SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset (Xbox, PS5, PC)

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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro has long been one of IGN’s highest rated wireless gaming headsets. IGN’s Kevin Lee gave the Nova Pro a 10/10 “Masterpiece” review and I believe it still holds today. I’ve clocked well over a thousand hours on mine to the point that my earcups were worn through (I replaced them with the awesome WC Freeze gel earpads). I now use the Arctis Nova Omni and I will be honest with you, I can’t really tell the difference, probably because I use my headset almost exclusively for PC, and the Omni’s pièce de résistance is its seamless cross-platform switching. If your use-case is similar to mine where you predominantly use these headphones for one platform, then stick with the Nova Pros.

The one feature that undoubtedly makes the Nova Pro stand out amongst the crowd is the ingenious hot-swappable battery system. The Nova Pro includes two removable, rechargeable batteries: one to use in your headset and the other to remain charged and ready to go in a base station that doubles as a charger. This way, you get wireless freedom with zero downtime. Each battery lasts for up to 22 hours of continued use so you don’t need to swap out too often.

The base station deserves additional mention. Not only does it charge your battery, it also features a clear and legible OLED display and a handy volume control knob. On the rear are USB inputs for connecting to your PC as well as an optional 3.5mm passthrough should you want to connect your speakers directly to the base station.

Of course a high end gaming headset is no good if it can’t produce great sound and deliver vocal clarity. The Nova Pro is first and foremost a gaming headset, and it delivers big sound with its big 40mm neodymium dynamic drivers and 360° spatial sound effects (via SteelSeries Sonar for PC, Tempest 3D Audio for PS5, and Microsoft Spatial Sound for Xbox). The retractable boom mic is clear without any static and does a great job of canceling out ambient noise. My friends regularly point out that I sound like I’m in a quiet room because they hear nothing but my voice.

The Nova Pro is comfortable to use even during gaming marathons thanks to the suspension-style headband and comfortable leatherette ear cushions. You don’t have to worry about babying it either, since the headband has a steel inner core. I’ve tossed mine around more times than I should have and it’s still functionally perfect.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.