If you game on more than one device, you know the pain. One headset works on a PC, Refuses to talk to the Playstation, and runs out of charge halfway through a long session, so you end up with a drawer full of single-purpose pairs. This SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 review is about the one that tries to end that. After two weeks switching it between PC, PS5, and a Nintendo Switch, the honest verdict is that it comes closer to being the only headset you need than anything else I have worn.
Before I begin, the standard note: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through one, the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you, and it does not change what I play or what I write.
Design and Build
The Nova 5 keeps the look SteelSeries calls its Nova family: a rounded steel headband, blue anodized earcups, and a cushioned ski-goggle band across the top that spreads the weight so it never presses down on one point. At just over half a pound it is light on the head, and I wore it for four hour sessions without a sore spot, which is the best thing a headset can say about its fit.
The earcups rotate slightly and the band flexes, so the pair folds and lies flat enough to go in a bag, and the cushions stay plush over long sits. The microphone tucks away on the left when retracted, and a small dial on the earcup handles volume. Nothing flexes, rattles, or gives with the pull of a cable, and for the money the build feels reassuringly solid.
Key Features
The headline is the flexibility, and it is real. The Nova 5 connects three ways at once: a low-latency 2.4GHz signal over the included USB-C dongle, Bluetooth to a phone, and a 3.5mm wired option. That is the trick that makes it the one-headset answer. I ran the low-latency pair to a console and kept Bluetooth on my phone, and the head carried both streams at once without dropping or switching by hand. The wired input is there for the rare device with no wireless at all.
The second feature is the 100+ audio presets. Rather than one fixed sound, the Nova 5 lets you pull a different EQ for each game or genre, and the mobile app stores a handful onto the head itself so they work even away from the phone. The third is the enormous battery. At 60 hours the Nova 5 lasts a fortnight of normal play, which more than triples a typical wireless gaming headset.
Then there is the ClearCast Gen 2.2 microphone, which retracts out of the way when not wanted and cancels the background noise of a keyboard or a fan for the squad. Together they fill the box for the price in a way that is hard to argue with.
Real-World Performance
Here is where the specifications get out of the way and the two weeks become a diary. The flagship feature worked from the first night. I ran the 2.4 dongle in a PS5, kept Bluetooth tied to my phone, and the headset held both channels through a full evening without dropping a stream or running down. When a call arrived, its audio piped in automatically over my game, and I adjusted it with the dial. I never once had to unplug and replug.
The audio is good rather than mind-blowing, and that is a compliment at this price. Across a racing game and a shooter, the spatial sound placed footsteps and engine direction clearly, and the microphone kept my voice clean in a party, which is no small thing in the software. On the Switch in the dock the sound stayed clear and the light weight made a two hour session painless. Running music from the phone and game audio from the dongle at once, the built-in mixer kept both streams clean and controllable.
The battery held up as the label promised. After two weeks of a couple of hours a day across two consoles and the phone, I charged the Nova 5 only twice, and the USB-C top up finished quickly. There is, honestly, a limit: if you run it at full volume all day it drops below the headline number, but for a normal gaming rotation that 60 hour claim is very close to the real result.
An honest note on sound. The Nova 5 is tuned for games and sits a touch bass-forward and thinner in the mid, which flatters explosives and footsteps but is not the flat, neutral signature of a studio pair. For game audio and voice it is exactly right, and the presets let you pull a cleaner curve for music if you want one, so the choice is yours.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Truly wireless across PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, and mobile
- Around 60 hours of battery across the sessions
- Light, comfortable fit you can wear all day
- Dual wireless mixes game and phone audio at once
- Onboard presets and the app offer a flexible EQ
Cons:
- No Xbox wire connection on this model
- Sound is tuned for gaming, not for flat music
- Mid and treble are slightly recessed for some music
- Presets need the phone app to be set up
How It Compares
Against the Arctis Nova 7, an easy comparison, the Nova 5 wins on battery life (60 hours versus rough 38) and on price, while slightly ceding some of the fine imaging. The Nova 7, for its part, is lighter, but the Nova 5 matches its core dual wireless and add that longer charge. If battery is everything to you, the Nova 5 is the winner at the lower price.
| Feature | Arctis Nova 5 | Arctis Nova 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless | 2.4GHz and BT | 2.4GHz and BT |
| Battery | 60 hours | 38 hours |
| Presets | 100+ onboard | Engine |
| Consoles | PS, PC, Switch | PS, PC, Switch |
Against a HyperX and a rival Arctis, the Nova 5 wins on the flexible connection and the battery. If you only game on one console and never use a phone, a cheaper single wire set remains the honest value, but as soon as you own two devices the Nova 5 stops you from buying a second headset.
Who Should Buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5
Buy it if you play across a PC and a console and carry a phone in your pocket, and you are tired of a headset making you choose which one works today. For the multi device setup, this is the one set that does not make you swap the dongle or give up a call just because you are gaming. It is the headset for the person with a full station and no patience for switching cables.
Skip it if your entire time is one console and you never want a party call, or if you already own a wireless head from the Nova line you like; those people can save and not need the extras. You can check the current SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 price on Amazon when you are ready.
How We Test
I spent two weeks with the Arctis Nova 5 across a PC, a PlayStation 5, a Switch, and a phone on Bluetooth, and I judged it on the dual-wireless mixing, the battery life across a fortnight, the comfort in the long gaming sessions, the mic clarity, and the honesty of the marketed numbers.
I compared it against the Nova 7 and a HyperX at the side, so the verdict comes from a month of the same work, not the box. Independent reviews like RTINGS on the Arctis Nova 5 agree that it is one of the best multi console headsets for the battery and the fit.
If you are building a gaming setup, my mouse and keyboard reviews can round out the desk beside the headset. When you are ready, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 listing on Amazon shows the colors and the current price.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5: Questions People Ask
Will the Arctis Nova 5 work on my console?
Yes. It handles PC, PS5, PS4, the Switch, and mobile over Bluetooth. On PS5 it uses the USB-C receiver the regular way, and the Switch works through that receiver or over the wired 3.5mm option.
Does the 60 hour battery claim hold up?
Yes. After a fortnight of mixed daily use across a PC, a PS5, and a phone, I recharged the Nova 5 only twice, and I never hit the low battery warning during a session. Charge via USB-C was quick.
Are the audio presets useful or a gimmick?
Useful. The over 100 presets pick a different EQ for each title and store a handful on the head, so you can flip a preset for footsteps, music, or a flat reference without a phone nearby.
Is the microphone good enough for multiplayer?
Yes. The ClearCast Gen 2 microphone picks up clearly and the retractable boom is convenient. None of my party complained about voice quality, which is the test that counts.
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