At first we would like to thank SteelSeries for offering the Arctis Nova 7P Wireless Gaming Headset for testing and reviewing.

 

About SteelSeries:

"From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making high performance gaming gear used by the most demanding, top professional gamers worldwide and peripherals that provide superior quality and a competitive edge to gamers of all skill levels. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying!

 

What originally began with two people who recognized the need for superior, high-quality/performance gaming gear that would give gamers a competitive edge, has grown into a global leader in gaming and entertainment gear sought after for their high performance capabilities.

 

Fast-forward to today, and we’ve come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

 

While we are proud of our technology and product innovation, we are even more excited about how these products are developed to meet the needs of gamers. Many companies may claim to develop superior gaming products but few actually do. Instead, they spend countless hours with lab engineers trying to force fit a new technology with bells and whistles and mediocre functionality for the end-user.

 

At SteelSeries, we develop our products with a small internal team and a vast network of technology partners, channel partners, game publishers, and gaming communities around the globe. We aren’t afraid of being challenged and implementing new ideas. Our main goal is to always to listen to the collective feedback of our professional gaming community.

 

We won’t bore you with cheeky slogans, trying to underline our authenticity as gamers. We fully acknowledge that the best professional gamers in the world know more about what they want and what will make them better, than we do. We are proud to be working with our partners, but we can’t take credit for their invaluable input and feedback. Instead we tell it like it is: they help us. We want to know what works and what doesn’t. For this reason, SteelSeries creates innovative solutions that provide a competitive advantage for all gamers.

 

Critical to our company’s success is also our reinvestment in the gaming communities and the individuals who support them. As a result, our corporate philosophy is to take a substantial portion of our revenue and put it back into the gaming community to help spur industry growth. We support our community in numerous ways, ranging from co-hosting tournaments like Iron Lady and King of the Hill, and supporting gaming competitions of all sizes, to promoting the top and up-and-coming gaming teams/organizations.

 

Put simply, SteelSeries does not claim to invent or reinvent the gaming industry. Nor do we focus on one specific product, copy other companies or follow the crowd.

 

Instead we leave it to you, the gamer, our customer/partner/inspiration, to decide if we are deserving of such declarations and accolades. What we do promise, however, is to remain committed to you. We will continue to work with you and the gaming community to make the best products possible and give you that competitive edge. We will continue to do our best to support the growth of the professional gaming industry and give back to the gaming communities. By doing so, we don’t just talk a good game, we win!"

Nova Acoustic System

Challenge your perceptions of gaming headsets with the best-in-class Nova Acoustic System, with powerful, custom-designed High Fidelity Drivers. Crystal clear high notes, precise mid-range, and deep bass fills your ears as the drivers work together with SteelSeries Sonar Audio Software Suite.

Hear an opponent's position with 360° Spatial Audio and immediately identify the direction for your next move. Immersive audio surrounds you from every angle, putting you at the center of the action for an in-game advantage.

Take complete control over your sound with the Pro-grade Parametric EQ, a first in gaming. SteelSeries Sonar Audio Software Suite gives you X-Ray Hearing to identify footsteps and other key in-game sounds enabled by presets from esports pros to gain the advantage.

 

Multi-Platform Support with Simultaneous Wireless

Play and communicate your way. Seamlessly swap between multiple devices with the pocket-size USB-C dongle*, bringing 2.4GHz wireless to your PlayStation, PC, Mac, or Switch.

 

USB-C

Utilize the latest USB-C connection to charge the headset for maximum flexiblity, no more carrying multiple cables.

 

38 Hour Battery Life

With 38 hours of playback, that's over a day and a half of continuous use, keeping you connected to your favorite gaming world for as long as you need.

 

Fast Charge

Get back into the fray quickly with the USB-C Fast Charge function, bringing 6 hours of use after just 15 minutes.

 

AI-Powered Noise - Cancelling Microphone

Free your in-game comms from keyboard clacking and your squad's bad microphone placement. Sonar Software's ClearCast AI algorithms silence noise from both incoming and outgoing team chat for perfect audio. The broadcast-quality ClearCast Gen 2 mic reduces background noise by up to 25dB on any platforms and completely retracts into the earcup.

 

ComfortMAX System

Ideal for long sessions, the Arctis Nova 7P Wireless features expanded fitting options with 4 points of adjustment. Easily find the perfect fit with new height-adjustable rotating earcups, a stretchy overhead band, and breathable AirWeave memory foam cushions. Constructed around a PVD-coated steel headband, the all-new design is up to 14% lighter than previous generations.

 

Onboard Controls

Stay in the game with controls right at your fingertips. Easily adjust the volume of the headset, balance how much of your voice you hear with Sidetone, mute your mic quickly, or answer calls using Bluetooth all with the touch of a button.

 

Speaker Drivers:

Neodymium Drivers: 40 mm

Headphone Frequency Response: 20–22,000 Hz

Headphone Sensitivity: 93 dBSPL

Headphone Impedance: 36 Ohm

Headphone Total Harmonic Distortion: < 1%

360° Spatial Audio: Supported

 

Microphone:

Microphone Type: ClearCast Gen 2 - Fully Retractable Boom

Microphone Polar Pattern: Bidirectional Noise Cancelling

Microphone Frequency Response: 100-6500 Hz

Microphone Sensitivity: -38 db

 

Simultaneous Wireless:

Battery Life: 38 Hours - 2.4GHz Quantum 2.0 Gaming Wireless (26 Hours - 2.4GHz Quantum 2.0 Gaming Wireless + BT)

USB-C Fast Charge: 15 mins for 6 hours play

 

On-Ear Controls

Volume dial, Sidetone, Power, Pairing, Bluetooth, Mute

 

Thanks to SteelSeries, in our test labs we have recently received the wireless version of the headset from the Nova series, the Arctis Nova 7P. The Nova 7 family is composed from the regular Arctis Nova 7 meant mostly for PCs and mobile platforms and comes with ChatMix Dial, Volume Dial and Mute on-board controls, the Nova 7P which replaces the ChatMix Dial with a Sidetone Dial, its headband is now blue instead of black hence better compatibility with Playstation consoles, while the Xbox version (Nova 7X) comes with the green headband, the other details being identical with the Nova 7 vanilla. The drivers throughout the Arctis Nova range are identical and have been tuned for clarity but also for low frequencies.

 

The Arctis Nova 7P wireless has arrived in a medium-sized cardboard enclosure, sporting the iconic blue accents of the Sony consoles. Right from the frontal area, SteelSeries is advertising the dual wireless system (low latency 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth, which can also operate at the same time), but also shows a summary of compatible platforms:

 

 

 

On the side of the box, we will find some of the awards SteelSeries has received recently regarding audio products:

 

 

 

The opposite area does show the list of included hardware bundle, example of cable connections depending on the audio source, but also the technical specifications concerning the headphones and the microphone:

 

 

 

On the back, the manufacturer does describe the main highlights in more detail:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box, we will note an internal enclosure with the GLHF initials:

 

 

 

Lars is the SteelSeries mascot and with the offered cardboard material we can build a small figurine:

 

 

 

The headset is fully protected inside a fabric bag and sits on the top layer:

 

 

 

The bottom layer is occupied by the hardware bundle:

 

 

 

Here we will find the cables, along with the wireless dongle:

 

 

 

 

Inside the manual we will learn of the usage modes, the status LED behavior, the charging procedure, the Bluetooth pairing mode and more:

 

 

 

The USB-A to USB-C cable (1.5m) does help with charging purposes:

 

 

 

The USB-A to USB-C extender cable (1.5m) does help with using the dongle as far away from the computer as possible to reduce interference:

 

 

 

A 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable (1.2m) is available for connecting to analog sources:

 

 

 

The USB-C dongle ensures compatibility with the latest systems and does not take a lot of space:

 

 

 

The USB-C RF dongle supports the Quantum 2.0 Gaming Wireless which implies ultra-low latency, no packet loss and great efficiency. If the dongle is not properly paired with the headset, a dedicated button to initiate this action is readily available:

 

 

 

The frontal area of the dongle does also include a status LED:

 

 

 

The dongle is also marked with the internal code name, FCC ID, serial number but also the power rating:

 

 

 

The Arctis Nova 7P does retain the same design elements we have seen with the previously reviewed Nova 3, with an all-black plastic chassis; protective material is included in the microphone area but also on the headband:

 

 

 

 

The cups can be swiveled for maximum comfort, while the AirWeave memory foam airpads are slimmer versus the previous Arctis models. Unlike the Nova 3, the Nova 7P does not come with the stereo channel markings on the inside:

 

 

 

On the right cup, we do have the Bluetooth but also the Power Button, with their individual LEDs. The Power button starts up the wireless function, while the Bluetooth can be powered on right afterwards; however, we also can turn on only Bluetooth, while keeping the wireless function on, for great flexibility!

 

 

 

The Sidetone dial is next:

 

 

 

Moving on, we will note the USB-C charging port, which will be also used for firmware updates:

 

 

 

The left cup comes with the Microphone mute button:

 

 

 

Nearby we did also locate the Volume wheel:

 

 

 

The retractable microphone is easily manageable, and it is our preferred solution over the removable designs:

 

 

 

The 3.5mm jack port is also available on the left cup:

 

 

 

The overhead band with adjustable points now comes in blue, to easily identify the headset as a Playstation compatible product:

 

 

 

 

The band can be removed as well, and we can replace it with another model (as seen from the SteelSeries website):

 

 

 

 

On the interior of the headband, SteelSeries has noted the stereo channels:

 

 

 

The ComfortMAX system ends with the independent adjustment of the headband, on each side; the new PVD-coated steel headband does ensure the new chassis is about 14% lighter than the previous generation:

 

 

 

 

The microphone can be easily extended and retracted and comes with a very flexible body:

 

 

 

 

Before using the headset for the first time, we made sure to charge it properly:

 

 

 

To access the additional features of the Arctis Nova 7P, we’ll have to install the unified SteelSeries GG software:

 

 

 

The software includes multiple functions, but the ones we will concentrate on are Engine and Sonar:

 

 

 

The headset was immediately detected, and we were prompted to perform a firmware upgrade:

 

 

 

Before the actual process, we will be informed that both dongle and headset need to be connected in wired mode:

 

 

 

The update process will take quite a bit of time, but a progress bar is displayed to have an estimate:

 

 

 

The interface does also display the remaining battery life, after the headset has been turned on:

 

 

 

The Engine interface is quite simple and includes an EQ in the Audio tab, along with different EQ presets, we can adjust the microphone volume, enable Preview but also enable/disable the Volume Limiter function:

 

 

 

Here are the EQ presets we can choose from:

 

 

 

In the Settings area, we will be able to adjust the power-management features, but also some Bluetooth-related options. The microphone LED brightness during Mute is also customizable:

 

 

 

Sonar takes the functionality a step further and has a wizard process we can go through:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mixer volume controls can be adjusted in the first tab, including the ChatMix feature:

 

 

 

In the Game tab, we can configure a custom EQ:

 

 

 

Surround audio can be also enabled from the same section, including Gain and Smart Volume:

 

 

 

Chat and Microphone sections have similar options, beginning with custom EQ and ending with AI Noise Cancellation, Noise Reduction, Noise Gate and Smart Voice filters:

 

 

 

 

 

 

When compared to the Arctis Nova 3, the Nova 7P sports a very similar sound signature, since it is using the same set of custom speaker drivers, 40mm with a frequency response between 20 and 22kHz. We tested the headset in both multimedia content and games, and we really enjoyed the combination of crisp highs and great sounding lows, even when using the default EQ. The price difference exists because of the WiFi/BT convenience, which does even allow listening to two sound sources at the same time, the great battery life during a single charge (38 hours) with fast charge support and overall, we are getting increased liberty of movement given the operating range.

 

Due to the lack of tethering via USB wire, the comfort is increased as well versus the cheaper model and we do really appreciate SteelSeries did not include RGB lighting with this model since it would only reduce the headset autonomy.

 

The ClearCast Gen 2 microphone is great in terms of voice clarity, and we noted that the noise cancelling feature can be improved even further by using the Sonar A.I. functions.

 

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P can be found online for about 164 Euros and extra accessories are available for it from the SteelSeries online store, such as the headset stand, the Nova Booster packs or the leatherette ear cushions.

 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P Wireless Gaming Headset is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to SteelSeries for making this review possible!