Ultra High-End Gaming Headsets Are Here

How much do you appreciate good audio in your games? Are you crazy enough to spend $600 on a wireless headset? What if that headset promised class-leading low latency? Or the ability to connect a PC, PlayStation and Xbox – as well as a Bluetooth device – at the same time? He – with “infinite” power; an AI-powered, retractable microphone; And, of course, premium audio fidelity – SteelSeries is offering it with the Arctic Nova Elite Wireless headset.

SteelSeries is venturing into new territory here with both price and functionality. The Nova series is already popular, and the company is hoping to create a new category with the Elite, but the big question is, are we ready – or do we even need a hyper-premium gaming headset? After several hours with this, I think I have the answer.

Obviously at this price, you’re getting little more than headphones with a boom mic tuned for bullets and footsteps. Actually, at first glance you won’t find a boom mic at all. This gives the Elite the aesthetic of a desktop headphone, and the little gold touches and quality materials give it a premium feel. Even the carry pouch feels high end.

Included is the “GameHub” interface that powers many premium features. It has a thick dial that serves as a volume control and a way to navigate the main settings on the interface, and a display to show levels and other feedback. GameHub is what makes the Nova Elite interesting to creatives who are looking for a way to work with audio without the latency issues associated with Bluetooth, but also much more. He Later

For audio lovers, the big appeal here is 96kHz/24-bit audio without wires. Gamers, along with video editors and creatives, have long lagged behind in the transition to wireless, or have had to compromise with minor inconveniences. However, there’s a small caveat in that SteelSeries already offers similar freedoms with the Nova Pro Wireless ($300) and much of the high-end functionality in the newly-announced Nova Pro Omni ($400). The Elite differentiates itself with more luxurious materials, an additional (on-ear/standard) mic, and carbon fiber drivers.

Although the Nova Elite feels high-quality, don’t expect true audiophile levels of physical excellence. When I compared them to the Sennheiser HD630 ($500), the Nova Elite feel more expensive, with more weight in the ear cups and the reassuringly cool feel of metal in the headband hinges. However, compared to something like the Meze Audio Lyric, you’ll be reminded that this is a (very well made) consumer headset.

Unlike the neon-green Razer BlackShark Pro V3 on my desk, the Nova Elite doesn’t scream “gaming headset.” The mic is hidden, and the general design is something you’d expect from Sony or Anker. The dual-layer headband is comfortable, as are the ample earcup cushions – I’d happily use these as everyday headphones. The Sage colorway is neutral but interesting enough to make it feel premium.

SteelSeries’ 40mm drivers may not pack the bottom-end oomph of the 50mm BlackShark Pro V3, but this is the only area where I’d say the Razer sounds more excellent. The Nova Elite sounds really well balanced and the high-end hits more clearly, with tighter bass than its rival. In fact, if there’s one comment I’d make on the overall sound profile it’s that the high frequencies are sometimes too noticeable, which is sometimes better in a gaming context but a small distraction for music and action sequences in movies.

Otherwise, the Nova Elite offers a developed sound profile that is easy to enjoy for long periods of time, even at high volumes. In fact, I may prefer the sound stage on the SteelSeries a little more than the Sennheiser HD630, as it sounds a little more open with more dynamic range. At least that’s the case in my testing with primarily electronic music, but I’ll still reach for the Sennheiser for dedicated music listening in most cases. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is consistently effective at reducing background noise, but doesn’t provide the true noise canceling experience you get with other premium headphones like Sony’s WH-1000XM6 or Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra.

It’s in straight gaming scenarios that the included GameHub audio interface makes all the difference. It delivers high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio over 2.4Ghz wireless, with the option to mix up to four different audio sources at the same time. Connect any console, PC or even a phone to the rear USB port and mix between them via the hub’s menu or the volume dial on the left ear cup. Click the volume wheel once and it will control the mix between USB sources. You can listen to Bluetooth audio at the same time, but its volume in the mix is ​​controlled on the respective device. Bluetooth media controls are sparse, making clever use of the connectivity buttons – play/pause and skipping tracks are available via single/double/triple clicks.

Perhaps the most interesting hardware feature is that “infinite” power system. There is a very big star, in fact, it is not infinite. But, it’s close and it’s still a clever part of the design. The GameHub has a slot that charges the removable headset battery. There are two batteries in the box and SteelSeries says that if you can replace them in less than eight seconds, the headset will power back on and the music or audio will continue. It’s hard enough to do this in eight seconds with a headset in your hand. Basically impossible while wearing it. In reality you have more than 15-20 seconds and it still works as advertised. It’s not exactly a seamless experience, but it’s really useful, so it’s hard to complain at a little marketing oversell.

The batteries themselves last a long time. It will depend on what you’re doing with the headset, but so far I’m getting 20-30 hours of use out of it before replacing it and that’s in fairly heavy “testing” conditions with multiple inputs, all-day use, and lots of casual listening over Bluetooth.

The Elite’s microphone is retractable and neatly hidden in the left earcup, so you’ll never have to look for it, and it’s easy to find thanks to a small pad you can find with your thumb. The cable is bendable and easy to adjust or slip back when play time is over.

The microphone itself is good but sounds a bit crisp. You’ll hear it really clearly in the average lobby or chat, but something about it sounds processed even with AI noise rejection turned off. The quality is still much better than most headsets, although it’s not something I’d use if I were a guest on a podcast. Not that it sounds bad, just a little different and processed. If you think that’s a lot to ask of a headset mic, I’d point you towards the Rode NTH-100 which doesn’t have noise cancellation, but sounds very natural. For recording audio, I would like to have a little more control over the sound of the mic.

As a standalone headset/headphones, there’s very little I’d change about the Nova Elite’s audio. As for gaming, I appreciate the option to tune things for certain games. something like this disco elysiumI want a more music-customized experience, but if I’m out rdr2, Anything that helps me hear the sounds of approaching horses will help keep me out of trouble. SteelSeries’ “GG” software comes with several presets for popular titles that may or may not be to your liking. If they aren’t, there’s a full EQ so you can create your own tuning. You’ll also find some useful settings in the software, like changing the behavior when a call comes in mid-game, with options to mute, reduce volume, or do nothing.

In Bluetooth mode, the mobile app does a great job of mirroring the desktop software. This at least allows you to adjust deeper settings without having to alt-tab out of the game. You also get visual feedback about the headset’s battery life if you can’t take a quick glance at GameHub.

A big advantage of the included GameHub interface is the added flexibility. I have a Roadcaster Duo on my desk that I use as my primary audio interface. I don’t record many podcasts at home, but I like that I can easily record audio from my phone or another device. With three USB inputs, a line in, and Bluetooth connectivity, but in a much smaller package, the Nova Elite is seriously making a case for freeing the Duo from its permanent spot on my desk.

Needless to mention, it adds a wireless component with incredibly low latency. I’ve tried editing video with Bluetooth headphones, but it didn’t take long for me to crave the immediacy of wires. With GameHub, I can edit videos as if I’m directly connected but with the freedom of wireless. In the past, I’ve dabbled in using two pairs of headphones: a wired set to prioritize audio quality and latency, and a wireless pair for casual listening. The Nova Elite is probably the best solution I’ve tried so far that can do it all.

Until the existence of the Omni, the Nova line was a little easier to define. For gamers who wanted a high-quality, wireless headset, the Pro Series was an easy recommendation. For those who wanted high fidelity and a truly premium experience (and who weren’t bothered by the price) the Elite was the top-tier choice. This is still broadly true, but makes the sales pitch on the Omni Elite much harder. For $200 more, you’re really dialing up the refinement and finish, as the Omni includes most of the headline features, like hi-res audio and multiple USB inputs. The Elite seems like a perfect, premium headset for everything, but the difference in price is also enough to limit the appeal to a niche group of discerning listeners.