It’s not often that a popular gaming headset gets a full-blown generational makeover, but expectations are always high when they do. Steelseries has its work cut out for it with the Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 series, seeing how the original quickly became a best-seller after launching in 2022.
Three years on, the updated version promises 40% more battery life than before, along with smartphone app control, multi-format support and simultaneous audio – something that’s still a rarity on similarly-priced rivals.
The Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 is arriving with specific PlayStation, Xbox, and PC variants, but all three will play nicely with Nintendo’s Switch hybrid handhelds. A tiny bundled USB-C dongle makes swapping systems a breeze, too.
Being able to listen to both 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth audio at the same time is a big win if you use your phone for voice comms, or just like to pipe Spotify tunes in along with your game sounds.
Design-wise Steelseries knows not to mess with a classic, so you’re still getting a comfy combo of steel outer headband and adjustable fabric strap, paired to oversized ear cushions stuffed with memory foam. The firm’s second-gen ClearCast boom microphone fully retracts into the ear cup, so you can use the Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 for more than just gaming at home. The whole thing is an impressively light 326g.
Power, pairing, volume and mic mute controls are all found on the ear cups, along with a dedicated wheel for changing the game/chat sound balance. You’ll also be able to tweak things to your heart’s content using the Arctis smartphone companion app; it’s got an extensive list of game-specific EQ settings to pick from, so you can have pinpoint accuracy for multiplayer matches or a more immersive experience for single-player games.
Steelseries reckons you should see up to 54 hours of use from a full charge now, a big jump from the first gen Arctis 7. A 15 minute fast charge adds 6 hours of more play time, too.
The Arctis Nova 7P Wireless Gen 2 series is up for sale right now, in PlayStation, Xbox, and PC flavours. Each will set you back $200/£180/€200, and can be had in black, white, or magenta colours.
