SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5

Overview

The Arctis Nova 5 is a mid-range wireless headset at $129.99, launched May 2024. It sits between the wired Nova 3 and the Nova 7 — 40mm neodymium drivers, ClearCast 2.X retractable mic, 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3 dual wireless, 60-hour battery, 267 grams. The defining feature over the Nova 3 wireless variants is the mobile Companion App, which brings 100+ game-specific EQ presets to consoles for the first time without requiring a PC.

Key Features

Nova 5 Companion App: iOS and Android app with 100+ game-specific presets built by esports professionals, audio engineers, and developers. Connect the headset to your console via USB-C dongle and your phone via Bluetooth — presets switch in real-time without leaving your game. Previously this level of EQ customization required SteelSeries Sonar on PC. The Nova 5 is the first in the lineup to bring it to console natively.

60-Hour Battery with Fast Charge: Rated at 60 hours per charge — 20 hours more than the Nova 3 wireless variants. Fast charge delivers 6 hours from 15 minutes. Longest battery in the Nova lineup at this price tier.

ClearCast 2.X Mic: Retractable boom mic running 32KHz/16-bit capture. Same spec as the 3P and 3X — double the bandwidth of the previous ClearCast Gen 2. Fully retracts into the earcup when not in use.

Quick-Switch Wireless: Single button toggles between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3. Mobile stays on standby during gaming for call notifications.

40mm Neodymium Drivers: Balanced tuning with a slight emphasis on mids and highs. Supports Tempest 3D Audio on PS5 and Windows Sonic on Xbox. Spatial audio performance is platform-dependent.

Audio Quality

The 40mm drivers run a gaming-first tuning — clear mids, detailed highs, controlled bass. Footstep and positional audio read cleanly in competitive titles. The Companion App presets are where the audio story gets more interesting: the Call of Duty preset audibly shifts footstep and weapon swap frequencies compared to the default tuning. Not a placebo difference — specific presets for specific games produce measurable changes in what cuts through.

Music listening is competent but not the priority. The balanced signature handles most genres without glaring weaknesses. Casual listening is fine; dedicated music use is not the use case this headset is built for.

Comfort & Build

267 grams with the ski-goggle suspension headband. Same self-adjusting elastic design as the rest of the Nova lineup. AirWeave memory foam with breathable mesh fabric — runs cooler than leatherette over long sessions. Consistent user feedback places 6–8 hour sessions in the comfortable range without fatigue.

Build is all plastic, matte black finish. Solid for daily use, not premium. The USB-C dongle is wide — it will block adjacent ports on most devices. SteelSeries includes a 5-foot USB extension cable to work around this, but it’s worth knowing before you set up your desk.

Verdict

The Nova 5 is the right call for console gamers who want wireless and EQ customization without buying a PC-dependent setup. The Companion App delivers genuine value — 100+ developer-tuned presets accessible mid-session on PS5 or Xbox is a real differentiator at $129.99.

The 60-hour battery is the other standout. If battery anxiety is a factor, the Nova 5 has a significant edge over the Nova 3 wireless variants. All-plastic build is the expected trade-off at this price. Anyone who needs a longer mic arm or higher-output mic monitoring should look at the Nova 7 instead — the retractable mic design has limits in loud environments. For multi-platform wireless gaming under $150, the Nova 5 is a straightforward recommendation.