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With the recent release of the all-new Arctis Nova Pro gaming headset, we’ve been wondering if it really is a justified upgrade, or whether You’ll be ok sticking with the Arctis Pro. This will also be helpful if you’re in the market for a new gaming headset and are finding it difficult to choose between the two. In the last few years, SteelSeries has enjoyed great sales numbers and positive critical reception for their gaming keyboards, mice, and of course, gaming headsets.
So, let’s have a look at what each contender offers, what they do well, and what they do poorly. Perhaps by the end of this page, you’ll know where you stand in the SteelSeries Arctis Pro vs Arctis Nova Pro debate. Let’s take a closer look.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Gaming Headset
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless gaming headset
PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch
SteelSeries Arctis Pro vs Arctis Nova Pro: What’s the difference?
As with most gaming peripheral manufacturers, SteelSeries doesn’t exactly make it simple to figure out the differences. Normally you’d have to do this tedious homework yourself, but here at WePC, we strive to make the purchasing process as simple and enjoyable as possible so we’ve done the research for you and the results are both surprising and entirely unsurprising. Go figure.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro vs Arctis Nova Pro: The audio
With regards to specs, the audio experience should be pretty much identical, but there are a couple of distinct differences that could be noticeable by the more auditorially-inclined amongst you. First of which is the impedance, which is marginally higher on the Arctis Nova. This could mean a couple of different things. In an ideal world, it’ll mean the amp is more powerful which helps to prevent mix muddling at higher volumes which would be an improvement over the previous version.
Additionally, Stronger impedance makes the drivers less susceptible to interference. This is because the higher resistance means that errant background noise is less likely to make it in there. This is a positive aspect as most gaming headsets struggle with this when compared to dedicated audiophile headphones.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro vs Arctis Nova Pro: The design
This one is tricky to pin down as design is very much a subjective aspect of a product, but we’ll do our best anyway. The Arctis Nova Pro has changed very substantially from the original Arctis Pro, featuring a new shape, different materials, and an updated color scheme. Let’s take a closer look at what else has changed.
The most noticeable difference is the design of the earcups. Where the original Arctis Pro had a distinctly minimalist and utilitarian look, the Arctis Nova Pros have been redesigned with a shinier, more flashy vibe. SteelSeries have opted for an off-center circular protrusion bearing their logo. This appears to be somewhat of a trend in gaming headsets as of late as the Corsair HS65 Surround gaming headset we reviewed recently has an almost identical design. and we’re sure more headsets bearing this design will continue to worm their way out of the brickwork too.
They’ve also rethought the retractable mic feature. This time they’ve gone for a more streamlined system as the mic goes far enough into the headset to become fully flush. This is an improvement over the previous revision mic system as the mic protruded slightly which affected the smoothness of the overall silhouette and, from a more utilitarian point of view, was more prone to damage if dropped. The flush design of the new mic alleviates both of these issues and is one of the more important design changes from the original SteelSeries Arctis Pro.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro vs Arctis Nova Pro: The DAC
Happily, SteelSeries has retained its fantastic DAC (Digital-to-analog converter) design and not only has it been kept, but it’s also had an impressive facelift and we really like it. Let’s have a look at how the DAC included with the Arctis Nova Pro differs from the original Arctis Pro’s DAC.
The original DAC was a very functional piece of kit, allowing for unlimited use of the headset via the hot-swappable battery system wherein one charge in the DAC while the other powers the headset. However, the design of the Arctis Pro’s DAC was nothing short of utilitarian and it was the size of a small router, meaning it took up a little too much space which was particularly apparent on smaller desks.
The DAC for the Arctis Nova Pro, by comparison, has been redesigned from the ground up and we love the slimmer vibe. It’s no longer a brick and instead takes the form of an elegant module with rounded-off corners. Additionally, the volume knob is now flush with the casing instead of protruding out, this further reinforces the elegant overall design and it’s certainly a step up from the original.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Gaming Headset
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wireless gaming headset
PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Final word
Given the identical pricing at the time of writing, we have no choice but to recommend the newer Arctis Nova Pro as it features a far better DAC and the audio is superior to the Arctis Pro, at least on the surface spec-wise. Regardless of which one you go for you’ll be picking up a fantastic gaming headset that lives among the best of the best alongside such greats as the Astro A50 and Razer Kraken V3 Pro.
