For avid gamers, a good headset can make all the difference in having an immersive gameplay experience. While wired headsets offer good sound quality, their connection cable can limit your movement and clutter your gaming setup. Alternatively, there are wireless gaming headsets, which connect to your devices via Bluetooth, allowing you to move freely while you’re gaming. The more advanced models also feature surround sound, noise-canceling mics, and a long-lasting battery life, with some even offering 2.4 GHz connectivity, which virtually eliminates audio delay, something crucial for playing competitive multiplayer games. For a wireless gaming headset that can deliver great sound on any gaming platform, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless are a very solid choice.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless is a multi-platform wireless gaming headset that features ultra-detailed sound powered by custom-designed 40mm Neodymium Magnetic drivers, 360º Spatial Audio for hearing in-game sounds from every direction, and a ClearCast 2.X detachable boom microphone that delivers superior voice clarity at 32KHz/16-bit bandwidth. The headset also boasts on-ear controls, dual-wireless connectivity with Bluetooth 5.3 and high-speed 2.4Ghz wireless, a Quick-Switch Wireless function to seamlessly switch between connection modes, multi-platform compatibility with Xbox, PS4/PS5, PC, Mac, handheld consoles, smartphones, tablets, and VR headsets via a USB-C dongle and a USB-C to USB-A adapter, up to 40 hours battery and 15-minutes USB-C fast charging for 9 hours battery.
Via the Arctis Companion app, you’re offered over 200 audio presets tailored for top games like Call of Duty and Fortnite for a more immersive audio experience, and two save slots for keeping separate EQ sound profiles for 2.4GHz and Bluetooth audio.
Designed for gaming, this wireless gaming headset delivers comfort, convenience and superior quality audio across all platforms, making it a great option for both casual and hardcore gamers.
Here’s our review of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless, where we talk more about all the unique features this wireless gaming headset has to offer you.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the headset’s dimensions, this wireless gaming headset has a relatively sleek size, measuring just 6.89 inches long by 3.58 inches wide by 7.32 inches tall. The headset is also extremely lightweight, weighing just 9.17 oz. (260 g), so it won’t feel heavy on your head or neck, even when wearing it for long periods of time.
In addition to being noticeably lightweight, the headset is also built with comfort in mind. It comes equipped with height-adjustable, rotating ear cups padded with soft memory foam and covered with SteelSeries’ breathable AirWeave cloth material, which provide a truly comfortable fit while also creating a tight seal around your ears, ensuring an immersive sound.
The headset is also designed to fit any head, coming equipped with a flexible, stretchy fabric headband integrated with a telescopic hinge that can have its height adjusted on both sides with four adjustment points.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless also sports a stylish design, coming in a solid color, for which you can choose between Black, White, Aqua (Light Blue), and Lavender (Light Purple).
Furthermore, the headset also packs a durable construction, as it’s built of ABS plastic, while its dual-hinge design adds some extra durability to it.
AUDIO SPECS & AUDIO QUALITY
Moving on to the headset’s audio specifications and audio quality. For delivering its ultra-detailed sound quality, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless comes equipped with a set of custom-designed, high-fidelity 40mm Neodymium Magnetic drivers powered by SteelSeries’ Arctis Sound technology, which produce crystal clear highs, pinpoint mids, and a deep bass.
Thanks to that, the headset can create a rich and highly detailed soundscape, allowing you to hear every single audio cue like footsteps and other key sounds better than you would with most standard wireless gaming headsets, giving you a truly immersive listening experience in-game.
The headset is rated to have a sound frequency response ranging between 20Hz to 22,000Hz, a maximum sound sensitivity of 107dB (at 1kHz/1mW), a sound impedance of 36 ohm, and a total harmonic distortion under 1%.
What’s more is that the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless also feature 360º Spatial Audio, a sound software setting that enables the headset to deliver a surround sound-like audio, which lets you easily hear sound from every direction for full immersion and 360º directional awareness, which is particularly useful in competitive multiplayer games.
This sound setting is supported on Xbox via Microsoft Spatial audio software, on PS5 with Tempest 3D Audio, and on Windows PCs via SteelSeries’ Sonar Audio Software Suite.
Lastly, the headset also comes equipped with a ClearCast 2.X detachable boom microphone that delivers superior voice clarity with a high-bandwidth supporting 32KHz/16-bit audio, giving you approximately two (x2) times the clarity and badwidth offered by wireless gaming headsets with lower-end mics.
The headset’s microphone is rated to have a frequency response that varies between 100Hz to 10,000Hz and a sound sensitivity of -12dBV/Pa.
Its microphone also comes with a removable pop filter.
INTERFACE / BUILT-IN CONTROLS
For controlling the headset’s operation and adjusting its sound settings, the Arctis Nova 3X Wireless features built-in on-ear controls on the back of its left earcup.
Going from the back of the headset’s left earcup towards the front, we have a microphone mute button, a volume dial, a Power and Quick-Switch button (used for powering the headset on and swapping between Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz), a USB-C charging port, and the headset’s mic port (for plugging its detachable boom microphone).
The headphone’s Quick-Switch button is also used to answer calls when having it paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth.
CONNECTIVITY
For its wireless connectivity, this wireless gaming headset features dual-wireless connectivity, supporting both Bluetooth 5.3 and high-speed 2.4Ghz wireless connectivity (achieved via a USB-C wireless dongle).
The headset also features a Quick-Switch Wireless function that enables you to seamlessly switch between Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz.
As for its compatibility, the Arctis Nova 3X Wireless offers multi-platform compatibility with Xbox (Series X, S, and Xbox One), PS4 and PS5, Windows and Mac computers and laptops, handheld consoles (Nintendo Switch, ROG Ally, and Steamdeck), along with iPhones and Android smartphones, tablets, and VR headsets via its included USB-C dongle (plus its USB-C to USB-A adapter if your system only has USB-A ports).
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
For its power, the headset comes equipped with a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that can offer up to 40 hours of battery life on Bluetooth connectivity or up to 30 hours with 2.4Ghz wireless.
To recharge the headset’s battery, simply connect its USB-C charging cable to its USB-C charging port.
The headset also supports USB-C fast charging, which gives you around 9 hours of battery with just 15 minutes of charging.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The Arctis Companion App
You can also install the Arctis Companion app on your smartphone (available to download for free for iOS and Android devices) for configuring and adjusting the headset’s sound settings.
Via the Arctis Companion app, users can choose from over 200 audio presets that have been tailored for top games such as Call of Duty, Fortnite, Minecraft, GTA V, and more, making it even easier to hear specific sound cues like footsteps, weapon-reloads, bomb plants, etc., allowing for a more immersive audio experience.
The app also features two save slots for keeping separate EQ sound profiles for 2.4GHz and Bluetooth audio.
Additionally, the app also displays the headset’s currently connectivity method and remaining battery level, and features digital controls to mute the headset’s microphone and adjust its volume level (including a sidetone setting), and a volume limiter that users can toggle On/Off.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside their package users will find: their SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless Headset, along with the headset’s microphone pop filter, its USB-C wireless dongle and USB-C to USB-A adapter, a USB-C charging cable (1 ft. / 0.3 m), and a user manual.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless is available in four stylish color options: Black, White, Aqua (Light Blue), and Lavender (Light Purple).
If you’re interested in purchasing this wireless gaming headset, know each unit goes for $109.99. You can order it online either directly from SteelSeries’ official shopping page, or you can get it from Amazon.
