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

Price When Reviewed

199.99

Best Prices Today: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X

$159.99

$159.99

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

Although it’s extra modestly priced than its premium sibling the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, the 7X is arguably quite a bit simpler to make use of. It sports activities smattering of on-ear controls, that are properly cut up between earcups and straightforward 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 Wireless design and construct

In latest years SteelSeries has accomplished a commendable job convincing us its headsets are among the most interesting—and hardest—you may get. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, as an example, jumped straight to a high spot in our roundup of the best wireless gaming headsets, so impressed had 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 Pro’s extra premium options—like the bottom station—that, to be sincere, we will reside with out. Instead, it shares extra sensible options like its versatile steel body, steel cups, and magnetic earcup covers which you can slide off for a discrete headphone-like look.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

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

Comparing my 7X evaluate unit towards the Nova Pro for consolation, I’ve to say the 7X wins hands-down. Many midrange headsets do in truth, and it’s one of many greatest issues I’d actually like folks to know when deciding between funds and premium gaming headsets.

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

The clamp pressure is way softer than the Nova Pro’s, which I found was each good and dangerous. It’s good in that there’s an absence of any type of pressure or strain. However, there may be much less passive noise isolation on provide, so you’ll sometimes cop an earful of garden mower, however not usually sufficient to be annoying.

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

As for the controls, they’re the whole lot 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

As 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. However, the 7X is much more versatile than that, connecting to absolutely anything with a USB-C port—Nintendo Switch, 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 swap on the USB-C dongle, so that you might 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 case you’re utilizing it on a laptop computer, you’ll need to connect it to the adapter equipped, in any other case a few of your different ports might change into blocked.

A gem within the Arctis Nova 7X’s crown is the simultaneous Bluetooth performance that allows 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 choose over much less sensible options like RGB lighting.

There have to be a handful of causes I used it when testing the 7X – taking work calls or calls from my partner asking me to choose up milk and many others and many others… on my means residence from the workplace being simply two good ones. But by far essentially the most enjoyable was streaming my favourite blues album whereas enjoying just a few rounds of Insurgency, which was an actual hoot.

The 7X’s battery life can be very first rate. SteelSeries claims you rise up to 38 hours of audio playback utilizing the two.4GHz wi-fi connection, or a decent 26 hours of audio utilizing simultaneous Bluetooth. When you do go flat, the cans might be juiced again up in a short time; 15 minutes 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 various audio profile. I by no means observed any distortion both – in truth, the 40 mm drivers had been so persistently clear I discovered myself selecting it over a ton of different units.

I examined the PC video games Metro Exodus, Insurgency and Gloria Victis, and, after sinking just a few hours into these titles the headset’s strongest asset is unquestionably its mid-range tonal protection, which sounds exact, full and vibrant. The bass and treble by comparability gained’t have you ever calling residence to mama however gained’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 common, whereas the clunking and grinding of the mechanisms had been a satisfying reminder that I used to be on course.

In Metro Exodus I additionally received a style of the headset’s 360 Degree 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 software in Sonar, a part of the SteelSeries GG software program app to focus on particular sounds. Accentuating the EQ parameters for voices allowed me to higher 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 extremely immersive FPS expertise. Reassuringly too, I by no means skilled any sudden amplitude drops or jumps.

Switching to Gloria Victis and I used to be very impressed by the clear, emotive strings within the orchestral launch music which had me rearing to get happening some raiding. Similarly, the 7X labored a allure enjoying clean and melodious music like rock ballads, as judging by the nice and cozy acoustic guitar and soothing vocals in just a few tracks by Aussie singer Pete Murray.

How does the SteelSereis Arctis Nova 7X evaluate to rivals

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

But the actual 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 worth of $199.99 on the SteelSeries web site, which admittedly is somewhat dearer than each of those rivals that every value roughly $150 USD, however it’s value each dime for the additional performance in my view.

Should I purchase the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X?

The leap between the Arctis Nova 7X and its large sibling, the Arctis Nova Pro, 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 gained’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 would like and can use. What’s extra, the Nova 7X is the extra comfy possibility in my view, which on the finish of the day makes it a way more sensible purchase.