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SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gaming Headset Review
I’ve reviewed the rest of the Arctis Nova series over the course of the last few months, but I’ve been sitting on my review of the Nova 7 for a while because it’s the one I’m the most mixed on.
SteelSeries streamlined their headset lineup a bit with this year’s refresh, and the Nova 7 combines features from the older 7 and 9 models into one headset. It has a dedicated 2.4ghz transmitter, a secondary Bluetooth connection, and a wired 3.5mm option as well. It goes for $180 (official site here), and it’s available in versions geared towards either the PC/PS5 or the Xbox (thanks to the magic of Microsoft’s dumb licensing requirements).
At first glance, it looks to pack in many of the features from the more expensive Nova Pro Wireless, but without that headset’s dedicated wireless dock or battery swap system. It has a similar frame design, low latency communication, and dual-audio support for playing back Bluetooth and game audio at the same time.
However, the Arctis Nova 7 is also kind of the odd duck in the lineup, with its own unique sound signature that might frustrate audio-obsessives, and some small tweaks to the comfort and design that I don’t personally enjoy. It’s also the only Arctis model I’ve ever had that developed a plastic creaking sound in one of the hinges after just a few weeks of use and it has me wondering if going back to this single-attachment-point design was a good idea.
I bought this headset with my own money and I don’t use affiliate links.
SOUND QUALITY
The Arctis Nova 7 splits from the rest of the Nova series with its own unique sound. Where the others more or less focus on a balanced, accurate studio-style sound, the Nova 7 has a fun, more excited profile out of the box with the richest bass response of any of the Nova models. You’ll feel the subbass boom here, and the midbass is resonant and wonderful. The midrange is a little bit cooler than on the other models (particularly the Pro), giving these further warmth.
It’s not at all a boomy, crazy, “bad gaming headset” type of sound, as it has more in common with the rest of the Nova models than a blasted-out dance…
