The Steelseries Artics Nova Pro Wireless Headset is a must for gamers

I’ve not started a review this way in the past. If you are a gamer and have the money to put up, go buy this headset. The Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset is my pick for gaming headset of 2022. I’ll convince you as to why in this review, and I’ll be sure to pick on it (where I can) though there really isn’t much to nitpick here. Read on and learn why the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is this year’s king. 

Pure Design Quality

The first thing that stands out about the Arctis Nova Pro is how perfectly balanced it feels. Somehow, Steelseries was able to find the perfect fusion of weight and quality in creating this beautiful headset. Usually when something feels lightweight to me it seems cheap. This is certainly not the case with this device.

I place the headset on my head and it feels – too perfect – if that is possible. I’m testing these immediately after testing the latest Stealth headset from Turtle Beach. In that review I explain how tight the headset feels. It squeezed my head just a bit too much. I have not felt a more comfortable headset than the Nova Pro Wireless in the past several years of testing. 

Looking at the headset is a feast for the eyes (at least for my minimalist eyes) as well. A flexible fabric sits just under the top of a lightweight metal plate. This allows for an adjustable and ridiculously comfy feel. If you have tried the Logitech G733 Lightspeed cans (See my review of those here), you will understand the comfort band design. The Nova Pro’s are of a much higher quality. 

In addition to the headset, the box includes a 2.4GHz transmitter that sits on the top of my desk. I can connect it via USB to 2 PCs (or consoles) at once. Keep in mind, there is an Xbox and PS version of the Nova Pro. Sadly, the PS version will not work with the Xbox version, but the Xbox version will work with a PS5. I can also connect to any bluetooth device as well. The best part? I can have music playing via bluetooth while simultaneously hearing the audio of my game at the same time. I can also make phone calls etc. with the same result. 

The transmitter simultaneously allows me to control volume and it also charges the extra battery that comes with the headset. It also seems to know which PC my audio is coming from and switches to the correct input seamlessly. 

The outside earpieces are plastic and feature two magnetic removable metal plates. Beneath the left plate I can charge the headset or I can simply replace the battery on the right. I can’t mix them up as they each fit on either earpiece. Steelseries just recently announced the release of colored plates and bands for those who may desire a more customized look. The headset is black on black, but if you purchase the “booster pack” (the new colored plates and band) I recommend the red on black. It looks awesome. 

The earcups themselves are made of a leatherette and the padding fit is spot on. I read they are removable, but I will leave them alone. All in all – I haven’t tried a single headset I can use ALL day that combines a professional and quality feel and insane sound – until now. 

Top Performance
If you are looking for a caveat to buying these, you will not find it here. Using the cans via PC gives the best overall performance as I use the software equalizer to maximize my sound. With the ability to tweak the frequency range of 4Hz to 40KHz and a fantastic guide to help me out, I feel like I’m king of my audio domain. 

The battery life is marketed as 22 hours. Maybe it’s just me, but I swear it lasts longer. I used the headset pretty solidly for almost 5 days without issue. When it died, I simply popped the cover off, swapped the dead battery with the charged battery out of the transmitter, and “game on”. 

A slideout microphone with fantastic capabilities is there for chat and offers near flawless communication for phone calls. Again, the EQ software makes using the microphone fun as well. I can make my voice sound a bit high or deep and I adjust the gain to keep it from picking up too much sound as well. 

I often adjust my settings to get more bass from the deep explosions of Far Cry 6 or Doom Eternal. The software makes it easy, and I can save the settings as a preset. I used to switch to my PSB headset for mixing audio recording audio, but this headset has suddenly become a one size fits all for my audio needs. I can even attach wire for a slightly better sound, though I cannot tell much of a difference. 

I am hearing nuance in both music and games I simply did not catch before. Minor guitar parts or vocal harmonies sound that much more crisp (though some highs minorly struggle). Active Noise Canceling makes game sounds more sharp, crisp, and completely engrossing. I feel completely entangled in the world of Elden Ring as every swing of my sword comes clanking down with ferociously pure sound and no distraction. 

Whether I’m gaming, listening to music, or streaming Netflix to my PC, the Arctis Nova Pro is now my go to for sound. They also double as a great work headset for Microsoft Teams use. 

Bottom Line

If you have the cash to spend, get the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset. It’s gorgeous both in sight and sound alike. I always look for some type of flaw, and I can’t find one in the headset itself. That being said – be sure to get the Xbox model. It is compatible with PS5 while the PS5 model cannot be used with Xbox. If you have a PC, this headset is a no-brainer and yearns to be both seen and heard.