SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro OMNI Wireless headphones review: Hot on the mic

A strong new omnidirectional mic joins most of the best features of a SteelSeries headset, though just a step down from the Elite.

In the half year since its release of the top-tier Arctis Nova Pro Elite wireless headset at the end of 2025, SteelSeries went back to its labs and improved yet another piece of its high-end headset design, this time focusing on the mic. The improvements to the mic alongside SteelSeries’ continued improvements to all other parts of its headset have resulted in the Arctis Nova Pro OMNI. It’s a solid headset with crystal clear sound output and voice input, and while certain aspects make it a lower-tier form than the Elite, it’s still a strong new rep in the SteelSeries Arctis headset lineup.

What’s in the box?

The Arctis Nova Pro OMNI wireless headset retails at $399.99 and comes in Midnight Blue, White, and Graphite color styles. The package contains the headset itself, the Arctis Nova Pro control deck, two USB-C-to-USB-A wires, two swappable and rechargeable battery packs, a pop filter for the mic, and a travel bag. The control deck also has 3.5mm Line In and Line Out Ports and players can run potentially four sound sources simultaneously, including support for PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and smartphone devices via 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and direct line connectivity (with support via the SteelSeries companion app on PC and smartphones). You’ll still need to connect to a PC to update the firmware on the headset and control deck.

The OMNI is a comfortable headset, even slightly more than the Elite. One of the few things I wasn’t crazy about on the Nova Pro Elite was that I felt the headband pinched a bit and made my ears feel sore after a full day’s use. I haven’t had that issue with the OMNI. It’s comfortable all day long, and lasts just as long thanks to the replaceable battery packs. Where the Elite went for an all-use approach, the OMNI focuses primary on game and PC use. It loses the second mic the Elite used for phone calls and everyday use in favor of an upgraded retractable mic. Instead, this is the first Arctis headset to feature omnidirectional capture on its retractable mic. This, alongside new mic drivers, made for the most crystal-clear speaking experience I’ve had so far with a SteelSeries headset. I do feel the quality of the headset itself feels a bit cheaper than previous headsets. The cups on the ears in particular, which protect the battery case, feel more lightweight and flimsy than previous models, and especially those of the Elite.

How does it sound?

The audio of the OMNI is nothing to sneeze at. Much like the Elite, we are finally beyond PlayStation and Xbox versions. The OMNI can play them all (and isn’t $600 like the Elite). I can’t really claim that the OMNI has better sound than the Elite. The Elite is still SteelSeries’ champion workhorse. The OMNI is just one step below it. But for that, you still get great sound delivered by SteelSeries’ recently upgraded carbon fiber drivers, which not only deliver great sound out of the box, but can still be augmented with hundreds of sound profiles courtesy of the SteelSeries GG app on PC and mobile devices.

The OMNI doesn’t deliver the full depth, volume, and quality of the Elite, but it will most certainly serve your purposes in just about anything you play. And with the OMNI, you get a mic that I’d say outdoes the Elite in performance. From the moment I took it out of the box, the OMNI’s mic has felt like the place SteelSeries pushed the most improvement. The mic even has its own profiles based on various needs and pro settings, much like its audio suite, and that allows players to find their perfect sweet spot in communication. It’s another great upgrade with the potential to elevate the Arctis series as a whole.

OMNI or Elite?

The OMNI is a neat direction for SteelSeries. Not only does it bring a version of SteelSeries’ top-line offerings that doesn’t cost as much as a console, but it also improves upon certain specific areas that could have important implications for future SteelSeries builds. The Elite felt like an “everything headset,” inside and outside of gaming. It can do it all and does it the best for what SteelSeries offers. The OMNI is a gamer’s headset. If you’re using this thing solely for gaming, it’s a stellar headset, and at two-thirds of the price of the Elite. If you’re okay with giving up just a bit of quality and the max capacity of bells and whistles for a better mic and comparable versatility, the OMNI will serve your needs just fine.

This review is based on a sample unit provided by the manufacturer. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro OMNI launches on May 5, 2026 and will be available at the retail price of $399.99 via SteelSeries’ website, as well as through partnered retailers.

Shacknews staff does not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) in their content. Shacknews strictly prohibits the use of its content for AI training or to generate text, including text in the style or format used for this publication. Shacknews reserves all rights to this work.

Review for
SteelSeries Arctis Nova pro OMNI wireless headset
9
Pros

• Great SteelSeries sound, second only to the Elite
• Much cheaper than the Elite for the performance
• Easily customizable via the SteelSeries companion app
• All-day comfort and battery life
• A much-improved retractable mic

Cons

• $399.99 is still pretty pricey
• Doesn't quite reach the quality and volume of the Elite
• No call mic
• The ear covers feel cheaper than previous models