SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X Wireless Multi-System Gaming Headset

By SteelSeries · Gaming Headsets · Audio & Electronics

  • Battery up to 60 hours
  • Weight 265 g
  • Bluetooth 5.3 plus 2.4 GHz dongle
  • 32 kHz 16 bit retractable mic

Lowest price seen
~$129.99 (approx.)
from $129.99 at Amazon

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A lightweight multi-system wireless gaming headset for Xbox, PlayStation and PC, with 50-60 hour battery life and a companion app carrying 100+ EQ presets. Check the fit before you buy: the headband adjusts loosely and large heads may not fit at the maximum extension.

Strengths

  • Light comfort for long sessions: 265 g claimed, 277 g measured, with memory foam cushions.
  • Long battery life: 50-60 hours rated, 35-40 hours in mixed-use testing.
  • One headset for Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Switch and mobile, with a dongle/Bluetooth switch.
  • The companion app brings 100+ EQ presets, a first for a SteelSeries headset.
  • Reviewers call the ClearCast 2.X mic one of the better mics on a gaming headset.
  • Quick charge: about 6 hours of use from 15 minutes plugged in.

Weaknesses

  • Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz cannot run at the same time — one audio source at a time.
  • No wired connection, so a dead battery means the headset is done.
  • Sound turns harsh at high volume, with mids and highs grating during rapid fire.
  • RTINGS measured poorly matched left and right drivers, so effects sit inconsistently.
  • No foam mic cover, so plosives are a recurring complaint in reviews.
  • The headband fits loose with no way to tighten it beyond the inner strap; large heads may not fit.

Verified specifications

ModelArctis Nova 5X Wireless, the Xbox/PC variant of the Nova 5 lineup (5P is PlayStation/PC, 5 is PC only).
Battery lifeup to 60 hours over Bluetooth, about 50 hours over 2.4 GHz.
Quick chargeabout 6 hours of use from a 15-minute charge.
Weight265 g claimed by SteelSeries; 277 g measured by PC Gamer.
Bluetooth5.3.
Wireless2.4 GHz USB-C dongle with an Xbox/other compatibility switch.
MicrophoneClearCast Gen 2.X retractable boom mic, 32 kHz / 16-bit.
Drivers40 mm with neodymium magnets; frequency response 20 Hz – 22 kHz.
Spatial audio360° Spatial Audio with Sonar Virtual Surround Sound (Windows), Tempest 3D Audio (PS5), Microsoft Spatial Sound.
Companion appArctis Companion App (iOS/Android) with 100+ game audio presets and two save slots for separate gaming/Bluetooth EQ profiles.
On-ear controlspower, mic mute, volume, game/chat balance, Quick-Switch button.
ChatMixon PC via GG/Sonar (Windows 10+); not on Mac or PlayStation.
Wired connectionnone — wireless only via dongle or Bluetooth.
In the boxheadset, USB-C wireless dongle, USB-C to USB-A adapter cable (5 ft / 1.5 m), charging cable (5 ft / 1.5 m), product information guide; CNET notes a hard case is included.
Full research notes and sources

Battery life and charging

SteelSeries rates the 5X at up to 60 hours over Bluetooth and about 50 over the 2.4 GHz dongle. Real-world mixed use lands lower: CNET estimated about 35 hours, WIRED measured close to 40, and IGN still had 57% left after two days of mixed use. A 15-minute charge adds about 6 hours of use, and WIRED saw roughly 50% in the same time. Nobody has published long-term battery degradation data, so treat the 60-hour figure as a best-case number.

Sound and microphone

IGN found positional audio excellent in Counter-Strike 2 but noted mids and highs turn harsh at high volume, with gunfire grating during rapid fire. CNET and PC Gamer both flag weak bass, and RTINGS measured poorly matched left and right drivers, which puts effects in inconsistent positions. Music sounds decent with bass-centric EQ presets, according to IGN.

The ClearCast Gen 2.X boom mic records at 32 kHz / 16-bit and reviewers call it one of the better mics on a gaming headset, with AI noise cancellation on PC via Sonar. There is no foam cover, though, so plosives keep coming up, and the internal mic that takes over when the boom is retracted sounds compressed and tinny. The boom stem is also too flexible to retract quickly.

The Arctis Companion App, new with this line, offers 100+ game-specific EQ presets and two save slots for separate gaming and Bluetooth profiles. PC Gamer found the differences between presets debatable.

Fit and the dongle

At 265 g claimed and 277 g measured, the 5X is light for long sessions, with memory foam cushions and a metal headband. The fit is the catch: reviewers say it sits loose with no way to tighten it beyond the inner strap, large heads may not fit at the maximum extension, and it slides when you bend over. It comes in black only.

The T-shaped USB-C dongle blocks the PS5 front USB-A port and nearby PC ports; a USB-A to USB-C extension cable is in the box as a workaround. CNET found the dongle works on Steam Deck even though SteelSeries does not list it, while Bluetooth does not. ChatMix works on PC via Sonar but not on Mac or PlayStation.

Is it worth it?

Launch MSRP was $129.99 in June 2024. Since then prices have moved between $105 and $150: WIRED found $105 at Walmart and at SteelSeries in July 2024, CNET saw $130 at SteelSeries in May 2024, and a June 2024 deal check had Best Buy at $149.99 with Lenovo and Walmart at $129.99. Best Buy listed the white variant at $138.99.

The value math from the research: strong at $110 or less, fair from $111 to $130, weak at $131-150. At those higher prices the Nova 7 line adds simultaneous Bluetooth and a wired connection for $20-30 more and is often on sale at $150. If you want one headset for Xbox, PlayStation and PC and you sit for long sessions, the 5X makes sense on sale; if you want a wired fallback or two audio sources at once, look at the Nova 7.

Which model this is

This page covers the Arctis Nova 5X Wireless, the Xbox/PC variant of the Nova 5 lineup. The 5P is the PlayStation/PC version and the 5 is PC only; the hardware is the same across all three, with only the dongle and branding differing. SteelSeries’ own Arctis Nova 5X page now redirects to the Arctis Nova 5 page. The US Amazon listing is ASIN B0D2YC9GM9.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

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