I've been obsessing myself over headset reviews for years and I can't believe this is the first pair of cans I've seen you review. Not only are you the most descriptive and easy to understand, but you don't use all this obnoxious junk to make yourself stand out. You just delivered more info in 30 min than I could've gotten anywhere else in 2 hours. I will never watch another reviewer and now I'm binge watching your videos. Thank you for this
Can agree, I enjoy the quality of the videos. The chapter separation and just the way he speaks thorough and strait to the point on the reviews. It's not vague nor biased
This guy is hands down the best headset reviewer that I have found online. Lots of details and info provided from hardware to software, which tells me he has thoroughly tested the product. Also he makes determinations on things like audio quality, which can be subjective, more objective using professional equipment to analyze and show innate frequencies of different headsets and even shows how to get the best sound for a certain headset by giving well crafted equalizer settings.
I own the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless for a few years now. The left ear cup was very delicate as it was plastic that was holding the cup together with 1 connection point to the metal band. It ended up breaking after a few months. Then I had it RMA'd and then the new one had the same issue but after 2 years of use. You're the only reviewer that researches prior products mistakes and downfalls. I really appreciate you pointing that the new Nova line worked on that making that hinge alot stronger. That's a HUGE upgrade for me since I loved everything else on the headset. Especially the replaceable battery. Thank you!
Dude I just wanna say please keep making reviews because your contents are top notch and simply hitting the spot!! You’re smart and soooo talented knowing what people really want to know about even tho they’re tiny yet significant detail.
I returned mine because of the bump being very uncomfortable and the SteelSeries GG software's chat mixer not working. Thanks for actually mentioning the bump in this review! I watched 3 reviews prior to buying mine and nobody mentioned it.
Great headset. I recommend that anyone who gets this looks into Wicked Cushions as a third party to replace the ear cushions. My ears kept rubbing against the ANC nub and now I get so much added comfort with the deeper, thicker padding. Awesome review!
Hi!, im concerned about the mic, because i want a pair of great headsets that are easy to travel with, but im not willing to compromise on the mic, is it good???
@@pewpew85 it does the job well enough but like many other wireless headset mics, it's not great. Theres a few videos by other channels that show mic tests
I just received mine today. I enjoyed your review and found it to be pretty accurate. One thing I didn't like though is the mic being oversensitive when on the Xbox in party chat and always broadcasting when it is set to full volume (I turned it all the way down to 4 to stop that). There is a correction you should make though. It isn't leather, it is a fake leather. In the product information guide on page 4, line 2, it is called. "Premium Leatherette Ear Cushions". Leatherette is not leather, it is a synthetic leather and WILL eventually chip and fall apart.
After seeing how good reviews were, I picked these up. I've used Arctis Pro and Blackshark V2s recently and they were both great. But I wanted something that wasn't just good, but versatile (PC, PS5, Xbox, iOS connectivity, good range for connecting to my smart tv directly for watching/listening to things while working around that area, etc.) The quality of the audio on the Arctis Nova Pros is incredible. I'm used to headsets that give me a good sense of footstep direction and such. It is already the clearest sounding for enemy detection and such that I've ever used, but two more things surprised me: 1. The sense of vertical direction. I've been able to pretty accurately determine not just when someone is say at 3 o'clock, but whether they're on the same level as me, a lower level, or higher level, and I don't just mean when someone is like right above me in a building. I mean when I'm outside the building or the like. This has been especially amazing in a game like Apex Legends with so many hills, ramps, multi-level buildings, etc. This adds a degree of Z axis precision I'm not really used to alongside the X, Y precision. 2. The distance at which it picks these things up. I'm so used to hearing footstep and similar audio within a certain range (like say 5-10 meters? Not sure exactly the distance), but with this headset I kept expecting enemies even closer than they were for my first bit playing because it was picking up the audio so much sooner. It wasn't hard, but I still had to sort of mentally recalibrate the in-game range of sounds because of how much precision I was getting from the audio. Fantastic headset, also works great for things like chatting in Discord on PC while playing a game on a tablet(bluetooth) and getting audio for both. Or playing PS5 through wireless and chatting through Discord on phone. Was really impressed with how cleanly it integrates the audio from both sources. Phenomenal headset. No trouble with getting any of its promised features to work and work well. I was seeing excellent reviews on it all over and didn't expect this headset to still manage to surpass my expectations after hearing how hyped up it was.
Wow. I actually feel smarter after watching your review. How have I not found your channel before this? Outstanding information and the flow just makes sense. I've had the Arctis Pro Wireless for 3 years and have loved them. Your review has totally tipped me into buy mode for the Nova Pros. Steel Series should have sent you these to review. Just saying.
Thank you for knowing about the henge issue, and addressing that it seems to be an improvement... I've been through 2 artis pro wireless in 1 year and am getting Novas as a warranty replacement from the pro wireless
@@mannyfresh7065 for a company named "steel series" you'd expect a sturdier product... especially when said product is as expensive as an entire console
Bought these to replace some Audeze Penrose - couldn't resist trying these. As an all round device I more than pleased. I'm not a fan of closed back headphones really but with these have Transparency mode it makes them usable for me in situations where others aren't suitable. Do these sound better than the Penrose - well probably not for music, but they sound less congested for gaming imho (testing on BF2042 at least). They are light years more comfortable (on my head at least) and the battery life/flexibility make them perfect for a 10 hour working day followed by some games. These really are superb imho. Only thing I'd like is for the Sonar Eq profiles to save to the headset. The Eq on the basestation is ok but would be easy if it was just done from one location.
Did the same swap, seems a common trend to go from the Penrose to these and been loving these, the Penrose are not comfortable at all even with a wicked cushion mod, they are just too heavy, The sound is great but as you say quite enclosed .
man, I think the same! for gaming, there is not much of a difference, at least for me. I have both here at the moment, and I really like the Nova Wireless for gaming
I've been using the Microsoft wireless headset for 2042 but everything seemed muddy hasn't been an issue in other games so I decided to upgrade to these hopefully test them tonight
I own the Nova Pro Wireless since July and this is an awesome headphone. Just great sound quality, also when playing music, provided the source has good quality, it can get really loud but still clear and very punchy, wow. The Sonar software with presets and EQ is very useful. The exchangable batterie is fantastic. ANC works defenitely. Had the Arctic 9 WL before but this one is much much better.
@xspower21 No, he didn't. It's not the first positive review about this headset. It's not cheap, but your comment lacks argument that could back up your thesis. There are loads of in-depth reviews and tests showing how good the headset is actually. If you don't like it, for whatever reason, buy something else. But better stop positioning yourself as an expert while lacking basic arguments. Ironically, the only thing that has no depth is your comment...
@@xspower21 Agreed. Noticed only when I got them that they sound worse than cheap Razer headphones because for all their muddy bass, they at least have bass. Sooooo flat. I tried boosting the bass and EQ it, doesn't matter.
After endless headset reviews, this has helped me finally make my mind up. What a professional and detailed video, definitely subscribed. Can't believe you only have 14k subscribers.
Thanks for the amazing review. I bought the a7+ a few weeks back and had many problems and finally decided to returned it and I was thinking about the logitech pro instead but now these new one seems like it will fix everything I didn't like about the a7+.
I bought the EPOS H3Pro Hybrid after owning the Corsair HS80, Razer Blackshark V2 Pro wireless, Arctis 3, Arctis 7 and 7P+ and so far this EPOS headset is the best headset I have ever owned. Good battery life, comfy as heck, and the audio quality and mic quality are top notch. I can listen to my computer audio and take a phone call at the same exact time without issue. My parents call a lot so this is tested on a weekly basis lol. I really love this headset and I've owned it since release.
This is hands down the best review. I was very indecisive on getting these since they are $350 for the wireless, but thanks to this video I snagged a pair. Thanks for the review!
I believe they may have reduced the size of the ANC bump on newer models. Worth checking. And higher bit depth and samples rates are not better in terms of human listening. In fact going over 48kHz can degrade audio.
Another great in depth review Joe. Also, it's such a relief reading comments from others under your reviews from people who know what they're talking about. I just watched a review of this headset from another popular UA-camr and some of the comments were embarrassing. I'm still waiting on my pair even though they were dispatched on the 25th. Hopefully have them in a day or two. Shall report back with my views on them soon.
Hi!, im concerned about the mic, because i want a pair of great headsets that are easy to travel with, but im not willing to compromise on the mic, is it good???
Incredible Headset! I'm switching from Logitech G pro wireless, which is incredible too. I haven't experienced the hissing issues nor disconnects, and what not that the others mentioned in the comments. It is shocking how good this wireless headset sounds. Thumbs up. Also, purchased a 3 year insurance plan for like $35 more that covers everything except theft and loss of the unit.
Hi Konstantin. I just bought an G Pro X Wireless, and thinking if I should get the Nova Pro Wireless. How do the 2 headset compares in terms of footstep and directional audio cue? Your reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. I mainly play Valorant.
Was looking for an Arctis Pro Wireless successor and just found out about this headset. Great review! This is exactly the detail I was looking for. I know the Pro Wireless had issues with mic compression and the output to PC would end up being kind of low with no way to add gain. Additionally there were the horrible firmware update issues which I strongly believe they fully abandoned in their software and swept the issue under the rug. I wish the mic was higher fidelity but at least they have eq options this time.
I bought this headset and saw this review... i guess i am gonna see your reviews and buy in future... great detail review... great job and to the point... two thumbs up!
Fantastic review - loved how in-depth it was. I've got two questions though. About a year ago, my wired Arctis Pro's hinge broke. I always wanted to buy the wireless Arctis Pro but ended up not doing so because of the wired one breaking down. I eventually bought the Corsair Virtuoso XT's, that works like a charm. Now that SS released this headset, i strongly consider buying it. Here's the questions. 1. Are you able to use the 2.4 ghz connection and aux simultaneously? 2. How does the imaging compare between the two headsets mentioned?
Thanks so much! Unfortunately plugging in aux disables all headset power. The imaging is better on the Novas. I still like the XTs a lot, as the reliability and BT performance is off the chart. The XT allows BT, aux, and wireless USB to all be mixed simultaneously which is great. Just upgrade the pads on them from Wicked Cushions and boost bass in Dolby Atmos.
@@GadgetryTech My wired arctis pro (have the dac) just broke. I loved the sound quality of it, had it since end of 2017. I'm wondering how the sound of the wireless nova's compare to the wired Pro with the dac. Does it feel like a upgrade? I would use it on PC, for both competitive shooters and your regular steam story games e.g. RDR2, some racing games (not often, mostly play story games and competitive games). Seen some of your other reviews, seems like I can value your opinion. ANC is not a must for me. So if you do prefer a different headset let me know too if you could! Thanks for the detailed reviews, glad I found your channel!
One correction. The ear pads are NOT real leather. Steel series states polyurethane synthetic, meaning they will peel eventually peel. Excellent review! Subbing for thoroughness.
Great review. Subbed. Why Steelseries hasn't just made a phone app that lets you control all the settings on any platform, I'll never know. Seems like such a massive missed opportunity.
This review made me relieved of this purchase it touched all the points that i was a little doubtful on all and all a very detailed and clear review subscribed 👍🏼
Thanks Jyced! The Penrose has the wow factor when you first turn them on. A well produced Planar Magnetic headphone sounds absolutely incredible, thanks to several factors. One is transient speed, which is how fast the planar driver "attacks" and "decays". Planars are instantaneous, resulting in incredible detail retrieval without needing overly strong treble to compensate. The bass is euphoric as well. They aren't always "super bassy sounding", but the bass you do hear is glorious. Having said that, I'd still take the Novas. We're not discussing critical listening headphones, but gaming headsets. So it's more than just sound quality. Long term comfort, battery life, build quality, feature set, ease of use, all should be considered when shopping for a gaming headset. That's where the Nova shines. The Audeze Penrose has a slight edge out of the box, but both can be tuned. I think the Penrose is tough to beat when tuned properly, but it doesn't get a lot of other things done well. The comfort is okay (some like it, some don't). The audio controls are challenging to use and to customize the EQ, you have to connect the headset to your computer via the USB-C cable in addition to using the wireless dongle. I have some wireless issues with my Penrose (a sharp pop sound in the left driver from time to time that hurts my ears). When it works well, I do love the Penrose. I go back to it from time to time just to rekindle some love for it. What I leave connected though? That's now my Arctis Nova Pro.
@@GadgetryTech Precisely my experience, the Penrose are nice but they are very uncomfortable and you will definitely feel like your wearing magnets on your head EVEN with wicked cushion mods.
Excellent work Joe been looking forward to your review on this one ! I checked out the 7X+ that hit shelves early a few weeks back and I wasn't impressed by how bad the sonar beta is and just no quality improvements were made... It's unfortunate these Nova pro's have such a steep price tag because they do look like a lot better quality at least! I'm a newer sub to your channel but damn are you underrated man you go very in depth and do an amazing job on these reviews! Lastly keep it coming & I wish you astonishing growth on the channel in the coming years!!!
Wow thank you so much for the kind words and support man! It's steep for sure but I wanted to make a point of that at the end. A lot of people have some wireless ear buds/travel headphones and then buy a gaming headset. With this, it's all in one. See you at the next video!
An excellent and super informative review, thank you! Just a minor correction: the earpads are not made of real leather, as verified with customer support, "The ear cushions are vegan leatherette and contain no animal by-products." This is excellent news for anyone who doesn't want to use a headset containing animal by-products, but still wants to enjoy a premium headset. I own the Nova Pro and I truly think SteelSeries did a remarkable job with the design and build quality, including (and most importantly, comfort wise) the earpads, as you mentioned in your review.
Thanks and noted. When I first received and tested everything, those facts weren't available anywhere. I watched a couple live streams of theirs and they mentioned leather so I thought that was the truth. After using it for a while I definitely agree that it's leatherette.
Hey man, how long have you owned the steelseries arctis pro for? how has the build quality and durability has lasted you these whole time? I'm thinking about grabbing this Nova but has heard mixed reviews on the quality of the headset
I got mine in today as well. It has the potential to be the greatest headset of all time. I’m still deciding on the comfort and the sound quality. I really struggle to go to closed backs after being on open backs so long. My ability to find enemies is so off in closed backs. I’m going to try to get used to it because the features on this thing are amazing. Edit: my right ear is hurting badly after testing these for a few hours. Turns out they are not for me. Back in the box.
@@christophervanzetta I think the ear pads on these are fine. They seem to be of higher quality than something like a hyperx alpha etc. but like I said for me the clamping force along with the protruding internal ANC mics makes this uncomfortable for more than 1 hour gaming sessions. Think of it this way: listening to a fantastic surround audio setup in a room that’s 80 degrees and humid. Oh almost forgot to mention my head is on the smaller side as well.
@@Jasong8s Couldn't agree more on the ANC mic bump. After ~1h of use it gets simply painful. I had to return them. If you have the wrong ear shape/dimension you just can't use them. It's definitively very subjective, but I wonder how they didn't catch this issue during testing
Ok, this was the review I was looking for. I was very undecidable about buying these nice headphones due to the hefty price tag. But your in depth review was just amazing. You covered every aspect I had questions about. When deciding on buying expensive hardware, watching some reviews, just leaves you even more uncertain about making the right choice. I feel like this was the perfect review and like you said, they knocked it right out of the park with these headphones, you knocked it right out of the park with your complete satisfying review. Only drawback, the review was to short...... no I'm just kidding 🙂Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this great review! Most reviews do not demonstrate the quality of the microphone but you went the extra mile and demonstrated the difference between 2.4 GHz and bluetooth, thank you very much! However I am disappointed how bad the microphone on every wireless headset is (even this one), I don‘t unterstand why my steelseries headset with cable has a way better microphone quality than the wireless edition. It‘s 2.4 GHz, we can stream 4K videos with the technique…
I just discovered your channel, and let me tell you.... this is the BEST review of a headset I have seen. Covering the headset from all perspectives. Thanks
I watched a bunch of your reviews in a last couple of days and it was very professional. However in this one in particular, listening you saying the mic sounds 'phenomenal' was such a bummer.
I genuinely wanna know who has questions after that thorough of a review. I bought these for mainly PC and PS5 use and you are the first person to really talk about what it's like to use on console. Thank you so much for that
Man you are always so thorough. Keep it up!!!I got lasik a long time ago but I remember always struggling because reviewers never mentioned glasses frames inconveniencing your experience. Thank you.
Thanks so much Albert! People like you are the reason I always try to include mentioning glasses comfort! Do you find my format easy enough to get that information or do you think having a special chapter tag is more important?
@@GadgetryTech I found it easy enough. It already helps that the chapters are broken down quite easily! I appreciate the close up shots where you show the softness and bounciness of the material, very helpful.
After owning and being frustrated with my Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal Xbox Headphones which sound and work wonderful in Bluetooth Mode but not in Xbox mode it was time for a change. I'm a big fan of Arctis from using some of there other headsets your review this was the way to go. I'm picking up my Arctis Nova Pro Xbox Series tomorrow your review has me really excited for them thanks!
Here's an important note that none of the reviewers mentioned, which to me at this price range is major bugger. If you use it with PS5 the sound output won't switch automatically from the headset to TV when headset is turned off. The sound just mutes. You will have to either change settings on ps5 or disconnect the mixer from the console. Still deciding if I should keep it or not.
I make mods for Ark and will have the dev kit, the game and be streaming at the same time. loosing signal to swap batteries could force me to restart some apps. you are the only person to mention it has capacitors to hold the signal. Because of that I will buy them, so thank you.
Instant sub. Glad the only source isn't just the ign review that happens to be printed on the box. I found that a little weird that this thing just came out, and the box must have been designed and made months ago
Great review! I have used SteelSeries SIBERIA 800 for many years so this is going to be a good replacement. Looking forward to the comfort, less breaking ear pads. The batteries should at least hold 8 years, that's when mine gave up. The screen on my DAC burned in like old CRT monitors, you can still see what you are doing but it's a bit messy. Having used mine for thousands of hours it's a no-brainer to invest in a good pair of headphones.
Same here. My Siberia 800s lasted 6 years. Both my hinges have snapped but these headphones have taken more than their fair share of abuse. The price point is much easier to justify when you know it's going to last. By the way, SteelSeries sells replacement batteries on their website.
For anyone reading this, there's a number of issues with this headset which weren't mentioned. - the ANC simply doesn't work. It doesn't even drown out AC/Fan noise, just changes the sound signature. I can't tell if it's on or off. The cheapest pair of Samsung Buds work leagues better. - same goes for transparency. It starts working at a 7/10 but then you get exponentially more noise making it essentially useless. - you can't control the base station / USB volume via OS volume controls, only the hardware controls. If you use Sonar, you control your game virtual device. - you can't control the bluetooth volume with the wheel on the headset when connected to a Mac or a PC - you can't control the bluetooth volume with the OS volume control or Mac or a PC. I've yet to find a way to change the volume when using it on my MacBook. - there's a persistent digital noise (like a 56k modem) present in the right earcup when using ANC or transparency with bluetooth enabled - the sound often pops, especially when changing the volume - the mic is much quieter than the Arctis 1 Wireless, even with gain enabled and the volume set to 10. - the back action when controlling the base station will produce a painfully loud audio feedback which can't be turned off - you can't use Windows Spatial sound (Sonic, Dolby Atmos, DTX) with Sonar, even though they are advertising it as a feature on the product homepage, making it a massive downgrade for any type of gaming.
This is why I hate YT, but love it. I've been scouring the internet and watched/read so many reviews on these headphones and I get recommended to you. Bro, this video was better than the 100k+ reviews i'm seeing. Im sure I don't need to tell you to keep it coming and gl brother
Great Review. May pull the trigger on the wired version...very intrigued on how well they can drive my other headsets and how the entire package sounds overall. Subbed
Mann dope review ! copied your EQ settings for music and im impressed on your knowledge! now I can wear these in public and slap some Mac Dre! keep it up homie!
Very Informative video. I was already looking to buy steelseries arctis pro wireless last month because no other headphones did what they did....but now finally i can buy the headphones that i want without any buyers regret. I am gonna be upgrading from hyperx cloud alpha s. Keep it up with videos dude....you deserve a lot more!!
Ha! I actually returned a pair of the beoplay portals 4 hours after getting them feeling like there was no hope for a decent set of gaming headphones and the next day these were announced. Waiting for my Amazon return to process and then ordering these.
The right earphone on my Arctic’s pro wireless just stopped working today, I have had them since about release date and probably have 8k+ hours on them I can say that I NEVER had to wait to charge my headset not even out of the box. Being a long time owner of the Arctic’s pro wireless I highly recommend this headset just for the “infinite battery”. R.I.P Artics Pro Wireless 2018-2023 🙏🏻
Dude. What a review. I listened to around 5 other review and no one covered a 10th of what you did. I'm sold. Thanks for the excellent insights. In the future, I'd love to see more close ups and demonstration work. What you put in was great, just saying the more the better. For example, I'm still a bit unsure about the DAC connection. Is the knob unit wireless with a usb receiver so I can set it anywhere on my desk or is it wired so it needs to sit near my computer? I'm getting this to replace my Arctis 3 Bluetooth Wireless. It sounds like they made some decent improvements to the headset shape and mic. I'm so glad to here they put a jog and inset on the volume wheel. It was way too easy to bump. The Mic light is a good fix for the mute button issue where you could never tell if you were muted or not. I'm concerned about the ear muffs tho. I ended up buying third party upgrades so fingers crossed on the defaults for now. Thanks again for all you do brutha!
I've been obsessing myself over headset reviews for years and I can't believe this is the first pair of cans I've seen you review. Not only are you the most descriptive and easy to understand, but you don't use all this obnoxious junk to make yourself stand out. You just delivered more info in 30 min than I could've gotten anywhere else in 2 hours. I will never watch another reviewer and now I'm binge watching your videos. Thank you for this
Can agree, I enjoy the quality of the videos. The chapter separation and just the way he speaks thorough and strait to the point on the reviews. It's not vague nor biased
This guy is hands down the best headset reviewer that I have found online. Lots of details and info provided from hardware to software, which tells me he has thoroughly tested the product. Also he makes determinations on things like audio quality, which can be subjective, more objective using professional equipment to analyze and show innate frequencies of different headsets and even shows how to get the best sound for a certain headset by giving well crafted equalizer settings.
I own the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless for a few years now. The left ear cup was very delicate as it was plastic that was holding the cup together with 1 connection point to the metal band. It ended up breaking after a few months. Then I had it RMA'd and then the new one had the same issue but after 2 years of use. You're the only reviewer that researches prior products mistakes and downfalls. I really appreciate you pointing that the new Nova line worked on that making that hinge alot stronger. That's a HUGE upgrade for me since I loved everything else on the headset. Especially the replaceable battery. Thank you!
Incredible review. Blows all the big guys out of the water. Thanks man.
Yup easy!!!
Dude I just wanna say please keep making reviews because your contents are top notch and simply hitting the spot!! You’re smart and soooo talented knowing what people really want to know about even tho they’re tiny yet significant detail.
I returned mine because of the bump being very uncomfortable and the SteelSeries GG software's chat mixer not working. Thanks for actually mentioning the bump in this review! I watched 3 reviews prior to buying mine and nobody mentioned it.
Came specifically for the nova pro wireless and subbed due to the quality of your review! Keep up the good work!
I've really been interested in this headset before I even saw it on the shelf, so I didn't mind hearing you talk about it for such a period of time.
Great headset. I recommend that anyone who gets this looks into Wicked Cushions as a third party to replace the ear cushions. My ears kept rubbing against the ANC nub and now I get so much added comfort with the deeper, thicker padding. Awesome review!
Hi!, im concerned about the mic, because i want a pair of great headsets that are easy to travel with, but im not willing to compromise on the mic, is it good???
@@pewpew85 it does the job well enough but like many other wireless headset mics, it's not great. Theres a few videos by other channels that show mic tests
@@Centurio_Romae Thanks!
I just received mine today. I enjoyed your review and found it to be pretty accurate. One thing I didn't like though is the mic being oversensitive when on the Xbox in party chat and always broadcasting when it is set to full volume (I turned it all the way down to 4 to stop that).
There is a correction you should make though. It isn't leather, it is a fake leather. In the product information guide on page 4, line 2, it is called. "Premium Leatherette Ear Cushions". Leatherette is not leather, it is a synthetic leather and WILL eventually chip and fall apart.
Damn, what a professional and concise review. Great stuff man. Mine are arriving on monday.
Just found you channel and it's HANDS DOWN the best headset review channel.
Easily the most in depth review so early after the headsets release!
Don't bother listening to any other review. Just watch this one. First time viewer, longtime listener of others
After seeing how good reviews were, I picked these up. I've used Arctis Pro and Blackshark V2s recently and they were both great. But I wanted something that wasn't just good, but versatile (PC, PS5, Xbox, iOS connectivity, good range for connecting to my smart tv directly for watching/listening to things while working around that area, etc.)
The quality of the audio on the Arctis Nova Pros is incredible. I'm used to headsets that give me a good sense of footstep direction and such. It is already the clearest sounding for enemy detection and such that I've ever used, but two more things surprised me:
1. The sense of vertical direction. I've been able to pretty accurately determine not just when someone is say at 3 o'clock, but whether they're on the same level as me, a lower level, or higher level, and I don't just mean when someone is like right above me in a building. I mean when I'm outside the building or the like. This has been especially amazing in a game like Apex Legends with so many hills, ramps, multi-level buildings, etc. This adds a degree of Z axis precision I'm not really used to alongside the X, Y precision.
2. The distance at which it picks these things up. I'm so used to hearing footstep and similar audio within a certain range (like say 5-10 meters? Not sure exactly the distance), but with this headset I kept expecting enemies even closer than they were for my first bit playing because it was picking up the audio so much sooner. It wasn't hard, but I still had to sort of mentally recalibrate the in-game range of sounds because of how much precision I was getting from the audio.
Fantastic headset, also works great for things like chatting in Discord on PC while playing a game on a tablet(bluetooth) and getting audio for both. Or playing PS5 through wireless and chatting through Discord on phone. Was really impressed with how cleanly it integrates the audio from both sources.
Phenomenal headset. No trouble with getting any of its promised features to work and work well. I was seeing excellent reviews on it all over and didn't expect this headset to still manage to surpass my expectations after hearing how hyped up it was.
How is it when watching movies or series on the tv? I have an oled LG and want head sets that good for gaming on the ps5 and also whatching tv.
Great review. Knocked it out of the park. You hit on everything I wanted to know and then some.
Wow. I actually feel smarter after watching your review. How have I not found your channel before this? Outstanding information and the flow just makes sense. I've had the Arctis Pro Wireless for 3 years and have loved them. Your review has totally tipped me into buy mode for the Nova Pros. Steel Series should have sent you these to review. Just saying.
You sold me on the headset and yourself! Thanks for the incredible review.
Thank you for knowing about the henge issue, and addressing that it seems to be an improvement... I've been through 2 artis pro wireless in 1 year and am getting Novas as a warranty replacement from the pro wireless
Aye also getting nova pro wireless as warranty replacement! Mine was due to volume wheel being broken (totally could have been my fault but shhhh lol)
@@mannyfresh7065 for a company named "steel series" you'd expect a sturdier product... especially when said product is as expensive as an entire console
Bought these to replace some Audeze Penrose - couldn't resist trying these. As an all round device I more than pleased. I'm not a fan of closed back headphones really but with these have Transparency mode it makes them usable for me in situations where others aren't suitable. Do these sound better than the Penrose - well probably not for music, but they sound less congested for gaming imho (testing on BF2042 at least). They are light years more comfortable (on my head at least) and the battery life/flexibility make them perfect for a 10 hour working day followed by some games. These really are superb imho. Only thing I'd like is for the Sonar Eq profiles to save to the headset. The Eq on the basestation is ok but would be easy if it was just done from one location.
Did the same swap, seems a common trend to go from the Penrose to these and been loving these, the Penrose are not comfortable at all even with a wicked cushion mod, they are just too heavy, The sound is great but as you say quite enclosed .
man, I think the same! for gaming, there is not much of a difference, at least for me. I have both here at the moment, and I really like the Nova Wireless for gaming
I've been using the Microsoft wireless headset for 2042 but everything seemed muddy hasn't been an issue in other games so I decided to upgrade to these hopefully test them tonight
I own the Nova Pro Wireless since July and this is an awesome headphone. Just great sound quality, also when playing music, provided the source has good quality, it can get really loud but still clear and very punchy, wow. The Sonar software with presets and EQ is very useful. The exchangable batterie is fantastic. ANC works defenitely.
Had the Arctic 9 WL before but this one is much much better.
You got conned, these headphones completely suck for the price, sound is flat, sterile and has zero depth.
@xspower21 No, he didn't. It's not the first positive review about this headset. It's not cheap, but your comment lacks argument that could back up your thesis. There are loads of in-depth reviews and tests showing how good the headset is actually. If you don't like it, for whatever reason, buy something else. But better stop positioning yourself as an expert while lacking basic arguments. Ironically, the only thing that has no depth is your comment...
@@xspower21 Agreed. Noticed only when I got them that they sound worse than cheap Razer headphones because for all their muddy bass, they at least have bass. Sooooo flat. I tried boosting the bass and EQ it, doesn't matter.
After endless headset reviews, this has helped me finally make my mind up. What a professional and detailed video, definitely subscribed. Can't believe you only have 14k subscribers.
Thanks for the amazing review. I bought the a7+ a few weeks back and had many problems and finally decided to returned it and I was thinking about the logitech pro instead but now these new one seems like it will fix everything I didn't like about the a7+.
I bought the EPOS H3Pro Hybrid after owning the Corsair HS80, Razer Blackshark V2 Pro wireless, Arctis 3, Arctis 7 and 7P+ and so far this EPOS headset is the best headset I have ever owned. Good battery life, comfy as heck, and the audio quality and mic quality are top notch. I can listen to my computer audio and take a phone call at the same exact time without issue. My parents call a lot so this is tested on a weekly basis lol. I really love this headset and I've owned it since release.
It did take 6 of your videos for me to make up my mind on which headset to purchase but it was not a single minute wasted. Thank you !
What did you go with ?
This is hands down the best review. I was very indecisive on getting these since they are $350 for the wireless, but thanks to this video I snagged a pair.
Thanks for the review!
I believe they may have reduced the size of the ANC bump on newer models. Worth checking. And higher bit depth and samples rates are not better in terms of human listening. In fact going over 48kHz can degrade audio.
Another great in depth review Joe. Also, it's such a relief reading comments from others under your reviews from people who know what they're talking about. I just watched a review of this headset from another popular UA-camr and some of the comments were embarrassing.
I'm still waiting on my pair even though they were dispatched on the 25th. Hopefully have them in a day or two. Shall report back with my views on them soon.
Hi!, im concerned about the mic, because i want a pair of great headsets that are easy to travel with, but im not willing to compromise on the mic, is it good???
Lot of channels that I listen to regularly that I don't subscribe to, but this review definitely earns it, great job
Incredible Headset! I'm switching from Logitech G pro wireless, which is incredible too. I haven't experienced the hissing issues nor disconnects, and what not that the others mentioned in the comments. It is shocking how good this wireless headset sounds. Thumbs up. Also, purchased a 3 year insurance plan for like $35 more that covers everything except theft and loss of the unit.
Hi Konstantin. I just bought an G Pro X Wireless, and thinking if I should get the Nova Pro Wireless. How do the 2 headset compares in terms of footstep and directional audio cue? Your reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. I mainly play Valorant.
Thank you for pointing out the design assistance from the B&O team because I have it side by side with my Portal Play and they are very similar
So the sonar features does not work on console ?
How would you compare this headset with A40 or A50 ? (XSX, PS5).
Great review.
I saw a few reviews for these headphones, but your the best one. Thanks a lot for it!
Was looking for an Arctis Pro Wireless successor and just found out about this headset. Great review! This is exactly the detail I was looking for. I know the Pro Wireless had issues with mic compression and the output to PC would end up being kind of low with no way to add gain. Additionally there were the horrible firmware update issues which I strongly believe they fully abandoned in their software and swept the issue under the rug. I wish the mic was higher fidelity but at least they have eq options this time.
I bought this headset and saw this review... i guess i am gonna see your reviews and buy in future... great detail review... great job and to the point... two thumbs up!
Fantastic review - loved how in-depth it was. I've got two questions though. About a year ago, my wired Arctis Pro's hinge broke. I always wanted to buy the wireless Arctis Pro but ended up not doing so because of the wired one breaking down. I eventually bought the Corsair Virtuoso XT's, that works like a charm. Now that SS released this headset, i strongly consider buying it. Here's the questions. 1. Are you able to use the 2.4 ghz connection and aux simultaneously? 2. How does the imaging compare between the two headsets mentioned?
Thanks so much! Unfortunately plugging in aux disables all headset power. The imaging is better on the Novas. I still like the XTs a lot, as the reliability and BT performance is off the chart. The XT allows BT, aux, and wireless USB to all be mixed simultaneously which is great. Just upgrade the pads on them from Wicked Cushions and boost bass in Dolby Atmos.
@@GadgetryTech My wired arctis pro (have the dac) just broke. I loved the sound quality of it, had it since end of 2017. I'm wondering how the sound of the wireless nova's compare to the wired Pro with the dac. Does it feel like a upgrade? I would use it on PC, for both competitive shooters and your regular steam story games e.g. RDR2, some racing games (not often, mostly play story games and competitive games). Seen some of your other reviews, seems like I can value your opinion. ANC is not a must for me. So if you do prefer a different headset let me know too if you could! Thanks for the detailed reviews, glad I found your channel!
This was one of the most thorough headset reviews that I’ve ever seen. Thank you!
You always do a great review. I bought a pair of portals because of your review. What do you think of this compared to the stealth 700 gen 2 max?
One correction. The ear pads are NOT real leather. Steel series states polyurethane synthetic, meaning they will peel eventually peel. Excellent review! Subbing for thoroughness.
Great review. Subbed. Why Steelseries hasn't just made a phone app that lets you control all the settings on any platform, I'll never know. Seems like such a massive missed opportunity.
This review made me relieved of this purchase it touched all the points that i was a little doubtful on all and all a very detailed and clear review subscribed 👍🏼
Thanks for the review!
How would you compare the sound quality to Audeze Penrose?
Thanks Jyced! The Penrose has the wow factor when you first turn them on. A well produced Planar Magnetic headphone sounds absolutely incredible, thanks to several factors. One is transient speed, which is how fast the planar driver "attacks" and "decays". Planars are instantaneous, resulting in incredible detail retrieval without needing overly strong treble to compensate. The bass is euphoric as well. They aren't always "super bassy sounding", but the bass you do hear is glorious.
Having said that, I'd still take the Novas. We're not discussing critical listening headphones, but gaming headsets. So it's more than just sound quality. Long term comfort, battery life, build quality, feature set, ease of use, all should be considered when shopping for a gaming headset. That's where the Nova shines. The Audeze Penrose has a slight edge out of the box, but both can be tuned. I think the Penrose is tough to beat when tuned properly, but it doesn't get a lot of other things done well. The comfort is okay (some like it, some don't). The audio controls are challenging to use and to customize the EQ, you have to connect the headset to your computer via the USB-C cable in addition to using the wireless dongle. I have some wireless issues with my Penrose (a sharp pop sound in the left driver from time to time that hurts my ears). When it works well, I do love the Penrose. I go back to it from time to time just to rekindle some love for it. What I leave connected though? That's now my Arctis Nova Pro.
@@GadgetryTech Precisely my experience, the Penrose are nice but they are very uncomfortable and you will definitely feel like your wearing magnets on your head EVEN with wicked cushion mods.
Great job with this video. It has all the information I wound to have in the right amount of time. Best review I have seen of this Headset.
Excellent work Joe been looking forward to your review on this one ! I checked out the 7X+ that hit shelves early a few weeks back and I wasn't impressed by how bad the sonar beta is and just no quality improvements were made... It's unfortunate these Nova pro's have such a steep price tag because they do look like a lot better quality at least! I'm a newer sub to your channel but damn are you underrated man you go very in depth and do an amazing job on these reviews! Lastly keep it coming & I wish you astonishing growth on the channel in the coming years!!!
Wow thank you so much for the kind words and support man! It's steep for sure but I wanted to make a point of that at the end. A lot of people have some wireless ear buds/travel headphones and then buy a gaming headset. With this, it's all in one. See you at the next video!
Easy to watch, great flow, and talking points. Solid review dude, even at 3o minutes!
An excellent and super informative review, thank you!
Just a minor correction: the earpads are not made of real leather, as verified with customer support, "The ear cushions are vegan leatherette and contain no animal by-products." This is excellent news for anyone who doesn't want to use a headset containing animal by-products, but still wants to enjoy a premium headset. I own the Nova Pro and I truly think SteelSeries did a remarkable job with the design and build quality, including (and most importantly, comfort wise) the earpads, as you mentioned in your review.
Thanks and noted. When I first received and tested everything, those facts weren't available anywhere. I watched a couple live streams of theirs and they mentioned leather so I thought that was the truth. After using it for a while I definitely agree that it's leatherette.
Hey man, how long have you owned the steelseries arctis pro for? how has the build quality and durability has lasted you these whole time? I'm thinking about grabbing this Nova but has heard mixed reviews on the quality of the headset
This EQ is fantastic, thanks so much for the help. Your content is great and you’ve earned a subscriber. Keep it going my man.
Thanks for the sub!
I got mine in today as well. It has the potential to be the greatest headset of all time. I’m still deciding on the comfort and the sound quality. I really struggle to go to closed backs after being on open backs so long. My ability to find enemies is so off in closed backs. I’m going to try to get used to it because the features on this thing are amazing.
Edit: my right ear is hurting badly after testing these for a few hours. Turns out they are not for me. Back in the box.
I felt the same way. Fantastic audio that is ruined by unbearable clamping force. I really wanted to like these.
@@Jasong8s and the fake leather (how companies justify a higher price tag) that gets my ears hot
@@christophervanzetta I think the ear pads on these are fine. They seem to be of higher quality than something like a hyperx alpha etc. but like I said for me the clamping force along with the protruding internal ANC mics makes this uncomfortable for more than 1 hour gaming sessions. Think of it this way: listening to a fantastic surround audio setup in a room that’s 80 degrees and humid. Oh almost forgot to mention my head is on the smaller side as well.
@@Jasong8s Couldn't agree more on the ANC mic bump. After ~1h of use it gets simply painful. I had to return them. If you have the wrong ear shape/dimension you just can't use them. It's definitively very subjective, but I wonder how they didn't catch this issue during testing
Pc38x
Great Review, even more convincing to upgrade from my Pro Wireless to the Nova Pros. You earned a Sub.
Ok, this was the review I was looking for. I was very undecidable about buying these nice headphones due to the hefty price tag. But your in depth review was just amazing. You covered every aspect I had questions about. When deciding on buying expensive hardware, watching some reviews, just leaves you even more uncertain about making the right choice. I feel like this was the perfect review and like you said, they knocked it right out of the park with these headphones, you knocked it right out of the park with your complete satisfying review. Only drawback, the review was to short...... no I'm just kidding 🙂Thank you for sharing.
Great review, decided to buy it for myself and I'm loving it so far.
im so fricking glad that a local company makes "PC/gaming" glasses.
Simply put, temples goes above the airpads and not through. love it
Thank you for taking the time to make such a professional review. I'm looking forward to your sonar video. I could really use it.
I can finally say it's coming later this week. Thanks so much for the support Ryan!
Awesome Review!!! One of the best so far. Great Explanation with no extra yapping, you get to the point!
Thanks for doing the glasses test. I really appreciate that.
Great review! 🎉
cant wait to see your channel blow up to 1M followers. keep up the amazing work!
Subscribed -- thorough, concise, and no BS.
Thanks man. Very informative from personal use of the product and not trying to sell. Respect 😎
This video is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the info!
Thank you for this great review! Most reviews do not demonstrate the quality of the microphone but you went the extra mile and demonstrated the difference between 2.4 GHz and bluetooth, thank you very much! However I am disappointed how bad the microphone on every wireless headset is (even this one), I don‘t unterstand why my steelseries headset with cable has a way better microphone quality than the wireless edition. It‘s 2.4 GHz, we can stream 4K videos with the technique…
Spent a week debating this headset or a few others and after 10+ reviews you sold me on these just been out and got it 👍
This is one of the best reviews that i have found!
Love the NERD Talk!! Bitrate talk was great.
Such a great review! Excited for these
finally i ve waited for this the whole day .
thank you for ur hardwork ❤
I just discovered your channel, and let me tell you.... this is the BEST review of a headset I have seen. Covering the headset from all perspectives. Thanks
Thanks Michal!
I watched a bunch of your reviews in a last couple of days and it was very professional. However in this one in particular, listening you saying the mic sounds 'phenomenal' was such a bummer.
You are extremely good at this. Extremely articulate and you flow extremely well from one topic to the next. Keep up the good work man.
I genuinely wanna know who has questions after that thorough of a review. I bought these for mainly PC and PS5 use and you are the first person to really talk about what it's like to use on console. Thank you so much for that
Thanks Cam! You'll love it. Honestly there's even more to discuss with these but I don't think people come to UA-cam for a 1 hour headset video lol
Yeah, I agree everyone seems to be talking about the PC function mostly. I would like to know if there is a way to get chatmix control.
That's what I call a review!! Amazing job. I subscribed.
Awesome review. I ordered my set on day of release a bit blind so really good to know I've made a really good choice..
Just found this headset a couple minutes ago and i am already seriously considering on buying
Man you are always so thorough. Keep it up!!!I got lasik a long time ago but I remember always struggling because reviewers never mentioned glasses frames inconveniencing your experience. Thank you.
Thanks so much Albert! People like you are the reason I always try to include mentioning glasses comfort! Do you find my format easy enough to get that information or do you think having a special chapter tag is more important?
@@GadgetryTech I found it easy enough. It already helps that the chapters are broken down quite easily! I appreciate the close up shots where you show the softness and bounciness of the material, very helpful.
After owning and being frustrated with my Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal Xbox Headphones which sound and work wonderful in Bluetooth Mode but not in Xbox mode it was time for a change. I'm a big fan of Arctis from using some of there other headsets your review this was the way to go. I'm picking up my Arctis Nova Pro Xbox Series tomorrow your review has me really excited for them thanks!
Awesome Review. Just got this, very impressed by these headphones!
im sold on this headset simple for the fact that the battery replacement uses a pretty standard battery that can be bought in a few years.
thank you for your honest review.i wating for my review in streaming on ps5 with this head set.(love my arctis pro even after 4 years)
Really well put together review. Thank for the info.
Perfect review. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks
Thanks for this review, gonna go ahead and get these now.
Great review, awesome channel.
subbed!
Good luck hitting 1 million.
remember us little guys who were here before your channel takes off!
Great review, honest and technical enough. You won a subscriber !
Here's an important note that none of the reviewers mentioned, which to me at this price range is major bugger.
If you use it with PS5 the sound output won't switch automatically from the headset to TV when headset is turned off. The sound just mutes. You will have to either change settings on ps5 or disconnect the mixer from the console.
Still deciding if I should keep it or not.
I make mods for Ark and will have the dev kit, the game and be streaming at the same time. loosing signal to swap batteries could force me to restart some apps. you are the only person to mention it has capacitors to hold the signal. Because of that I will buy them, so thank you.
Your review made me buy it. Great review!
this review is phenomenal, thank you very much!
Instant sub. Glad the only source isn't just the ign review that happens to be printed on the box. I found that a little weird that this thing just came out, and the box must have been designed and made months ago
Jeez ! Thats a damm Good review! Way better than most of the well Known channels ! Keep going!
Great review! I have used SteelSeries SIBERIA 800 for many years so this is going to be a good replacement. Looking forward to the comfort, less breaking ear pads. The batteries should at least hold 8 years, that's when mine gave up. The screen on my DAC burned in like old CRT monitors, you can still see what you are doing but it's a bit messy. Having used mine for thousands of hours it's a no-brainer to invest in a good pair of headphones.
Same here. My Siberia 800s lasted 6 years. Both my hinges have snapped but these headphones have taken more than their fair share of abuse. The price point is much easier to justify when you know it's going to last. By the way, SteelSeries sells replacement batteries on their website.
@@MatthewLuigamma032 Yeah i considered replacing batteries and earpads but the overall comfort does not suite me.
For anyone reading this, there's a number of issues with this headset which weren't mentioned.
- the ANC simply doesn't work. It doesn't even drown out AC/Fan noise, just changes the sound signature. I can't tell if it's on or off. The cheapest pair of Samsung Buds work leagues better.
- same goes for transparency. It starts working at a 7/10 but then you get exponentially more noise making it essentially useless.
- you can't control the base station / USB volume via OS volume controls, only the hardware controls. If you use Sonar, you control your game virtual device.
- you can't control the bluetooth volume with the wheel on the headset when connected to a Mac or a PC
- you can't control the bluetooth volume with the OS volume control or Mac or a PC. I've yet to find a way to change the volume when using it on my MacBook.
- there's a persistent digital noise (like a 56k modem) present in the right earcup when using ANC or transparency with bluetooth enabled
- the sound often pops, especially when changing the volume
- the mic is much quieter than the Arctis 1 Wireless, even with gain enabled and the volume set to 10.
- the back action when controlling the base station will produce a painfully loud audio feedback which can't be turned off
- you can't use Windows Spatial sound (Sonic, Dolby Atmos, DTX) with Sonar, even though they are advertising it as a feature on the product homepage, making it a massive downgrade for any type of gaming.
This is why I hate YT, but love it. I've been scouring the internet and watched/read so many reviews on these headphones and I get recommended to you. Bro, this video was better than the 100k+ reviews i'm seeing. Im sure I don't need to tell you to keep it coming and gl brother
Great Review. May pull the trigger on the wired version...very intrigued on how well they can drive my other headsets and how the entire package sounds overall. Subbed
Brilliant headset still flawless after 3 years never choose the cheap option these are worth every penny trust me
Mann dope review ! copied your EQ settings for music and im impressed on your knowledge! now I can wear these in public and slap some Mac Dre! keep it up homie!
Very Informative video. I was already looking to buy steelseries arctis pro wireless last month because no other headphones did what they did....but now finally i can buy the headphones that i want without any buyers regret. I am gonna be upgrading from hyperx cloud alpha s. Keep it up with videos dude....you deserve a lot more!!
Thank you!
Ha! I actually returned a pair of the beoplay portals 4 hours after getting them feeling like there was no hope for a decent set of gaming headphones and the next day these were announced. Waiting for my Amazon return to process and then ordering these.
The hinge was the main thing keeping me from upgrading because I’ve had 3 Arctis Pros replaced by SS in the past 2 years.
The right earphone on my Arctic’s pro wireless just stopped working today, I have had them since about release date and probably have 8k+ hours on them I can say that I NEVER had to wait to charge my headset not even out of the box. Being a long time owner of the Arctic’s pro wireless I highly recommend this headset just for the “infinite battery”. R.I.P Artics Pro Wireless 2018-2023 🙏🏻
Dude. What a review. I listened to around 5 other review and no one covered a 10th of what you did. I'm sold. Thanks for the excellent insights.
In the future, I'd love to see more close ups and demonstration work. What you put in was great, just saying the more the better. For example, I'm still a bit unsure about the DAC connection. Is the knob unit wireless with a usb receiver so I can set it anywhere on my desk or is it wired so it needs to sit near my computer?
I'm getting this to replace my Arctis 3 Bluetooth Wireless. It sounds like they made some decent improvements to the headset shape and mic. I'm so glad to here they put a jog and inset on the volume wheel. It was way too easy to bump. The Mic light is a good fix for the mute button issue where you could never tell if you were muted or not. I'm concerned about the ear muffs tho. I ended up buying third party upgrades so fingers crossed on the defaults for now.
Thanks again for all you do brutha!
Hey man, killer review! You did a fantastic job👍🏼💯
Amazing review. Just what i was looking for. Thanks again and wish you a successful future