INTRODUCTION

   With the Christmas holidays less than 2 weeks away i find myself in front of an inbox filled with reader questions that cover everything from PC hardware and peripherals to various home appliances. Unfortunately, with so little time left (and also having to still throw the annual giveaway, it will happen on the 20th) there's simply no way for me to cover everything and so i decided to focus on the things that actually are in the lab right now (besides, nothing arrives here by chance). So, for all of you asking which wired PC headset is the best right now for hardcore gamers well the ARCTIS NOVA PRO by SteelSeries is a definite contester and that's exactly what today's review is all about.

   SteelSeries is the worldwide brand and innovation leader in gaming and esports peripherals focused on premium quality, innovation, and functionality. Founded in 2001, SteelSeries improves performance through first-to-market innovations and technologies that enable gamers to play harder, train longer, and rise to the challenge. SteelSeries is the pioneering supporter of esports and competitive gaming tournaments, connecting gamers and fostering a sense of community and purpose. SteelSeries’ family of professional and gaming enthusiasts are the driving force behind the company and help influence, design, and craft every single accessory and the brand’s software ecosystem, SteelSeries GG, which includes Moments video clip service and the Sonar Audio Software Suite. The SteelSeries family of brands includes KontrolFreek, the industry leader in high-performance controller accessories, and Nahimic, the leader in 3D sound solutions for gaming. In 2022 SteelSeries joined the GN family, a global leader in innovative and intelligent audio and video communications solutions sold in approximately 100 countries around the world.

   The ARCTIS NOVA PRO which i have here with me is obviously the successor to SteelSeries award winning and highly popular ARCTIS PRO with GameDac model released back in 2018 (review here). So once again we have a Hi-Res Audio System which consists of two parts, a headset which features 40mm high-fidelity neodymium drivers (10Hz-40kHz frequency response with 93dB sensitivity and 38Ohm impedance / on the box it says 32) together with a retractable bidirectional noise cancelling microphone (100Hz-10Khz frequency response with -38dB sensitivity and 2200Ohm impedance) and an external USB DAC (GameDAC Gen 2) which ensures high-fidelity 96kHz/24-bit (5Hz-40kHz frequency response) audio with no need for down-sampling thanks to the ESS Sabre Quad-DAC 9218PQ40 (this 2-channel D/A converter actually supports up to 384kHz/32-bit audio with 121dB digital noise reduction and -114dB total harmonic distortion plus noise). This time over for the optimal positioning audio experience and accuracy SteelSeries is using the Sonar software which delivers 360° detail with Spatial Audio and allows the end user complete control over it with the help of a 10-band parametric equalizer. Time to see just how good the latest ARCTIS NOVA PRO by SteelSeries really is.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

For the ARCTIS NOVA PRO SteelSeries has used an gold/orange box the front of which is taken by their logo, a large product picture and two awards.

More awards are printed on the left side of the box.

The contents of the bundle are printed on the right side just over the product specifications.

At the rear of the box SteelSeries has placed the 4 main product features in several languages.

Once you open the box, you'll see the bundle placed inside a formed piece of plastic.

Along with the ARCTIS NOVA PRO and its GameDAC Gen 2 inside the box you'll also find a cloth cover/pouch, two 1.5 meter long USB-A to USB-C cables, 1.5 meter long 3.5mm cable, microphone pop filter, first edition card and the product guide.

THE ARCTIS NOVA PRO

The ARCTIS NOVA PRO is primarily made out of plastic, aluminum, faux leather and fabric.

In terms of size this is clearly a medium sized headset.

SteelSeries has placed their logo on the exterior of both earcups.

The ClearCast Gen 2 retractable bidirectional microphone is as usual very flexible.

The volume control roller, microphone mute button and the 3.5mm port are all located on the exterior of left earcup.

As with past models SteelSeries has used magnetic plates for the exterior of the earcups.

Worth pointing out is that the earcups are foldable for easier storage.

Once again SteelSeries has used large earpads with plenty of padding.

Of course, once again we find the suspension system for the head which is one of the best out there (the earcups can also extend/retract in this model).

The GameDAC Gen 2 is smaller than a gaming mouse and at the front we find a large dial next to an OLED screen and a touch button.

A single 3.5mm headset port is located on the left side whereas the two USB-C ports (PC/PS4-5) and the line-out and line-in ports are located at the rear.

Turning the GameDAC Gen 2 over we find a rather thin rubber pad around the base.

USING THE GAMEDAC GEN 2

Setting up the ARCTIS NOVA PRO requires some manual inputs on the GameDAC and i for one am glad that the developers over at SteelSeries still have a sense of humour.

As with its predecessor due to different safety regulations you'll be asked where you are located in order for the GameDAC to adjust maximum volume levels.

So, from the GameDAC Gen 2 you can adjust the volume levels, Chatmix levels, switch between USB inputs, use the equalizer (4 presets plus custom), set the gain and sidetone functions, adjust the microphone volume, mute the microphone, set the dim screen timeout, check the about page, launch the tutorial and reset the device to its factory settings.

STEELSERIES GG

The SteelSeries GG software detects all compatible and/or account registered peripherals and lists them under the Engine tab.

As you can see there was a crucial firmware update available for the ARCTIS NOVA PRO.

From the audio tab inside the Engine part of the software you can switch between the various EQs, adjust the microphone volume, sidetone and gain, change the output and enable the live microphone preview function.

Inside the settings tab we find the OLED screen brightness and timeout options.

Moving to the sonar tab the good news is that it seems that you can use it with every audio device and not just the SteelSeries ARCTIS NOVA PRO.

Once you finish choosing your device you can adjust the mixer, choose one of the available game/chat/microphone presets (6 plus default), enable/disable noise reduction and gate and finally enable and tune spatial audio and ClearCast noise cancellation if you’d like to test those features out.

CONCLUSION

   Even though countless gaming headsets have reached my hands over the years i was never really into them, probably because most of my rigs are in the lab and thus there's no risk of actually annoying someone while using them. Still aside realizing that many people do have such an issue (and that i may also have that issue one day) I’m always very curious as to what they can deliver so I never hold back when testing a gaming headset. For example, the ARCTIS NOVA PRO has been in the lab just under 2 months during which I played quite a bit of Battlefield 2042, World Of Warships, Forza Horizon 5 and Call Of Duty Modern Warfare II all of which worked flawlessly with it. As a matter of fact, Battlefield 2042 and Modern Warfare II both sounded a lot better with this headset than any other I’ve used (better than my speakers as well). Positioning audio is very accurate (sensitivity is very high too since you can hear even the wind going past you in some games) and as for audio quality both mids and highs are very detailed not just in games but movies as well. Bass levels could be better but this is something that’s not really new when it comes to 40mm drivers (still bass should be plenty, especially for gamers). The 2nd generation GameDAC is a clear upgrade compared to its predecessor, not just in terms of functionality but also audio clarity. As for the ClearCast Gen 2 bidirectional microphone SteelSeries has been making some of the best retractable ones in the market for over a decade now so this couldn’t be an exception to that rule.

   At the time of my review the ARCTIS NOVA PRO by SteelSeries retails for USD235.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 201.82Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag which is more or less what you’d expect from a gaming headset of this calibre (and on par with its predecessor). In conclusion if you’re not in need of a wireless model (if you are there’s also a wireless version available) the ARCTIS NOVA PRO delivers on everything even the most demanding gamers could ever ask and for that it deserves the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality
- HiRes Audio Quality (24bit/96kHz)
- Volume Levels
- OLED GameDAC Gen 2 (ESS Sabre 9218PQ40 Reference 32 Bit Audio DAC & Amp)
- Very Comfortable
- Positioning Audio Via Sonar 7.1
- Two USB C & Two 3.5mm Ports
- PC & PS4 / PS5 Compatibility
- SteelSeries GG Software

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Sonar Software Feature (PC Only)