SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless review: Jack-of-all-trades headset

Greatest Costs Right this moment: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X is the Xbox variant in SteelSeries Nova 7 gaming headset lineup. Regardless of not being designed particularly for PC, the 7X is a top-notch choice for PC avid gamers due to its wonderful cross-platform compatibility, twin 2.4GHz wi-fi and simultaneous Bluetooth performance. It additionally has a trendy, metal-clad construct that feels so robust it might doubtlessly survive a meteor bathe.

Though it’s extra modestly priced than its premium sibling the Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi, the 7X is arguably quite a bit simpler to make use of. It sports activities a very good smattering of on-ear controls, that are properly break up between earcups and simple to recollect so that you just by no means want end up urgent mute within the throes of victory ever once more.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wi-fi design and construct

In recent times SteelSeries has completed a commendable job convincing us its headsets are among the most interesting—and hardest—you may get. The Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi, for example, jumped straight to a high spot in our roundup of the very best wi-fi gaming headsets, so impressed have been we with its construct high quality, design, and sound.

By comparability, the Arctis Nova 7X is a much less pretentious beast. It skimps on among the Nova Professional’s extra premium options—like the bottom station—that, to be trustworthy, we will stay with out. As a substitute, it shares extra sensible options like its versatile metallic body, metallic cups, and magnetic earcup covers that you would be able to slide off for a discrete headphone-like look.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Which means it’s each fashionable and as strong as a tank; drop resistant, and higher at avoiding scratches than all-plastic headsets. And, identical to the Nova Professional, it’s made to maneuver naturally along with your head’s pure actions, due to earcups that swivel and tilt.

Evaluating my 7X assessment unit in opposition to the Nova Professional for consolation, I’ve to say the 7X wins hands-down. Many midrange headsets do in actual fact, and it’s one of many greatest issues I’d actually like individuals to know when deciding between funds and premium gaming headsets.

If I acquired your consideration with that final level, I’m glad, as a result of the 7X actually acquired mine with its snug-fitting stretchy material headband and squishy AirWeave cushioning that felt lighter and extra breathable than the Nova Professional’s leatherette ones. The entire headset can also be fairly compact and fairly mild—it weighs simply 323 grams (11.4 ounces).

The clamp drive is far softer than the Nova Professional’s, which I found was each good and dangerous. It’s good in that there’s an absence of any form of rigidity or strain. Nevertheless, there’s much less passive noise isolation on supply, so you’ll sometimes cop an earful of garden mower, however not typically sufficient to be annoying.

For styling, the Arctis Nova 7X is a muted black colour with matching SteelSeries logos on every can. My assessment unit additionally got here with a splash of inexperienced within the headband to suggest its Xbox compatibility. It seemed completely at dwelling subsequent to my gaming rig. Though, at occasions I did want I had some RGB to play with.

As for the controls, they’re all the pieces I hoped for—easy, assessable, and plentiful. On the left you get a mute mic button and quantity wheel, whereas over on the proper there’s a ChatMix Dial, on/off button, and Bluetooth button. These are all simple to find—only a hand’s attain away.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X connectivity and battery

Because the 7X’s inexperienced headband signifies, you get cross compatibility with Xbox One, Xbox X/S, and PC through a 2.4GHz low-latency Wi-Fi connection. Nevertheless, the 7X is much more versatile than that, connecting to absolutely anything with a USB-C port—Nintendo Swap, Steam Deck, Quest 2, and smartphone included. Plus, there’s Bluetooth (extra on that quickly), and within the field you get a 3.55mm cable, so there are connectivity choices galore.

Switching between USB and Xbox is so simple as flicking a change on the USB-C dongle, so that you will be up and operating on the drop of a hat. The dongle is formed like a mushroom as a substitute of a stick, so in the event you’re utilizing it on a laptop computer, you’ll wish to connect it to the adapter equipped, in any other case a few of your different ports might develop into blocked.

A gem within the Arctis Nova 7X’s crown is the simultaneous Bluetooth performance that permits you to stream audio out of your cellphone whereas additionally listening to each squeak of your gaming audio. I can’t communicate extremely sufficient of this characteristic, which I desire over much less sensible options like RGB lighting.

There should be a handful of causes I used it when testing the 7X – taking work calls or calls from my partner asking me to select up milk and so on and so on… on my approach dwelling from the workplace being simply two good ones. However by far probably the most enjoyable was streaming my favourite blues album whereas enjoying a couple of rounds of Insurgency, which was an actual hoot.

The 7X’s battery life can also be very first rate. SteelSeries claims you stand up to 38 hours of audio playback utilizing the two.4GHz wi-fi connection, or a good 26 hours of audio utilizing simultaneous Bluetooth. While you do go flat, the cans will be juiced again up in a short time; quarter-hour quick charging with the USB-C to USB-A cable is all you want for an additional six hours audio.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X audio efficiency

In a nutshell, the Arctis Nova 7X sounded nice for gaming and listening to music on PC, the place it conjured a wealthy and diversified audio profile. I by no means observed any distortion both – in actual fact, the 40 mm drivers have been so constantly clear I discovered myself selecting it over a ton of different gadgets.

I examined the PC video games Metro Exodus, Insurgency and Glory of the Defeatedand, after sinking a couple of hours into these titles the headset’s strongest asset is certainly its mid-range tonal protection, which sounds exact, full and vibrant. The bass and treble by comparability received’t have you ever calling dwelling to mama however received’t disappoint both – they properly intensify the mids with out dominating them.

Granted all that, I had a discipline day savoring mid-range sounds that often fall by the wayside. In Metro Exodus the slithering of worms within the tunnels was much more of an ominous warning for what’s up forward than typical, whereas the clunking and grinding of the mechanisms have been a satisfying reminder that I used to be on course.

In Metro Exodus I additionally acquired a style of the headset’s 360 Diploma Spatial Audio, which is absolutely appropriate with Microsoft spatial audio. It labored a dream, wringing in sounds via all of the instructions of a compass wheel. I additionally loved utilizing the Parametric EQ instrument in Sonar, a part of the SteelSeries GG software program app to spotlight particular sounds. Accentuating the EQ parameters for voices allowed me to raised snoop on enemy conversations, which in flip helped me discover my targets extra simply.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The clap of gunfire and the thud of explosions sounded exact and unmuffled in Insurgency. I might hear particular person explosions as distinct ‘’kabooms’’ and this actually drew me additional into the motion. On the entire, the sound hitting my cups had a cinematic high quality to it that made for a very immersive FPS expertise. Reassuringly too, I by no means skilled any sudden amplitude drops or jumps.

Switching to Glory of the Defeated and I used to be very impressed by the clear, emotive strings within the orchestral launch music which had me rearing to get occurring some raiding. Equally, the 7X labored a allure enjoying easy and melodious music like rock ballads, as judging by the nice and cozy acoustic guitar and soothing vocals in a couple of tracks by Aussie singer Pete Murray.

How does the SteelSereis Arctis Nova 7X examine to rivals

The Artcis Nova 7X sits in an analogous class for performance as wi-fi gaming headsets just like the Nacon Rig Professional HX and the Logitech G733 Lightspeed. These are each nice headsets in their very own proper, with first rate sound and cross-compatibility. However put merely, the 7X is the extra full bundle, squirreling a couple of attractive bonuses away like its sturdy metallic band and earcups and prolonged retractable noise cancelling microphone.

However the true sweetener is the simultaneous Bluetooth which neither of those two rivals can declare to have and which is an attribute I actually go for in gaming headsets as of late. The Arctis 7X has a retail value of $199.99 on the SteelSeries web site, which admittedly is somewhat dearer than each of those rivals that every price roughly $150 USD, however it’s price each dime for the additional performance for my part.

Ought to I purchase the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X?

The leap between the Arctis Nova 7X and its large sibling, the Arctis Nova Professional, is a whopping $180—a gulf that made me marvel for a minute what I’m getting and/or lacking out on. My conclusion? I’m not likely lacking a lot with the Nova 7X.

No, I received’t get plush leatherette cups or a flowery base station, however I’m nonetheless getting wonderful sound, a tricky and durable body, gaming-friendly controls, respectable cross-compatibility and simultaneous Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance—all options that I need and can use. What’s extra, the Nova 7X is the extra snug choice for my part, which on the finish of the day makes it a way more sensible purchase.