As someone with a long-running history with SteelSeries audio products, I’ve come to expect a standard of comfort and clarity. My Arctis 7P+ remains my go-to for console gaming and voice chat with friends, while I still miss the convenience and surprisingly great sound of the Arctis GameBuds despite their disappointing lifespan of just eight months. I’ve also been impressed by the huge battery life of the Nova 5. But the new SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless has surprised me in recent weeks.
At a retail price of AUD $199, the Nova 3P Wireless lands in the competitive midrange tier, where sound quality and features must deliver well beyond “just good enough”. Happy to confirm it does. Not only is it a worthy addition to the Arctis family, but it might also just be the best overall value-for-money wireless headset SteelSeries has released to date. We’ve been provided a unit to review and share our thoughts thanks to the SteelSeries team.
Big volume, bigger clarity
Let’s start with the audio. Armed with 40mm neodymium drivers, the Nova 3P Wireless delivers the familiar Arctis sound which is a flatter and balanced EQ with excellent separation between high-end and low-end. The highs are crisp, the mids come through with real presence, and the bass can be muddy straight out of the box. With the many EQ options in the Arctis app, I never really had a problem after choosing the right profile for what I was doing.
Whether you’re vibing out in a chill Stardew Valley session or listening to heavy music, there’s a profile that sounds great. While some presets feel more like marketing buzz than real-world necessity, I still appreciated the ease of switching profiles on the go.
What really stood out to me compared to the 7P+ and Nova 5 is the volume ceiling. This headset can push noticeably louder than any other SteelSeries unit I’ve used. If you like your audio immersive without distortion, this headset will deliver. The 360° Spatial Audio and compatibility with PS5’s Tempest 3D and Microsoft Spatial Sound really come to life here. You can pinpoint enemy movements with precision.
SteelSeries includes a ClearCast Gen 2.X detachable boom mic with bi-directional noise cancellation. I was particularly impressed by the mic’s clarity during party chat even with background noise. While it doesn’t quite match the body and richness of a dedicated broadcast mic (or even the Arctis Nova Pro’s built-in), it easily holds its own and far outperforms other midrange headsets I’ve tried.
I also appreciate that I can detach the mic when I’m not using it. It meant I could take this headset to the gym or on transit without looking like I just came from my call centre job or piloting a jet. It adds versatility to the headset use. You could argue a retractable microphone might be easier, but I do appreciate the Arctis Nova 3P Wireless design.
Light and easy to love
At just 260 grams, the Nova 3P Wireless is lightweight. The dual-hinge ComfortMAX design adjusts across head shapes and the elastic strap helps distribute weight evenly across the crown. I’ve worn these for multi-hour sessions without any discomfort or heat fatigue. Compared to the Nova 5, these feel slightly more robust in hand, and while I haven’t owned them long enough to test long-term durability, they give me confidence.
If I had one minor gripe, it’s the tactile feel of the buttons. The power, mute, and volume wheel feel a touch plasticky. They are also all located on the left ear only, whereas other headsets had distributed them across both cans. This could become an issue down the line if there’s any problems with the left ear and the controls become broken, too. At the end of the day they are functional, but not premium. Still, it’s a forgivable in a sub-$200 headset that nails everything else.
With up to 40 hours on Bluetooth and 30 hours on 2.4GHz wireless, this headset goes the distance. Add in fast charging via USB-C (just 15 minutes gives you around 9 hours of use) and it’s rare to find yourself without enough battery. I used this nearly an entire eight hour workday during my testing and only used approximately 20% of the total battery. I am very impressed.
Connectivity-wise, the Quick-Switch feature makes toggling between gaming and mobile a breeze. It doesn’t support simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz audio streams like the Nova 7 or Pro, but that’s understandable at this price point. The USB-C dongle is plug-and-play across PS5, Switch, SteamDeck, mobile, and PC/Mac.
Punches above its weight
If you’re looking for a versatile wireless headset that delivers high-end sound, comfort, and clarity at a reasonable price, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless is hard to beat.
It feels sturdier than the Nova 5 and pushes louder volume than any other Arctis model I’ve tried, yet it still remains supremely comfortable for long sessions. Add in broad platform support and a surprisingly good mic and it becomes a top-tier contender for anyone gaming across multiple devices.
Sure, there are headsets out there with ANC or simultaneous multi-device audio, but they’ll cost you significantly more. For under $200, the Nova 3P Wireless hits a real sweet spot.
