There are so many different gaming headset options on the market, ranging from cheap and cheerful $20 devices that are here for a mediocre time, not a long time, all the way up to $1350 flawed masterpieces for audiophiles. And they’re all competing against the fact that you can just use literally any wired headphones.
But for those who are serious about playing games with good audio and a microphone that means your multiplayer buddies don’t hate you, you have big choices to make. Over the years, I have reviewed well over 100 gaming headsets, and until last year my undisputed favourite gaming headset of all time was the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. The price tag was painful, but the spatial audio effect, intelligent DAC, multi-device switching, and excellent microphone made it worth the premium.
There have since been two successors to the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless originally released with even more painful price points: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite and the Arctis Nova Pro Omni. The Elite is a brilliant wireless hi-res audio headset that sounds incredible, but suffers both from microphone issues and from being $1349. The Arctis Nova Pro Omni is a $799 version of the Elite, that somehow manages to retain wireless hi-res audio, while making some reasonable compromises to hit a price point.
I’ve now spent well over a month with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni, and here are the things I think you need to know about it.
STEELSERIES ARCTIS NOVA PRO OMNI SPECS
| Product name | SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni |
| Price | $799 |
| Manufacturer’s website | https://steelseries.com/en-au/gaming-headsets/arctis-nova-pro-omni |
| Drivers | Custom 40 mm Neodymium Magnetic (Hi-Res) |
| Headphone frequency response | 10-40,000 Hz |
| Headphone impedance | 38Ω |
| Battery life | Infinite Power System – 2x hot-swappable batteries with up to 60 Hours gaming (Up to 30 hours per battery 2.4GHz ANC off / 50 hours Bluetooth – ANC off / 19H per battery 2.4G+BT ANC on) |
| Headphone weight | 339g |
| Microphone frequency response (wireless) | 50-16,000 Hz |
| Microphone Sensitivity (wireless) | -40 dBV/Pa |
First thing to notice here is the price – that’s $50 more than the already quite expensive Arctis Nova Pro Wireless from 2022. But, the spec bump to hi-res audio custom drivers is a big enough upgrade that I think the jump in price is justified. The microphone also has a solid leap in quality, and it’s now compatible with the Arctis app which allows for changing EQ and profiles on the go, which is great for console players.
The second thing is the microphone specs. The microphone on the Arctis Nova Pro Omni is much less sensitive at -40dBV/Pa than the Arctis Nova Elite (-14dBV/Pa), and interestingly even less sensitive than its predecessor the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless at -38dBV/Pa. But, the frequency response range is much larger. As you’ll see below, my experience with the microphones shows that specs only tell you part of the story, and it all depends on what the software allows the hardware to do.
LISTENING EXPERIENCE
As with all the Arctis Nova Pro and above headsets, the listening experience is exquisite. Ordinarily I wouldn’t compare a gaming headset to some of the top bluetooth headphones available, but at $800, I would assume that a lot of people who buy these headphones intend to use them for everything.
So, let’s break down the listening experience on a few songs from my headphone and speaker testing playlist, on the default Flat EQ, over 2.4GHz wireless with the DAC plugged into a Mac, listening to lossless hi-res tracks:
Full Heart Fancy by Lucky Chops: These headphones have a really wide soundstage, so nothing is treading on anything’s toes in this brass band instrumental. That said, the sousaphone sounds more muted and in the background than I’m used to, and I’m missing some of the clarity I would expect from the hi-hats on hi-res headphones. It’s an excellent listening experience, until I start getting nit picky.
Simmer by Hayley Williams: This is always a good song to separate good headphones from great ones, because so much of the power of this song is in the quiet moments, in the gaps between the notes. Compared to my AirPods Pro 3rd generation, there is a lot more separation and less distortion. There is a noticeable amount more distortion compared to the Nova Elite, whose carbon drivers are more precise. But gosh, that ride cymbal rings clear, and those little snare ghost notes pack a beautiful punch. Williams’ voice sounds vulnerable, with the little hesitations and breaths rendered beautifully.
No Mercy by Pvris: For something a bit heavier, the slightly bass-heavy profile of the Omni works so well with this cacophonous chorus. The brightness of the crash cymbals can ring clear, while the crunchy distorted bass guitar and furious bass drums keep the sound grounded, without getting muddy. Gunn’s voice is crunchy, yet floats. Some headphones I test this song on, it all gets mushed together, but here each element is separated for clarity while still sounding harmonious.
Paralyzed by Conquer Divide: This is a song that has clearly been recorded with fewer bells and whistles than some of the other bands on my testing playlist, some muddiness is built into the recording. But here, those floor toms are chunky with just the right amount of distortion. The chorus is a wall of sound, yet Taylor’s voice doesn’t get lost amongst the distorted guitars and chaotic drums.
These are closed back headphones, which always give a more intimate experience. While the Arctis Elite makes me feel like I’m sitting in the middle of the recording studio, at the feet of the artists, watching their fingers move on the frets, the Arctis Nova Pro Omni feels more like being in the control room – able to hear everything perfectly, and a wonderful experience, but there is glass separating me from some of the moments and details.
While the bass is more present than I’d want in reproduction headphones, Australian audiences generally prefer bass-heavy headphones, and gaming headsets naturally need to emphasise the bass more, so I have no complaints there.
In terms of games, if I didn’t know the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite existed, I would say this was the best sounding gaming headset around. In comparison to the Elite, they sound merely Good. However, they’re such a step up from the Nova Pro Wireless, which I loved before I knew there was better, that anyone who doesn’t get the opportunity to yearn for a headset that costs the same as a PS5 Pro will be very pleased with the Omni. Playing Fortnite I can hear the placement of everyone’s footsteps and loot chests with precision. In Forza Horizon 6 the sounds of the engines can rumble deep without getting muddy or distorted, even while a contrasting pop or rock song plays over the top. They can be a competitive advantage for those willing to listen for it.
MICROPHONE
To get it out of the way early, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni does not have a microphone good enough to record a podcast. I unfortunately had to record an episode of my podcast (Sapphic AV Club) using the Omni after my usual mic decided to die a couple of minutes before the record, and you can really tell it’s a boom mic from a gaming headset, rather than anything that’s professional quality. For almost $800, I would have expected better.
That said, I have never had any complaints with the Omni while I game. In fact, my friends actively request I switch back to “the good one” any time I try to use another gaming headset.
I did A/B testing with a friend who thought the Omni was the $1350 headset, because they said it sounded so much better. Doing A/B/C blind testing (with the Elite, Pro Wireless, and Pro Omni) with another friend, the Omni once again firmly came out on top. It also sounded better than the Astro A50X, and an assortment of Logitech G headsets I have on hand.
COMFORT
This is such a cushy, comfy headset. The ear cups are soft, and the headband cradles my skull like it’s a newborn. I can easily wear it for 10 hours at a time with no discomfort beyond the expected (and dreaded) swamp ear.
BATTERY LIFE
The best selling point of all the premium SteelSeries headsets is the seemingly infinite battery life from having hot swappable batteries. Each battery gives around 20 hours of battery life with ANC turned on. Then, when the headset starts to beep to warn you that there’s only 10% battery left, you just take out the freshly charged battery from the DAC, pop it in, charge the empty one, and then keep that cycle going. The switch over takes less than a minute (including the walk from the couch to the console), and frankly I want all headsets to start doing this.
NOISE CANCELLING
SteelSeries currently has the best noise cancelling in game headsets, that is a fact not in dispute. Unfortunately, gaming headsets are terrible at noise cancelling and this is no exception. I’m currently wearing the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni while I work, and my daughter is listening to the Toniebox around 5m away on low volume. I just went to turn on noise cancelling in the Arctis app so I could stop hearing the harrowing tale of Peter Rabbit and I am shocked to discover that ANC is already on 100%. I have the microphone on mute, so it’s not getting side tone from that. I have my music turned up pretty high. And yet still I can hear that rabbit fighting for his life.
That’s a shame, because at this price you’d want to be able to use the one set of headphones for everything. They have the audio quality, they look good, they’re comfortable, the swappable battery should make it the ideal travelling companion, and yet the lacklustre noise cancelling holds it back from truly being a capable jack of all trades.
STEELSERIES ARCTIS NOVA PRO OMNI VS ARCTIS NOVA ELITE
I am a headphone and audio snob. Becoming a tech journo was destined for me after I spent the lead up to one Christmas reading up on which type of copper was a better conductor when trying to decide what (budget) headphones my parents should get me. I was 12. I have reviewed literally hundreds of pairs of headphones over the last 20 years. So, when I say that the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite is one of, if not the best-sounding pairs of headphones I own, and certainly one of the best I’ve tried under $1400, I am not saying that lightly.
But when it comes to judging a gaming headset, there are more factors than just the audio quality that need to be considered, and this isn’t an easy choice to make, because, shockingly, there are a few areas that I find the Omni has significantly better performance.
Arctis Nova Pro Omni (left) and Arctis Nova Elite (right)
Let’s look back at the previous categories and do a little head to head:
Listening experience: There is no contest here. The sound separation, clarity, spatial effect, range of tones, and lack of distortion on the Elite is just in an entirely different league to the Omni. Don’t get me wrong, the Omni is very, very good. But they’re not the kind of headphones that leave me wanting to sit in a dark room and bring up every song I’ve even slightly enjoyed to experience listening to it on the Omni, yet I have done that on the Elite. The superior Atmos and surround separation on the Elite also gives me an advantage when I play multiplayer shooters, because I can better hear where my opponents are.
Microphone: As noted above, the Omni is so much better than the Elite in terms of just being heard. But what I find interesting is that my male friends who have the Elite sound perfectly crisp and clear when we play, and also when they use my headset. But whenever I or my wife use our Elite, the person on the other end of the line (be it on Xbox party chat, Fortnite chat, on Zoom, FaceTime, Teams, etc, across multiple consoles, PC and Mac) says they have trouble hearing me due to compression issues, dropping out midway through sentences as though my voice is being noise gated, etc. So, perhaps those with deeper voices will have a better time than me, but I can only review based on my experience. So, the Omni wins this one.
Comfort: I find the Omni to be lighter and softer, and therefore more comfortable. The Elite is only an extra 41g, but I am a sensitive soul, and a more than 10% weight differential is noticeable. Of course, the Elite is heavier because it’s made out of better quality materials, and that’s a tradeoff I’m happy to make. However, it is a consideration.
At the end of the day, because of the issues I have been having with the microphone, I can only use my Elite for single-player games and music, so it would not be worth it for me to drop $1349. It’s hard for you to know whether it’ll work for you before you part with the cash and open the box. The Arctis Nova Pro Omni is the safer bet, though less aurally pleasing.
STEELSERIES ARCTIS NOVA PRO OMNI VS ARCTIS NOVA PRO WIRELESS
The Omni is an upgrade from the original Nova Pro Wireless in every way: it sounds better, the microphone is significantly better, you can connect more devices, and it has app support for quick switches between different EQ presets.
Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (left) and Arctis Nova Pro Omni (right)
If you already have a Nova Pro Wireless that you’re happy with, it’s not worth the upgrade because the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is still an excellent and capable headset that will last you for a long time. You don’t need to know that the grass is definitely greener.
But, if you’re standing in a shop, and you’re looking at the $749 Nova Pro Wireless, and the $799 Nova Pro Omni, the Omni is 100% worth that extra $50.
Review product supplied by SteelSeries.
Great
- Excellent sound quality
- Good microphone quality
- A lot of the features of the $1349 Arctis Nova Elite, but $500 cheaper
- Very comfortable
- Hot swappable batteries are a total game changer
Not great
- Noise cancelling is unimpressive
- It’s very, very expensive at $799
- Can only be updated by being plugged into a PC (rather than through the mobile app, or on a Mac)
