Both are SteelSeries wireless headsets for PC and PlayStation with a mic that slides into the earcup, Bluetooth for a phone at the same time as the game, and a 3.5 mm cable in the box; SteelSeries lists both for Mac and Nintendo Switch. The Nova Pro Wireless adds a base station that sets sidetone, mic volume and a 10-band EQ without a PC, so they work on a PS5 too, and a second battery to swap in; the Nova 7 Gen 2 is a headset and a small dongle, with a 50+ hour battery.
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless | SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose it for | sidetone and EQ at the desk, with no PC | one small dongle and a long battery |
| Maker price | No maker price | No maker price |
| Connection | Wireless, through its base station | Wireless, through its USB adapter |
| Mute on the mic | Mic mute button on the headset | Mute control on the headset |
| Hear yourself | Sidetone, set on the base station | Sidetone, set in SteelSeries' Companion App on a phone, with no PC |
Choice A
The base station sets sidetone, mic volume and a 10-band EQ with no PC, so they work on a PS5 too. Two batteries, up to 22 hours each, swap without stopping, and it has active noise cancelling. ChatMix works only on a PC, with SteelSeries GG.
Choice B
Volume, mute and ChatMix (on a PC, with Sonar) sit on the headset, and SteelSeries rates the battery at 50+ hours. A USB-C dongle is all you plug in, and SteelSeries' Companion App on a phone sets its EQ and sidetone without a PC.
From the makers
5 of 10 setup details differ.
| Setup detail | SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless | SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone connection | Retractable boom microphone | Retractable boom microphone |
| Connectors (differs) | 2.4 GHz through the wireless base station (USB) · Bluetooth · 3.5 mm cable (in the box) | 2.4 GHz USB-C dongle · Bluetooth · USB-C to USB-A adapter · 3.5 mm cable (in the box) |
| Mute on the mic (differs) | Mic mute button on the headset | Mute control on the headset |
| Hear yourself (differs) | Sidetone, set on the base station | Sidetone, set in SteelSeries' Companion App on a phone, with no PC |
| Works with (per the maker) (differs) | PC · Mac · PlayStation · Switch · Mobile | PC · Mac · PlayStation · Switch · Mobile · handhelds |
| Included parts (differs) | Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset · Wireless base station · Second battery · USB-C to USB-A cable (×2) · 3.5 mm audio cable · Microphone pop filter · Product information guide | Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 headset · USB-C multi-platform dongle · USB-C to USB-A dongle adapter · USB-C to USB-A charging cable (1.5 m) · 5-pole to 4-pole 3.5 mm cable (1 m) |
| Also needs | Depends on how you connect and mount it | Depends on how you connect and mount it |
| Mount or thread | ||
| Dimensions | Not listed by the maker | Not listed by the maker |
| Software needed | Not listed by the maker | Not listed by the maker |
Both reach a PC or a PlayStation over their own wireless (the Nova Pro through its base station, the Nova 7 Gen 2 through a USB-C dongle) and keep Bluetooth on for a phone at the same time. Both have a mic that slides into the earcup and a mute button on the headset, and both boxes hold a 3.5 mm cable. SteelSeries lists both for PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Mac, and neither for Switch 2.
Sidetone lets you hear your own voice in the headset, so you don't shout. On the Nova Pro Wireless you set it, with the mic volume and the EQ, on the base station's own menu. On the Nova 7 Gen 2 you set sidetone and EQ in SteelSeries' Companion App on a phone. Either way, a console player doesn't need a PC for it.
SteelSeries says not to use the Nova Pro's mic while it's slid in; the Nova 7 Gen 2's still picks up sound retracted, but it needs to be out and close to your mouth to sound its best. On a PC with Windows 10 or 11, SteelSeries' Sonar adds AI noise cancellation to the Nova Pro's mic.
Neither of these is the Xbox edition. SteelSeries sells the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for Xbox, whose base station has an Xbox jack, and separate Xbox versions of the Nova 7. Buy the Xbox edition for an Xbox.
Plug the base station into the PS5 by USB, choose the headset in Settings, Sound, Microphone, then set sidetone and mic volume on the base station.
Plug the USB-C dongle into the PC, pick the headset in Windows and in Discord, and install SteelSeries' Sonar if you want ChatMix.
Connections and controls come from these model-specific documents. Manufacturer claims about sound are not independent tests.