SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 wireless headphones discounted by a third. They impress with good battery life and easy switching between devices

Do you play on your computer and take off your headphones for every call from your mobile? A wireless headset that stays paired with both devices and lasts a whole week of gaming on battery has now been significantly discounted. SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 now costs 2,619 CZK instead of 3,749 CZK as part of Alza’s Black Friday promotion. The retailer hasn’t offered them this cheaply since last December.

Quick summary:
✅ Makes sense for PC and PlayStation gamers who want one pair of headphones for mobile calls too.
⚠️ Consider whether you’ll mind the wide USB-C receiver and the app, without which the headphones don’t perform at their best.
💡 For 2,619 CZK you get 60 hours of battery life, a weight of 265 grams, and a microphone that retracts into the earcup.

60 hours of battery life and connection to PC and mobile

The main draw is the battery, which according to the manufacturer lasts 60 hours. With several hours of gaming per day, you’ll charge roughly once a week, and if you forget, a quarter of an hour on USB-C should be enough for another 6 hours, according to Alza.

The headphones connect to a computer or console via a 2.4GHz USB-C receiver, and to a phone via Bluetooth 5.3. You switch between both sources with a button, and the phone remains connected in standby in the meantime. According to Alza customers, you’ll hear ringing in the headphones even while gaming and can take calls without taking them off. However, the manufacturer does not promise listening to both sources simultaneously (e.g., a game and music from a mobile phone). SteelSeries states support for PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, phones, and gaming handhelds like Steam Deck or ROG Ally.

The ClearCast microphone retracts completely into the earcup when not in use, so it doesn’t get in the way even outdoors. When you mute it, an indicator light illuminates at its end. The weight of 265 grams is low for a gaming headset.

One clarification regarding marketing: spatial audio and AI-driven noise cancellation in the microphone are handled by Sonar software, which only runs on Windows. Don’t expect these features on Mac, and on PlayStation, you’ll have to rely on the console’s own spatial audio. However, you can set the equalizer and over a hundred game presets from the Arctis Companion mobile app.

Customers praise microphone and battery life, complain about the receiver

At Alza, the headphones have a rating of 4.6 out of 5 from 427 customers, 89% of whom recommend them, and over 10,000 units have been sold. Alza considers the 2.69% return rate to be low.

Reviews repeatedly praise the battery life, low weight, and microphone. The most common complaint concerns the wide USB-C receiver, which covers an adjacent port on a computer or laptop. Fortunately, according to customers, an extension cable with a USB-A adapter is included in the package, so the receiver can be moved aside. Some people also complain about the SteelSeries GG application, which they say reconfigures audio devices in Windows, and about the fact that battery status can only be checked in the app.

The sound quality is more controversial. Several customers write that without adjustments, the headphones sound flat with weaker bass, and only come alive after equalizer settings. People with larger ears sometimes complain that the earcups are smaller and press after a few hours.

Doesn’t work with Xbox and doesn’t filter out ambient noise

This version is called “PC” and does not work with Xbox consoles; SteelSeries sells a separate Arctis Nova 5X for those. Furthermore, the headphones do not have active noise cancellation; ambient noise is only attenuated by the closed-back design. Therefore, they are not an ideal choice for a noisy tram or train journey.

If you only play on one computer and don’t need a wireless connection, it makes sense to also look at the cheaper wired SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3.

Most benefit for players who switch between PC, console, and mobile

The Nova 5 is especially suitable for students and gamers who play on PC or PS5 in the evening and don’t want to take off their headphones for every call. It’s also good for people working from home who want a lightweight headset for work calls with a microphone that customers generally praise. For 2,619 CZK, it’s a decent offer, but Xbox owners and those who want silence on public transport should look elsewhere.

Do you prefer playing with wireless headphones, or do you still trust cables?