If you want comfortable Xbox-focused gaming headphones with adaptive noise cancellation, choose Bang & Olufsen Beoplay; if you need long battery life and flexible cross-platform wireless gaming, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. For hiking, though, these are both over-ear gaming headsets rather than true wireless earbuds, so the choice is about which design’s strengths matter more to you.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 at a Glance
• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal: adaptive active noise cancellation, Dolby Atmos for Headphones, and a virtual boom-arm microphone. Its trade-off is a shorter stated battery life of 19 hours and an Xbox-centered design.
• For console-focused comfort and sound control: Beoplay Portal makes a strong case, particularly for Xbox use.
• For longer sessions across more devices: Arctis Nova 7 offers the more flexible connection options and longer stated battery life.
• For hiking: neither is an in-ear option; choose based on whether noise cancellation or battery endurance matters more.
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal is an over-ear wireless gaming headset designed for Xbox. Its listed features include a lossless Xbox connection, adaptive active noise cancellation, and Dolby Atmos for Headphones. Those details point toward a headset for someone who wants to settle in for gaming with fewer distractions and a spacious virtual surround presentation. It also supports movies, music, and communication, so its stated uses are not limited to multiplayer play.
The microphone arrangement is unusual: four microphones work together to create a virtual boom-arm, with Own Voice technology intended to help manage how your voice sounds to you. That keeps the headset’s look free of a conventional extended mic arm while retaining a communication-focused setup. For shared spaces or rooms with background noise, adaptive ANC is a meaningful distinction from the SteelSeries model. It is also listed at 246 g in the product description, with a padded headband and memory foam earcups designed for extended wear.
The main compromises are its Xbox emphasis and its stated 19-hour average battery life. That is a different priority from the Arctis Nova 7’s multi-platform dongle setup and 54-hour figure. Beoplay Portal lists Bluetooth 5 and a 12-meter Bluetooth range, and its package includes a 3.5 mm stereo cable as well as a USB-A to USB-C cable. Those connections add options, but the key pitch remains Xbox gaming, ANC, and a comfortable over-ear fit. For hiking, its noise cancellation may sound appealing, but its headset format is less compact than earphones for hiking.
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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-19 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is aimed at someone who wants one wireless gaming headset to work across several kinds of devices. Its listed compatibility includes PC, PlayStation 5 and 4, Switch, and mobile, while its compact USB-C dongle provides 2.4GHz wireless connectivity. An included USB-A adapter broadens the ways the dongle can connect. That makes the headset a practical fit for a player who switches between a console, computer, and phone rather than building their setup around Xbox alone.
Its defining everyday feature is simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth audio. The product sheet says you can mix game and mobile audio, which is useful if you want game sound and phone audio available at the same time. The headset also has real-time app control and more than 200 game-specific audio presets. Those give sound-focused players options to adjust their setup without relying on one fixed profile. The ClearCast Gen 2 microphone is described as reducing background noise by up to 25 dB; on PC, Sonar AI is listed as an enhancement.
SteelSeries also specifies a rugged steel frame, elastic headband, and memory foam cushions. These features suit longer sessions and frequent movement between gaming devices, though they do not establish that the headset is built for outdoor hiking. Unlike Beoplay Portal, the Arctis Nova 7 does not list active noise cancellation. Its microphone noise rejection is intended to help voice communication, but that is not the same feature as canceling surrounding sound for the listener.
Who should skip it: Skip the Arctis Nova 7 if active noise cancellation is a priority or if your main goal is an Xbox-focused headset with Dolby Atmos for Headphones specifically listed.
• Best fit for Xbox-focused wireless gaming → Bang & Olufsen Beoplay. Its product details specifically call out a lossless Xbox connection and design features aimed at gaming on Xbox.
• Best fit for a mix of PC, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. Its included USB-C wireless dongle and USB-A adapter support a broader device mix.
• Best for adaptive active noise cancellation → Beoplay Portal. ANC is explicitly listed; the SteelSeries sheet does not list listener-focused active noise cancellation.
• Best for long stretches between charges → Arctis Nova 7. It lists 54 hours of average battery life, compared with 19 hours for Beoplay Portal.
• Best for using game and phone audio together → Arctis Nova 7. Its simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection is designed to mix those sources.
• Best for virtual surround gaming on Xbox → Beoplay Portal. Dolby Atmos for Headphones is part of its stated audio feature set.
• Best for app-based audio adjustments → Arctis Nova 7. Its real-time app control and game-specific presets suit people who want to tune audio for different games.
• Best for a hiking-focused purchase → neither is an obvious true wireless pick. These are over-ear gaming headsets. If you are comparing them as a noise canceling headset for hiking, Beoplay Portal has the stated ANC, while Arctis Nova 7 has the longer battery figure. Neither sheet describes an in-ear, compact hiking design.
Start with the device you expect to use most. If that is an Xbox, Beoplay Portal’s console-focused connection and Dolby Atmos support give it a clear purpose. If you regularly move between PC, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile, Arctis Nova 7’s USB-C dongle, adapter, and simultaneous Bluetooth connection are more directly suited to that routine. The two headsets are not simply competing on sound; their connection strategies point to different setups.
Next, separate noise control from microphone clarity. Beoplay Portal lists adaptive ANC, which is intended to reduce unwanted background sound for the listener. Arctis Nova 7 instead highlights microphone noise rejection, aimed at helping your voice come through more clearly. That can matter in a room with keyboard clicks or fans, but it does not replace active noise cancellation when you want less surrounding sound in your ears.
Consider how often you charge your headset, too. The listed battery figures favor SteelSeries, with 54 hours versus 19 hours for Beoplay Portal. Those are product-sheet averages rather than a guarantee for every use pattern, but they still make battery life a meaningful point of difference. Beoplay Portal lists a two-hour charge time; Arctis Nova 7 lists USB-C fast charging and a 15-minute charge time. If a short top-up is useful in your routine, that detail deserves attention.
Finally, think carefully about the hiking angle. Neither model is described as true wireless earbuds, and both are over-ear gaming headsets. The phrase best true wireless earbuds for hiking points toward a different kind of product than either one. If you still want one of these for occasional outdoor listening, focus on the features that genuinely transfer to that use: Beoplay Portal’s ANC or Arctis Nova 7’s longer stated battery life. The product details do not establish water resistance or a purpose-built outdoor design, so I would not assume either.
I would choose the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 for its 54-hour stated battery life, simultaneous wireless connections, and broader device support. That makes it the more versatile pick for a household or gaming setup that spans several platforms. For hiking, I would still look closely at whether an over-ear headset fits the outing; neither of these is a true wireless earbud design. If I wanted ANC and an Xbox-centered headset above all else, I would choose Beoplay Portal instead.
Neither is described as a true wireless earbud or a hiking-specific product; both are over-ear gaming headsets. Beoplay Portal lists adaptive ANC, while Arctis Nova 7 lists the longer average battery life.
Which headset has longer battery life?
Yes. Its listed features include adaptive active noise cancellation. The Arctis Nova 7 highlights microphone noise rejection, which is meant to reduce background noise picked up during voice communication rather than provide the same listener-focused ANC feature.
Its product details list simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth audio, allowing game and mobile audio to be mixed. The sheet also lists compatibility with mobile devices alongside several gaming platforms.
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