SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review

Mack Ashworth
·3-min read
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review

SteelSeries is here to freshen up its mid-range offering with the Arctis Nova 5 lineup. Consisting of the 5, 5X, and 5P, depending on your system preferences, this mid-ranger packs in must-have features without demanding too high a cost. And, with a promising new companion app that allows additional audio customization, SteelSeries is going the extra mile to impress. On paper, it’s a winner, but how has it fared during my testing? Here is my SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 review.

Get connected

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review

Compatible across all modern gaming devices – though, users who want to take advantage of Xbox Wireless will want to choose the 5X – the Arctis Nova 5 is ideal for those with multiple systems. I tested the 5P variant across PC and PS5 and experienced no issues.

What’s more, the 5 range boasts Bluetooth connectivity, meaning users can switch to a phone when needing to take calls, listen to music, or enjoy movies.

A winning formula

One of the first things I noticed about the 5P over other headsets is the microphone quality. SteelSeries’ “ClearCast” works well to isolate the user’s voice and the end result is much improved over previous iterations. It’s a marked improvement that I was pleasantly surprised by.

Battery life is another impressive spec, with the 5 range boasting up to 60 hours of life. Once it needs charging, the headset accepts USB-C fast charging, which is ideal if you need a quick boost before an imminent gaming session.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review

SteelSeries is no stranger to creating comfortable headsets and it’s good to see that the mid-range Arctis Nova 5 features memory foam earcups that are both comfy and cool. I managed a 3-hour Call of Duty gaming session without experiencing any discomfort.

Though most of my testing was conducted using the stock sound profile, I did try the companion app to tweak settings. For those who want to enhance certain frequencies, the app allows fine-tuning that should satisfy. However, for the majority who frankly won’t bother to download the app, I’m happy to say that the out-of-the-box audio satisfies across the board when it comes to lows, mids, and highs. Nothing is overpowering when left stock, which is good to hear.

The downsides

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review

When it comes to a mid-range product like the Arctis Nova 5, there has to be some cost-saving cuts. A clear omission here is active noise cancellation. ANC is a feature that SteelSeries’ flagship products boast, but the 5 does not. While it is nice to have, I certainly don’t think it’s as necessary for a headset used at home in relatively quiet environments.

It’s a little nitpicky, but I’m also not fond of the 5’s button placement. I’ve accidentally pushed them multiple times during gaming sessions, causing some frustration. However, muscle memory should eventually solve that issue.

Final Verdict

At $129.99, SteelSeries pitches the Arctis Nova 5 as a well-priced contender in the mid-range category. While there is some heavy competition out there, SteelSeries stacks the odds in its favor with an impressive range of features that, while not pushing the envelope in any major way, deliver a polished listening experience that will satisfy both casual users and those looking to take things further by fine-tuning settings.

Positives and Negatives

  • Wide compatibility

  • Improved microphone quality

  • Impressive battery life

  • Great comforty

  • Solid audio that can be customized

  • No ANC, which could be a deal-breaker for some

9

Disclosure: Review sample provided by SteelSeries.

The post SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Review appeared first on GameRevolution.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • These 10 Used Cars Will Last Longer Than an Average New Vehicle

    Given the turbulent economy over the past five years, finding a car that lasts longer than 200,000 miles isn't a matter of pride -- it's a financial planning near-necessity. Thankfully, cars last much...

  • Huawei plans tri-fold smartphone as Apple weighs foldable iPhone, reports say

    The foldable smartphone market is set for a big boost amid reports that Apple is preparing a clamshell-style model, while Huawei Technologies may soon launch a tri-folding handset. Apple's top-down folding iPhone could come as early as 2026, according to a report by The Information on Wednesday. The US tech giant has reached out to Asian suppliers in recent months to make components for its first foldable handset, according to the report, citing anonymous sources. This would mark Apple's entry i

  • Apple's China smartphone shipments drop 6.7% as Huawei surges, data shows

    BEIJING (Reuters) -Apple's smartphone shipments in China fell by 6.7% in the second quarter of 2024, as the tech giant faced intensifying competition from rivals like Huawei, according to data from market research firm Canalys. Apple's total shipments for the quarter ending in June stood at 9.7 million units, down from 10.4 million units in the same quarter last year, Canalys data shows. In contrast, Huawei's smartphone shipments surged 41% year-on-year to 10.6 milion in the quarter, bolstered by the launch of its new Pura 70 series in April.

  • Amazon racing to develop AI chips cheaper, faster than Nvidia's, executives say

    Inside Amazon.com's chip lab in Austin, Texas, half a dozen engineers on a Friday afternoon put a closely guarded new server design through its paces. The server was packed with Amazon's artificial intelligence chips that compete with those from market leader Nvidia, Amazon executive Rami Sinno said on Friday, during a visit to the lab. Amazon is developing its own processors to limit its reliance on costly Nvidia chips - the so-called Nvidia tax - that power some of the artificial intelligence cloud business at its Amazon Web Services, the main growth driver.

  • CrowdStrike says over 97% of Windows sensors back online

    The outage happened because the advanced platform contained a fault that forced computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system to crash and show the so-called blue screen of death. Microsoft said on Saturday about 8.5 million Windows devices had been affected in the outage that had left flights grounded, forced broadcasters off air and left customers without access to services such as healthcare or banking."Our recovery efforts have been enhanced thanks to the development of automatic recovery techniques and by mobilizing all our resources to support our customers," Kurtz said in a post on LinkedIn.

  • My long-term iPhone 15 Pro Max review

    I’ve been using the iPhone 15 Pro Max for over six months to come to my long-term verdict on the big-screen flagship with excellent cameras and battery life.

  • Startup with ‘radical’ concept for AI chips emerges from stealth with $15 million to try to challenge Nvidia

    Fractile thinks it can deliver 100 times faster performance 10 times cheaper than GPUs.

  • Southco Introduces A Flush-Mount E6-73 Constant Torque Hinge

    HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 26 July 2024 - Southco Asia Ltd., a subsidiary of Southco Inc., a leading global provider of engineered access solutions such as locks, latches, captive fasteners, electronic access solutions, and hinges/positioning technology, has developed a flush-mount version of its popular E6 constant torque hinge. The E6-73 Stainless Steel Constant Torque Hinge provides all the benefits of a torque hinge in a low-profile, corrosion-resistant package, making it an i

  • Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: AirPods clones that actually deliver

    The Galaxy Buds 3 series offers two sets of great earbuds, but Samsung borrowed heavily from Apple to design them.

  • OpenAI announces testing of new search engine, SearchGPT

    OpenAI — which Microsoft (MSFT) owns a 49% stake in — is stepping into the search engine game. In a move that could rival Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Google search, the artificial intelligence developer unveiled its SearchGPT engine. The Market Domination team analyzes OpenAI's blog post outlining what it hopes to achieve in this search platform. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Market Domination. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • OpenAI unveils SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine

    The launch of SearchGPT comes amid growing competition in AI-powered search.

  • Chinese AI start-up Baichuan raises US$700 million from Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi

    Baichuan AI, one of China's four so-called artificial intelligence (AI) tigers, raised about 5 billion yuan (US$687.6 million) in a new funding round that valued the start-up at more than 20 billion yuan, the company said on Thursday. The Beijing-based firm's latest round was backed by some of the biggest names in Chinese technology, including Alibaba Group Holding, Tencent Holdings and Xiaomi, along with some state-backed funds. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. China International Cap

  • North Korean hackers stole military secrets, FBI reveals

    A North Korean hacking group stole secrets about satellites and warplanes from Nasa, US air bases and defence contractors, the FBI has revealed, as it launched a hunt to catch the perpetrators.

  • £7.7 million bounty offered in hunt for members of North Korea-backed hacking group

    The UK, US and South Korea have accused a North Korea-backed cyber group of carrying out an online espionage campaign to steal military and nuclear secrets. The "Andariel" group has been compromising organisations around the globe as it attempts to get hold of sensitive and classified technical information and intellectual property data, according to the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The centre, along with the FBI in the US and South Korea's national intelligence service, have issued a joint warning and advisory note about Andariel's actions.

  • Get an Apple AirTag tracking device for the lowest price we've seen in months

    Keep a watchful eye on your keys, wallet, luggage, and more with an Apple AirTag. Get the tracker on sale at Amazon for just $24, the lowest price we've seen in months.

  • Harris Taunts Trump After He Backs Out of Debates

    “What happened to ‘any time, any place’?”

  • Rosalía goes braless and *almost* frees the nip in a lace naked dress

    Rosalía stepped out wearing a breathtaking naked dress at the Prelude to the Olympics in Paris. The design was a nude coloured see-through lace gown by Dior.

  • Harris campaign roasts Trump as ‘old and quite weird’ after Fox News insults

    Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called in to Fox News Thursday, where he told supporters that presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is a “radical left, not very smart person” who’s part of a massive conspiracy to weaponize the nation’s legal system against him. Harris’ campaign fired back mere minutes later with an email blasting the “78-year-old convicted criminal’s Fox ...

  • Ru Yi Yuan: Rude, stingy & unhygenic auntie has hour-long queue for vegetarian bee hoon

    The post Ru Yi Yuan: Rude, stingy & unhygenic auntie has hour-long queue for vegetarian bee hoon appeared first on SETHLUI.com.

  • Arne Slot hails double new Liverpool addition with vital Premier League experience secured

    New Reds boss hails latest Anfield arrivals as plans take shape