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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 gaming headset offers excellent value with a comfortable build and great audio and mic quality but isn’t ideal for large heads.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
Released in 2022, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is a closed-back wireless gaming headset featuring 40mm neodymium drivers and a frequency response between 20Hz to 22,000Hz. It offers a 33-hour battery life, and a 15-minute turbo charge gives six hours of playtime.
Like the best gaming headsets, the Arctis Nova 7 features a fully retractable, bidirectional boom mic. And you can customize EQ presets with the SteelSeriess GG app. And for options with great recording quality, check out the Astro A10 vs Astro A40.
The wireless SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 delivers impressive audio quality for gaming with its accurate directional cues, detailed midrange, and an emphasis on deep, rumbling bass sounds. However, dialogues lack detail due to a dip in the low treble.
However, the soft cloth padding, well-balanced clamping force, adjustable headband, and lightweight build (0.75 lbs) let you enjoy long gaming sessions. The microphone ensures crystal-clear voice recordings, though it doesn’t fully block out high-pitched keystroke sounds. Lastly, connecting to a PC via Bluetooth (SBC codec) results in noticeable lip sync issues during video streaming due to the headset’s high 235 ms latency. But its 29 ms latency over the wireless dongle is fairly low.
ReasonS to Buy
Good audio quality
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is well-suited for wireless gaming since it has accurate mids, and the bass-heavy sound signature emphasizes deep rumbles like explosions.
You can change the EQ presets to your preference through the companion software and experience more immersive sound placement with accurate directional cues.
Comfortable fit
The headphones are apt for long gaming sessions, thanks to their soft cloth padding, adequate clamping force, adjustable headband, and lightweight (0.72 lbs) build.
Clear microphone
The microphone ensures your voice sounds loud, clear, and clean. It rates a 7 out of 10 in microphone quality
Reason to Avoid
Mediocre low treble
Dialogues lack detail due to the dip in the low treble, which makes listening to in-game conversations challenging.
Limited extension
Gamers with large heads may find the headset slightly uncomfortable since the headband offers a limited extension.
High PC latency
When using Bluetooth with the SBC codec on PCs, you may notice lip sync issues during video streaming due to high latency (235 ms).
Steelseries Arctis Nova 7 Specs
Adjustable Headband
Yes
Auto-Adjusting Headband
No
Battery Charge Time
4 hrs
Battery Life
38 hrs
Built In Microphone
Yes
Compatible Platforms
Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
Connector Size
3.5mm
Detachable Mic
Yes
Driver Size
40mm
Earcup Foam Material
AirWeave Fabric
Headphone Fit
Over-ear
Max Frequency Response
22,000Hz
Min Frequency Response
20Hz
Noise Canceling
Yes
Programmable Buttons
No
Transparency Mode
n/a
True Wireless
No
Voice Assistant
na
Water Resistant
No
Weight
0.7 lbs
Wireless
Yes
Wireless Connectivity
RF, Bluetooth
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Gaming Headsets based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Max Volume (dB)
0
Microphone Sound Quality Rating (out of 10.0)
7
Speech To Noise Ratio (dB)
35.78
BT Latency (ms)
235
Non-BT Latency (ms)
29
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
17.818
High End Roll Off (Hz)
7,782.914
All Tests
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Released in 2022, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is a closed-back wireless gaming headset featuring 40mm neodymium drivers and a frequency response between 20Hz to…
Released in 2022, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is a closed-back wireless gaming headset featuring 40mm neodymium drivers and a frequency response between 20Hz to 22,000Hz. It offers a 33-hour battery life, and a 15-minute turbo charge gives six hours of playtime.
Like the best gaming headsets, the Arctis Nova 7 features a fully retractable, bidirectional boom mic. And you can customize EQ presets with the SteelSeriess GG app. And for options with great recording quality, check out the Astro A10 vs Astro A40.
The SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless has better microphone quality than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. It also boasts superior treble accuracy, so the dialogues sound…
The SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless has better microphone quality than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. It also boasts superior treble accuracy, so the dialogues sound clear, unlike the Arctis Nova 7’s subpar treble accuracy. However, the Nova 7’s build quality is sturdier than the 9X Wireless.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 includes a 1/8″ TRRS to 1/8″ TRRS cable for quick plug-and-play connectivity, whereas the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless doesn’t…
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 includes a 1/8″ TRRS to 1/8″ TRRS cable for quick plug-and-play connectivity, whereas the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless doesn’t support an analog connection. That said, the BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless offers a superior 70-hour battery life, which is more than double that of the Arctis Nova 7’s 33-hour battery.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 offers better bass and mid-accuracy than the Sony Inzone H9, and it also has superior microphone recording quality, with loud…
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 offers better bass and mid-accuracy than the Sony Inzone H9, and it also has superior microphone recording quality, with loud and clear speech. However, the Inzone H9 is better at blocking out traffic noise with its ANC, while the Arctis Nova lacks ANC. For more information, read our Sony Inzone H9 review. And to better understand how gaming headsets work, we’ve put together a guide for you.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is the upgraded version of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. Some enhancements include slimmer ear cups, a sleeker-looking headband, a…
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is the upgraded version of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. Some enhancements include slimmer ear cups, a sleeker-looking headband, a larger volume dial, and Bluetooth support.
Adjustable Headband
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
–
Auto-Adjusting Headband
No
No
No
No
–
Battery Charge Time
4 hrs
–
–
3.5 hrs
–
Battery Life
38 hrs
20 hrs
–
32 hrs
–
Built In Microphone
Yes
–
–
Yes
–
Compatible Platforms
Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
Android, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Android, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
