It is completely unsurprising thatSteelSerieshas been and continues to be one of themost popular brands for gaming accessories. They consistently use high-quality steel in their products, protecting truly top of the line tech.
In 2023, I was given theSteelseries Arctis Nova Pro wireless headsetto review. With it being so expensive and having a long list of attractive features, I was very excited to try it out. The headset blew me away and became one of Game Rant’s top-rated wireless headsets. The Arctis Nova Pro has become my daily driver; it’s the only headset I use with myXbox Series X. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though it is still notable enough to warrant a quick run-down of how it’s holding up two years in.
New here? Check out the original review of theSteelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headsetto see what it was like on day one!
Comfort and Durability
Memory foam earcups with real leather covers are tough enough to last a lifetime, and they look almost the same as they did when I first unboxed the Nova Pro. The only thing I noticed well after my review is that the headset does get a bit uncomfortable after a few hours. Something of a silver lining to my gaming habits, this issue doesn’t come up often, as I don’t usually game for longer than four or five hours at a time without a decent break.
Still, on those rare days when I can really just plop down in front of my TV and Xbox all day, I end up having to put the headset down for a bit to give my ears and temples some relief. SteelSeries is far from an outlier on this though, and I can’t think of any headset that is more comfortable than the Arctis Nova Pro after an hour, so four hours seems pretty good.
Attached to the earcups is a retractable mic, which most gamers avoid because they seem like an obvious failure point and, in fact, they often are. However, the SteelSeries mic is still working perfectly well, and I’m not very careful with it, especially since it’s sometimes a bit stiff when trying to push the mic back in. Visually, the mic looks identical to how it did when it first arrived, and I haven’t noticed any performance issues. The mute light is still fairly bright too, and is still a nice touch for someone who often forgets to un-mute before jumping back into the conversation.
I don’t think anything I could do would break this headset, ever. The comfort has been consistent from day one, despite the discomfort of super long gaming sessions. After almost two years of chatting with the Arctis Nova Pro, I would be shocked to hear of any physical part of this headset breaking from normal use.
Connectivity & Battery Life
My experience with connecting this headset to multiple devices through Bluetooth has been hit or miss. The connection is strong and works perfectly well with my phone, PC, and Switch, but changing which one I’m connected to is a royal pain. (I hate it, and I don’t do it!)
My phone is my Bluetooth device of choice for this headset, as it connects seamlessly, without issue. On PC, it’s a whole different story, mostly caused by the different modes available. Windows 10 thinks I have six different headsets plugged in when I connect through Bluetooth, an input and output for each of the three pre-set modes.
If you’re an audiophile, it’s probably easy to go through the app settings and get everything working, but I am not one of those people and have simply forgone Bluetooth connections with my PC.
That being said, the little audio dock that plugs into devices is super handy! That’s what I use most of the time to connect to my Xbox and PC. I usually just leave the USB end plugged into my Xbox all the time, unplugging the USB-C end when I need to move the dock over to my computer.
The box technically works with the Switch, but it’s annoying to plug it into the cramped dock. The Bluetooth connection issue crops up here too, with the headset trying to stay connected to my phone. I rarely use the headset with my Switch, especially since I don’t really do any online gaming on it.
The battery life isn’t as good as it was two years ago, but the extra swappable battery feature is still amazingly convenient, and I’ve yet to go more than about 10 seconds without battery life. Since my review, I haveneverneeded the charging cord.
I was pleasantly surprised by the headset just a few weeks ago, when I had an unexpected power outage. The extra battery was automatically ejected from the dock, having detected the surge, despite being plugged into a surge-protected Xbox Series X. While it was a little over-the-top, it’s a nice touch!
The only annoyance with the battery is that you have to power down the headset and the Bluetooth separately. Powering off the headset doesn’t actually turn it fully off, it only turns off the wireless connection to the dock; if you have Bluetooth on, the headset still uses up power. I usually turn off the Bluetooth as soon as I turn on the headset, just so I don’t accidentally leave it powered on for days at a time. Of course, when I want simultaneous audio, the Bluetooth has to stay on.
Audio Quality and Performance
The outlook has been sunny so far, but the headset is starting to show its age when it comes to the internals. The noise cancellation does not work as well as it used to, often not working at all like a switch was flipped. Most of the time, I can barely tell when I have ANC on versus off, as there is just a single beep to indicate it’s been activated, though sometimes the effect is still noticeable. Thankfully, thepassive noise cancellationstill works well, but overall, it’s a disappointing development.
Speaking of beeps, with both Bluetooth and noise cancellation acting up often, the lack of a voice indication has surprisingly become a serious fault with the headset. When SteelSeries first released the Nova Pro, voice indicators weren’t very common on gaming headsets. Now I understand why the need for one has developed.
As previously mentioned, the mic is still excellent. I’ve tested a handful of headsets since the Nova Pro, yet my voice sounds the best and is most natural with this headset, at least according to my Discord friends.
Would I Recommend The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Again?
Despite its flaws, the Arctis Nova Pro wireless headset isdefinitely still worth the money. While most people don’t need simultaneous dual audio or compatibility with every platform, the fact is that this is still the best option for those who do. There’s simply nothing else that’s as affordable, capable, and durable as this thing.
That being said, if you can go without these features, I’d more strongly recommend the Arctis Nova 5 or 7. TheNova 5 is just $110, forgoing the simultaneous audio.The Nova 7offers that simultaneous audio for $150. However, with both of these, you’ll have to choose between Xbox and non-Xbox compatibility. This limits the benefits to Xbox players so much that they may be better off just choosing the much more affordableRazer Kaira Pro.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless gaming headset from SteelSeries is a serious gamer’s tool. A gamer who wants the convenience and quality of a feature-rich wireless gaming headset need not look elsewhere. The headset’s premium high-fidelity drivers deliver a clear soundscape and a fully customizable experience with the Sonar Software. It supports 360-degree spatial audio for a more immersive gaming experience and helps users hear every audio cue around them clearly.With active noise-canceling technology enhanced by a four-mic hybrid system, gamers can use transparency mode to tune out any annoying background noises.
Two years down the road, and I can confidently say that the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless headset is still a unique offering that brings basically every function gamers could want to a single device, with the only real caveat being its high price.
