On the right ear cup is the ChatMix dial for balancing in game and mic chat audio, and the power button. It’s no rival for some of the best headphones on the market, but there’s little I can fault given the budget nature of the product.Each ear cup has all the basic controls for the headset. This was most apparent when binging the back catalog of Scar Symmetry’s technical melodic death metal, and with tamer tracks from cloud rappers like Whiterosemoxie’s Flavors and Yung Fazo’s Wish You Well just to name a few. Regardless of which platform I used the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X on, listening to music was enjoyable. While I made a case that the more general Nova 1 model should have been USB, this console specific variant running into a gamepad with full functionality excels here. Considering it’s all coming through a 3.5mm jack, it’s impressive, and I liked being able to kick back in a gaming chair or lay in bed knowing the headset was always close to the controller. It was especially good when paired up with my PS5, and had a strong clarity which cut through the noise of hectic gameplay. The microphone on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X sounds great when being run through a controller. Background ambience was also picked up, and while not quite as impressive as my SteelSeries Arctis 7P+, the overall experience is definitely comparable quality wise. Through the headset, I was able to hear Cal Kestis’ lightsaber as it pierced through the bodies of man and beast alike through the storming rain.

Those games which take advantage of the PS5’s 3D Audio sung particularly highly through the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The pulsing soundtrack came through incredibly well, with the melee weapons and firearms handling with satisfying crunch. A particular standout was Hotline Miami which I played across both systems to monitor how the 40mm drivers feel through both machines. When I was playing through some of the best PS5 games and the best Nintendo Switch games respectively. For full transparency, I mostly used this gaming headset with my PS5 and Nintendo Switch, and my gaming laptop, and found the experience on both systems to be above average for the price point. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X works incredibly well when plugged into a console.

Steelseries arctis 7x wireless