SteelSeries’ new gaming headset ‘Arctis Nova 5’ is now available
for purchase with a dedicated companion app that provides more than 100
game-specific audio presets for Xbox and PlayStation 5 titles.
The Arctis Nova 5 headset is priced at $129.99 – which is
just slightly pricier than the Arctic Nova 4 wireless headset that was launched
last year at $119.99. in exchange for the price increase, you will be able to
change audio presets in real time without having to exit a gaming session, and enjoy
cross-platform support for Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC, Meta Quest, as well
as phones or tablets that support the headset’s USB-C dongle. Most of the headset’s
design remains unchanged as compared to the previous Arctis models.
To access the audio presets, you will need to connect your mobile device to the headset via Bluetooth, and despite that you will still be able to receive calls during a gaming session. The headset’s ‘Quick Switch Wireless’ feature allows for switching of audio output between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3 by tapping a button placed on one of its earcups. This will enable you to take a call via Bluetooth while your in-game audio maintains a passive 2.4GHz connection.
As for the performance of the Arctis Nova 5, the headset can
provide six hours of play after a 15-minute charge and last up to 60 hours per
charge, thanks to its USB-C fast charging. The device is powered by
neodymium magnetic drivers – a common integration in modern headsets, and a new
high-bandwidth microphone chipset that accounts for 32kHz / 16-bit audio resulting
in maintained enhanced in-game
communications.
When not in use, the headset’s microphone flawlessly withdraws
into the device, blending into the earcup. Additionally, the Arctis Nova 5 offers
the AI noise cancellation feature that is also part of the Nova 4 headset, helping
in further reducing background noise in loud environments.