The obstruction to introduction for SteelSeries’ flagship wireless gaming headset, the Nova Pro Wireless, is rather precocious astatine $350. That terms volition apt beryllium worthy it to immoderate people, but if you’re chill with getting conscionable a fraction of that headset’s features successful a $179.99 package, the Nova 7 Wireless has your sanction connected it. It’s missing swappable batteries, progressive sound cancellation, and the useful wireless basal presumption for making speedy adjustments. But it keeps immoderate of the Nova Pro Wireless’ astir important features, similar the simultaneous multisource audio coming successful from Bluetooth and its 2.4GHz USB-C audio transmitter.

Along with immoderate adjacent much affordable wired headsets that SteelSeries is announcing today, the Nova 7 riffs connected the Pro’s refreshed design, which marque its gaming headsets look much similar slickly designed regular headphones. Each has an elastic set for caput support, extendable broadside arms, and receptor pads that look comfy.

Focusing connected the Nova 7 Wireless, each receptor cupful hosts plentifulness of buttons, dials, and more. On the left, there’s a measurement dial, a mute button, and a 3.5mm larboard for connecting the included audio cable. That’s besides wherever you’ll find the retractable microphone. Over connected the right, there’s a USB-C charging port, a dial to set the mixing of chat and crippled audio, 1 fastener to brace and power Bluetooth devices with, and a powerfulness button.

The receptor cups diagnostic SteelSeries’ magnetic caps, which tin beryllium replaced with antithetic designs. Image: SteelSeries

With the included USB-C to USB-A adapter, the Nova 7 Wireless is compatible with a wide scope of platforms, ranging from Sony PlayStation and Xbox consoles to Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS, Oculus Quest 2, Android, and USB-C-based iPads. SteelSeries is releasing PlayStation and Xbox-focused versions (the Nova 7P and Nova 7X, respectively) that are identical successful design, features, and price, prevention for either having a bluish oregon greenish elastic set for caput support. The modular Nova 7 Wireless has a achromatic elastic band.

SteelSeries touts that the Nova 7 Wireless tin past up to 38 hours per complaint and says a 15-minute complaint tin springiness it six hours of play. To unlock its afloat scope of features, you’ll request to instal the SteelSeries GG PC software, wherever you tin set sidetone (how overmuch of your dependable oregon different ambient noises you tin perceive done the headset’s speakers) and things similar spatial audio oregon “Parametric EQ,” which SteelSeries says is its equalizer mounting that claims to fto you perceive much important crippled sounds that tin fto you get the vantage successful games.

Here’s the Nova 3, which has RGB lighting and connects to devices via USB-C. Image: SteelSeries

Moving down to the adjacent cheapest headset option, the $99.99 Nova 3 has galore of the aforesaid carnal features of the Nova 7 Wireless (plus thing new, adding RGB backlighting connected the receptor cups), though it’s wired and tin lone plug into devices that person a USB-C oregon a 3.5mm larboard (it includes 2 cables, 1 for either port). The $59.99 Nova 1 changes the USB-C jack into a 3.5mm jack to plug into controllers and immoderate different instrumentality that supports it.

I’ll beryllium investigating these models arsenic soon arsenic I tin to spot if they’ll gain a spot successful our buying usher for the champion gaming headset. That usher has been successful request of a shake-up for a while, and based connected its features and price, the Nova 7 Wireless could beryllium a contender for a midrange headset that ticks a batch of boxes.