James Trew for Engadget RATING : 8.4 / 10 Pros - True high-fidelity wireless audio for both games and music
- Multiple inputs
- Hot-swappable batteries
- Premium materials
- Mic sounds a little unnatural
- Very expensive
How much do you appreciate good audio in your games? Do you love it enough to splurge $600 on a wireless headset? What if that headset promised class-leading low latency? Or the ability to connect a PC, PlayStation and Xbox — plus a Bluetooth device — all at the same time? That — along with "infinite" power; an AI-powered, retractable microphone; and, of course, premium audio fidelity — is what Steelseries is offering with the Arctis Nova Elite wireless headset.
Steelseries is wandering into new territory with both price and functionality here. The Nova series is already popular, and the company is hoping to carve out a new category with the Elite, but the big question is, are we ready — or do we even need — hyper-premium gaming headsets? After several hours with this one, I think I have an answer.
Nova Elite hardware
James Trew for Engadget Obviously at this price, you're getting a little more than headphones tuned for gunfire and footsteps, with a boom mic attached. In fact, at first glance, you won't find a boom mic at all. This gives the Elite more of a desktop headphone aesthetic, and small gold touches and quality materials do give it a premium feel. Even the carry pouch feels high end.
It's the included "GameHub" interface that powers a lot of the premium features. There's a chunky dial that serves as both volume control and a way to navigate key settings on the interface, and a display for showing levels and other feedback. The GameHub is also what makes the Nova Elite interesting to creatives looking for a way to work with audio without the latency issues associated with Bluetooth, but more on that later.
For audio buffs, the big appeal here is 96kHz/24-bit audio without the wires. Gamers, along with video editors and creatives, have long lagged behind in the shift to wireless, or had to settle for minor inconveniences. There's a small caveat, though, in that Steelseries already offers similar freedom with the Nova Pro Wireless ($300) and the most of the high-end functionality in the newly-announced Nova Pro Omni ($400). The Elite differentiates itself with more luxurious materials, an extra (on-ear/standard) mic and carbon fiber drivers.
While the Nova Elite does feel high-quality, don't expect true audiophile levels of material finesse. When I compared them to the Sennheiser HD630 ($500), the Nova Elite does feel more expensive, with more weight in the ear cups and the reassuringly cold feel of metal in the headband hinges. Compared to something like the Meze Audio Liric, however, you are reminded this is a (very well made) consumer headset.
Unlike the neon-green Razer Blackshark Pro V3 on my desk, the Nova Elite doesn't scream "gaming headset." The mic is hidden, and the general design is more like something you'd expect from Sony or Anker. The dual-layered headband is comfortable, as are the ample earcup cushions — I'd happily use these as everyday headphones. The sage colorway is neutral but interesting enough to feel premium.
Gaming, music and audio
James Trew for Engadget Steelseries' 40mm drivers might not pack the low-end oomph of the 50mm Blackshark Pro V3, but that's about the only area where I would say the Razer feels more superlative. The Nova Elite sounds really well balanced and with much tighter bass than its competitor, with high-ends poking through more clearly. In fact, if there was one note I'd make on the overall sound profile it's that higher frequencies are sometimes a little too noticeable, which is sometimes preferable in a gaming context but a minor distraction for music and action scenes in movies.
Otherwise, the Nova Elite provides a grown-up sound profile that is easy to enjoy for extended periods, even at high volume. In fact, I might slightly prefer the sound stage on the Steelseries compared to the Sennheiser HD630, as it feels teeny bit more open with a touch more dynamic range. At least that's the case in my testing with predominantly electronic music, but I would still reach for Sennheiser for dedicated music listening in most cases. The active noise cancellation (ANC) is effective at reducing persistent background noises, but doesn't provide the true dampening experience you find with other premium headphones such as Sony's WH-1000XM6 or Bose's QuietComfort Ultra.
It's in straight gaming scenarios that the included GameHub audio interface makes all the difference. It delivers hi-res 96kHz/24-bit audio over 2.4Ghz wireless, with the option to mix up to four different audio sources at the same time. Connect any console, PC or even a phone to the USB ports on the back and mix between them via the hub's menus or the volume dial on the left ear cup. Click the volume wheel once and it'll control the mix between USB sources. You can listen to Bluetooth audio at the same time, but its volume in the mix is controlled on the respective device. Bluetooth media controls are sparse, making clever use of the connectivity button — play/pause and skipping tracks are available though single/double/triple click.
Perhaps the most interesting hardware feature is that "infinite" power system. There's a pretty huge asterisk there, in that it is, in fact, not infinite. But, it is close and it's a clever bit of design nonetheless. The GameHub has a slot that charges the removable headset battery. There are two batteries in the box and Steelseries states that if you can swap them out in under eight seconds, the headset will switch back on and music or audio will continue. It's pretty hard to do in eight seconds with the headset in your hands. Basically impossible while wearing it. In reality you have more like 15-20 seconds and it still works as advertised. It's not a truly seamless experience, but it's genuinely useful, so it's hard to grumble at the slight marketing oversell.
The batteries themselves last for a long time. It'll depend what you're doing with the headset, but so far I've been clocking 20-30 hours of use before swapping one out and that's under fairly heavy "testing" situations with multiple inputs, all day use and lots of casual listening over Bluetooth.
Mic check
James Trew for Engadget The Elite's microphone is retractable and neatly hidden in the left earcup, so you don't ever have to hunt for it, and it's easy to find thanks to a small pad you can locate with your thumb. The cable is bendy and it's simple to adjust or sliding back in when game time is over.
The microphone itself is decent but sounds a little crispy. You'll be really clear in the average lobby or chat, but something about it sounds processed, even with AI noise rejection turned off. The quality is still much better than most headsets, although it's not something I'd use if I were a guest on a podcast. Not that it sounds bad, just a little too isolated and processed. If you think that's a lot to ask of a headset mic, I'd point you to the Rode NTH-100 which doesn't have noise reduction, but sounds very natural. For recording audio, I'd rather have a little more control over how the mic sounds.
Software
As a standalone headset/headphone, there's little I would change about the audio on the Nova Elite. For gaming, I appreciate the option to tune things for certain games. In something like Disco Elysium, I want more of a music-tuned experience, but if I'm out on the saddle in RDR2, anything that helps me hear incoming horses is going to help keep me out of trouble. Steelseries' "GG" software comes bundled with a slew of presets for popular titles which may or may not be to your liking. If they aren't, there's a full EQ so you can create your own tuning. The software is also where you'll find some handy settings, like tweaking behavior if you receive a call mid-game, with options for mute, lower volume or simply do nothing.
In Bluetooth mode, the mobile app does a pretty good job of mirroring the desktop software. This at least allows you to adjust deeper settings without having to alt-tab out of a game. You also get visual feedback about battery life for the headset if you can't immediately glance at the GameHub.
Beyond Gaming
A huge benefit of the included GameHub interface is the added flexibility it brings. I have a Rodecaster Duo on my desk that I use as a primary audio interface. I don't record many podcasts at home, but I like that I can record audio from my phone or any other device easily. With three USB inputs, a line in and Bluetooth connectivity, but in a much smaller package, the Nova Elite is seriously making a case for itself to liberate the Duo from its permanent spot on my desk.
Not to mention, it adds a wireless component with incredibly low latency. I've tried editing video with Bluetooth headphones, but it's not long before I crave the immediacy of wires. With the GameHub, I can edit videos as if I were connected directly but with the freedom of wireless. In the past, I dabbled with using two pairs of headphones: a wired set for when audio quality and latency is priority and a wireless pair for casual listening. The Nova Elite is probably the best solution I've tried so far that can do it all.
Wrap-up
James Trew for Engadget Until the existence of the Omni, the Nova line was a bit easier to define. For gamers that wanted a high-quality, wireless headset, the Pro series was an easy recommendation. For those that wanted higher fidelity and a truly premium experience (and that didn't baulk at the price) the Elite was the top-tier choice. That's still broadly true, but the Omni makes the sales pitch on the Elite a lot harder. For $200 more, you're really dialling in on refinements and finish, as the Omni includes most of the headline features, such as hi-res audio and multiple USB inputs. The Elite does feel like a complete, premium headset for everything, but the price difference is also enough to narrow the appeal to a very specific group of discerning listeners.
