SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 Review

As someone who lives on the other side of the state from most of their friends, I often find myself playing online games to stay connected. Being able to communicate clearly without sacrificing game audio is a non-negotiable, so a good set of cans will always take priority over other peripherals. SteelSeries gear has been my poison of choice for some time now in this department, so I was keen to take the revised Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 out for a spin and see what new tricks it had up its drivers.

Straight out of the box, the Gen 2s retain the tried-and-true SteelSeries form factor that has done them proud for some time now. Sleek hard plastics make up the bulk of this pretty boy, with the headband rocking a metal frame and the cups boasting a cushiony fabric finish. The entire unit weighs in at 325 grams, which isn’t the lightest headset on the market, but the wonderful design distributes that weight perfectly. I spent long hours playing games, listening to music at my desk, and taking calls without suffering from the dreaded headset fatigue once.

Thankfully, these bad boys aren’t just comfortable; they bump out some pretty solid sound as well. The Gen 2s are rocking 40mm Neodymium Magnetic Speaker Drivers that provide a nicely balanced soundscape by design. Low, mids, and highs are all well represented, but the true potential is only reached when you open the SteelSeries GG software and whack on one of the many presets. I’m not one to tinker with EQs too much, so being able to flick on the Battlefield 6 preset and have the thumps of gunfire and piercing squeals of passing RPGs elevated even further is a godsend.

The audio quality of all the headsets in the more affordable Arctis range could be described as very solid, but the Gen 2 steps it up slightly in one other department. Headset mics are notoriously average across the board, and the offering here doesn’t exactly blow my hair back, but it is a good improvement on what’s come before. The flexible “ClearCast Gen 2” micwon’t replace a standalone microphone if you have one at your desk, but it definitely delivers a more convincingly human tone. It’s still a little on the tinny side, but my online companions noticed a positive difference, so we’ll pop that in the wins column.

Another major upside the Gen 2s boast is their dual connectivity. A sought-after feature in high-end units, the far more affordable Gen 2s rep this, with one source utilising the low-latency 2.4GHz receiver, while another can connect via Bluetooth. I’ll always appreciate being able to play music from my phone while messing around with my mates in games like Golf with Your Friends, so I appreciate this being made even easier. Better still, you’re able to assign an EQ preset to each connection type, so you don’t need to compromise your music audio in favour of an RPG.

That 2.4Hz receiver makes plug-and-play incredibly simple, whether it be connected to a Switch, PC, or a PS5.  With that said, I’ll never understand why the dongle is wider than a bus. The convenience of plugging in a USB dongle and immediately accessing ultra-fast audio is awesome, but I don’t know why it must come at the cost of blocking my other accessories, especially when USB-C ports can come at a premium. Yes, I can get an adaptor, but I shouldn’t have to.

I’ve mentioned the extreme comfort of the Gen 2s, but what’s the point of having a comfy headset if you’re forced to take breaks when it goes flat? Well, I don’t really know how to answer that, because I’ve only needed to charge these things once in my months of use. SteelSeries marketing touts 54 hours using 2.4Hz, 42 hours using Bluetooth, and 38 hours if you’re constantly running both. And you know what, I’d have to say reality isn’t far off that mark. Even if you do run out of juice, the fast charge capability will give you roughly six hours of use off a 15-minute power nap.

I’ll level with you, the Gen 2s will be my daily driver for quite some time. It’s not that they outperform higher-end models in terms of audio or mic quality, or pack in insane features; it’s that they’re easy to use and more than justify their modest price tag of $379 RRP. I don’t have to think when using this headset. The elastic headband means I’m not adjusting anything; the on-ear volume and chat mix dials are intuitive and simple, and the mic retracts into the left cup when I’m not using it. Take these quality-of-life features and add them to everything I’ve already mentioned, and the asking price begins to feel very reasonable.

Final Thoughts

While I wouldn’t rush out the door to upgrade if you’ve already got the first-generation Arctis Nova 7 Wireless, the Gen 2 is an easy choice for anyone after a stellar mid-range headset with solid audio quality and practical features. Outside of a few small gripes, this refresh of an already excellent headset is all too easy to recommend.