SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 Multi-System Gaming Headset Hi-Fi Drivers 360° Spatial Audio Comfort

The Arctis Nova 1 delivers average sound at the 60th percentile and a middle-of-the-pack mic at the 54th percentile. Build and comfort are both below average, ranking in the 30s. For $99, the wired-only design feels outdated when wireless competitors like the Soundcore Life Q20 offer more features for less cash.

The audio is driven by SteelSeries' custom-designed Nova Acoustic System, and it's fine. Not amazing, not terrible, just fine. The sound profile lands in the 60th percentile, which means it's about average for what we test. You can tweak things with the Pro-grade Parametric EQ in the Sonar software, which is a nice touch for PC players who like to tinker. The 360° Spatial Audio works with Tempest 3D Audio on PS5 and Microsoft Spatial Sound, so positional cues in games are decent. But for music, it's a weaker showing at 26.6 out of 100, and studio use is even lower at 25.2. This is a gaming headset first, and it doesn't pretend otherwise.

The mic has AI noise cancellation through the Sonar software, which helps a bit. It ranks at the 54th percentile, so your teammates will hear you clearly enough, but you won't sound like a podcast host. The wired connection is reliable with zero latency, which is the one upside of that 17th percentile connectivity score. You're not dealing with Bluetooth hiccups or battery anxiety, but you are tethered to your device. The on-board volume dial and mute button are convenient, though nothing you haven't seen before.

Stacked against the competition, the Nova 1 struggles to justify itself. The Sony ULT WEAR and Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 are in a different league entirely, with far superior sound and build, though they cost more. The real threat is the Soundcore Life Q20, which undercuts the Nova 1 on price while offering wireless freedom and ANC, areas where the SteelSeries doesn't even compete. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is overkill for this comparison, but the JBL Tune 670NC is another wireless option that beats the Nova 1 on connectivity and features. If you need a simple wired headset for multiple consoles, the Nova 1 works, but you're sacrificing a lot of modern conveniences that are available at the same price point.

At $99, the Nova 1 is priced like a budget-friendly entry into the SteelSeries ecosystem. But value is about what you get for the money, and the numbers here are shaky. You're paying for the brand name and the software suite more than the hardware. The sound is average, the build and comfort are below average, and you're stuck with a wire. Competitors like the Soundcore Life Q20 offer wireless connectivity and active noise cancellation for less, and they rank higher in our database. If you're dead set on SteelSeries, you're getting a decent gaming audio experience, but the price per performance ratio isn't great compared to what else is out there.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 lands in a weird spot. Its sound quality sits at the 60th percentile, which is solid but not spectacular for a gaming headset at this price. The mic is middle of the pack too, at the 54th percentile. You're getting a wired, multi-platform headset that promises Hi-Fi drivers and spatial audio, but the numbers tell a story of a jack-of-all-trades that doesn't really excel anywhere. The 3.5mm jack means it'll plug into just about anything, which is handy, but the connectivity ranking is a rough 17th percentile, dragged down by the lack of wireless options in a market that's gone mostly cordless.

Comfort is a big talking point for SteelSeries with their ComfortMAX System, but our data puts it at a disappointing 35th percentile. The build quality is even lower at the 38th percentile. For a headset that's marketed as durable and ultra lightweight, those numbers are a bit of a red flag. At $99, you're competing with some heavy hitters that offer wireless freedom and better overall scores, so the Nova 1 has its work cut out for it.

If you care about build quality or all-day comfort, look elsewhere. The Nova 1 ranks in the 38th percentile for build and 35th for comfort, which are some of the lowest scores we see in this price bracket. Anyone who wants wireless freedom should also skip this, the connectivity score is a dismal 17th percentile. And if you listen to a lot of music between gaming sessions, the 26.6 out of 100 music score will leave you wanting more. This is strictly for gamers who need a cheap wired headset and don't mind replacing it sooner rather than later.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is a wired workhorse that doesn't stand out in any category. The sound is passable for gaming, the mic is serviceable, and the multi-platform support is genuinely useful. But the below-average comfort and build quality, combined with the lack of wireless connectivity, make it hard to recommend when there are stronger options available for the same money. If you find it on sale for significantly less than $99, it might be worth a look for a kid's setup or a backup headset. At full price, you can do better.