Introduction
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova line of headsets has a great reputation. Their top-tier versions offer premium, multi-platform headsets with a lot of bells and whistles and have been well-received by both pros as well as regular users, and the more budget-oriented entries are often recommend as excellent value propositions. Today, we’re taking a look at the newest release in the line. After the super-premium Arctis Nova Elite, this slightly tuned-down model is meant to appeal to a broader audience. In our full Arctis Nova Pro Omni review, you’ll find out if this product is worth your money and attention.
At A Glance
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni
Staff's Choice
Innovation Award
I will absolutely say that this is one of the most impressive gaming headsets I’ve ever tested.
Pros
- Great sound quality, both for gaming as well as music
- Comfortable
- Good ANC performance
- Hotswap battery system is amazing
- Feels like a true ‘lifestyle headset’ with up to 4 connections
- Great microphone
Specs
| Type | Closed-Back |
|---|
| Connection | Wireless |
|---|
| Noise Cancelling | Yes |
|---|
| Microphone | Non-Detachable |
|---|
First Impressions
The vast majority of headsets that I review are either black, white, or have some eye-catching ‘esports-style’ design on them. The model that I’m reviewing is called the ‘Midnight Blue’ version, and it’s the first time I’m seeing a colorway that would be right at home on high-tier lifestyle headphones. Blue is my favorite color and I really like this subtle and understated hue that they’ve gone with, but if you’re not a fan you can also get the headset in plain black or white.
One thing that you immediately notice when you unbox the headset is the presence of the GameHub. This base station not only acts as a way to control your headset’s functionality, but it also doubles as a battery charger. To me, this is genius, but I’ll speak more about these features further down in the review.
On to the headset itself, then, and that looks pretty good. Design-wise, it’s not as sleek as the AirPods Max or anything, but I would not feel ashamed taking the train with this thing on my head. The microphone is retractable and disappears inside the housing entirely, so pretty much no one will know you’re on the road with a gaming headset. Apart from the SteelSeries logo, nothing about it says ‘gaming product’ when you’ve put the mic away.
Packaging
Inside the box of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni, you will find:
- The headset itself
- The GameHub
- 2 hotswappable batteries
- 2 USB-C-to-USB-A cables
- Pop filter
- User documentation
- Carrying bag
That’s pretty much everything you could want. A set of alternative fabric earcups would be nice to see, but including multiple ear cup materials absolutely isn’t standard, so I’m not bothered by the fact that they’re not there.
Build and Comfort
The ear cups and exterior sections of the hinges are made out of plastic. With an MSRP of $399.99, one would be forgiven for expecting some more premium materials to be used, but luckily the headset is well-built. There are no sounds coming from the headset or headband when moving around or wearing it, and the ‘critical parts’ (like the headband) are sturdy and feel like quality.
In terms of comfort choices, it’s also great. The size adjustment system is easy to use, feels smooth, and stays in place perfectly. The headband has a good amount of flex to it so that it accommodates a wide variety of head shapes. And the faux leather that’s used on the ear cups is extremely lush and thick.
The headset fits flawlessly, with a clamping force that’s just right to me personally. The stretchy, suspended headband adjustment system also really helps with working towards assuring a comfy, consistent fit.
All of this will depend on your head shape and head size, but I love the way the Arctis Nova Pro Omni fits. It’s secure enough so that it doesn’t constantly slide off of my head when I’m moving around the house doing chores, but it never gets uncomfortably tight.
One thing I will say is that the thick and dense leatherette ear cushions can get toasty on warmer days. If you’re just sitting behind your PC it’ll most likely be fine, but if you’re walking around in the heat or being active around the house, you’ll want to give your ears a breather now and again. That’s why I would’ve loved to see a fabric option included in the packaging.
Sound and Mic
Microphone
The microphone quite simply sounds great. My voice comes through cleanly, consistently, and quite natural-sounding. Furthermore, plosives and sibilants are suppressed quite effectively, and the ‘robotic filter’ that you get with many wireless headset mics gets filtered out quite convincingly here. Wireless headset mics are constantly evolving, so I’m writing this a lot, but this is one of the best wireless headsets mics I’ve tested so far.
In addition to the great-sounding mic itself, SteelSeries also advertises AI noise rejection. Despite the fact that I’m not a huge fan of everything having to be ‘AI-powered’ these days, I must say that it works quite well. In their marketing, they use a helicopter as a source of background noise.
I don’t have access to a helicopter, but I did sit myself down next to a busy street with a lot of wind to test it out. Luckily, a low-flying airplane also decided to join the test, so you can see for yourself how the headset performs in these conditions. I, for one, was impressed. Usually, these ‘noise rejection marketing claims’ do not result in a noticeably better performance, but here I must say that the tech really does seem to help.
All in all, this is a mic that works great for gaming and even for voice calls with your loved ones.
Background Noise Sound Test
Clean Sound Test
Sound Quality
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is marketed as being a lifestyle headset that’s made for multiple platforms. Naturally, it needs to have great sound quality if it really wants to be used as that, and it needs to deliver in-game as well as when listening to music or watching content.
Luckily, it absolutely does deliver. I’ve tested many fantastic gaming headsets over the past year or two, but most seemed to have to make compromises to the overall sound in order to achieve high-quality gaming audio. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.
The overall audio quality is great. Everything sounds very clean and detailed, and the sound never gets muddy or vague, even when listening to intricate, layered songs. The bass in particular feels really lively and satisfying (though it never gets bombastic; bassheads should take note of that), and it manages to do so without overpowering the mids or highs. The only remark I can make here is that certain higher-register sounds can come across as slightly shrill, but tweaking the EQ mostly fixes that.
In terms of the overall sound quality for content consumption (music, shows, …), this is up there with the best that the market has to offer right now.
Everything above should be taken into context, of course, as I am comparing gaming headsets against each other. Obviously, a $1,000 pair of audiophile-grade headphones is going to sound better for listening to music, but within its niche, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is absolutely fantastic.
ANC
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) is becoming increasingly common on high-end gaming headsets. I am not an expert on this front, but for me it serves its purpose. It seems more performant than the ANC on older Arctis Nova headsets (I last reviewed one in 2022) and it does a great job at filtering out constant background noises. Even more difficult and ‘sudden’ sounds like a truck passing on the street outside get reduced to something that’s a lot more tolerable.
The combination of the thick, dense ear cups and the good ANC makes for a headset that’s easy to recommend for people who are often playing in distracting environments. Even if you’re not gaming: with a light background tune or some white noise on, you can essentially tune out most of the outside world.
Gaming Performance
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is a headset with a very strong focus on gaming, so it should also deliver on that front. For good gaming audio, the positional audio and the filtering out of ‘unnecessary’ sounds (such as bass-heavy, cinematic sounds) is of critical importance.
I tested the headset across a variety of (competitive) games, ranging from CS2 to Overwatch, and I was very happy with the performance. In SteelSeries’ GG app, you can select from a ton of presets to match your game, and these presets work well. For a game like CS2, you don’t want an overly bombastic, cinematic sound; you just want to hear footsteps, reloads, and exactly which direction they’re coming from. The Arctis Nova Pro Omni delivered just that. And the Arctis Nova Pro Omni didn’t just deliver in CS2, but in all the games I tested. Enemies were easy to spot, directional audio was accurate, and the game world felt decently wide and open.
For single player games, the sound profile can be more cinematic. And it sounds great there, too. Playing Expedition 33 felt amazing with that beautiful soundtrack, and in a game like Cyberpunk 2077, the city really came alive due to the wide soundstage and excellent directional audio.
In essence, the Arctis Nova Pro Omni is a great headset for gaming. It performs well in both single- as well as multiplayer games.
Features and Everyday Usage
Controls and Software
The onboard controls are kept simple. There’s a power button, a volume wheel, and a mic mute button on the left ear cup. On the right ear cup, there’s a Bluetooth connection button.
Deeper, on-the-fly adjustments can be made on the GameHub station. This has a built-in screen that lets you navigate it, and I love this. It’s a clear, easy-to-understand, and stylish way of presenting information about the headset. And it allows you to change a ton of settings without having to go into software.
Speaking of software: users can also control the headset’s features via SteelSeries GG on PC or the Arctis app on your phone. This app is especially handy for console users, as it means that advanced customization features are not off limits like they are with many other PC-centric gaming headsets.
Connectivity
This headset is meant to be a lifestyle headset. As such, it sports Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections. What’s cool here is that the Arctis Nova Pro Omni can connect to up to four different devices. That is ridiculously convenient for people who have multiple devices and just want to use one headset. If you’re done PC gaming and you want to play some PS5, you don’t need to go to Bluetooth menus and the likes; just switch the source. And if you then go on the road to visit your friend, it’s the same easy process to switch to your phone.
A lot of gaming headsets these days try to be this kind of ‘one product does it all’ lifestyle option, but few pull it off like this one. The retractable mic that becomes invisible when not in use is way better than a detachable mic, for starters. The option to go for a more ‘lifestyle-oriented’ colorway is also a nice touch. And the ability to connect to 4 devices at once is another major boon.
This lifestyle-focused approach doesn’t feel like a quick marketing afterthought here. It’s well-executed and thought through, and genuinely seems like part of the headset’s identity.
Battery Life
In theory, you get around 20 hours of in-game time with ANC on. In practice, the battery life is endless.
That’s because of SteelSeries’ genius battery hotswap system. In the GameHub, you can place one battery to charge. So while you are using (and draining) one battery in the headset, the other one receives a fresh top-up in the GameHub. When the battery in your headset empties out, simply swap, and you’re good to go.
I cannot stress enough how awesome I think this feature is. In an age where pretty much every product needs charging, it’s incredibly convenient to have a system like this. I never have to open some software program to check the battery percentage, and I never have to free up a cable to charge the thing.
The GameHub addition is a really cool one to begin with, and the fact that it has this charging system built into it makes it even better. I have no idea why other brands have not tried to copy this, as it’s far superior to just charging.
By the way: in case you do love to charge your peripherals (or you want to keep one battery as a backup) you can also charge the headset the old-fashioned way.
Wireless Range
The range is good, but not amazing. You can quite easily travel 10+ meters away from the GameHub and still have clear audio, but once you put a wall or two behind you and you go further than that, the headset starts dropping out. For me, that’s not an issue, but if the range is something you deeply care about, you should note that the Arctis Nova Pro Omni isn’t super impressive on that front.
Conclusion
It had been a while since I reviewed the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, a headset that I then called ‘the best gaming headset I’ve ever used’, so I had high expectations. And while I won’t go as hyperbolic now as I did back then (the gaming headset scene has evolved a lot in four years) I will absolutely say that this is one of the most impressive gaming headsets I’ve ever tested.
In terms of audio quality, it is up there with the best of the best. In terms of pure gaming performance, there are a couple of peers that can match it or, depending on your preferences, even slightly best it, but if you add music/content performance to the mix, I can’t think of many rivals that outright beat the Arctis Nova Pro Omni.
It also just performs really well on other fronts. The ANC is great, the mic sounds fantastic, and the mic noise reduction works well, too.
If you add the utterly amazing battery hotswap system to all of that and the fact that this headset can connect to 4 devices, you’ve got a product that’s innovative, well-executed, and well-designed.
If you’re looking for a specific-task headset, this might not be it. It’s quite expensive after all, and you can find single-purpose headphones or headsets that match or beat it at lower prices. However, if you’ve been looking for the ultimate ‘one headset for everything’ type of product that you can use across your PC, mobile, and all consoles, then this is it.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
Former semi-pro gamer turned writer, product reviewer, and community manager.
