Let’s be honest: buying a gaming headset has become a real headache. You browse forums, watch YouTube reviews, read specs, and in the end, you’re more confused than when you started. With so many options out there, it’s easy to wonder if the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless is just another “overhyped” pair of headphones where you’re just paying for the brand, or if they actually make a difference in your daily life.
After countless hours of gaming (from chill exploration in Elden Ring to intense raiding in WoW), plenty of Zoom calls for work, and several podcasts on the go with my phone, I can say this—spoiler alert: They aren’t perfect (nothing is), but they are perhaps the “safest” and most complete purchase you can make right now for 2025-2026.
What’s in the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless (Gen 2) box?
Before we dive into the user experience, let’s see what you get for your money. SteelSeries didn’t skimp on the essentials. Inside the package, you will find:
- The Arctis Nova 7 wireless headphones.
- A high-quality USB-A to USB-C charging cable (1.5 m).
- The compact USB-C wireless dongle.
- A USB-C to USB-A adapter (a lifesaver if your PC is older and lacks a front USB-C port).
The dongle features that signature SteelSeries “wide” shape. It’s convenient, but if the USB-C ports on your laptop are side-by-side, it might block the adjacent port. It’s a minor inconvenience, but worth knowing.
First impressions: You’ll forget you’re wearing them
Personally, I have an issue with most headsets: after about two hours, I feel an annoying pressure on the top of my head (what we call “headset fatigue”). With the Nova 7, that problem simply vanished.
The secret lies in the elastic headband (ski-mask style) with the ComfortMax system. This band “floats” beneath the metal frame, so the weight is never placed directly on your skull; instead, it’s distributed evenly. You can adjust it to three different levels depending on your head size.
As for the ear cushions: the AirWeave cushions are fabric—and thank God for that! If you live in Greece and play during the summer with temperatures hitting 35-40°C, leather cushions are your worst enemy, as you end up sweating in 10 minutes.
Here, your ears can breathe. To be fair, the fabric doesn’t isolate external noise as well as leather does. If there’s a party going on in the next room, you’ll hear something. But the trade-off for comfort and coolness is 100% worth it.
The life-saver feature (Dual Wireless)
If there is one single reason to spend your money on this model, it’s the simultaneous connection. You can be connected via the dongle (2.4GHz) to your PC or PS5 and simultaneously connected via Bluetooth to your phone.
Why is this a game-changer? Imagine this scenario: You’re in the middle of a serious raid or a ranked match. Suddenly, your mom or a courier calls you. In any other case, you’d have to take off the headset, lose the game audio, talk, and then try to get back into the zone. With the Nova 7, you just press the button on the ear cup and answer.
The audio mixes automatically. You hear both the phone call and the game at the same time. It’s also perfect for listening to your own Spotify music from your phone while playing Nintendo Switch or PlayStation, bypassing console menus. It just works—no disconnections, no drama.
Sound: Where does the true power hide?
Out of the box, the sound is “solid.” It’s clear with good bass, but nothing that will leave you speechless. The 40mm Neodymium magnetic drivers do their job well, but the real magic happens when you download the SteelSeries Sonar software on your PC.
This part requires a bit of attention and experimentation: Sonar is arguably the best software on the market right now. It provides ready-made profiles tuned by pro players for almost every game individually.
- In Valorant or Counter-Strike, you can activate a preset that boosts footstep frequencies and lowers explosions. It literally feels like you have a “wallhack” for your ears.
- In Diablo or RPGs, you can emphasize the atmospheric soundscape.
If you play exclusively on a console, you unfortunately lose this level of customization (since the software runs on PC), but the performance is still top-tier for its category, especially with the PS5’s 3D Audio.
Microphone and battery
The microphone (ClearCast Gen 2) is fully retractable. It hides completely inside the ear cup, which I found incredibly convenient because I also use them as regular headphones while walking or on the metro, without anything awkward sticking out.
The voice quality is very clear. It features a bidirectional design (the same used by aircraft carrier crews, according to SteelSeries) and the AI noise cancelling does an excellent job. My friends on Discord stopped hearing the “clunk-clack” of my mechanical keyboard or the fan noise next to me.
As for the battery, that was a pleasant surprise. The company claims about 38 hours with both WiFi and Bluetooth on, but in my experience—with Bluetooth often turned off—I felt I got many more hours. Maybe it’s because I don’t always have them cranked to full volume, but the bottom line is: I charge them once a week and forget where I put the cable.
And the best part? Fast charging. I plugged them in for 15 minutes while making coffee, and it lasted through my entire night of gaming (about 6 hours). If you’re forgetful like me, this feature will save you.
Are there any downsides?
In order for this review to be truthful, we have to look on the downsides as well.
- Large ears: If you have larger ears, you might notice a small protrusion inside the ear cups (where the driver is located). Some people find this annoying after a long session; personally, I didn’t even notice it, but it’s a good idea to try them on first if you can.
- The software takes some getting used to: Sonar is incredibly powerful, but on the first day, you might get confused by the multiple virtual audio sources (Game, Chat, Media). It takes about 10 minutes of tinkering to get everything set up exactly the way you want it.
Is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless (Gen 2) worth it?
I won’t lie to you—at the €180-200 price point where they usually sit, the competition is fierce. But the Nova 7 wins on points because it is the ultimate “multi-tool.”
- Comfort for 10 hours of work and play? You got it.
- Simultaneous connection to PC, PS5, Switch, and mobile? You got it.
- A battery that never leaves you hanging? Here it is.
Final Verdict: If you’re looking for a headset that does everything very well, doesn’t look overly “flashy/gamer-y” when you go out, and has the best software on the market, the Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 is the top choice in the mid-range category. After a month with them, it would be hard for me to go back to anything else. It’s an investment that your head (and your ears) will thank you for.
If you want to learn how to print your own custom desk stand for your new headset, check out our latest 3D Printer reviews here.
We would like to thank our friends at SteelSeries for providing this review unit.