SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi: I evaluate the 2 titanic premium headsets so you do not have to

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi matchup has simply develop into a really actual titanic conflict of two high-end gaming headsets, given the previous’s latest launch into the gaming headset market.

Personally, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi was at all times my go-to advice to anybody who has a good finances within the headset house. I gave it 5 stars after I initially reviewed it for our sister website, GamesRadar+, and can preserve recommending it so long as I can. Nevertheless, the arrival of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite has modified this – it is actually one of the best gaming headset I’ve ever utilized in all my years of reviewing gaming gear. It is unbelievably good.

Because of this, the Arctis Nova Elite vs Nova Professional Wi-fi matchup is one I’ve pores and skin within the sport of; I am invested on this battle, and am an enormous fan of each.

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Due to this fact, I am right here to information you thru your comparability of the 2 premium units that will help you navigate to one of the best match for you and one of the best buying selection you can also make.

I will be overlaying all of the necessary stuff right here, comparable to value and worth, options and specs, and even dimensions and design, that will help you decide your new premium wi-fi gaming headset from these two titans.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi: Worth and Worth

We’re swimming in premium to super-premium gaming headset waters right here, so we will be throwing round some hefty value tags. Nevertheless, that is to not say we won’t discuss real worth on the similar time.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite prices $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$1,349, and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi retails for $379.99 / £329.99 / AU$735.

Each are chunky quantities of money, there is no doubt, however I’ve usually caught by the worth that SteelSeries headsets provide, and much more so after they go on sale.

The worth hole is a sizeable one too on the headsets’ itemizing costs: $220 / £270 or a 58% or 82% leap within the US and UK, respectively. That is monumental, and US of us appear to have bought away with one right here on the subject of straight comparisons between the 2 sides of the Atlantic.

Nevertheless, when you’re on this web page, you are probably out there for a super-duper headset, and thus are prone to be braced for such value tags. And, in brief, I genuinely assume each provide worth as premium units at their checklist costs.

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You will probably get much more bang in your buck out of the Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi now, as it’s usually discounted. Nevertheless, you can be sacrificing a number of options and most of what makes the Elite distinctive. You will even have to make sure you get the best model from a compatibility perspective, whereas the Elite works throughout all programs.

The Elite, nevertheless, has solely simply launched, so will probably be retaining its checklist value for some time earlier than any reductions – and any we do see will probably be fractional, in my estimates. Nevertheless, while you evaluate the audiophile-grade Hello-Res audio providing of the Elite to comparable wi-fi audiophile headphones, you possibly can immediately see that it’ll get you hundreds in your cash in a wi-fi gaming headset.

When it comes to value cuts and offers, nevertheless, a severely discounted Nova Professional Wi-fi goes to be a world-beater on the subject of worth, and if we see deep value cuts on that headset to match its document low (round $230 / £200), or one thing even additional this Black Friday, then it could achieve an enormous edge in a straight up contest.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi: Specs & Efficiency

Whereas a bunch of similarities lie within the meat of each units, the distinction in specs and efficiency is the place the principle contrasts are between the 2 premium headsets.

Whereas the 2 headsets broadly look comparable on the surface (see extra on that under), they’re undoubtedly totally different on the within.

When it comes to the drivers delivering your audio, each headsets have the identical measurement: 40mm. However that is the place the similarities differ. The Elite has brand-new custom-designed carbon fiber drivers that sport a brass encompass ring. In distinction, the Nova Professional has SteelSeries’ trademark neodymium drivers. Each ship superior, superior sound, however there’s something actually particular and superior concerning the Elite’s newly designed drivers.

Each headsets’ wi-fi connectivity is completed by the standard 2.4Ghz dongle, however the Elite can transmit bona fide Hello-Res audio over it. The Elite additionally presents a lift to Bluetooth over the Nova Professional, providing a number of extra bells and whistles on the subject of high-end audio codecs over that connection.

With tinkering and customisation, each could be altered to your take a look at, however with one key distinction. Sadly, SteelSeries’ good Arctis Companion App got here too late for the Nova Professional Wi-fi to see its advantages, however you possibly can nonetheless tailor that headset in SteelSeries’ GG or Sonar app on PC. The Elite does fit with the Arctis app, nevertheless, and due to this fact could be altered on the fly whereas enjoying on console or out and about, and this actually is an additional feather within the cap for the costlier set.

The Elite presents extra within the microphone division. Largely as a result of it has a dual-mic system that gives on-ear built-in microphones in addition to a barely souped-up increase mic. Representing this within the type of numbers, the Elite’s increase mic presents a frequency response of 100-14,000Hz, and the Professional Wi-fi presents 100-6500Hz. The on-ear mics of the Elite are wonderful too, and actually assist this be an excellent pair of headphones when out and about for taking calls too. However that is to not say the mic on the Professional Wi-fi is dangerous – it stays top-of-the-line I’ve had suggestions on from my on-line gaming associates and teammates. Tying a bow on this a part of the matchup is the actual fact aht each have ANC, and whereas the Professional Wi-fi’ is nice, the Elite’s is excellent.

Audio high quality is the proof-giving pudding, although, in gaming headsets, and let me inform you instantly right here that both headset provides you with nice, nice gaming audio. They actually will. Nevertheless, for me, the Elites do ‘win’ right here when you had been to attempt to be as goal as attainable and evaluate the 2. In each means, throughout my intensive testing and residing with the Elites, it doesn’t matter what sport style, regardless of the media, the Elite’s audio is solely astounding and actually one thing actually particular.

Nevertheless, the Elite’s mere existence and premium audiophile-grade providing does not imply the Professional Wi-fi’ audio high quality now tumbles down by default or is subpar. For me, the Nova Professional Wi-fi had one of the best out-of-the-box audio till the Elite appeared!

So, on paper, the Elite has it on the subject of sheer specs. Nevertheless, I actually need to emphasize that the extent of efficiency you get from the Nova Professional Wi-fi continues to be wonderful, and when you do not want all of the tremendous high-end bells and whistles that the Elite presents, you are still going to have a wonderful time with the Professional Wi-fi. There is a cause (effectively, a number of) it was my PS5 headset and my PC gaming headset for one of the best a part of three years.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi: Design and dimensions

The Elite and Nova Professional Wi-fi are clearly lower from the identical material, design-wise, and you may inform that instantly. Certainly, like all of the headsets within the Arctis Nova vary, they share the identical design language and type. The DAC items are additionally similar. Nevertheless, the Elite does provide a extra thrilling colorway possibility within the beautiful sage and gold variant (in addition to a basic obsidian black model), which is extra fascinating than the Nove Professional Wi-fi’ black or white choices.