I’ve postpone choosing up an sincere to goodness gaming headset for an embarrassing cause. In my audio adventures, when I’ve found a headset that sounds superb and does every little thing I would like, chances are high I am going to nonetheless set it apart for one quite simple cause: It’s simply not cute sufficient.
And when a gaming headset does meet my excessive requirements for cuteness, it’ll doubtless have needed to reduce corners some other place. Nicely, I could finally have fallen head over heels for a headset that’s each cute and nonetheless enjoys lots of the options I would need in-game.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X wi-fi headset ticks off ‘cuteness’ with flying colors. Although obtainable in quite a few interesting colors, together with black, white, and aqua, I’m in love with the lilac colourway. Correctly purple throughout with nary an unsightly emblem to distract, even the foam pop filter on the removable mic arm is lilac; it’s a reasonably pleasing strategy to a pastel colourway.
So, full marks for presentation—however does that imply that that is yet one more gaming headset that is all model and little else? Fortunately, no.
Arctic Nova 3X specs
Drivers: 40 mm
Battery life: As much as 30 hours through 2.4 GHz Wi-fi or 40 hours through Bluetooth connection | 15-minute USB-C quick cost presents as much as 9 hours of playtime
Connectivity: 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth
Worth: $110 / £100
To start with, construct high quality is completely pitched for this worth level. The predominantly plastic outer shell is under no circumstances creaky and will doubtlessly stand up to a tumble or two onto carpet. Adjusting the top and place of the earcups is a stunning easy movement, providing simply sufficient resistance to carry it in place however in any other case not requiring an excessive amount of effort to maneuver.
This headset additionally incorporates a floating headband design, with the headset’s 260 g weight balanced throughout an elastic strip quite than immediately upon your bonce. This elastic strap is held in place by two plastic posts on both aspect of the headset, plus three holes at the ends of the strap itself, which lets you regulate the place of this band to get it to sit down properly throughout your noggin. All of this sensible design, coupled with the large foam earcups, makes the Arctis Nova 3X an extremely comfortable headset to put on all day.
When it comes to high quality, it simply stands head and shoulders above my different beloved, although significantly cheaper purple headset. The JBL Tune 720BT continues to be attractive, however each press of its on-ear buttons betrays its comparatively missing construct high quality with a metallic twang. It is also far much less comfortable by means of prolonged put on.
That mentioned, the $110/£100 Arctis Nova 3X may nonetheless study a factor or two from even this finances, $90/£40 set of headphones. As an example, as somebody who wears make-up, I am lacking the choice of swappable earcups for the Arctis Nova 3X, or not less than ones created from a wipe-clean materials like my JBLs. Moreover, the SteelSeries is surprisingly gentle with regards to on-board buttons; on the left earcup, there’s solely a rounded mute button, a undoubtedly nonetheless welcome quantity dial, after which finally a single button that handles each turning the system on or off, pairing, plus switching between 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth connection modes.
The headset’s comparatively light-weight and removable mic arm makes it straightforward to take the Arctis Nova 3X out on the go, although the lack of a song-skip or pause button is a particular disadvantage. The truth that the SteelSeries headset would not have an IPX Waterproof score both also needs to make you suppose twice earlier than taking this on a tour away out of your desk—my aforementioned JBLs, on the different hand, are rated for a lightweight splash of water resistance.
The SteelSeries’ devoted mute button silences your microphone impartial of your video name software program settings, although I do preserve forgetting I’ve muted myself this fashion. Talking of voice chats, the mic right here is completely serviceable. The audio high quality is ok for voice calls of all types, and the removable arm itself could be very versatile whereas additionally holding its place properly too. Nevertheless, as you would possibly count on, the mic audio does get fairly bubbly and crunchy if you happen to pull it proper up near your mouth. So, it’s undoubtedly not an ideal little bit of equipment for any semi-pro voiceover work, nevertheless it nonetheless presents a humorous technique to underline the punchline of an in-joke over Discord.
Hearken to the microphone take a look at right here:
Each the SteelSeries and the JBLs I preserve banging on about additionally supply quick charging, with the Arctis Nova 3X headset particularly providing 9 hours from solely quarter-hour of cost time. However maintain your applause—the JBL Tune 720BT is comparable on this entrance too, although its as much as 76-hour whole battery life comfortably leaves the Arctis Nova 3X’s as much as 40 hours in the mud. For many, that simply means you are going to be charging the SteelSeries barely extra usually, however I used to be stunned by this stark distinction of hours given the large hole in worth between the two units of cans.
Alright, sufficient scene setting—how do SteelSeries’ lush lilac listeners truly sound? Contemporary out of the field, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X presents a reasonably well-balanced although flat sound profile. This default is ok for informal listening, although you are not out of luck if you happen to’re trying for one thing a bit of richer.
On Apple and Android gadgets, you’ll be able to obtain the SteelSeries Arctis Companion app. Whenever you join your SteelSeries headset, this lets you select from a wealth of game-specific EQ profiles, plus a smattering particularly for music-listening or movie-watching. In addition to the music EQ profiles designated ‘vivid’, ‘clear vocals’, and ‘punchy’, ‘deep bass’ was maybe my favorite of the bunch. To be sincere, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X aren’t the bassiest cans, however their 40 mm neodymium magnetic drivers do supply a shocking quantity of oomph with out muddying up the particulars.
I used to be much less enamoured with the so-called ‘clear vocals’ EQ profile, which appeared to shift the vocals off to the aspect whereas crushing down every little thing else round them. The clear dialogs and immersion profiles for film watching supply a lot crisper vocal sound with out smudging out any audio element so far as I may hear. In any other case, I appreciated the music listening expertise a lot that after hitting repeat on the soundtrack once more, I did begin to want I had performed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for the first time whereas carrying this headset—Une vie à t’aimer simply hits totally different with the deep bass EQ profile.
It’s also possible to create your personal customized EQ profiles too, although this requires but one other little bit of software program, particularly the SteelSeries GG desktop app. In addition to EQ noodling, this software program additionally means that you can fiddle with how a lot mic monitoring sidetone you want to listen to to reassure you that the mic is truly choosing up your voice and you have not by chance muted your self through the on-ear button once more. Helpful!
After tweaking an EQ profile to your coronary heart’s content material through the intuitive parametric UI, you’ll be able to then import the profile into the telephone app through your SteelSeries account. When you’ve already obtained a whole lot of SteelSeries equipment, this should not be a trouble, however I personally favor a lighter-weight software program expertise that does not require an account simply so I can tinker with my peripherals.
Anyway, Clair Obscur is one in every of a wholesome collection of video games that enjoys its personal devoted EQ profile right here—DOOM: The Darkish Ages is one other. Given how, in my final evaluation for the Razer Clio gaming chair headrest speaker, I dove into Doom Everlasting for the first time to check out its particular THX spatial audio sound profile, it appeared solely proper that I do a spot of shield-bashing right here too.
Taking to a soggy battlefield in DOOM: The Darkish Ages, I found the game-specific EQ profile sounded oddly crunchy over a Bluetooth connection. Taking a more in-depth take a look at Steelseries’ beneficial parametrics on this game-specific EQ profile, I may see that a whole lot of the treble-y, top-end frequencies have been dialled proper down—this went some technique to explaining the heftier low-end that emphasises footsteps and gun photographs, although it did not essentially account for the sort of hole sound general that I used to be listening to.
One may argue {that a} deep-fried sound profile is sensible for fight in opposition to the hordes of hell, however I used to be unimpressed with the game-specific profile for Hello-Fi Rush for equally finger-lickin’ causes. One thing undoubtedly wasn’t including up—for one factor, I used to be having a way more pleasing listening expertise through Bluetooth on my telephone, to not point out how Spotify on my PC was seemingly unaffected by no matter deep good friend nonsense was occurring in-game. To slim issues down, I examined the Bluetooth connection on one other machine. The bizarre compression continued even after a reboot, and likewise after swapping to my JBL headphones.
I reached out to SteelSeries immediately and, alongside a delicate reminder to make sure the Arctis Nova 3X’s firmware was updated through the Engine tab in GG, I used to be informed that the sound distortion I used to be experiencing could possibly be because of two EQ profiles being by chance utilized directly through the GG software program. That is doable as a result of Sonar presents digital processing at a software program stage in your PC, whereas the Engine portion of the program immediately interacts with the settings of the bodily headset itself—in order that’s two totally different ‘layers’ the place an EQ profile could possibly be utilized.
I used to be suggested to double-check that the Engine tab was set to the Flat EQ profile earlier than I dove again in-game. It seems that Dolby Atmos can have an analogous impact, stacking an EQ in your sound output earlier than it even passes by means of your SteelSeries GG settings. In that case, making use of the Flat EQ profile in each the Sonar and Engine tabs ought to assist.
I used to be additionally informed that the distinction could possibly be all the way down to which Bluetooth codec your system makes use of—for instance, the unique Nintendo Change solely helps the normal SBC Bluetooth codec. SteelSeries additionally helps better high quality, low-latency Bluetooth codecs reminiscent of LC3, however not all of my gadgets are going to have the ability to make the most out of that.
EQ stacking is an annoying quirk of the GG software program, however simply addressed. As soon as I crossed these peaks and dotted these valleys, I found that the in-game audio over a Bluetooth connection was considerably improved, if not just a bit sibilant and compressed round the top-end frequencies. And, to reiterate, this is not an issue I am encountering whereas listening to my tunes over Bluetooth both on PC or my telephone—it’s simply in-game.
Anyway, in spite of everything of that, then I took the 2.4 GHz mode out for a spin, and I found what the Arctis Nova 3X is basically all about. The dongle included in the field comes with a USB-C connection for consoles, however may be slotted into one other dongle like a Megazord for a USB-A connection. Fortunately, SteelSeries GG’s EQ profiles play a lot better over the Arctis Nova 3X’s low-latency 2.4 GHz connection, finally providing audio high quality that basically is banging.
Hearken to the poetry studying microphone take a look at right here:
Over a 2.4 GHz connection, in-game audio is evident, detailed, and splendidly immersive. As an example, Hello-Fi Rush enjoys a refined bass increase that brings the rhythm working by means of its coronary heart to much more vibrant life with out upstaging the particulars of its brash soundscape. DOOM: The Darkish Ages is bolstered by its personal game-specific EQ profile, too. Gibbing demons is all the extra immersive for one factor, as you actually hear the viscera splatter throughout environments that might’ve carried out with a deep clear lengthy earlier than all hell broke free. The slayer’s footfalls get pleasure from an actual sense of heft right here, too, making it an absolute pleasure to crash by means of Khalim and past; with my beautiful lavender listeners, I actually do really feel like the chunky inexperienced man himself.
And as for my beloved Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, properly, let’s simply say I am significantly contemplating a brand new recreation plus run—gotta scoop up these baguette weapons someday, proper? Lengthy, winding story quick, 2.4 GHz mode is the manner to play if you happen to’re in any respect thinking about SteelSeries GG’s game-specific immersive EQ profiles. Whereas my expertise with these over Bluetooth left me fairly grumpy, all was forgiven as quickly as I plugged in that 2.4 GHz dongle. It will possibly really feel like a faff to recollect to pack a dongle for wi-fi headphones, however this actually is the connection the place the Arctis Nova 3X is at its finest.
BUY IF…
✅ You need versatile headphones comfortable for all-day put on at your desk and on the go: Whether or not you are out and about or chained to your desk, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X covers all the bases with model.
✅ You are all about pastel blue or lilac: These single-tone colourways are exceptionally fairly.
DON’T BUY IF…
❌ You wish to connect with a number of Bluetooth gadgets directly: Alas, the Steelseries Arctis Nova 3X lacks multi-point connection. You’ll be able to swap between Bluetooth and a pair of.4 GHz mode with a faucet of the energy button, however these aren’t meant to work in tandem.
In any other case, there’s nonetheless so much to like about this comfortable, to not point out trendy, headset—however is it the finest gaming headset on the market? For a begin, it’s undoubtedly not boasting the beefiest wi-fi headset battery—that honour goes to HyperX Cloud Alpha Wi-fi—although quick cost does go some methods to creating the as much as 40-hour battery really feel much less like it’s holding you again.
That mentioned, the equally priced Turtle Seashore Stealth 600 (Gen 3) presents twice as a lot play time alongside quick cost. However with regards to comfortable all-day put on, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X has our high choose for the finest mid-range wi-fi gaming headset beat, because of its general lighter weight and floating headband design.
If consolation and flexibility actually are your chief considerations, plus you do not thoughts spending just a bit extra, the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds stay our favorite earbuds for gaming, providing nice sound from completely tiny 6 mm drivers. However do they arrive in purple, although? Apparently not, as an alternative restricted to black and white colourways alongside the double-take-worthy ‘Glorange’. So, for my cash—and my rigorously curated color scheme—the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X are nonetheless the ones to beat.
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