Second Chance SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X Wireless Xbox Headset - Black

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless is a comfortable wireless gaming headset with a long battery life. I play many different types of games and every game sounds good, I hear clearly where sounds come from in games. The special Nova 5 app is a nice extra, but ultimately adds little.

First impression
I take the Nova 5 out of the box and immediately notice that the headset is lighter than the average wireless headset. The ear cushions are soft and fit completely over my ears. The headset does feel less sturdy than, for example, the Nova 7. The microphone is extendable and easy to bend. The headband is also easily adjustable.

Many connection options
After the first impression it is time for a gaming session. The Arctis Nova 5 is a wireless headset, which means that you can only connect the headset wirelessly. Fortunately, I find enough options for connecting in the manual. The headset has Bluetooth and a USB-C dongle. This allows me to easily connect the Arctis Nova 5 to the PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC. I cannot connect this headset wirelessly to the Xbox. Fortunately, SteelSeries has made a Nova 5 model for every platform, so you can game wirelessly on every platform.

Beautiful sound experience
I tested the Arctis Nova 5 with several games, from Helldivers 2 to Paper Mario. I also used the headset to listen to music. I actually always think the sound is beautiful and spacious. This is probably due to the special Nova Acoustic System, because even on the Nintendo Switch my games sound good. It sounds even better on PlayStation and PC because surround sound is supported there. The Nova 5 also has a special app that allows me to adjust the settings even further. In the app I can choose from more than 100 audio profiles for specific games, a nice addition, but I don't notice much difference between the profiles. Fortunately, I also adjust the volume of my microphone and other settings in the app.

Good battery life
When unpacking, I notice that the Arctis Nova 5 is quite light, which is very nice while gaming. But I was afraid that this would be at the expense of the battery. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth, I played for hours and the battery easily reached the promised 60 hours. So I don't worry about interrupting my gaming session.

Have used it intensively for a few weeks 12+ hours a day. It is very light, well adjustable to increase the comfortable aspect and also glasses friendly which is a plus. You can optionally use the app to adjust the sound depending on which game you are playing and you also have the option to dim the mic mute led light via the app. The only downside I have encountered is that the battery life does not reach 60 hours but an average of 37 hours after some tests.

This headset has been extensively tested. Been using it for a few weeks now.
So far very pleased with the Arctis Nova 5.

I really like the design of the headset. Completely black and super sleek. Exactly what I was looking for.
The headset is also very light, which improves wearing comfort. The headband and ear cups are both adjustable, so the headset fits me wonderfully. I can wear these for hours on end without really noticing.

The headset is wireless, so you can connect via the supplied dongle or via Bluetooth. The connection was successful quickly. Switching between the two options is also very easy.

The sound quality is excellent. Nice full and clear sound.
I installed the corresponding app on my phone. Pairing this with the headset was done quickly. The app is quite basic. Tried different audio profiles in the beginning. I couldn't tell much difference between the numerous options.
I have now set the headset to an audio profile of a game that I play a lot. I'm not going to change this anymore because I mainly play 1 game. As a result, the app has now actually become redundant for me.

I think the wireless range is very good. I can walk through the entire house without any disturbances or loss of sound. The battery life is also great! I can game for a long time without having to charge the headset in between. The headset will be full again in no time, after which you can continue for hours.

The quality of the microphone is crystal clear. According to the people who can hear me online, my voice is clear and audible. Perhaps a little too good. I take this into account by placing the microphone a little further from my mouth. This will mainly be because there is little or no noise reduction. Fortunately, the microphone is bendable, so no problem. After use, the microphone can be retracted, which I like.

The only downside I have discovered so far is the large dongle. I placed this in the front of my Playstation, so I can no longer use the USB port next to it. This port normally contains my cable for charging my controller. It's quite easy to solve but not ideal.

All in all, I am happy with my purchase. I think the price is commensurate with the quality. If this headset were to break in the future, I would buy the same one again.