Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wi-fi is a gaming headset that focuses on game-specific sound profiles to boost your audio expertise slightly than a one-size-fits-all method. In case you’re making an attempt to maintain to a finances, few headsets present as a lot depth because the Nova 5 because of its easy-to-use companion app, however some design flaws left me annoyed.
- The companion app is easy to make use of
- Quick-charge battery
- Easy connection switching
- Spatial audio throughout all platforms
- Free match
- Matte end is simple to break
- Audio bleeding via earcups
SteelSeries has constructed up fairly the fame within the headset market over time and whereas its premium choices are the place you’ll discover the very best total expertise, the revised Arctis Nova 5 Wi-fi is a shock bundle that received’t break the financial institution. This new headset takes the main target away from being a plug-and-play system, as a substitute releasing alongside a companion app, packed filled with over 100 game-specific sound profiles.
The SteelSeries Nova 5 has all of the makings of the most effective wi-fi gaming headsets and is priced excellent for the place the market is in the intervening time. Nevertheless, each time it does one thing nice, just like the pre-baked sound profiles, there’s a contradicting niggle that stops it from feeling like the overall bundle, similar to solely with the ability to edit these profiles on PC.
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Specs
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wi-fi | |
Drivers | 40mm Neodymium |
Connections | 2.4 GHz & Bluetooth 5.3 |
Frequency Response | 20Hz – 22,000Hz |
Weight | 265g |
Battery Life | As much as 60 hours, 15-minute quick cost (for six hours use) |
Colours | Black (With blue or inexperienced trim in P and X fashions) |
Options
The headline function of the Nova 5 Wi-fi is its companion app that comes with over 100 pre-configured sound profiles, lots of that are tailor-made to particular video games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Counter-Strike 2, and Warzone 2. These are largely designed to supply both probably the most immersive and fascinating ambiance in single-player video games or a aggressive edge in multi-player titles.
Elsewhere, the Nova 5 Wi-fi consists of 2.4GHz wi-fi and Bluetooth 5.3 connections, nevertheless it doesn’t have simultaneous audio, regardless of with the ability to maintain a connection to a cell system and the two.4GHz adaptor on the identical time. That is to permit altering of audio profiles through the app whereas nonetheless energetic in a recreation however can grow to be awkward in case your cell tries to play audio and the headset modifications the audio stream robotically.
Thanks to those connectivity strategies, the Nova 5 is appropriate with PC, Mac, Xbox Sequence X/S, PS5, iOS, Android, Swap, and Meta Quest 2. In case you are shopping for for consoles, you possibly can present your allegiance by buying console editions of the headset, which apply a inexperienced or blue trim (5X being inexperienced, 5P being blue) to the material headband and in-ear left and proper identifiers. In the end the USB-C adaptor is not any completely different contained in the field and can work with each headsets if wanted.
The headset incorporates a retractable mic, which means it’s handy to retailer the mic away when it’s not getting used. The mic itself slides out and in with ease, and never been any awkward cases of it getting caught up or bent out of form whereas adjusting it. The Nova 5 additionally has three fast controls for connectivity switching, energy, and mute. AI noise cancellation is current to assist preserve your audio output clear and get rid of background noise.
Like many SteelSeries headsets, the headscarf could be eliminated to regulate the match, plus it could even get replaced. Nevertheless, the earcups’ outer plates will not be replaceable, so the customization kits are in the end a bit of redundant in the intervening time except SteelSeries begins promoting headbands individually.
Design
The Nova 5 Wi-fi seems at first look to be mainly an identical to the Nova Professional, Nova 7, and former Nova 5 iterations, with its largely matte black end, ovoid earcups, and glued headband. So, it doesn’t do something we haven’t seen earlier than from SteelSeries, however I really feel it is a optimistic on condition that this design has already confirmed to be among the many most snug at present accessible. Not each new launch must reinvent the wheel.
The scarf options adjustable sliders for the earcups, whereas the material inner headband does an ideal job of distributing the load of the headset evenly over your head. The construct high quality of the Nova 5 feels good, however its matte texture scratches very simply, which is one thing to contemplate must you wish to use the Nova 5 on the go.
From a consolation perspective, when static at my desk working or gaming, the Nova 5 feels incredible. It’s gentle and ethereal, which means lengthy periods trigger no pressure, and the open-back design means you possibly can nonetheless maintain a dialog with somebody while not having to take the headset off.
A weak point within the design shone via once I first moved round with the Nova 5 on because it grew to become obvious that it sits oddly unfastened over the ear. This isn’t so extreme that it feels just like the headset will fall off, nevertheless it’s annoying to really feel it transferring round in your head, particularly when adjusting the earcups ends in all consolation being misplaced because the fastened headband then sits flush in opposition to the highest of my head. As a headset that pushes its Bluetooth capabilities, it’s odd that such an issue ought to come up when not sitting nonetheless at a desk. The Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi’ closed-back design prevented this from being a difficulty because it sat loads tighter over my ears, however to not the purpose the place it grew to become uncomfortable.
One other gripe comes not with the design on the headset, however the 2.4GHz adaptor. When plugged into my PC, it blocks off using a USB port. I’ve additionally seen photographs of the adaptor plugged right into a PS5 and the identical happens there. This seems like a fundamental oversight that might and may have been averted. Nevertheless, a protracted adaptor extension cable is included, it’s simply not very visually interesting to have a look at in comparison with the flush nature of an adaptor plugged straight right into a PC.
Efficiency
Due to its 40mm Neodymium magnetic audio drivers, the SteelSeries Nova 5 Wi-fi gives actually deep bass and clear highs, with increased than normal 22KHz max frequency. Common audio high quality is sort of excessive and every thing contained in the Nova 5 Wi-fi is on par with rather more costly wi-fi headsets just like the Turtle Seashore Stealth Professional and SteelSeries’ personal Nova Professional Wi-fi.
Nevertheless, the road between premium and mid-range is drawn in how the headset design impacts the audio high quality, and because of the open-backed nature of the Nova 5, it’s liable to letting outdoors noises grow to be a distraction at decrease volumes. Likewise, headset audio will bleed out of the earcups at excessive volumes, issues not usually present in closed-back headphones. That’s to not say that open or closed-back design determines high quality, however right here the choice to pursue an open-backed design has led to some situational weaknesses.
On a massively optimistic be aware, the customized sound profiles have a huge impact whereas gaming, with only some of the final music and film profiles being poor. Particularly, the clear vocals EQ successfully sounds prefer it locations all non-vocal audio in a field, leading to an unbalanced remaining product. That is the place the power to edit and save the sound profiles within the cell app can be actually helpful, however alas that is solely doable on PC through the SteelSeries GG software program, and there doesn’t look like any approach to ship saved profiles again to the app.
The Nova 5 wi-fi has 360-degree spatial audio, a function that has dripped down from being accessible in premium headsets and is now rather more extensively accessible. Right here, it’s utilized notably nicely, as in most first-person shooter recreation profiles, like CS2, key audio queues are extremely crisp, and it’s straightforward to discern the route and distance of footsteps or gunfire.
The retractable mic high quality is nice, and the AI noise cancellation works nicely. SteelSeries claims to have examined its know-how in opposition to jet planes, and whereas I can’t communicate to that diploma of noise, I can verify even the loudest keyboard clicks are muted.
Battery life
At 60 hours, the SteelSeries Nova 5 Wi-fi is on the upper facet in comparison with opponents, however the place it has most different headsets beat is the quick cost function, providing six hours of battery life on simply quarter-hour of cost time.
That is helpful must you be caught brief and want simply sufficient juice to get you thru one gaming session earlier than a full cost could be executed. Alternatively, the Nova 5 Wi-fi could be charged whereas utilizing it as your main audio supply, however the included cables aren’t almost lengthy sufficient to make use of comfortably.
Worth
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wi-fi has an MSRP of $129.99 (£129.99) and is on the market from the SteelSeries web site, Amazon, and Finest Purchase.
The 5X and 5P fashions are solely accessible from SteelSeries direct however could seem at different on-line retailers as has been the case with earlier headsets just like the Nova 7.
Alternate options
Razer Blackshark V2 Hyperspeed
Razer’s entry-level various to the Professional, the Blackshark V2 Hyperspeed is much less versatile in its design, with a hard and fast microphone that’s all the time on show, however the microphone itself is top of the range and has the audio to again it up all whereas sustaining an affordable worth.
Roccat Syn Max Air
Bringing a bit of extra model because of its RGB earcups, the Roccat Syn Max Air is a light-weight wi-fi gaming headset that locations an enormous emphasis on audio efficiency, taking lots of cues from the Turtle Seashore Stealth Professional with which it shares its audio drivers and tech like Superhuman Listening to.
Verdict
The SteelSeries Nova 5 is an effective wi-fi headset that seems like it’s missing in only some, in the end important, areas that may forestall it from being a massively memorable launch. Nevertheless, the companion cell app is genuinely helpful, notably for those who swap between completely different video games repeatedly – particularly aggressive ones. SteelSeries isn’t alone in providing game-tuned profiles however the vary of video games and the benefit of switching through the app are actually handy.
The audio and microphone high quality is nice, which alongside the well-tuned sound profiles, a powerful battery life, and fast cost time means the Nova 5 Wi-fi is actually good worth for cash at its $129.99 (£129.99) MSRP.