The headsets share the Nova Pro’s generational improvements, such as the completely retractable microphone, improved high-fidelity drivers, and support for Sonar software (for the spatial audio, parametric equalizer, mic noise cancellation and more). Three variations of the Nova 7 Wireless are available: the 7X for Xbox One, the 7P for PlayStation 4, and the 7 for PC. There are three variations of the Nova 1. For wired gaming, SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 are adequate. ..
These headphones have a warm sound profile that amplifies sound effects like footsteps. They are compatible with any console and use a 1/8" TRRS wire. The boom mic is effective in capturing your voice clearly, even in noisy environments. They may need to be adjusted to get a more consistent sound, as they have a closed-back design. ..
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 review: Design
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 gaming headset is designed for PC gaming and looks great sitting atop a PS5 or Xbox. The Arctis Nova 1 doesn’t have many features like the AirWeave memory foam cushions, easy-to-use volume controls, or retractable microphone, but its simple design is one of its biggest advantages. ..
The Arctis range of gaming headsets is perfect for extended gaming sessions. The lightweight design, stretchy overhead band, and cosy headband make it perfect for a comfortable experience.
The Arctis Nova 1 is a lightweight wired headset that has its build quality questioned. Fortunately, the SteelSeries designed the headset to withstand any potential mishaps that might occur while you’re playing.
Comfort
The Nova 1 is the series’ lightest headset (235g). Due to the absence of a battery, RGB, or changeable speaker plates, it also boasts the slimmest earcups. Although the large, flat swaths of plastic may be scratch-prone, it doesn’t feel flimsy or poorly made and neither does it feel like a tank. It seems like it would function normally in a backpack. The Nova 1’s design is uninspired and has a somewhat plain appearance. That’s probably the biggest complaint we have, but there aren’t many attractive, eye-catching cheap gaming headsets, and the Nova 1’s thin earcups do have a svelte appearance.
The “AirWeave” ear cups from SteelSeries include memory foam cushions and are large enough to envelop your ears without rubbing against them. Our right ear flat was twice pierced since we momentarily forgot that our job entails testing headsets. Two-day-old cartilage piercings are the fastest way to reveal a headset’s discomfort areas. However, we had no trouble wearing the Nova 1, which is indeed so light that we frequently forgot we were wearing it. ..
The Arctis Nova 1 is a gaming headset that has on-ear controls. The controls are still possible with the slimmer, lighter profile, and they are all found on the left earcup. The same flawlessly integrated, completely retractable built-in microphone found on all Arctis Nova headsets is present here, along with a volume slider, 3.5mm audio port, and a microphone mute button. A 4-foot (1.2m) 3.5mm audio cable and a 5-foot (1.5m) dual-3.5mm extension cable are included with the Nova 1. It’s a wonderful touch that the extension cable is extra lengthy. The extension cable adds a tonne of additional length, plus we still have a regular, 4-foot cable that can be used with other devices because our PC is under our desk, which is too far away for any reasonable-length cable to reach.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 review: Software
The Arctis Nova 1 is a gaming-focused headset that doesn’t require any additional software. It supports out-of-the-box Microsoft Spatial Sound on Xbox and PC and PS5’s 3D Tempest audio. However, it can make use of some of the Sonar features in the SteelSeries GG PC software, like the amazing Parabolic EQ settings that may genuinely elevate your audio experience. Unless you count SteelSeries GG, which includes the company’s gaming-focused Sonar audio suite, the Arctis Nova 1 comes with no companion software and operates flawlessly right out of the box.
The Nova 1 is compatible with Sonar in the same way that any other analogue headset plugged into your computer is the software isn’t in any way brand-locked. The “first pro-grade parametric EQ for gamers” is one of the several EQs Sonar offers for gaming, chat, and microphone audio. Additional game audio capabilities that Sonar provides you access to include ChatMix, 360-degree spatial audio, gain adjustment, and smart audio. Sonar has a 10-band microphone EQ with a few presets on the microphone side, as well as several capabilities to help decrease noise, such as AI-powered noise reduction (still in early-access).
Audio performance
The Arctis Nova 1 is a gaming headset that uses custom high fidelity drivers tuned for gaming. The frequency response is 20 – 22,000 Hz, the impedance is 36, and the sensitivity is 93 dBSPL. The Arctis Nova 3 and Nova 7 were all tested separately. Drivers for the Arctis Nova Pro and Arctis Nova Pro Wireless are different and more accurate than those of the original Arctis Nova.
The Nova 1’s sub-$100 price tag means that music sounds excellent on it. In Kaskade’s “POW POW POW” and Kanye’s “Love Lockdown,” the bass was a bit subdued (maybe too restrained). Britney Spears’ “Toxic” and David Guetta’s “Titanium” both had better, more balanced mids and highs. Although it wasn’t much, there was some distortion in the lower mid-ranges. The intricacies and layers of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” were difficult for the headset to separate, but we loved listening to Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy.” ..
The Arctis Nova 7 Wireless audio quality was poor and this headset uses the same 40mm custom drivers. Additionally, the Nova 1 is priced at a third of what the Nova 7 is. The SteelSeries Sonar audio software suite, which includes features like 360-degree spatial audio and a gaming-focused parametric EQ, sounds substantially better when used with the Nova 1 for gaming. Sonar is not required to play the Nova 1 games, and voice chat still sounds great without it, but if you spend some time tinkering with it, it offers a respectable level of flexibility and customization.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 review: Call performance
The Arctis Nova 1 has a retractable microphone that provides noise cancellation with the ClearCast Gen 2 hardware. The mic is perfect for competitive gamers who prefer to keep communications clear when trying to secure a victory.
GG’s Sonar suite gives you a variety of options for testing and modifying your microphone sound. There are sliders for every parameter, allowing you to fine-tune your audio before joining a Discord call, whether you want more bass, low mids, higher mids, or highs. ..
Conclusion
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is the brand’s new entry-level headset. It has excellent built-in DAC/Amp and RGB lighting, but it does not have the advanced speakers, mic capsule, or updated industrial design of the Arctis Nova 3.
This is a great option if you’re looking for a great gaming headset that won’t break the bank and you’re happy with the analogue sound source you’re currently using. It is an clever improvement over earlier Arctis models and a deserving heir to their impressive legacy.
