Introduction

The successful Arctis Nova gaming headset lineup offers two wireless models: the powerful Nova Pro Wireless (reviewed here), possibly the best gaming headset money can currently buy, and the significantly more affordable Nova 7 Wireless. Coming in at $180/€200, the Nova 7 Wireless isn't exactly cheap, but even with such a price, it still costs half as much as the luxurious Nova Pro Wireless. Another interesting fact about the Nova 7 Wireless is that it's a spiritual successor to the long-term fan-favorite Arctis 7 Wireless. Granted, you can still buy the Arctis 7 Wireless from the official web shop, and it costs exactly as much as the Arctis Nova 7, but that would be a mistake. The new headset is better in every conceivable way.



Compared to the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, the Arctis Nova 7 Wireless omits the hot-swappable dual-battery concept, where you have a wireless base station that doubles as a battery charging station. It also doesn't have Active Noise Cancellation technology, and it swaps out the leatherette ear pads for cloth ones. Everything else is present, including simultaneous Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, a suspended headband design, an integrated ChatMix Dial, and wide platform support. The Arctis Nova 7 Wireless comes in three flavors. Aside from the "regular" Nova 7 Wireless, which we'll review here, there's also the PlayStation-oriented Nova 7P Wireless variant, with a blue inner headband, and the Nova 7X Wireless, with a green inner headband, and native Xbox support. They all cost the same: $180/€200.

Specifications

• Drivers: 40-mm dynamic (neodymium magnet)
• Impedance: 36 Ω
• Sensitivity: 93 dB
• Frequency Response (specified by the manufacturer): 20–22,000 Hz
• Design: Closed-back, over-ear
• Microphone: ClearCast Gen 2 (bidirectional, retractable)
• Battery Life: 38 hours (2.4 GHz only) / 26 hours (2.4 GHz + Bluetooth)
• Connectivity: Quantum 2.0 Gaming Wireless (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC), 3.5-mm analog
• Charging: USB-C (fast charging supported)
• Supplied cables: USB-C to USB Type-A (1.5 m), USB-C to USB Type-A dongle extension (1.5 m), 5-pole to 4-pole 3.5-mm audio cable (1.2 m)
• Extras: USB-C wireless dongle, simultaneous 2.4 GHz + Bluetooth connectivity, ChatMix Dial, removable magnetic ear plates
• Platform support: PC/Mac, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, mobile
• Weight: 325 g

The Package

Compared to the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, the box that the Nova 7 Wireless comes in looks and feels less luxurious and sturdy, but it still gets the job done. It depicts the headset, its key features, and technical specifications and even lists the contents so you know what to expect inside before opening it. The sides of the box are covered in quotes from various glowing reviews of the entire Arctis lineup.


Inside the box, you'll find the headset itself, the accompanying USB-C wireless dongle, two USB-C to USB Type-A cables, a 5-pole to 4-pole 3.5-mm audio cable, two removable magnetic ear plates, and a product information guide.