All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 will be a worthy successor with these features
August 4, 2025
The first-generation Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is one of the most highly-regarded gaming headsets on the market. Its superior comfort, excellent sound reproduction, and innovative battery design make long gaming sessions a breeze. It is also remarkably discreet, owning a pleasing aesthetic and comfortable build that makes it compelling for commuters and frequent Zoom callers. However, its lack of cross-compatibility between Xbox and PlayStation consoles falls short of its rivals. Given that it has been over three years since the Nova Pro Wireless launched, it is little wonder fans are excited about the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2.
Unfortunately, there has been no official announcement from SteelSeries about its next-gen upgrade. With stiff competition from cheaper headset manufacturers, the company must update its fan-favorite product soon. Here is everything I want to see included in the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 at launch.
A cheaper price tag
The gaming headset market has never been so vibrant. From the budget Turtle Beach Recon 70 ($39 at Amazon) to the premium Audeze Mobius ($279 at Amazon), gamers have more choices now than ever. However, contrary to historical norms, manufacturers of more affordable headsets are bundling flagship features into their products. While it is reasonable to expect premium features to cost premium prices, many gamers will find solace in cheaper alternatives.
With an initial retail price of $350, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is one of the more expensive gaming headsets out there. Consequently, many potential buyers may look at cheaper rivals. Those who don’t care about wireless connectivity can save nearly $100 by purchasing the near-identical SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro ($196.99 at Amazon). Likewise, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless ($152.99 at Amazon) owns the same frame as the Nova Pro Wireless and costs $170 less. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 will be more appealing by launching with a cheaper price tag.
Console cross-compatibility
Many gamers feel loyal to their console’s platform and purchase headsets specifically for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, or PC. For example, the Logitech G733 Lightspeed ($139 at Amazon) is one of the best gaming headsets for PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Similarly, the SteelSeries Arctis 9X works seamlessly with the Xbox Series X/S, delivering excellent audio and handy wireless options. However, many gaming headsets offer versatile connectivity for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and more consoles.
The Audeze Maxwell ($299 at Amazon) is one of the best headsets for playing on multiple platforms. In addition to superior comfort, it owns OS-agnostic features for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. Unfortunately, pesky hardware licensing can detract from the otherwise seamless cross-compatible user experience. For example, purchasing the PlayStation version of the Audeze Maxwell will block some Xbox-related features, and vice versa. The same can be said for the Arctis Nove Pro Wireless, given it ships two entirely different versions for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 would serve a broader list of users if it had cross-compatible features.
A more reliable wireless connection
Latency and poor audio quality are never-ending bugbears for gamers. Not only can audio-visual lag frustrate the user experience, but it can also affect your performance in fast-paced games. Likewise, low-bitrate wireless connections suffer significant data loss, ruining the quality of captivating soundscapes. Thankfully, most wireless gaming headsets ship with USB-A or USB-C dongles to transmit audio via 2.4GHz WiFi. This significantly reduces latency compared to standard A2DP Bluetooth connectivity. Those seeking the lowest latencies should consider wired gaming headsets.
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless connects via Bluetooth 5.0 with the SBC codec when using it away from the base station. With this, you get a 12-meter range and support for PC, Mac, smartphones, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and the Nintendo Switch. The headset also features a dual-wireless system that can use 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 to stream audio from your console and smartphone simultaneously. Unfortunately, the audio signal intermittently drops in quality when sitting 1.5 meters from the base station. This is a snag, given that the Nova Pro Wireless prides itself on its comprehensive list of I/O ports and sound quality. Mercifully, the headset can be wired via the 3.5mm connector on the left ear cup for low-latency, lossless audio. Nevertheless, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 will need a more robust wireless connection to attract potential buyers.
Improved Sonar Audio EQ feature
Equalization is a handy feature for tuning music to your preferences. It also helps gamers tailor their sound to different gaming situations by boosting and cutting specific frequencies. For example, this can enhance in-game footsteps by cutting the bass or make explosions sound more bassy by cutting the high-end. Many gaming headsets, like the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023), can cycle through EQ presets from the cans themself. Others do not own a native EQ feature and instead require a third-party EQ app to tweak the sound.
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless ships with the complementary SteelSeries GG (Windows/macOS) software to control flagship features. In addition to software updates, SteelSeries GG provides access to its Sonar suite to adjust the headset’s audio settings. Here, you can navigate between audio devices for game, chat, and microphone audio. You can also use the SteelSeries GG software to select EQ presets or create your own from scratch. Unfortunately, it overrides the built-in EQ feature of the wireless base station. Consequently, you lose custom control over the EQ directly through the base station, meaning you must change it from the Sonar Audio suite instead. This seems like a misstep and something the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 should fix out of the box.
A more distinguishable touch-capacitive back button
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless base station is one of the standout features that controls, connects, and charges the headset. It also supports more I/O ports than regular USB-A or USB-C dongles that ship with most gaming headsets. This provides a broader list of connectivity options and compatibility with various gaming platforms. The base station is also handy for on-the-fly battery swapping, with a dedicated charging slot for the headset’s hot-swappable battery. The onboard black and white OLED display and wheel control all the relevant software features of the headset, like your game/chat mix and a 10-band EQ.
As inconsequential as it may seem, the base station’s touch-capacitive back button is inconspicuous. For example, the multi-function wheel to the right of the interface is large, protruding, and grey. By comparison, the back button is small, flat, and unicolored with the black box. Upon first use, it is not immediately obvious what the back button is or what it does. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 could improve this with a simple redesign of the updated base station.
What would you like to see SteelSeries bring to the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2?
Will there be an Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2?
SteelSeries has been a pioneer of gaming accessories for over two decades. In addition to producing computer mice, keyboards, speakers, and microphones, the company is proficient at delivering stand-out headsets. Its Arctis Nova category is the most reputable, with a broad arsenal of affordable and premium models. However, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is undoubtedly SteelSeries’ most accomplished gaming headset. While seamless Xbox X/S and PlayStation 5 compatibility is missing, the Nova Pro Wireless comes packaged with a range of pleasing high-end features.
There has been no official announcement from SteelSeries about its Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 gaming headset. However, given the success of the company’s current model, I fully expect it to bring an updated headset to fruition.
- Arctis Pro + GameDAC — March 12, 2018
- Arctis Nova Pro Wireless — May 24, 2022
Over four years elapsed between the release of the Arctis Pro and Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. Similarly, SteelSeries appears to favor refreshing its headsets in the spring and summer. Judging by the gap between these two headsets, we can expect the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 to materialize in the spring of 2026. However, fans will have to wait for an official statement from SteelSeries for firm details.
Should you wait for the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2?
Few gaming headsets earn as high a recommendation as the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. The headset is available from most major retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy. For the price, it delivers excellent sound quality, long battery life, and superior comfort. However, those with smaller budgets will likely find it too far out of reach. Before parting with large amounts of money, it is worth questioning whether the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is worth the price tag.
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless ($349.99 at Amazon) is one of the most discreet gaming headsets on the market. It also comes packed with handy features, including decent isolation and noise canceling for suppressing the hum of a computer fan. Audio quality is also pleasing, and the slight emphasis in the bass range around 100Hz can enhance some in-game sound effects. The headset ships with two hot-swappable batteries, each providing over 22 hours of music playback time. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless can remain on for eight seconds without a battery inserted. This allows enough time to switch out the active battery for the other stored in the base station’s charging bay. The base station features a 10-band EQ, game/chat mix balance, and volume control. Likewise, the headset features a microphone mute button, a volume slider, and a power button that also enables ANC.
The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid ($203 at Amazon) shares a similar array of gadgetry as the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. However, the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid has a more platform-agnostic feature set that is friendlier to those running the Xbox Series X/S. The headset also has a loud, clear-sounding detachable microphone that is excellent for in-game chat and taking Zoom calls. The EPOS Gaming Suite companion app provides vital firmware updates for the headset and dongle. It also allows you to switch between stereo and virtual 7.1 surround sound and set up the Bluetooth button to toggle EQ presets or surround sound. The app provides an integrated nine-band equalizer module and sliders for adjusting gain, sidetone, noise gating, and noise cancellation. With ANC activated, the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid enjoys over 19 hours of continuous music playback time. It also features pleasing sound quality that closely follows our target curve.
Those looking for an affordable and reliable gaming headset should consider the Razer Barracuda X (2022) ($99 at Amazon). This headset builds on the success of the Razer Barracuda X from 2021, delivering longer battery life and superior microphone quality. It also features multi-platform connections, including USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm, or Bluetooth. This works for gaming on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and more. The Razer Barracuda X (2022) lasts nearly 60 hours when subjected to a constant output peaking at 75dB(SPL). The Razer Audio app is handy for mobile gaming, providing four EQ presets, a gaming mode for lower latency over Bluetooth, and a custom 10-band EQ. However, the headset lacks noise canceling and surround sound.
Finally, the SteelSeries Arctis 7+ Wireless ($149 at Amazon) brings superior comfort and an updated suite of features compared to its predecessor. The cans own a microphone mute button, volume dial, game/chat mix controller, USB-C charging port, proprietary 4-pole plug, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, more premium features rely heavily on downloading the SteelSeries GG app. This controls the headphone EQ, power-saving functionality, mic volume, and more. SteelSeries Sonar also allows for more specific frequency adjustments and brings game- and genre-specific EQ profiles. It also delivers virtual surround sound, a sidetone slider, sliders for noise reduction, noise gating, impact noise reduction, and volume stabilization. The cans yield an impressive 71 hours of playtime when subjected to a consistent output of 75dB(SPL). However, like the Razer Barracuda X (2022), there is no ANC here.
Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 FAQs
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless 2 has not been released yet. However, like its predecessor, it will likely feature a Bluetooth connection button on the headset for wireless pairing.
Yes, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless features built-in noise canceling.
Yes, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless base station features two USB-C ports for connecting to two devices simultaneously.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro-series headset is generally considered better due to superior audio quality, active noise canceling, and longer battery life.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.