If you want long battery life, adaptive noise cancellation, and spatial audio for relaxed listening as a side sleeper, choose iKF Mars; if you need a lightweight headset built around multi-platform gaming, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X. The main distinction is focus: Mars emphasizes extended everyday audio, while Nova 3X emphasizes game-specific control and wireless flexibility.
Neither is described as a sleep headset, so fit for side sleeping is not established by the specifications. Still, the over-ear designs and very different weights make that a useful point to consider before choosing.
Neither is described as a sleep headset, so fit for side sleeping is not established by the specifications. Still, their over-ear designs and very different weights make that a useful point to consider before choosing.
iKF Mars vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X at a Glance
• iKF Mars: Its standout strengths are adaptive ANC, spatial audio with head tracking, and up to 140 hours of playback with ANC off. The trade-off is its stated weight of 2 pounds, a significant consideration for extended wear or lying on your side.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X: Its strongest case is gaming flexibility: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, app-based game presets, and a stated weight of 9.12 ounces. Its trade-off is a shorter listed battery life of up to 40 hours.
• Choose iKF Mars for long listening sessions, noise control, wired audio, and extra sound features.
• Choose Nova 3X for multi-platform gaming, game-specific audio control, and a lighter headset.
The Mars is built for listeners who want a feature-rich over-ear headphone for more than one setting. Its adaptive active noise cancellation is intended to adjust to changing surroundings, while a transparency mode can be activated by touch when you want to hear more of what is around you. That combination may suit someone moving between a noisy commute, an office, and quieter listening at home without wanting to remove the headphones every time a conversation begins.
Its spatial audio system is described as using head tracking, so the sound adjusts in real time with head movement. The four-driver arrangement pairs 40mm and 20mm drivers, and the listed frequency range is 20Hz to 40kHz. The product also supports LDAC and wired audio through a 3.5mm jack. Those features give it a broader listening brief than a headset focused mainly on gaming; they may appeal to someone who wants wireless convenience but values having a wired option, too.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-18 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it: Skip the Mars if a light headset for gaming is your priority, or if you need a product whose side-sleeping comfort is established rather than something you have to assess from the fit.
The Nova 3X makes its strongest case for people who play across several platforms. It uses a USB-C dongle for 2.4GHz wireless and also supports Bluetooth, with quick switching described between gaming audio and Bluetooth use. The stated platform list includes Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Switch, mobile devices, and handhelds. An included USB-A adapter adds another connection option, while the headset’s controls include power, volume, mute, and pairing.
Gaming audio is the focus of its app-based controls. The Arctis Companion app offers more than 200 game presets, and the description says those profiles can emphasize cues such as footsteps, reloads, or healing sounds. That gives players a way to tailor audio for particular games instead of relying on one general sound profile. Its neodymium magnetic drivers are described as delivering detailed highs, mids, and bass, although the supplied specifications do not give a frequency range comparable to the Mars’s listing.
The stated weight is 9.12 ounces, and the design includes a stretchy headband with multiple adjustment points and a dual-hinge construction. That lighter figure is a meaningful contrast with the Mars and may appeal to someone who wears a headset for long gaming sessions. Battery life is listed as up to 40 hours, with fast charging that can provide up to nine hours of playback after a 15-minute charge. Those are useful conveniences, but the maximum battery figure remains well below the Mars’s stated maximum.
Who should skip it: Skip the Nova 3X if adaptive ANC, transparency mode, spatial audio with head tracking, or exceptionally long listed playback time is more important to you than gaming controls.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for fewer charging interruptions → iKF Mars. Its listed maximum is up to 140 hours with ANC off and up to 95 hours with ANC on; Nova 3X lists up to 40 hours.
• Best for adaptive noise control → iKF Mars. It has adaptive ANC and a touch-activated transparency mode; the Nova 3X specifications do not list either feature.
• Best for a lighter listed weight → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X. At 9.12 ounces, it is much lighter on paper than the Mars at 2 pounds.
• Best for spatial audio with head tracking → iKF Mars. Its spatial system is described as adjusting with head movement.
• Best for switching among gaming platforms → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X. Its 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth support are aimed at use across consoles, computers, handhelds, and mobile devices.
• Best for a wired listening option → iKF Mars. It includes a 3.5mm jack as well as Bluetooth.
• Best for quick charging → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X. Its listed fast-charge feature offers up to nine hours of playback after a 15-minute charge; Mars lists a two-hour charge time without a comparable short-charge figure.
For side sleeping, neither product’s specifications confirm that it is comfortable to wear while lying on one side. Both are over-ear headphones, and neither sheet provides a profile depth or other fit detail that would settle how much pressure a pillow might put on the ear. The Nova 3X’s lower listed weight may be relevant, but weight alone cannot establish sleeping comfort. If side sleeping is the deciding use, treat both as regular over-ear headphones rather than assuming either is designed for sleep.
Also separate noise control from sound isolation. Mars specifically lists active and adaptive noise cancellation, plus sound isolation; Nova 3X’s supplied details do not list ANC. If reducing surrounding noise is central to your routine, the Mars has the clearer feature match. If you are looking for the best waterproof head phones for side sleepers, neither product sheet identifies either model as waterproof, so these specifications do not support choosing one for water resistance.
The same care applies to bass. Nova 3X is described as having deep bass, while Mars lists its driver configuration and audio features but does not provide a bass emphasis claim in the supplied information. That makes Nova 3X the more directly supported option for someone searching for the best extra bass sleep headphones for side sleepers—but it is still a gaming headset, not a product specified for sleeping. Do not treat a sound description as evidence of sleep comfort.
My Verdict
I would choose the iKF Mars for general listening because its adaptive ANC, transparency mode, spatial audio, wired option, and long stated battery life make it the more versatile everyday headphone on paper. Its 2-pound listed weight is a real drawback, especially for side sleeping, and I would not assume it is comfortable in bed. For side sleepers who also want gaming-first controls and a much lighter listed headset, I would consider the Nova 3X instead—but my overall pick is Mars for its broader listening feature set.
Neither product is specified as a sleep headphone, and the available details do not establish pillow comfort. Nova 3X is lighter by its listed weight, while Mars offers longer battery life and ANC; fit should be the deciding concern for sleeping use.
iKF Mars lists up to 140 hours with ANC off and up to 95 hours with ANC on. SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X lists up to 40 hours, but also describes a fast-charge feature that can provide up to nine hours of playback after 15 minutes.
iKF Mars lists active and adaptive noise cancellation, along with a touch-activated transparency mode. The supplied Nova 3X specifications do not list ANC or transparency mode.
Nova 3X is the more gaming-focused choice, with a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle, Bluetooth, an included USB-A adapter, and app-based game presets. Mars has low-latency audio listed at 30 milliseconds and can connect by Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable, but its stated feature set is less centered on platform switching and game-specific presets.
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