Name: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
Brand: SteelSeries

The Nova Elite is easiest to justify by drawing the setup it will replace. The GameHub can leave three USB hosts plugged in, but it mixes USB 1 with USB 2 or USB 3, plus Bluetooth and analog line-in. It cannot mix all three USB audio streams at once. That distinction decides whether it solves your particular console and PC problem.

Connectivity

USB 1 + USB 2 or 3
Bluetooth
Line-in

An Xbox needs USB 3 on the GameHub, while Sonar on PC needs USB 1. That leaves a practical arrangement for hearing the selected console and a PC source while a phone remains connected. List the sources you want simultaneously. The number of plugs on the back is a poor substitute for the actual mixing diagram.

Battery Life

Two swappable batteries
Spare charges in GameHub

RTINGS measured 26 hours per battery with both 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth active on its Obsidian sample. SteelSeries rates up to 30 hours per pack without specifying the same listening conditions. The dock charges the spare, so someone who returns the used battery to the hub can swap and keep playing. The independent test also found strong isolation and a better boom mic than the Nova Pro Wireless. ¹

Sound & Isolation

40 mm drivers
Hybrid ANC
Transparency mode

RTINGS found a warm balance and strong overall isolation when the headset was active. Speech outside the cups could still come through more readily than some other sounds. ¹ That matters at a shared desk, where reducing steady background noise and hearing a teammate over chat are different jobs. The 3.5 mm passive connection also gives up active features, including cancellation and EQ.

Microphone & Chat

Retractable boom microphone
Secondary onboard microphone

RTINGS used the retractable boom for its microphone rating. Speech stayed intelligible against sustained noise, and the GameHub or app offered additional noise reduction. ¹ Extend the boom for team chat rather than assuming the same result with the smaller onboard mic. The boom still works through the passive analog connection, although its processing options are different.

Comfort & Design

380 g headset
Over-ear cups

RTINGS found the headset bulky and less steady during movement than its substantial construction might suggest. ¹ It makes more sense beside a multi-source desk than tossed into a commuting bag. Glasses are worth trying with the cups, too: a gap at the temple can change bass response. That fit check costs less time than trying to fix a poor seal with the GameHub equalizer.

Alternatives

The Audeze Maxwell 2 lasted much longer per charge in RTINGS’ testing, but omits active listening noise cancellation. A single-platform player may gain more from that endurance or a less expensive headset than from paying for a GameHub with unused inputs. ¹

Verdict

The Nova Elite earns its cost when simultaneous sources are a routine need. Choose it after assigning the ports on paper. If the plan includes only one console, a phone and no regular mixing, its most distinctive hardware will spend much of its time idle.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite review

Pros

Cons