When you think ‘gaming headset’ you’re probably thinking in black and white. In general, these headsets usually adhere to a relatively basic colour scheme, with RGB lighting used to create subtle colour and flash. There’s plenty of reasons for it – a need to streamline product lines and make new releases appealing for mainstream audiences, and a desire for PC components to match – but it does get a bit boring. That’s why the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X/3P Wireless so appealed to me.
This newly-released headset does come in black and white colourways, to be transparent. But the headset also comes in a lavender shade, as well as an aqua blue shade. Finally, something bright and colourful! In recent years, SteelSeries has experimented well with colours and patterns, spicing up its headset lineup, and the latest Arctis Nova pushes that goal forward. I’ve been testing the lavender variant in recent weeks, and it’s hands-down the prettiest headset I’ve had to pleasure of using to date.
The pastel shade chosen here is absolutely lovely, and with a minimalist approach to overall design, it’s a major compliment to the headset. It’s also really nice to see a gaming-focussed headset with a traditionally non-masculine colour scheme, but one that isn’t specifically marketed towards women.
In the past, plenty of other headset makers have released headsets like this with an obnoxiousness in marketing. Whether it be mentioning plush cups for smaller heads, or ideas of prettiness and femininity in advertising, there is precedent for brightly-coloured gaming headsets that dance around the ‘for women’ label. Most won’t specifically say they’re for women, but the implications are usually obvious. Subsequently, these headsets are subject to the pink tax.
It’s why it’s so nice to see the new SteelSeries cans with this colourway, without any mess or fuss. You want a lavender headset? You can have it. It’s just the same as the black or white headsets, after all.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless – Performance
Beyond the novelty with this release, it’s worth noting the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless is a sturdy gaming headset with nice, crisp sound and directional output that should help you conquer your next gaming session, all while looking ultra-stylish.
First up, connection. This headset has multiple options for connection, with all being snappy and responsive. It operates on Bluetooth 5.3, so you can connect to any device with a quick press of a button.
If you want a firmer connection, you can also use the headset’s 2.4 GHz wireless receiver to plug into PC or Xbox. This headset’s dongle has a switch between PC and Xbox (the model tested is specifically for Xbox consoles), and while it houses a USB-C connector, there is also a USB-C to USB-A converter in the box.
In my time using the headset, playing music over my iPhone, watching TV on my MacBook, and playing games on my Xbox Series X/S, I never detected any latency in either Bluetooth and wireless mode. Both connections are strong and smooth, to the point where you won’t even be thinking about it.
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Once hooked up, you’ll be able to enjoy dozens of hours playing games or listening to tunes, with zero interruption. What’s funny to me is my everyday earbuds, which are just one year old, can barely manage around 3 to 4 hours in active use. Then, I switch on the Arctis Nova 3X headset, and it’s running for a week at a time, thanks to a 40-hour battery life.
It’s the sort of headset you don’t really need to think about charging at all, which is great news for those whose lives are already packed with other devices. On the rare occasions the headset runs out of charge, you can hook it up and get a few hours worth of juice in just a few minutes. It’s difficult to measure exactly, but SteelSeries claims this headset can get up to 9 hours of battery in just 15 minutes, which is wild.
With setup and battery being ultra-reliable, you can really just plug this headset in and get playing with minimal friction. Cans on, you’ll find crisp layered sound here, with solid definition for each layer. When you game, you want a clear separate between noises, so you can work out where footsteps are coming from, and really absorb the world you’re roaming in. You’ll certainly get that here, with a variety of audio presets for specific games also helping to enhance the sounds in gaming’s most popular worlds.
These presets, accessible via mobile, rebalance sound to ensure the right tones are boosted, giving you an audio advantage in some circumstances.
The only real deficiency I noticed while gaming with the headset was a lack of mind-blowing bass boosting. While sound is crisp and clear, lower notes aren’t as resonant or punchy as I’d expect, with the headset defaulting to lighter drumming. While you can tweak this using the headset’s accompanying app, it still didn’t give me the absolute bone-shaking I desired. A minor bugbear, but one that’s worth mentioning.
Overall use and comfort
Even without having my innards rumbled by the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless, I’ve greatly enjoyed my time with this headset. Not only due to its bright colourway, but also for its ease of use, and its overall comfort.
This headset comes with an adjustable headband with multiple custom settings, allowing for a ‘just right’ fit, even on sensitive heads. I’m a bit Princess and the Pea when it comes to headsets, with the overhead band typically causing discomfort for me, after an hour or so of use. Not so with this headset, thanks to that adjustable inner band.
Using the band on the highest notches, I was able to create a very comfortable fit, for hours of use. If you’ve got a bigger head, you can use take off the band entirely for a new fit, although I will say the upper band has no padding, and isn’t very comfortable standalone.
With my hours-long wear test complete, I found myself very satisfied with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X headset. It ticks all of the boxes, and its non-standard colourways are fantastic to see. Along with crisp sound, an impressive battery, easy connectivity, and customisation of sound profiles, there’s not a lot more you could want here. At AUD $199.99, the headset is also on the reasonable end of gaming headsets, offering plenty of robust features for that price point.
After a few weeks with it, I feel very comfortable giving the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless headset a recommend, particularly if you want to look cool and stylish gaming with your friends, or in your living room, alone.
A SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless headset was provided by SteelSeries for the purposes of this review.
