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SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: One-minute evaluate
The Arctis Nova Professional is one more spectacular headset from SteelSeries and completely one of many finest wired gaming headsets cash can purchase proper now. With a modern design and the power 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 a normal 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.
Despite the fact that the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional is under no circumstances a budget-friendly headset, it’s effectively definitely worth the cash. Providing a cushty listening expertise alongside crystal clear audio, it’s onerous to discover a fault – even after hours upon hours of testing.
You may tailor your listening expertise to your tastes by its desktop management panel, and the extra software program accessible offers you the chance to take this additional by opening the doorways to adjusting your audio settings relying on which style of sport you are taking part in.
After utilizing a wi-fi headset for a while (particularly the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional 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. All the things was able to go the second it was plugged in, so nothing may 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 prepared to splash out
- Wired model solely accessible 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 value totally by its efficiency and customization choices.
If you happen to’re out there for an improve and also you’re able to put money into a product that gained’t allow you to down and provides you the power to change your auditory expertise totally.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: Specs
Value | $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$405 |
Weight | 16.08oz / 456g |
Compatibility | PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Change |
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
- Modern, 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 hold 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 your complete expertise as comfy as potential.
You’ll additionally discover a mute button in your microphone on the left cup, however aside from that, there’s no further thrives. So, nothing to fumble round with in the event you’re attempting to regulate your settings. Most of your audio changes are made through the management panel, too, which matches this modern aesthetic.
With a small LED display screen and a dial to regulate the audio settings, the entire panel simply matches within the palm of your hand. Or extra fairly, wherever in your desktop.
Inputs and outputs are clearly labelled on the again of the unit to make the setup even simpler. When you might have plugged every little thing in, this management panel will show directions and particulars in white. Even when the display screen dims after a interval of no use, it’s nonetheless straightforward to learn because of the font alternative and colour.
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 should 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 at all times discover myself altering the fallacious 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 sport I’m taking part in has by no means been really easy.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional: Efficiency
- Crystal clear audio
- Noise-cancelling microphone
- Straightforward to arrange
When utilizing the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional for gaming, it’s onerous to not absolutely immerse your self in no matter you’re taking part in, because of the stellar audio high quality on show. It’s so clear, each single sound in a sport is well picked up.
From the gentlest footstep within the distance to feeling like a personality is respiratory 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 somewhat than folding in opposition to the cup and headband just like the Turtle Seashore Stealth 500, additionally provided spectacular sound. It’s straightforward to regulate, so once I acquired 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 could be slipped over the mic, which I used on a couple of event for gaming and common 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 previously have been wi-fi, being able to regulate my audio settings within the palm of my hand positively made me really feel extra in management.
You may have a number of USB connections to the panel, too, which is right for anybody consistently switching between platforms. This makes the transition between platforms seamless.
If I wished to leap from PC to console, I may accomplish that with the press of a button. There was no have to 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, because the 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 further software program in terms of headsets because it by no means appears like a necessity, however the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional doesn’t provide you with a alternative. The headset gained’t play any audio if it wants a firmware replace, and the one manner you possibly can repair that’s by the app.
I used to be initially pissed off about that because you count on a headset constructed with comfort in thoughts to make this somewhat simpler, however I ended up utilizing the app much more than I believed 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 even let your headset clip components of your gameplay once you’ve had a selected response, ridding you of the stress to seize you and your folks’ finest bits. It’s mainly like having your individual compilation video prepared and ready on the finish of a gaming session.
Must you purchase the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally contemplate…
Nonetheless not bought on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional wired gaming headset? Right here’s the way it stands in opposition to 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 Change | PS5, PC, Nintendo Change | PC, Xbox Sequence X | S, PlayStation, Cellular, Nintendo Change |
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 totally
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 Change.
To take advantage of out of its efficiency, I performed quite a lot of video games resembling REPO and Content material Warning to check the mic readability inside proximity chat, alongside Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 to check how giant the spectrum of sound the headset picks up is.
For video games the place audio cues are so essential, like The Outlast Trials and Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 6, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional by no means did not impress. This was additionally massively helped by the power to customise each word by the GameDac Gen 2 panel and the audio presets accessible by SteelSeries GG.
First reviewed April 2025.
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