We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a lightweight, Teams-certified headset for calls and productivity on a Windows PC or Mac, choose Microsoft Modern; if you need a cross-platform gaming headset with quick-switch wireless and a long battery, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. These two wireless headsets look similar on a shelf. They are built for completely different people.
• Microsoft Modern — biggest strength: Certified for Microsoft Teams with a dedicated Teams button, a mute control with a status light, and up to 50 hours of music listening or up to 30 hours of voice calling.
• Microsoft Modern — biggest trade-off: On-ear, voice-first design with sound isolation only, so it is tuned for speech rather than immersive game audio, and it leans on a USB-A dongle plus Bluetooth for PC/Mac work.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X — biggest strength: Quick-Switch Wireless that toggles between 2.4GHz gaming and Bluetooth 5.3 with one button, plus up to 60 hours of battery and 100+ audio presets.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X — biggest trade-off: It is a gaming-first, over-ear headset with no headphone jack, so wired listening is off the table and the bulk is larger than a slim office headset.
• Who Microsoft Modern is for: Anyone who lives in Teams meetings, calls, and Windows productivity and wants a light, simple headset.
• Who SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X is for: Gamers who jump between Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Switch, and mobile and want one wireless headset for all of them.
The Microsoft Modern is a communication tool first. The on-ear design uses lightweight, padded earcups in faux leather, and the whole pitch is all-day wear — the kind of headset you forget you have on during a back-to-back meeting block. The stereo speakers are optimized for voice, not for cinematic bass, and the dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz range with 91 dB sensitivity. That tells you the tuning favors clarity and intelligibility over thump.
The controls are where this headset earns its keep. Mute, volume, and the Teams button sit in-line and within easy reach, and the mute control has a status light so you can see at a glance whether you can be heard. That single detail matters more than it sounds — it is the difference between confidently speaking up and second-guessing yourself mid-sentence. The background noise-reducing microphone handles the other half of that job.
Connectivity is straightforward: a USB-A dongle plus Bluetooth, with a 10-meter Bluetooth range, and it is certified for Microsoft Teams with easy setup and management that integrates with Surface computers and other Windows 10 PCs. Battery life is rated at up to 50 hours for music or up to 30 hours of voice calling on Teams. It is compatible with Windows 7 or higher and is Skype/Lync certified.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X: Who It's For
The Arctis Nova 5X is the opposite personality. It is an over-ear, multi-system gaming headset with oblong earcups in an ABS enclosure, and it is clearly designed to be worn for long sessions. Neodymium magnetic drivers push a 20–22,000 Hz range at 36 ohms, and the stated goal is an ultra-detailed soundscape — crystal-clear highs, pinpoint mids, and deep bass. For gaming, that combination is about hearing footsteps, reloads, and directional cues, not just feeling loud.
The headline feature is Quick-Switch Wireless. One button toggles between 2.4GHz gaming and Bluetooth 5.3, so you can take a call or listen to media without tearing the headset off. Notification beeps flag incoming calls while you are mid-game. On-ear controls cover power, mute, volume, ChatMix for balancing game and chat audio, and the Quick-Switch itself. The fully retractable ClearCast 2.X microphone uses a high-bandwidth chipset at 32KHz/16Bit and is rated at twice the clarity of the previous generation.
Battery is the other big number: up to 60 hours, which the brand frames as roughly 8 hours a day for a full week, plus USB-C fast charge that delivers about 6 hours of use in 15 minutes. The companion app unlocks 100+ audio presets for titles like GTA V, FIFA, and Call of Duty, with separate EQ profiles for gaming and Bluetooth that save and switch automatically. A compact USB-C dongle moves you between Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Meta Quest, phones, and tablets. In the box: the headset, the multi-platform dongle, a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, a USB-C to USB-A dongle extension, and a manual. Note there is no headphone jack.
Buy it if you game across several platforms and want one wireless headset that follows you, with a retractable mic and preset tuning for specific games. Skip it if you mainly need a Teams-certified office headset for PC calls, or you want a wired fallback.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for Microsoft Teams and office calls → Microsoft Modern. It is certified for Teams, has a dedicated Teams button, and a mute status light.
• Best for cross-platform gaming → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. The USB-C dongle covers Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Meta Quest, and mobile.
• Best for all-day light comfort → Microsoft Modern. On-ear padded earcups and a slim, communication-first build.
• Best for immersive game audio → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. Neodymium drivers tuned for detail, plus 100+ game presets and dual EQ profiles.
• Best for switching between game and phone → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. Quick-Switch Wireless toggles 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3 with one button.
• Best for simple PC/Mac productivity → Microsoft Modern. USB-A dongle plus Bluetooth, with setup integrated into Windows.
• Best for a retractable, clearer mic → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. The ClearCast 2.X mic is fully retractable at 32KHz/16Bit.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to what you actually do at your desk. If your day is meetings, calls, and Windows work, I would buy the Microsoft Modern — the Teams certification, visible mute light, and light on-ear fit are exactly what a work headset should be. If your day is gaming across multiple systems, I would buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X — 60 hours, Quick-Switch wireless, a retractable mic, and game-specific presets make it the more capable all-rounder for play. Neither is a compromise purchase; they are simply built for different jobs. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide, since that is the one thing I cannot compare for you here.
how to wireless headset
A wireless headset connects to your device either through a small USB dongle or over Bluetooth. The Microsoft Modern uses a USB-A dongle plus Bluetooth with a 10-meter range, while the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X uses a compact USB-C dongle for 2.4GHz plus Bluetooth 5.3. Plug in the dongle, power on, and you are connected.
how to connect wireless headset ps5
On PS5, the simplest route is the USB dongle. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X ships with a compact USB-C multi-platform dongle and is listed as supporting PlayStation, so you plug the dongle in and switch to 2.4GHz. The Microsoft Modern is built around PC/Mac and Teams, so it is not the one I would pick for a PlayStation.
how to connect wireless headset xbox
For Xbox, the Arctis Nova 5X is the natural fit — it is listed for Xbox and includes the USB-C multi-platform dongle plus a USB-C to USB-A dongle extension for reaching awkward ports. Plug the dongle into the console, power on the headset, and use the on-ear controls for volume, mute, and ChatMix.
how to work wireless headset
For work, you want Teams or call controls and a clear mic. The Microsoft Modern is certified for Microsoft Teams with a dedicated Teams button, in-line mute and volume, and a mute status light, plus up to 30 hours of voice calling. It pairs with Surface and other Windows 10 PCs over its USB-A dongle or Bluetooth.
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