SteelSeries Arctis Nova 61676

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X is a multi-system wireless gaming headset with best-in-class connectivity, a 60 hour battery, and a strong mic. Sound quality is a weak spot, and the build feels mediocre. At $129 USD it's a solid deal for multi-platform gamers, but music lovers should look elsewhere.

Let's talk about what this thing does well. The connectivity is genuinely best-in-class, sitting at the 97th percentile in our database. The 2.4GHz dongle gives you low-latency audio on Xbox and PC, while Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint lets you stay connected to your phone at the same time. That means you can take a call or listen to a podcast while still hearing game audio, which is something a lot of headsets at this price fumble.

The battery is also a standout. SteelSeries claims 60 hours on a full charge, and the fast charge gives you 6 hours from a 15 minute top-up over USB-C. That's one of the best battery figures we track, and it means you can realistically go a week or more between charges if you're gaming a few hours a night. The mic is strong too, landing in the 80th percentile. The ClearCast Gen2.X boom mic does a good job of rejecting background noise, which matters if you play in a shared space.

Now the less fun part. The sound quality is a weak spot, ranking in the 20th percentile. The 36Ω neodymium drivers are tuned for gaming, which means footsteps and gunshots get emphasized, but music and movies can sound thin or harsh. The ANC is also underwhelming at the 32nd percentile, so don't expect much passive or active noise isolation. And the build quality is mediocre, which is a bit concerning for a headset you'll be tossing in a bag.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the obvious comparison if you're willing to spend more. The Sony destroys the Arctis Nova 5X on sound quality and ANC, and it's a better music headset by a mile. But the Sony doesn't have a 2.4GHz dongle for low-latency gaming on Xbox, and its mic isn't as good for chat. If you're primarily a console gamer, the SteelSeries makes more sense. If you're a music listener who games occasionally, the Sony is the better buy.

The JBL Tune 670NC and Soundcore Life Q20 are both cheaper and offer better sound for music, but they're Bluetooth-only. That means higher latency for gaming, no Xbox wireless support, and no boom mic. The TOZO HT3 is another budget option with decent ANC, but again, it's not built for gaming. The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 is a different beast entirely, aimed at audiophiles with a much higher price tag and no gaming features. For pure gaming across multiple systems, the Arctis Nova 5X is the most practical choice here.

Pricing is a bit scattered depending on where you live. In the US you're looking at $129, while European buyers pay around €149 to €160. Canadian pricing is steeper at CAD 289, and Brazilian buyers face BRL 1,239. That's a wide spread, and the value proposition shifts depending on your region. At $129 USD, this is a solid deal for a multi-system wireless headset with this battery life and connectivity. At CAD 289, it's a harder sell.

Compared to the competition, the Arctis Nova 5X undercuts the Sony WH-1000XM6 by a wide margin, but the Sony is a much better all-rounder with superior sound and ANC. The JBL Tune 670NC and Soundcore Life Q20 are cheaper and offer better sound for music, but they lack the gaming-focused features and low-latency 2.4GHz connection. You're paying for the multi-system flexibility and battery life here, not for audio fidelity.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X is a wireless gaming headset that tries to do a bit of everything. It works with Xbox, PC, PS, Switch, and mobile over 2.4GHz or Bluetooth 5.3, and it packs a 60 hour battery. That's a lot of flexibility for a headset at this price point, and it's clearly aimed at people who game across multiple platforms and don't want to juggle three different headsets.

The headline feature is the companion app with over 100 audio presets tuned by esports pros and audio engineers. You can swap between them on the fly without leaving your game, which is genuinely handy if you want one profile for footsteps in Call of Duty and another for immersion in something like Elden Ring. The ClearCast Gen2.X mic is also a step up from older SteelSeries mics, and our data puts it well above average.

But this is a gaming headset first, and that shows in the sound profile. Our database ranks the sound quality near the bottom of the pack, and the build quality is mediocre. If you're looking for something to double as your main music headset, this probably isn't it. If you want a multi-system gaming workhorse with killer battery life, keep reading.

If you're primarily a music listener or want a headset that does double duty for movies and podcasts, skip this. The sound quality is a genuine weak spot, and you'll be disappointed every time you fire up Spotify. Look at the Sony WH-1000XM6 if you can stretch your budget, or the Soundcore Life Q20 if you want something cheaper with better audio.

Also skip it if you care about build quality. The Arctis Nova 5X feels a bit flimsy, and our data ranks the build in the 34th percentile. If you're rough on your gear or travel a lot, the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 is built like a tank, though it's a very different product. And if you need strong ANC for a noisy environment, this isn't the one. The JBL Tune 670NC or TOZO HT3 will do a better job of blocking out the world.

If you're a multi-platform gamer who wants one headset for Xbox, PC, PS, Switch, and mobile, the Arctis Nova 5X is an easy recommendation. The connectivity is genuinely best-in-class, the battery life is outstanding, and the mic is more than good enough for Discord or party chat. The 100+ audio presets are a nice bonus, especially if you play a variety of games and want to tweak the sound profile on the fly.

But if you care about music quality or want a headset that doubles as your daily driver for everything, look elsewhere. The sound quality is a real letdown, and the build feels cheaper than I'd like at this price. This is a gaming tool, not an all-purpose audio device. For pure gaming, it's great. For everything else, it's a compromise.