SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni Review: Designed for Multisystem Gamers

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni stands out by letting gamers work with several devices at the same time. It is aimed at people who use a console, a PC and a smartphone during play sessions.

In testing, the headphones performed well for music and movies, and that is where the biggest improvement over the older Pro model was noticed. With music-oriented EQ presets, the sound is rich, which is rare among wireless gaming headsets. Like the more expensive Elite model, the Omni supports high-resolution audio over a wireless connection, another upgrade over the previous Pro version. The reviewer was still unsure if this truly helps in gaming, but because he often listens to music while playing, the benefit is there regardless.

Switching between the Omni and the much pricier Elite, the difference is audible but subtle. The Omni does not offer the same spacious soundstage or delicate details as the Elite, and this is more noticeable with music than with games. When two or three sources are running at once, the reviewer did not feel he was missing anything by using the Omni instead of the Elite.

Multisource Mixing

Multisystem mixing is the headset's key selling point. Like other Nova Pro models, the Omni comes with a dedicated USB hub for inputs. It can mix up to four inputs, up from two on the Pro model, though it is hard to imagine scenarios where that is truly necessary. The most common complex setup would be a console for gameplay, a PC for Discord voice chat and a phone or tablet for music over Bluetooth. The Pro cannot handle that arrangement, but the Omni can, so it is worth the upgrade cost for those users.

The microphone can also output to multiple destinations at once, allowing someone to jump into proximity chat while still being on a Discord call. SteelSeries emphasizes that the new omnidirectional microphone is a major improvement over older models, although that mostly benefits friends and raid members who have to listen. The Omni, like the Nova Pro and Elite, sounds significantly cleaner and crisper than most gaming headset mics, while the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is still slightly sharper. Both do an excellent job filtering out coughing, chair scooting and the occasional dog bark.