The on-earcup controls include separate 2.4GHz and Bluetooth power/pairing buttons and a game/chat balance dial. Another great change is the battery life, which jumps from 24 to 38 hours, plus it gets 6 hours on a 15-minute charge. That's always a good thing for a headset. The headset has lost quite a bit of weight, as well - about 28 grams - putting it at a moderate 325 grams. On the upside, that means it was quite comfy with my glasses on. The Arctis Nova 1 turned out to be the best fit this Goldilocks go-round. That's falling-off-if-I-lean-my-head-forward loose. SteelSeries has fiddled with the comfort: The fabric plus memory foam ear cushions still feel great, but now it's too loose on me, even with the headband elastic at its smallest and the earcups unextended. My favorite of the previous generation was the Arctis 7, with its combination of comfort, features and quality. And if you don't need the wireless, you can save $80 on the Arctis Nova 3, which is similar - plus it has lighting. There are few audio controls on the Xbox - it doesn't even report the name of the headset or the battery level - but that's not really SteelSeries' fault. The 7P and 7 models aren't likewise compatible with the Xbox Series X and S, but you can connect to the Xbox through the analog jack on your controller.

Though they're intended for Xbox and Windows users, these headsets are compatible with the PS5 (including Tempest 3D support). Retracting the mic isn't as easy as flipping one up Requires the bundled adapter to connect USB-C dongle to USB-A ports on Xbox Many of the software-based features only work on the PC More difficult to get a good fit than I'd like Simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless Big bump in battery life over previous generationĭongle works with almost all USB devices, including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation as well as Xbox and PCĮxcellent mic sound and noise cancellation with Sonar software

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