brother appreciate it, can you share a link to that model on Amazon or on steelseries site just want to confirm
Yo man, great review. I'll get some when I have some spare coin. I must also say, that beard is looking sharp af mate. 👌
I got this headset as well, you covered the pros very well, but there are a few cons I think you left out. First, the pleather ear cups are a no go for me. I wish they kept the cushion padded ones from the arctis pros. Secondly, there are tiny little plastic ridges inside of the ear cups for noise cancellation, and they can get rather uncomfortable. Other than that, this is way better than competitors like the astro a50s.
I feel you on the pleather. Maybe you know, but it’s because of active noise cancelling , needed for sealing. Luckily the ANC mic in ear cushion doesn’t hit my ears but def an issue for others. Steel Series is coming out w replacement cushions though so looking forward to that
@@mannyfresh7065 Source regarding the replacement cushions?
I just bought these and cannot believe how few people are complaining about the ANC mics. It’s such a terrible design. I couldn’t do it. Had to return.
Wicked cushions has replacement pads
@@Kwease247 man I hated the wicked cushions on my arctis 7. I returned them for a €10 generic replacement from Amazon that were much nicer
I'm kinda torn. I'd like to get something like this to hook up both the XSX and PS5 simultaneously to a wireless headset. That feature is awesome. The mic lets just be honest is subpar to kinda bad. And losing Sonar on console makes the $350 price tag a little unbearable because at that point what am I paying for?
agree. I got them to try the mic is bad, and the directional audio isn't any better than my a50s to me anyway if they had sonar for consol or a way to save the sonar settings to the dac I might keep them. also not a fan of the noise canceling speakers on the drivers I can feel it pressing on my right ear gets uncomfortable after 30 mins or so. probably sticking with my a50s not enough of an upgrade to justify the price when the a50s still working great.
Check out the turtle beach stealth 700 max gen 2. They tick the same boxes for only $200. You have to get the xbox version though. Just change the slider to pc for the playstation usage when you switch the dongle.
@@Jon_007_ turtle beaches aren't better than steel series
@@zyback I’ve got both. So I am speaking from experience. The steel series arctis 9x and the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 gen 2 max are priced the same. Features are similar, but the Turtle beach excel because the dongle is universal, unlike the connectivity of the Arctis 9x. Sound quality, battery life, and connectivity are all better on my Turtle Beaches, over the Steel Series, after hating Turtle Beach for a REALLY long time. I’ve had their attempts at headsets in the past and they were terrible, but they are better now.
@@Jon_007_ I had the 700 max for like 5 days before they dropped the nova pros and I returned em I think the turtle beaches had too much bass for me personally I just wanna hear footsteps and they were more immersive id say but for competitive I prefer the steel series sound.
0:58 The glory box joke here got me good. thx
i have had my SteelSeries Siberia 800 for 6 years now and the batteries are still working great!! I am looking to buy this headset :)
Not the Glory Hole
Yes…. The glory hole…
I wish I could get these, but I’m still rocking with my Arctic 7s from 4+ years ago. Used daily for at least 3-4+ hours. I know a ton of people hated them (the SteelSeries headsets in general, not just the Arctic 7) because they “always” broke, but I have NOT experienced that at all! Idk what those people be doing with their headsets that the ear-cup/hinge just snaps off, but I have always grabbed mine by the ear cups to pick up and to place them over my head, and I haven’t had it feel/show like it was flimsy/weak or any cracks appearing from that joint. *CAN* it be a weak point? Yes. Many structural things have weak points. But IMO, it’s built well enough that I don’t have to consciously think about where or how I grab them and use them.
Luckily Amazon sells good ear cups to make the problem go away! Got some for $15 bucks and now their comfier and just better
Always loved steel series headsets and currently have had the arctis 9x or 7x can't remember but I think these are a really complicated version of what j have. Not worth the price point for me playing apex on Xbox. Absolutely loved the section of the video where battlefield was reflected in your eyes ! Amazing
I’ve had these for a couple days and they’re great, but the only downside personally is the mic, I had to adjust it for like a couple hrs just to make them sound decent. Not sure if I’ll keep them or not but i’d give them a 9/10 fs, if they actually put in a proper mic it would 10/10.
Did you use sonar? Curious if you have settings you could share?
@@mannyfresh7065 yeah i used sonar to adjust my mic output. I had a friend sit in a discord call with me and we went through each setting to get my voice as clear as possible. I had everything set to half way besides sibilance which i turned all the way down. And the second to last option was all the way up. And the last option was turned all the way down. Also turn on the ai cancellation thing and set it to max. These setting worked for me, so it maybe be different for u. Also i sound clearer in videos than discord calls, maybe something to do with discord not sure. But both are clear now.
@@adilchaudhry8860 So is it fine or is it still kinda bad? I don't want to spend 300$ if the mic is still bad.
@@Gilborg i mean my friends say I sound fine now, its just that out of the box its not good. Make sure ur able to use sonar cause thats obv the only way to change it. Plus ur friends are gonna have to get use to ur new voice compared to ur last headset. So far im keeping them, so i would suggest them. But obv wired sounds better and even the mic is better one there, plus u save $100. I just wanted a wireless mic because I made my setup all wireless and my last headset (astro a40s) had a lot of wires. If u want wireless its worth.
Nice, but at this price range the Audeze Mobius 3D is the best hands down. Also even the Corsair Virtuoso sound better and have the best mic of any headset hands down for $200.
interesting, would you say that the Audeze mobius 3D is better than the Razer blackshark pro with THX spatial sound? Because THX sounds really good, but I just want the best spatial experience..
@@accidkvlt.3844 yes the Mobius 3D is on a different level. It’s spendy, but the sound quality and immersion are top notch.
Been using the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for the last few days and it's been an absolute joy, especially with EQ tuning in SteelSeries's GG software. However, the base station battery charge is slightly confusing; you can easily put the batteries the wrong way in and not notice and you have to slide them down to charge.
quick question. can you adjust the headset volume without changing the windows volume? I can't do that on my logitech headset and it's driving me nuts
@TPGCSGO I somehow got it working with my Razer Huntsman Elite; no clue how I did it. I'm guessing it's going to have to be trial and error with changing settings on your PC and SteelSeries GG.
It is kinda confusing but if u look at the top right of the battery it will say upper on the front and bottom on the back
I was just about to buy the arctis pro wireless headset. This certainly stirs things up.
Pretty cool, but the price is way too expensive for what other wireless headsets can offer and I am very iffy on the build quality.
I thought that when getting arctis pros, nearly the same but going strong 5/6 years on
I've had these and sent them back, but i can testify that the build quality of the headphones is phenominal. I had the Arctis 9's and kept them because these weren't that big of an upgrade for the price, but these are built better than the previous series. Also I think the mic on the older series is better
One thing about these headphones, they can be incredibly uncomfortable. There is a little bump inside of the earcups that can touch and hurt your ears. This happened to me so this headset is totally unusable to me. I had to return it, which I luckily was able to.
The ability to use both inputs at the same time was the main feature I loved in Pro Wireless. Here I need to select one or another. Also after prolonged use I feel uncomfortable pressure on the outside of my ears... Overall my feelings are mixed after the upgrade. it does sound a bit better and the headband is better for my rather large head. ANC is... not very useful for me, it doesn't block out kids playing and I don't have a lot of noises that it does block out at home (if you're using a gaming headset to commute... just don't :D). I'd rather prefer velour earcups (it was an option on Pro Wireless, doesn;t block outside sound, but they are soft and don;t get sweaty) to ANC. Plus they've removed optical port, that allowed me to just connect it to the TV and play sound from whatever source is active at the time (PS5, switch, TV itself) + the PC + the phone. You can kind of do it with AUX port, need to research about sound quality through that. The battery life is much better, but that doesn't matter a lot since you always have a spare battery charged up and ready to go anyway. And it's pretty minor, but the battery, while smaller, is harder to both get out of the dock and place into the headset. Muscle memory will probably adjust to that, but still... It improves over the Pro Wireless in a lot of ways, it feels like a downgrade in others. That being said, it's still a great headset, only competition it has is Astro A50 (and that thing doesn't f**ing work half of the time). But if you don't have a big head, consider Pro Wireless, you can find it at big discount at this point, sound quality is roughly the same.
Dang it! I also loved being able to play through multiple inputs on the Pro Wireless. I could play on any console on my TV and just mix in the audio through optical, while chatting on Discord on my PC. Bummer.
Didn't he say that you can use the station for two platforms at the same time and get both audios?
@@emiljonsson6118 You can get one of the USB inputs + Aux + BT at the same time. But you do need to switch between USB sources. What I ended up doing is: USB 1 to PC, USB 2 to Mac (I rarely use them at the same time so switching is not a big issue), USB DAC on PS5 + Optical > 3.5 mm on the TV (for whatever audio goes through my TV, Switch, native streaming apps etc.) through splitter to Aux input. That allows me to have all of my inputs and only switch when I'm too lazy to get out AirPods for Mac. Also, I'm pretty sure current PS5 FW allows you to output Tempest audio through HDMI, so the whole DAC + splitter might not be necessary anymore, but I'm too lazy to check.
Just bought these for myself last night & man they’re close to Perfect! I love them.
Love the headset. Just really don’t like the bump on the base station. I tape those things under my desk. They should of made it flat
you can do it upside down ig
@@kormentso9636 can you flip the screen?
Man, for $350 that mic is unacceptable. If mod-mic is able to make a good sounding wireless mic there is no reason other companies can't.
yeah i agree. how can they advertise that mic as 'studio quality'. such false advertising
Been a huge fan of steelseries for a while now. Definitely a good pick up… Can you review the Raycon Gaming headphones? It’s between steelseries and the Raycon headphone as my next headset
I absolutely want this headset & I also have 0 plans to use the mic as I use a dedicated external mic anyway. That hot swap battery is the tits!!!
Always a steelseries fan. Still rocking the arctis pros and love em
@NorsemanPatriot mine broke in the same spot and I baby my products… I have rigged it back together with some heavy duty Velcro strips and duct tape because I like the headset so much and don’t feel like spending another 180 or so
@NorsemanPatriot shouldn’t*
what other pair of wireless headphones do you recommend that have a great microphone perceived quality in Teams and other calls? There is the transparency mode, with double click on the power button, to be able to hear what happening around you. So yes, not turning them down. But use the power button them off
First of all, thanks for the nice and detailed review. Im about to pull the trigger on the nova pro wireless because i like the extras and especially the design for a daily use. Thats why i want to use them also at work for music and phonecalls, having them connected to my iphone BUT, for nearly 350 bucks i need to know this, are the Equalizer-settings good when theyre connected to my phone or do i have to or rather CAN i change the Equalizer-settings for the bluetooth/smartphone-connection?
Finally a reboot worth the upgrade from my SteelSeries Siberia 800's. Never could justify it with the Arctis Pro Wireless as mine were in good condition. However after 8 years the joint on the earcup broke and i'm tired of using the gorilla tape. Picking these up today. Cheers
The 800s are amazing. Ive been using the same set for years. Im actually using them right now...lol
Thank you for your time, fantastic video, and you are convincing me to get one, funny after finishing the video, i went to Best buy and grabbed one; it is a miracle that my kills in MW2 when to 12% by me pinpoint from where the foot's steps are coming, bravo. However, can you tell me if the wireless base turns off automatically, or do you need to set this up, my base stay on all the time and i cannot turn it off?
I've owned these for roughly a year. This is my absolute favorite headset I've ever owned. I have never once had to charge them with the cord, so long as you swap the battery back into the dac, you'll never have have battery life concerns.
Any issues with the build quality, considering buying these.
I would like to see your opinion on the Turtle Beach 700 Stealth Gen 2 Max. You ever thought about doing a review on those? I just replaced my Steel Series 9x with these and am in love with them.
Interesting, i went from 2 turtle beaches 700 gen 2 to steel series 9x and prefer the steel series. Had connection issues with 2 sets of turtles beaches, kept randomly disconnecting during gameplay, and update made em even worse, gave up and went to steel series and was 10x happier. Ill admit the turtle beaches were more comfy, and liked the mic flip mic. But wasnt worth the constant disconnects.
love the headset reviews, but since you rated the origional fnatic react u should review the fnatic react+ and see if it is still good
Im loving these. Mine came yesterday. Are your glasses blue light glasses? If so which brand
Currently have these and use exclusively for PS5. I have a few issues: the mic is extremely low when I initially start playing. I have to unplug and reconnect every time I play to reset the mic so my friends can hear me. Every time. I've also had a lot of audio glitches like cracking and distortion. At some points the audio has frozen up entirely, with just digital static coming through the headset, forcing a reboot. Do I need to return this and exchange? Or is this a typical problem with the headset?
Fell in love already
5:20 you can certainly use these with ps5 and xbox on the xbox version. the ps5 will just be connected to the PC port, which is what happens on the normal version, both ports are general (PC, PS, and switch).
when you edit the mic in Sonar does it stay in that EQ when you switch to xbox?