SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro's VS Astro A50 & A40's 

The A50 and A40 need to release their gen 5 versions already

I love all the vids this week! These sorts of comparisons are SO helpful for me, especially when they're coming from you!

Love your hard work and dedication! Nobody on RU-vid has done these extensive reviews let alone compare them with all the competition

Personally I always enjoy whenever u do these mini versus series whenever a new major headset comes out. Keep ‘em coming!

I don't understand why you don't have more likes for these videos,so thorough and helpful,thank you for these. I'm loving my Penrose,but unfortunately with their sensitive planar speakers and the foil that's inside of it,a little unfortunate drop dislodged it and now it's crackling,so I'm in the market for a new headset. Like I said,extremely helpful,thank you!

Great video. Picked up the novas today. Unfortunately they are not compatible with an elgato capture card due to ps5 lack of support for audio over USB. Returning them tomorrow to get my a50s back.

LETS GO!! Take a nap. I’m tired from just watching all these videos. Can’t imagine making them. Keep up the grind!

Hi, Thank you very much for you work. I have few comments to add. As a A50s Gen 3 user since release i can agree about simplicity. Mic flip to mute is extremely useful. I wanted to swap to Gen 4 but then i have seen Nova pro wireless out and decided to try it. When it comes to spatial audio, a50s sounds way better because of hardware processing vs software processing on Nova pro (hardware DTX:X was removed from Nova) Nova pro picks up keyboard and mouse sounds, this can be reduced by setting mic threshold level but at night time you will voice down but keyboard and mouse still makes the same amount of noise, i have had no issues with A50s maybe because A50 has Unidirectional mic vs Bidirectional mic on Nova. I found controls on Astros easier to operate than Nova. I will stick to Nova pro until Astro releases new headset. I will update if there will be any issues with Nova pro. Edit: After turning AI noise cancellation in Sonar it completely eliminated keyboard and mic noise even close. Even playing music on mobile was not heard on mic and the voice quality on mic is intact. I am very much impressed.

Just got my Nova Pros yesterday boy when I tell it beats every other headset I have oh boy I'm in love with them and you can pass 4 different audio source thur at once I love that

Got my A50 gen 4 forever, NO REGRETS . BEST BUILT / QUALITY / LONG LAST HEADSET EVER... Always recommend. 2019 still as new 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Wow, the mic to me on the Astros sounds so much better . Also being able to hear myself is a huge plus . When gaming gets intense I start talking louder and louder without realizing it .

Thanks a bunch for this Great review of these headsets. I settled on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wired. Loving it!! Thanks for the hard work and vids!

I’m glad I found this content, I’m in the market for a new headset and it was between these two

Exact headphones I have been using for years (Black A50). Let’s see if I’m making a trip to Best Buy. These headphones got my attention

If you want grenades/bombs to feel like bombs going off go with astros. If you want to hear everything like enemy footsteps while grenades are hitting like black cat fire crackers go with novas. He summed it up really well: Immersion=astros competitive=nova. Me=user of both. I just got nova pro (wired) I used astro a50 (wireless) for years but the battery life has slowly died so I switched. I gotta say, each of these headphones misses a little bit of something. My use of novas is still pretty fresh but I miss the big bass a lot from astros. But, I can hear enemies creeping up a little easier now. I just wish there was a little more BOOM with novas. edit: my friends say i sound much more clear now with the wired novas but that is to be expected as they are wired

Appreciate all the videos! You do great work!

When I game, I mainly sit at a desk but I do not like wires on my headsets. I was pretty much sold on the Nova Pro Wireless but you're making me consider the wired version and saving myself $100. Thanks for the detailed review and keep the videos coming!

I was wondering is the steal series worth it if your looking for a better mic Because I'm trying to improve my audio setup for my videos on twitch and RU-vid and was checking out the steal series astro a40tr vs the Sony H9 inzone ?

Thank you!! Been debating on all these for too long. Think I’ll be going with wired steelseries. Appreciate it!

Great video as always Techne 🙏. Was wondering if people were gonna make direct comparison videos between these two, so I’m glad you were able to pull through with this comparison. Underrated RU-vidr imo, have a great weekend!

Hey , love your videos, watch u all the time, I bought the virtuoso xt, because I saw your video. I want to know when would you do the comparison between the Virtuoso XT and the Steelseries Nova.I just bought the headsets and I was waiting for this review to see if I should change them for these.

Techne great video like always got a question if you can answer if not it's ok was thinking of buying the VZR model ones for series X or you think the nova wired if you can help please thanks again

I switched to the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless from the astro A50/A40s. Both are phenomenal options, but my biggest issue with Astro was the support. There have been no updates and no tech support when things go wrong and it feels like nobody is working for astro. I think it may have something to do with Logitech buying out astro or something. The app for windows only works half the time and having to turn my Astros on and off in order for them to work properly was also frustrating. It wasn't just my headset, but also my buddies that I game with. They have astro as well and the same complaints come from them. I just have been blown away from the arctis nova pros so far. IMO, the bass is way more prevalent on these than the Astros for some reason and I have been having fun all over again, while wearing the new headset! Fantastic review and great channel! Keep up the good work. :)

Seriously mister, you are just awesome! Asked you about this yesterday and here it is. Thank you very much for this! Really appreciate it 🍺

This is the first video of yours ive watched and it was awesome. Absolutely amazing review!!

exactly the video I need just bought A50 for new pc build and im thinking about returning and going with the novas

I’ve actually really enjoyed these. And it’s the biggest headset release we have seen in awhile. I would like a video showing what headsets SOUND the closest to the Nova Wireless. I know the Nova Wireless has a lot of cool functions but what headsets sound the most similar to it? Is it worth switching wireless brands like the Corsair HS80? Is it worth upgrading from the Arctis 9 or 9x based off of sound ?

Man, you're a legend. Period. Thanks a lot for the extensive reviews. Much love!

I use my A50s for my series x and I just picked up the nova pro wireless yesterday for my ps5 and man it’s so nice. Nova pros just on the flat profile has so much detail. I could hear stuff I haven’t heard before playing the same game with the a50s.

I have had my A50s for about a year, and they have been great until recently! Unfortunately, I have been running into issues with the mic not turning back on after the arm has been flipped up, then flipped back down. I usually have to repeat the process 3 - 4 times before they kick back on. I sometimes even have to power them down and do a hard restart on the headset. Not sure if this is normal wear and tear, but I would have expected them to last a bit longer, considering the price. Sound and Comfort are top notch though; no complaints there. With there being a mute button on the PS5 this could eliminate the problem, but that's just a fix. I'll probably give the Steel Series a try next just because I'm not 100% sold on the A50s.

Thank you techne for your hard work these videos are really helpful 💜

Oh i was just looking through the playlist to find the best pick for me and this showed up

we surely enjoy u reviewing these headsets w/other brands‼️

Love how u get into detail about the headsets. Ur the #1 goto guy when it comes to headsets. It's help more knowing that you are a true gamer. 👍

Is there any difference in the wireless and the wired versions if you opt to use an aux cable? Do you get the same quality in sound that you mentioned?

What would you suggest for someone that has trouble hearing? Ive only loved using Astro a50 because of the vast amount base and eq customization (3rd party) that allowed me to push the limits and make it sound alot Louder since I cant hear that good ( i wear Hearing aids). Ive tried the Artic pros not the nova pro, and they sound alot lower in bass compared to astro and there isnt a whole lot of space to increase the noise.

Hey Techne. Great video as always. I love your enthusiasm. Was wondering if I got the Xbox version of the Nova Pro do you lose any functionality as opposed to the PlayStation version when playing on PS5? At present I have the Razer Kaira Pro (Halo Infinite version) for Xbox and a Razer Blackshark V2 Pro (Rainbow 6 Siege version) for PS5, will the Pro Nova be a significant upgrade to both of these as my one headset for both consoles ? Thanks in advance.

i d love it if you can compare them to the old arctis pros. specialy the wired versions

Mini vids over 1 long vid any day. Thank you and keep trekking

You mad lad. How long can you keep these shinangans up??? Lol been loving this week. You've been crushing it.

Im still on my Razer blackshark V2 Pro. Over a year and im happy with it

I got my nova pro wireless yesterday and have worn them for hours straight and they don't sweat and I also don't really ever feel the noise cancelation nub in the ear cups. I feel them slightly sometimes but it is not much of a bother. It just depends on your ears/head. So far I love them and I have had the Arctis Pro Wireless for over a year and I definitely would consider these a pretty big upgrade between comfort, sound, and features, considering I mostly play xbox and pc and the arctis pro wireless was not directly compatible with xbox. I have either been playing games with them or listening to music since I have gotten them and they sound very good. I think the leather ear cups make a pretty big difference.

I've been using the A50s gen 4 for +3 years and never had problems with directional footsteps. It might be a matter of clarity as I haven't used the novas but absolutely no problems with directional audio at all!

Just ordered the steeleseries. Thank you so much for this review; helped me out.

Just got my Nova pro wireless this morning. They are amazing so far!!! I came from the Arctis Pro + Gamedac and the lows meds and highs of the new Nova plus comfort is just night and day

I own an Arctis Pro Wireless and what I hate about it, is that it fades away sound if there’s no speech and just background music sometimes. Someone knows a way to fix it? Can you compare Arctis Pro Wireless and Nova Pro Wireless? Especially the fading part? :) thanks

Hey Techne, Do you know what EQ the Bluetooth uses? Is it saved from sonar to headset or it the same one used on DAC for consoles?

Helpful video! However, i need to ask again: can it be compared with turtle beach stealth gen 2 Max ( sound quality, sonar vs superhearing, surround sound, pros and cons)? Which one worth the price? Thanks again

Did you happen to get any of the swappable ear covers or band?

I had both, To my ears, the Astro 50 is much more balanced in every area. Richer sound, more confortable. Better battery, although I miss the interchangeable battery function.

Another great vid. Positive Techne Vibes are always nice

Thanks Techne. I had a rough week but each day got better with ur reviews. I got the wired and plugged in my PC38X into the DAC. Brought out bass and sounds that I never knew it had. After I took the Nova headset and plugged it in to try it and then 🤯💥🔥

Does the game chat mix actually work for the PS5 on the Nova wireless? I love that option on my ps4 headset. But ps5 doesn't have Optical so far I haven't found a headset that has a working game chat mix besides the Sony Pulse headset which I have and don't like.

I'm from Taiwan, I bought the wired version because of your review, and it's overturned my impression that SteelSeries Arctic 3 headset only has mid and high frequency performance. Maybe this headset will be even better after the speaker RUN-in! Thank you soooo much!

Thanks guy got 250 for Christmas and I just looked it up at best buy the steelseries novas are 212!!! Saving some money while sounding great alright

Sweet! Now I can compare them to my a40s. I find the wire kinda inconvenient

As a long time ASTRO a50 user I can provide some info that isn't in this video I've owned these for 3 years now. Got them mid 2019. They worked great for the first year then I started having some issues. The first issue to arise was it randomly losing connection to the docking station. I could be sitting right next to the docking station and I'd start randomly losing connection. It wasn't happening top often till a few months after It happened the first time. At one point I couldn't get it to connect for a month so I had to switch back to my old headset. I decided to give it one more chance before I threw them away and I got it to work. A little before year 2 the next issue arrived. For some reason I was struggling to charge the headset on the docking station. Id have to wiggle it around on the docking station for a bit till i saw the yellow charge light. Tried unplugging the docking station and pulugging it back in, i tried resetting the headset, nothing worked. Then not too long after that it longer charge on the docking station. If you use the equalizer on pc then this will be a problem because if it can't charge on the docking station then it won't connect to the equalizer. Recently a 3rd issue poped up where I'm hearing a faint crackling sound. For a $350 headset I was hoping they would of lasted a few years longer before thes issues started popping up If you're considering buying the ASTRO A50s then I hope this helps you decide

These videos are the highlight of my mornings

“Not worried bout em!” Needs to be another badge you give these haha !

I dont have the A50’s i have the penrose X. But i was super excited about this video when I saw it pop up on my feed👏🏼👏🏼🔥

One thing you didn’t mention is if there is a difference in the wired version of nova sound compared to the wireless version when you plug the wireless version into the dac. The box gives you two different sound variations when the wireless is plugged in or not plugged in. Was there a difference in sound when our plugged in the wireless version? I returned mine because the price to features I believed was justified but I didn’t get the wow factor when listening to apex legends, videos. I got more wow factor when listing to the Xbox wired headset( Dolby atmos custom settings for game and stock Dolby movie for movies)

Can you plug the nova wireless into the dac to make them wired, an if you do do they sound exactly like the wired version?

whats the range on the arctis nova pro wireless before the audio drops out? i have been using the RIG800's for years and im due for an upgrade but i have an issue that i can only get half way across my medium sized house before the sucker starts to drop in and out in regards to connection/sound.

I bought my first set of Astros in 2015, broke them finally in 2021 and purchased almost every wireless headset possible to see if I liked something better. I play FPS games lots of EFT PUBG COD etc. I was hesitant to buy basically the same headset 6 years later with almost zero feature updates for the same price so I tried some other headsets. I bought the arctic pros, Logitech x pro, Hyper X Clouds, and by far the best, loudest sounding headset was and is the A50s. I always found myself trying to turn up the volume more and more (I play on PC and PS5) and being disappointed on all other headsets so back to Astro I went. I have the mod kit on the A50’s and don’t use it in the summer bc the leather is too warm for me. Also it’s nice to be able to have two base stations one for PC one for PS5 and only have one headset, buy a base station on eBay for like $40 you’re good to go.

Forget them haters bro! We appreciate the work you're putting in. Why should overly cynical commenters get to decide what you're excited about or which videos you can make?

I have the A50s, I’ve owned them for about almost 2 years now. And I’m planning on getting the artist nova pro wireless.

Awesome video! Having both of these headsets (Xbox/wireless) I have to say I like my Astros sound better but the functionality of the Nova Pros is great. The noise canceling on the Novas is not as good as I thought it was. I honestly couldn’t even notice if it was on. Also, the sweaty leather ear covers are irritating. I’m hoping they make an alternative pair. I’m going to try the Novas for a a few more days but if nothing stands out other than Bluetooth than I think I might just keep my A50s and return the Novas. For $50 more I was expecting more I guess? My A50s compete with the Novas and I’ve had my A50s for over 3 years!

I was a big astro fan until I found you . I trust what you said and bought the artic pro wireless and I can't use my astros anymore and enjoy them. Thanks

Side note can you do a comparison of the arctic nova wired to the arctic prime headset? They both have high fidelity drivers. I purchased the prime over the nova because of the price and same features as wired. Excluding the dac but the Dolby atmos customer setting you can do give the arctic prime a really good value

Been watching all your content and your reviews when im looking for keyboard and mouse. Now here I am watching for your review about headset because Im buying my first headset. Keep up the good content bro✨

The A40s are open back headphones :-) Great review as always sir.

I think the ear issue is definitely dependent on the user. I just got my nova Pros and I can wear them for hours without any issue with heat/ear sweat. Played 8 hours straight of apex legends solely because I loved using this headset so much lol

this helped me really much love your videos keep it going

Thank you. This helped a lot.

Tbh, I can’t wait for your comparison versus the Corsair Virtuoso XT since those are my current headset (I bought them in April).

If i buy the wireless nova version, will i still be able to turn it into wired version if i want a better sound?

I like corded headsets , whats the best option for me? I play on the Xbox series x. Thanks and love the videos !

Did you change around eq settings? It may be the default eq settigns on the a50 where everything gets muddy

I agree, my A40’s are very comfortable, probably the most comfortable out of all the headsets I own an they sound amazing WITH my custom EQ, however, when compared to my nova pro wireless or Penrose they fall a little short an strait to show their age when it comes to the driver technology. The bass is crazy on my nova pro wireless with the right tune, my Penrose are just absolutely amazing lol I can’t lie, even without a tune they sound better than both, but I keep going back to my A40s because the mix amp is just so much more convenient an they are super cozy like I was saying, they also still sound great, but definitely need to be updated. I wouldn’t buy the A50s at all for that price an no Bluetooth is insane to even consider buying them. I’d rather just keep the A40s plus the mic is better.

"go mow an extra lawn..." that's funny - cracked me up! Good comparison. thanks.

Thank you for your time & energy Techne. I appreciate you & enjoy the videos 👏🏿👏🏽👏🏻

Love the Last City Ghost on the shelf!

Thanks for what you're doing techne. You're the best my friend.

Is it posible to wire the Nova Pro Wireless when you want ? Or you're always stuck in wireless mode ? (for games wireless would be enough IMO, but maybe not for movies)

I came from the a40tr's and upgraded to the nova pro wireless. It's the best headset I've ever used and I've been with Astro 10 years owning atleast 4 sets on both consoles

Is it true you can plug in the Nova Wireless and effectively get the same audio as the Wired?

Great reviews on all, but I still don’t know what my best bet is. Coming from turtle beach stealth 600’s so I’ve been missing out on a lot for a while.. what’s best for ps5?

Thank you for this May wait for next gen models of these two companies to then make a decision

Will you compare them with the Turtle beach stealth 700 gen 2?

I was kinda nervous when you dropped this vid coz just ordered the penrose, but had been considering the a50. Listening to you I still think I have done the right thing lol

Brilliant video, thanks for the detailed review.

I have Astro A50. Steel series Arctic 7. Both are plagued by so many issues for premium headphones. But the novas have me intrigued.

Are the nova pros worth grabbing for PS5 though limited with options compared to PC.

I have the a50s but missed them with larger ear cups, you don't have to get astro ones found some on amazon that were way thicker and just have the same magnet attachment

Hey Techne, Love your content but not sure why you never mention a HUGE benefit of the A50’s or the old Arctis Wireless Pros, the Optical port on the base station? That port is removed in the new Novas & allows simultaneous audio with anything through the TV & your PC. Not too mention it makes it a headset that works with ANY console from any generation & PC simultaneously. Just seems like a big feature to omit in your critique. Thanks for the great videos. I want a “Stinkin Cozy” badge on these boxes, when applicable of course.

You need the HDMI adapter with Astro a50 with the PS5 if you want the sound to be better right?

Just switched from the astro a50s to the nova pro wireless. When I first got my a50s I loved them. About 9 months in, the clip on the top mat of my a50s broke making them impossible to wear for an extended period of time. Ended up fixing with super glue. Then the battery went shot. Battery would say it's fully charged, but when I took it off of the base station it would be on red. I had to keep them plugged in to a charger making them basically a wired headset. And they would have problems connecting to the base station themselves. I've tried and tried resetting them. Sometimes with luck but more times then not there was no luck at all. Overall very disappointed with the a50s. Especially for the price

I would highly recommend the mod kit for the A40's changes everything!!

I got turtle beach stealth 700 gem 2 for my ps5. What headset should i get for an upgrade. The a50s are £180 for black Friday is that good?

Can you use the A50 Dolby Atmos subscription that A50s come with but on a different device such as the Steelseries Nova Pro Wired? Can you hear foot steps better with Dolby on its preset setting or do you have to customize settings in Dolby to hear footsteps better than preset no Dolby, with Dolby?