The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 remains a recommended budget gaming headset and earned a four-star rating in our review back in 2022. The headset is currently available at just $19.99 over at Woot, the Amazon-owned daily deals website. With a launch price of $59.99 this headset usually sells for around $30-$40, but for a limited period you can grab one at its lowest price ever provided you have an Amazon Prime membership.
Featuring a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, the Arctis Nova 1 is compatible with a wide range of devices, including PC, PS5/PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and more. It comes with custom high-fidelity 40mm drivers with a frequency response of 20 - 22,000 Hz and an impedance of 36Ω. These are the same drivers that SteelSeries uses on the more premium Nova 3 and Nova 7 headsets.
In our testing, we found the headset to offer great sound during gaming sessions, particularly when paired with SteelSeries’ Sonar audio software suite, which offers 360-degree spatial audio and a gaming-oriented parametric EQ. The built-in bidirectional ClearCast Gen 2 noise-canceling microphone comes with a fully-retractable design and a flexible arm for easy positioning. While the mic isn’t the best when it comes to noise isolation, you can tune it using SteelSeries’ dedicated software with an EQ and a handful of noise-reduction features, including AI-powered noise-cancellation.
As for the design, the Arctis Nova 1 comes with a plastic headband, an adjustable elastic headband strap, and height-adjustable rotating earcups. Weighing at just 236g/0.52lbs, wearing the headset for long periods should not be a concern. Additionally, the “AirWeave” earcups feature memory foam cushions covered in a breathable mesh fabric that offer a comfortable fit for your ears.
At $19.99, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for their first gaming headset, a reliable backup, or even a solid gift for a gamer. It delivers comfort and good sound quality well above what you’d expect at this price.
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