Steelseries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless gaming headset

Build quality and style
The Arctis Nova 5 Wireless is the latest headset from the Steelseries banner. It is a headset that has several cool features, including a Companion App that allows on-the-fly adjustments to the settings.
Out of the (fully recyclable) box, the Arctis Nova 5 has its own style. It features a hard plastic design, but rather than a padded headrest, this headset features a headband that is on the thinner side. The headband is accompanied by a removable and adjustable elastic attachment. Although this does give the headset a cheaper look, it does mean that the headset also feels much lighter than most gaming headsets. The adjustable nature of the elastic attachment has the added benefit of enabling the Arctis Nova 5 to suit a range of head sizes.
The earcups are on the smaller side, but still fit snugly around most ears. The spongy earcups are covered in a mesh-like material that is soft to touch, ensuring that they remain comfortable during long gaming sessions. As someone who wears glasses, I also found that there was minimum push against the glasses frames, and there was just enough give to reduce the outside noise.

The earcups feature several in-built controls. The right earcup has power button as well as a switch that doubles as the pairing button and the quick switch button. The left earcup features a stealth mic, mute button and the volume dial. Unlike many gaming headsets that either feature a swivel boom mic, or a detachable mic, the Arctis Nova 5 features a stealth mic. The mic nestles in a small compartment in the left earcup and can slide out smoothly and be positioned as required. It does have a limited reach, and for me was only able to reach to the side of my mouth. I don’t have a wide head by any means, so someone with a widish head, the mic may not even reach that far.
The earcups also have the ability to twist for a flatter, more compact mode for storage. This means that the headset can be more comfortable sitting around your neck when not actually in use.
Wireless options
Of course, one of the main features of the Arctis Nova is the wireless connectivity. The device can connect via the wireless USB-C 2.4GHz dongle, via Bluetooth or can even be connected via USB cable - which can charge simultaneously.

The USB-C Wireless Dongle is a strange shape however, being almost double the width of a standard USB receiver. This could prevent it from fitting into a USB port if there are other occupied USB ports nearby. On my laptop for instance, when I plug in the dongle, it also covers the audio jack (which wouldn’t be required anyway) and another USB port. As a result, I simply used the Bluetooth connectivity. However, this issue can be negated by the included USB-C to USB-A extender cable.
Of course, the bluetooth connectivity means that the headset can be used for any device that allows a bluetooth connection, whether it is a PC, a console, a mobile phone or even a smart TV.
The headset has a quick-switch button that quickly allows users to switch from one of the wireless modes to the other. This can be beneficial if you get a phone call whilst gaming, enabling you to quickly switch between the two.
Battery
Using a wireless headset is great, but can feel useless if you need to keep constantly recharging it. The Arctis Nova 5 does wonderful job on this front. According to the box, the battery lasts for 60 hours (on Bluetooth, around 50 hours when using the dongle), and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised when I needed to re-charge the device after around 55 hours worth of use. The charging cable allows gamers to continue using the headset whilst charging, and a quick 15 minute charge will be enough to get a further six hours of use.
Performance
Audio performance is reasonably good, although I did find that the base volume is a little on the low side. The bass too felt a little underpowered, so listening to music such as Diesel Power by The Prodigy, or Massive Attack’s Angel doesn’t have the full effect. However, the Arctis Nova 5 does have decent surround sound with its directional drivers. The directional drivers allow gamers to pinpoint the direction of footsteps or gunfire. This can be further accentuated with the use of the Companion App.

The Steelseries Companion App can also be downloaded to your phone (for either Android or iPhone). Several settings can be altered on-the-fly directly from the Companion App. The App has presets for a range of different games, specifically designed to focus on the audio settings within the game that will improve your experience. For games such as Fortnite or Counter Strike, the presets will focus on footsteps, whilst sports games such as EA Sports FC 24 the preset will focus on the atmosphere within the stadium.
The microphone does a great job of recording voices, and recording is very clear. Unfortunately, I did find that the microphone also picked up other surrounding noises, so if you game with a mechanical keyboard, then expect your squad members to hear some clicking going on in the background.
Verdict
For junior gamers, or those with a smaller head, the Steelseries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless gaming headset is ideal. The adjustable headband and the smaller earcups ensure that it will fit smaller heads without any issue. The mic position will also suit smaller heads. However, the headset expands nicely to fit larger heads too. Although the base volume is on the low side and the bass is somewhat underpowered, the directional drivers do allow for great surround sound. The range of wireless options means that the Arctis Nova 5 is a great all-rounder and able to be used in most scenarios.
In the box
Steelseries Arctis Nova 5 wireless headset
USB-C to USB-A charging cable
USB-C to USB-A Dongle extension cable
USB-C multi-platform dongle
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