I’ve never found headset mics particularly amazing, and the Arctis Nova 5’s ClearCast microphone doesn’t change my opinion. It’s not bad by any stretch, but when you’re used to podcast mics and the like, headset mics don’t hit the same. Despite that, the mic here will provide your squad with decent audio of your voice, although it’s not immune to background noise, so expect some to filter through. I do love the retractable mic design though, and as someone who rarely uses a headset mic, it’s great to be able to tuck it away instead of flipping it up.
I’ve said it in other headset reviews and I’ll say it again, if there’s one feature that’s just as important as audio quality it’s comfort, and when it comes to comfort SteelSeries is king. The Arctis Nova 5 uses a flexible lightweight plastic chassis and a fabric headband with three sizing options and memory foam ear cups for supreme comfort. If you’re partial to a lengthy session with the squad, the Arctis Nova 5 remains comfortable over long periods and the memory foam cups don’t cook your ears. At least not in my experience.
Battery life is another staple of any good headset and the Arctis Nova 5 doesn’t disappoint. SteelSeries says that you’ll get around 60 hours out of a full tank, and while I didn’t time my usage, I definitely got great mileage out of a charge and only had to charge it once during my few weeks of using it for review. The headset charges via a USB-C connection found on the right earcup, and a 15-minute charge will get you six hours of juice.