SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless Gaming Headset

Headset 100% worth the price tag

Wallahi best headset I’ve ever put on my head, not even the best model? 10/10 without a doubt.

Great sound, comfortable fit, easy setup

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bought this SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless for my son, and it's been a hit. Setup was plug-and-play with the wireless dongle, no messing around with Bluetooth pairing. He's actually using it right now in the car on our drive to Oklahoma, paired easily with his iPhone 16 and hasn't dropped connection once. The ear cushions are soft and comfortable even for long stretches, and the sound quality is clear with good bass. Battery life has held up well through the whole trip so far. Comes with everything you need in the box, USB-C cable, dongle, and extra cushions. Highly recommend if you're looking for a solid wireless headset, especially for a gift.

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Recommend

The sound quality is excellent, with clear audio and great detail while gaming. They are very comfortable, even during long gaming sessions, and the wireless connection is stable and easy to set up. I also really like the ability to use them with multiple systems. The battery life is impressive and the microphone works very well for chatting with friends. Overall, a great wireless gaming headset and definitely worth it.

J MP

May 30, 2026

Quality for the price

Probably the most comfortable headset I have worn in a LONG time. The battery feels like it last forever and you can set the auto shutoff on the SS app when you haven't used it for awhile or you fall asleep and forget. I would definitely recommend this headset to friends. The price is almost prefect for the quality trade. The noise cancellation and adjustability of the settings on the equalizer are amazing. I have had the Arctis 1 wireless for a long time now and this is definitely a huge step above it.

Deffective, Missing a power button and the charge port.

Received a defective headset that didn't have a power button or charge port. Super weird, verry annoying as I now have to wait even longer to have a headset. As you can see in the picture the ear piece on the left has nothing. This is where the port and button are supposed to be.

Extremely innovative, and reliable brand of headphones.

I was worried about changing to these from the Arctis Wireless Pros, I loved the battery packs that you could switch out, and I only bought this because the wireless pros I had were given to me and they were white and I prefer black. I had the pros for years with no issue, and I’m pleasantly surprised at the battery life on these. They’re also super comfortable as someone who wears eyeglasses. The microphone completely seating into the headset seamlessly is also a nice touch, plus the ability to switch from my PC to a different Bluetooth device at the touch of a button— unmatched and I’ve never seen that done before. These are very high quality, I’ve owned this brand for 4 years and I don’t think I’d ever choose any other one. I can also walk around my entire house up and downstairs and still be connected to my PC, very high range.

Incredible performance from SteelSeries

These headphones completely blew my expectations out of the water. I'd been previously using open ear headphones and a standalone mic for gaming, but got tired of fiddling with the mic and moving it around my desk, just for people to struggle to hear me. I also was getting tired of wires, so enter the wireless Artis Nova 5.

Wireless Performance is absolutely fantastic. With the 2.4 ghz dongle I never have connection issues. Battery life has performed better than expected. I typically only charge them after 20 hrs or so of gaming, so it's basically an afterthought.

Sound quality is also better than I expected. The good news is it's completely customizable via SteelSeries EQ software either on your phone or desktop, so you can tailor the sound and clarity to your exact application.

Quality of the headset is fantastic. I would be somewhat careful with them, as you should with any lightweight headset, but they seem very durable for daily use. I've never had any issues after over a month or use.

Guaranteed quality

I've been using SteelSeries headsets since 2020, when I bought my first pair, the Arctis 7, which gave me excellent performance for years. Because of that great experience, I decided to trust the brand again and purchase the Arctis Nova 5.

So far, the experience has been great: they are comfortable, the sound quality is excellent, and they feel just as reliable as my previous headset. I'm very happy with this purchase, SteelSeries did not disappoint.

Comically bad internal microphone design.

Worked great for a year and 2 months and then people started telling me that I was hard to hear. So then I'm checking volumes and everything seems fine. So I decided to take it apart and turns out the mic cable internally is held at a tight 90 degree angle where it's supposed to ROTATE??? I used that feature maybe at most once a day. So if your someone that wants to pull the mic in and out multiple times in a day then don't expect this to even make it a year. It's a comically bad design for a 130 USD headset.

Gamer

Muy buenos y bonitos, el programa me baja mucho los fps en cs2 y dota tengo que ver cómo hacer para que no pase, parece que el usb c es solo para cargar o sea solo se usan inalámbrica mente, del resto muy cómodos y la opción de cambiar de dongle y bt para usarlos en la pc o el tlf van bastante bien, estaba entre estos y los barracudas x Chrome y con el tiempo veré si estuvo bien mi lección.

Great but didn't last long...

Great headset all in all, except for one detail... It took exactly 1 year for the ear pads to start coming off. I literally just place them on my head and back onto the desk once a day.

Disappointed in the build quality of this thing.

Waste of your money

I got these as a Christmas gift because I had them on my wishlist and they had good reviews, but I hate literally everything about them. My $50 headphones I currently have are better in every way. You need an app to use even basic functions of it (not everything needs an app dude, I just want my headphones to work like any other pair of headphones) and the head strap constantly comes off with the smallest motions. Also not a fan of being able to constantly hear myself when I have them on, and guess what, you need to app to turn that fun thing off it seems. Not worth the money. Uncomfortable and annoying.

Miguel Nicholas

December 14, 2025

Good Quality, Bit Small

It was super comfortable and soft. The software worked great.

My only gripe is that the ear pads are a bit too small. I have larger ears and it just couldn't fit comfortably around my ear, so I had to return.

Great product otherwise with good audio quality.

Buenos en audio malos en micrófono

La calidad del audio excelente, permite conectividad dual con teléfono vía Bluetooth y PC vía 2.4. al tiempo, también permite mediante Jack 3.5. los uso a diario 6 horas aproximadamente y carga cada 10. El micrófono la verdad deja que desear. Si buscas audífonos con MICRÓFONO, o requieres de buen micrófono estos no te recomiendo estos

Finally Found a Wireless Headset That Replaces My A40s

I’ve bought several wired and wireless headsets trying to replace my old Astro A40 Gen 1s. Those things have incredible sound and mic quality and have lasted forever with nothing but new ear pads and a new cord. But I’m tired of having a wire running across my desk, so I started hunting for a true wireless replacement.

I tried a bunch of headsets: some wired, some wireless from big-name brands, and while the sound quality was usually good, the microphones always fell short. Almost every pair I tested had the same complaint: “The mic isn’t clear,” or “you sound far away.” I ended up returning all of them. I even went through Reddit threads, YouTube mic tests, and a dozen “Top 10 Headsets” lists.

After watching real mic test videos, I decided to try this headset, and I think I finally found the one.

The features are exactly what I wanted. It’s wireless, and it works with pretty much anything thanks to the Bluetooth and 2.4GHz dongle options. Switching between them is literally a tap of a button. The comfort band on top is a huge upgrade over stiff foam padding and keeps pressure off my head, so no headaches. And the microphone hiding inside the earcup? Genuinely awesome. It stays protected, doesn’t stick out awkwardly, and pulls out smoothly when needed.

Controls are easy: a volume dial, a one-tap mute button, and a power button that only needs a couple seconds of holding. The basics are done right.

Sound quality is great for both music and games, solid bass, clear mids and highs, and overall it sounds more like using my desktop speakers than a typical gaming headset. The real test, though, is the microphone. I hopped on Discord and asked the same question I’ve asked with every other headset: “Can you hear me, and do I sound clear?” For the first time in a long time, I got: “Yes, you sound like you always do.” Finally. Check.

On top of that, the software gives you a ton of customization. You can choose presets, adjust EQ, tweak mic quality, and personalize everything from desktop, web, or mobile. It’s a lot more than I expected at this price.

Battery life hasn’t been an issue at all. I haven’t charged it once in five straight days of use, including multiple gaming sessions each day. Even if it needed charging, that wouldn’t bother me because everything else checks out.

For me, this headset hits every key point I care about. It’s not even at a premium price, but it performs like something that should be. Definitely do your research, because a lot of premium-name headsets have great sound but fall short in the mic department. This one finally delivers on both.

Broken Product

Arrived broken, but somehow the packaging was completely intact. Surprisingly, the audio and mic still worked. Although, the audio did not sound as crisp as other reviews have written.

I returned it to a Whole Foods store weeks ago and still have yet to receive a refund.

Not for most guys.

Worst sound quality I have ever heard for a "gaming" headset, sounds like it's coming straight through a thin layer of water. The *inside* of the headphones themselves will press against your ears and be uncomfortable if you are a normal sized man as well. Heck, I'm 5'7, smaller than most dudes. The instructions inside the box invariably changing between English and Chinese tells me that these were made for the average Chinese person, so that's probably why they're so unfriendly on big heads. On top of it all, the Bluetooth quality was just nonexistent. Not more than 2 or 3 seconds of clear sound before cutting out and lagging. Could not tell of a more disappointing experience with expensive headphones than these right here.

To cap it off at the end here, I'm now afraid that I won't be able to get a refund due to the complexity and sensitivity of the box. It was put together pretty confusingly and now parts of it are ripped, being made of very sensitive material and all. I hope this is not on purpose as to make refunds more difficult, and I better be getting all of my money back. It is effectively a defective product.

Great headset after setting it up

Great headset overall. Good soundstage and excellent microphone quality. Good battery life but can take a while to charge. Very light and comfortable. Only gripes I had was that the headset isn’t the best at blocking out outside noise and it had connectivity issues when first setting it up, but that was fixed after an update. Definitely download SteelSeries GG to get the most out of it since the headset doesn’t come with a great EQ out of the box.

Awesome headphones

Have had the same pair before I rebought them because they are great for anything you need to listen too. Thanks

say'

Nobody want's to take responsibility for the headset power button braking

Excelente

I've been using the Arctis Nova 5 for a week, and I'm really satisfied with them. The sound quality is great, with no distortion, and they are very similar in size to the Arctis Nova 3, which is a plus. Highly recommended for those looking for good audio quality and comfort.

MD AZMAIN NABI

April 21, 2025

Elegance

Fantastic product! Everything works perfect.

One of the best

Best headphones ever they are very light and durable and they are very comfortable there’s just one problem for me and I’d say it’s the mic I feel like the mic should be a little longer but that’s not really a problem if you have a separate mic and are on pc but if you want them for console definitely consider another headset because the mic is like a cable and it’s very short and I use it sometimes but my friends complain about not hearing me or bad audio but other wise they are great.

Hannah Durham

March 4, 2025

Thoroughly Impressed!

I love this headset! I think it's a great and affordable headset for gamers who don't want to spend an arm and a leg on their setup. There are obviously better headset options out there, however this is a great headset for this price range! I love the feel of the headset. It's comfortable and the support strap offers comfort and relieves pressure from the top of your head. The retractable mic is pretty dope too. I appreciate the addition to having the mic light up red when muted too so you never doubt whether you're actually muted or not. The SteelSeries application is also really neat and I love being able to customize the levels of all audio in one place. The sound quality is great and I have zero complaints about it. I also am wildly impressed with the mic and how great recordings sound from it. I haven't had the headset long enough for me to really have much say on the battery life, however, I have had it for over a week now and I have been using them for at least 1-2 hours almost every day since then and have yet to have to charge them nor have I gotten any implications that the battery is low. I will say my only complaint in that aspect is that the light when charging goes green between 50-100%, so there is not a way to really know for sure if they're fully charged or not. The range is also fantastic! I am able to keep connection with my PC while walking about the house to say, run to the restroom, grab some water, go get a hoodie because I'm chilly, etc.

Long story short, I think this headset exceeds its price tag and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good and affordable gaming headset!

This might be my favorite headset I’ve ever purchased

I’ve purchased several Pulse 3d headsets (the band snaps eventually. Terrible quality. If you know, you know.), I’ve purchased several iterations of Turtle Beach Stealth headsets (Don’t buy the Gen 2 Max. I bought it when it was $250 at release. The left ear cup snapped off completely and the right side had a crack after 13 months. 1 year warranty. Weird, right?) and this is by far the most comfortable headset I’ve ever owned and you’ll know it’s way more durable than both Pulse and Turtle Beach if you’ve had to replace them because of breakage once it’s out of the box. They went thick on the main pressure points of taking the headset off and on in normal usage.

The sound quality is amazing (disable volume limiter in the app if max volume out of the box isn’t as loud as you would like) and it has almost 140 eq presets for the most popular/highest selling games (along with movie clear voice and movie immersed for movies and several music presets). I’m a big fan of deep bass for explosions and soundtracks in games. This headset nails it. It supports Tempest Audio out of the box. This is my first SteelSeries headset. I don’t think I’ll be buying anything but SteelSeries after this honestly. I highly recommend this headset if you’re someone that is tired of flimsy headsets that snap after a year of normal use.

Save yourself the hassle...DON'T bother with this headset

I don't care what the reviews say about this company and their products but save yourself the hassle and find a different brand.

As you can see in the pictures, they snapped at a weak point. This occured roughly one month after purchase. When I e-mailed the SteelSeries they said they would do nothing to remedy the situation.

If that is how little they will stand behind their products then I know a brand that I will never be purchasing again. BUYER BEWARE!!!

Aside from that I have a couple more issues with this product.

- They did not feel secure on my head

- The sound quality is just ok AFTER making adjustments within the SteelSeries app AND that means they only apply when using 2.4 Ghz mode. Therefore, if you use them in Bluetooth, then all those settings go out the window. They then sound pretty terrible and hollow.

-The Bluetooth will randomly disconnect while on the middle of a conversation or a game...randomly.

Again, don't bother. These are way too expensive for the issues they present.

Left em' hanging

I don't recommend this headset.

I've had a ton of issues syncing this with my pc. I've used it primarily in games while talking with friends. No matter which audio setting I use either the sound quality of the game or the voices of people talking to me reduces DRASTICALLY.

I installed their app for better control over the headphones, but it makes it WORSE. It adds so many audio profiles to my system that I need to switch between them constantly to use the best setting during games/videos/voice/etc and its just the same issues with poor sound quality of either the game, video, or voices of people talking to me.

I've had them hanging for a couple months now, BEHIND my $20 wired headset. First headset from Steel Series brand and the last unfortunately.

The software makes a world of difference

After doing some minor tuning in the GG software I’ve come to really like this headset. First thing you should do before gaming with these is go into the software and remove volume limiter, it makes a huge difference! If you don’t like hearing yourself when you speak you can also remove that by using the “mic side tone” dial which is right next to volume limiter. You can also find sound presets for pretty much any game and they work well.

JT

June 28, 2024

Exceptional clarity and comfort

This is my first time using Steel Series headphones and I am very impressed. For reference, I own multiple headphones / headsets like Sennheiser, AKG, Bose, Astro, Logi, Razer, etc.

The clarity of these headphones really stands out, in fact, I was hearing sounds from video games I had not heard before (even using my best headset). At max volume, I thought they were a bit subdued until I heard a gunshot in DayZ….wow! I realized these headphones are truly designed for gamers. As such, the comfort is outstanding. Light but still snug enough around the ears to create a good seal. Fabric pads instead of hot, sticky pleather. A headband you’ll barely notice. These were designed for long gaming sessions, leading me to my next point, battery life. It seems good. I’ve used these for about 2 weeks now (only a couple of hours per day) and have not had to charge them as of yet.

Have not tested the microphone yet, but will update when I do.

Only complaint is the USB C wireless adapter. It’s ridiculously wide and will cover any adjacent port.

Overall, I cannot give enough praise for the level of accuracy, clarity of sound, and comfort of these headphones. Steel Series just gained a loyal customer.

Liltrouble

June 24, 2024

Sounds good, although sounds better with software EQ, very light weight, great range.

This comes packaged in a very nice box which was quite fun to open and unpack. Included is the wireless headset, a USB cable for charging, a USB cable for using the wireless dongle if you don't have a convenient USB C port on your computer, the wireless dongle, and a small manual and some nice Steel Series stickers.

Hooking this up to your computer is fairly easy, although it was not without issues in my case. If you use multiple different headsets and change a setting in Windows 11, then all of a sudden you have no sound, you then must go searching for a solution. That is what happened to me using this headset. I changed the frequency response in Windows to I guess what was a setting beyond what this headset could handle, and then no sound at all. Took me almost an hour to get it back. This was on a gaming PC . I had less of a problem using a laptop, but I also did not mess with the frequency setting on the laptop, which I am sure helped.

The headset itself is very well made and very light weight. It is extremely comfortable and I could wear it most all day without issue. I like where the control buttons are on the ear cups, but as others have noted I did occasionally hit the blue tooth pairing button by mistake on more than one occasion. The ear cups are very soft and I like the cloth material they are made out of.

Sound quality is very good, made even more so if you tweak it some using a software EQ like Equalizer APO or Steel Series own software, whichever you prefer. This headset sounded good in both music and games, although I needed to have the volume higher without software installed (75 to 90) otherwise it was a bit quiet. As an example, when a headset is plugged directly into my sound card with a 600 ohm amp, anything above 40 starts hurting my ears.

The mic is excellent. I like how it pulls out and pushes back in when your not using it. It was crystal clear in discord and voice sounded natural.

I also like the headband. It is soft and can easily be adjusted, although adjustments are limited. What adjustment there is should be enough for most people. I have a fairly large head and I had no problems with it.

Battery life is very good. I am amazed that a headset can be this light weight and yet have a battery big enough to last 60 hours.

Range is very good. I was able to wander our 2600 sq ft house and hear game sounds and music loud and clear. Only the solid metal door to the garage would interfere. I could go out the back door and on the deck, and even out into the middle of the yard before it started breaking up. This is a big+ if you like listening to music while you work around the house.

No real cons, other than some issues I had using it on my gaming PC with all the sound cutting out, which I can probably blame more on Windows and myself than this headset. If you set this up as your main headset and install the software, I don't think you will have any problems at all.