I am truly a picky gamer when it comes to peripherals. I don’t diverge too far from Microsoft’s own Xbox controllers if I can, I prefer KontrolFreeks if I’m playing an FPS, and I need my headset to multitask while being comfortable as well as offering enough bells and whistles without being too complex.

Luckily for players like myself, SteelSeries has seemingly hit the nail on the head and has given gamers everything they’d need in one headset that isn’t over-encumbered by cheap gimmicks or silly design tropes. The all-new Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gaming Headset is the exact piece of audio equipment that you need in order to finally get gud.

What’s In The Box

As you open the Arctis Nova 7, you’ll find your headset, a transmitter dongle that, depending on your model, can be toggled from PC to its proprietary console, as well as a charging cable, an extension cable for the transmitter and an audio cable for if you need to take a tethered approach. Not only will you find those goodies, but you’ll also find a cute cardboard character that you can fold and put together at your leisure.

I found everything included to be exactly what I would need at a given time with this headset. In fact, being able to charge it whilst using it with its charging cable as I was tethered to my laptop was amazing since I didn’t need to swap to the audio cable. The charging cable still allows you to transmit audio even when charging.

Specs and Audio Quality

Features

• Simultaneous Game and Mobile Audio — Stay connected to your game audio wirelessly using the lag-free 2.4GHz, and also connect to another audio source via Bluetooth. Conquer in your game while having a conversation on your phone or Discord at the same time, or listen to a podcast or music.

• Multi-Platform Wireless — Easily bring gaming-grade Quantum 2.0 Wireless anywhere with a USB-C dongle, connecting to your PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch (the 7X is compatible with Xbox). Also includes a USB-A adapter.

• Long Battery Life — The 38-hour battery keeps you in action, and also quickly gets you back in with a fast charging function. Just 15 minutes of charging gives you 6 hours of use.

• AI-Powered Noise-Cancelling Mic — Just like in the Nova 3, the ClearCast Gen 2 mic uses AI algorithms to not only silence the noise coming from your end, but also the outgoing noises from your teammates' mics.

• Onboard Controls — All the controls you need are at your fingertips. Adjust volume, ChatMix, Sidetone on PlayStation, answer calls and pair with Bluetooth all without exiting your game.

Regarding the bells and whistles offered to gamers by the Arctis Nova 7, it’s nothing short of perfection. We have the great mic that SteelSeries is known for, on-board buttons and toggle that don’t confuse when balancing playing with audio adjustment, and the awesome addition of dual-channel audio. I love being able to simply listen to Spotify on my phone while I’m gaming. You just push the designated Bluetooth button on the side of the headset, connect your device, and it just works. Simplicity is all I’m asking for, and they delivered.

As for audio, there’s nothing that I can say about it that I haven’t already given SteelSeries great marks for in the past. Sure, it isn’t as insane a sound signature as what you’d expect from something like the $349.99 Arctis Nova Pro, but it comes in pretty darn close, especially to the thanks of the awesome SteelSeries GG software and Sonar. In fact, I like this headset more than the Pro, but I’ll get into that below.

Even outside of gaming, this headset can pump out some great audio all around. Whether you’re watching a YouTube video and chilling or listening to some music while doing some evening writing, this headset sounds impeccable. This has easily become my daily driver, setting my recent fave to sit shotgun on the office wall.

Feedback

As far as comfort goes, this headset is amazing. I say I prefer this over the Pro, and I mean that. It’s not just due in part to it being a simpler experience but it being something that I can wear for hours and not even think about. The Nova 7 is a great lightweight headset with soft cushions that caress your head and ears. And the adjustments that can be made thanks to that headband strap above are a godsend for bigger heads like me.

Though this headset is mostly plastic, it’s very durable and sturdy against knocks and drops too. You can feel how well this headset is made and it reminds you of it every time it’s used. From its construction, comfort, sound, and user experience, this headset has literally nothing negative that I can say about it. It’s perfection.

Conclusion

if you hadn’t already guessed, I would most certainly tell anyone that for $179.99, there isn’t another headset as good as any of the lovely Arctis Nova 7 Wireless headsets that you can pick up. And with the holidays rolling in, this should be the top contender for anyone shopping for that gamer in their life who needs to get themselves a new headset to up their game. This is the one.