SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite review – a luxury gaming headset for a niche group

If I could paint a picture of the perfect gaming headset, it would be tough to draw anything other than that SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite. After my high opinions of the Nova Pro Wireless, I struggled to come up with something better beyond the few minor issues I had, but the Elite improves on every aspect of the previous flagship into something distinctly premium – of course, the price is higher too, but the features it improves seem sufficient.

As someone who prides himself on discussing the differences between different headsets, determining one of the best gaming headphones on the market is a tough choice. It all depends on various factors, and the same is true for the best gaming headphones. However, if I were forced to make a quick choice before impending doom, I would find it extremely tough not to choose the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite for a number of reasons.

Price and availability

The main barrier for the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite will undoubtedly be the price. Price $599.99 / £599.99 on the website SteelSeries websiteis one of the most exorbitant gaming headsets on the market, beating out premium peripherals such as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones and almost doubling its own Nova Pro Wireless headset, which retails for $349/£329. Although it’s usually even cheaper with many discounts since launch.

If you’re willing to part with that much money, you have two colors to choose from: Sage & Gold and Obsidian Black. I’m reviewing the former, which I think looks the better of the two, although it came in a more dark-pale green compared to the pale gray I was expecting. Honestly, it was a nice surprise, but I warn you that it may have a slightly different shade than in the photos.

Design and comfort

If I could give it a maximum score for design alone, it would get a 10. From opening the box to putting it on my head, I was in awe of its appearance and had the same feelings I had when I unboxed my first iPhone when I was younger. Opening the box was magical and SteelSeries knows it – luxury appears right in front of you when you unbox the headset.

The gold look on the temples that attach the ear cups to the headband looks stunning, with another subtle bit of gold on the SteelSeries logo on both ear cups. The memory foam cushions hold the headset on your head with a comfort I’ve never experienced on a gaming headset, and the headband distributes the weight evenly. I can easily wear this for hours without any problems; this is the lithe.

All the buttons are responsive and nice to press, and each press provides a good amount of feedback, but the magic happens in the volume knob. As you scroll, there’s a satisfyingly lithe click that’s immense enough that you can feel the response to each turn, making changing the volume a million times as enjoyable as the first time. It’s a uncomplicated luxury, but it enhances the overall experience.

While this is a luxury gaming headset in all its glory, it’s clear that SteelSeries is marketing it as an all-in-one solution, whether you’re playing the best FPS games or listening to music while traveling. Comfortable design is the most essential thing here and I think the company managed to achieve it. Sure, it’s a bit thicker when folded than Bose’s flagship models, but it also has a lot more features that make the extra weight worthwhile.

There’s a handy USB-C port under the cover of the left earcup – one I didn’t need during testing, but comes in handy if you want to charge it elsewhere and don’t have a base station handy (which is likely if you’re traveling). On the other hand, the right ear cup houses a hot-swappable battery, which I’ll cover later, but it remains my favorite way to operate a wireless gaming headset.

The base station remains virtually unchanged compared to the Nova Pro Wireless variant. It has a few extra ports on the back to let you connect more devices, so you can easily switch between platforms – whether you’re going from playing the best games on Switch to digging into your backlog on PS5. It also houses an additional battery that charges when the dock is dynamic.

Sound quality and performance

Considering that expectations are rightly high, along with the promise and appeal of lossless Hi-Res audio – “a first for gaming,” as the company insists – it’s quite a surprise that the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite absolutely delivered. Thanks to carbon fiber drivers, it provides excellent clarity, avoiding the potential distortion that more affordable headphones can provide.

Both the Arctis app and the SteelSeries desktop app, simply called GG, offer ways to customize the audio equalizer to your liking. You can also choose from a variety of profiles tailored to specific games, whether they’re your favorite action games or the relaxing, cozy games you’ve enjoyed – there’s no shortage of titles in the company’s software. It also helps that both programs are really well made, which is a hurdle that many companies encounter.

For example, you can select Cyberpunk 2077 mode, which turns one of the best Switch games into a more immersive experience by enhancing the subtle sounds of the world, while switching it to a Minecraft game and you’ll hear ambient sounds and the satisfying pop of blocks popping as a floating object lands on your feet. What’s more, the Elite can quickly switch from a 2.4 GHz connection via the base station to Bluetooth, so you can take your headphones with you.

Of course, these are lifestyle and gaming headphones, so it’s a good idea to also employ them to listen to music or talk to people. Fortunately, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite confirms this as well. I’m going back to the classics and using the Sleep Token as my neutral line for each pair of headphones, which delivers the brilliant bass I expect with robust guitar hits, while the treble of these lyrics matches the SteelSeries flagship model beautifully.

It helps that the dynamic noise cancellation (ANC) is still pretty good, and is slightly better than the Nova Pro (which I didn’t think was fantastic, but was good enough). Admittedly, it’s not as good as Bose’s offering, but Bose is one of the best on the market, so the bar is high to reach. Sure, I wish it were a little better, but it’s not a major issue and it blocks out a decent amount of serene noises like fans buzzing or the noise of the TV playing KPop Demon Hunters for the fifteenth time that day (parents will know).

When I first saw mention of AI in marketing, I was a little concerned, but I’m ecstatic to say that AI noise reduction in your microphone isn’t just a fancy way to get tech enthusiasts on board – it’s a worthwhile investment that works wonders. People I spoke to noted clarity first and foremost, saying that my voice was much clearer than ever before and that there was a noticeable difference in background noise compared to my Nova Pro, which made my (probably tedious) voice sound much better.

Then there’s the battery life and I can say it’s still my favorite. Hot-swappable battery mechanics mean it will virtually never run out of power, allowing you to take a brief break when switching from one battery to charging at the dock. If you happen to employ it on the go, it will last around 30 hours, which is more than enough for most people, and USB-C charging is an alternative if you need a quick top-up.

Is it worth buying SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite headphones?

If you can afford to buy high-end headphones, it doesn’t get much better than this. Sure, there may be some options that are better for playing music, but once you get into this price range and this type of hardware, your gains will be negligible – and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite headphones are brilliant for gaming, something few high-end rivals offer.

It’s exorbitant and that’s a huge hurdle, but if you don’t care about that, few options on the market do everything so perfectly. From its fantastic battery system, to its wonderful, comfortable design, to its great software, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite’s biggest problem will actually come in the future – how do we create something not just as brilliant, but better?

Alternatives

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Device

For a similar experience, but undoubtedly costing much less, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless still offers fantastic audio quality and an amazing hot-swappable battery system, powered by a base station or Bluetooth, at a fraction of the price of the Elite.

Second generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones

If you’re looking for something that’s mobile-friendly but great for music, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones offer the best sound for listening to your favorite albums or playing a few matches of Clash Royale. And most importantly, it’s some of the best ANC I’ve ever experienced.