How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-25 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Skullcandy SLYR Pro — biggest strength: Three ways to connect (2.4GHz transmitter, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm wired cable) plus an AI-assisted dual-mic setup in a lighter 320g shell.
• Skullcandy SLYR Pro — biggest trade-off: Shorter 30-hour battery, no on-ear ChatMix/mute buttons, and it leans on the Skull-HQ app for EQ and sidetone tweaks.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X — biggest strength: 60-hour battery with USB-C fast charge (6 hours from 15 minutes), retractable ClearCast Gen2.X mic, and full on-ear controls including ChatMix and Quick-Switch.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X — biggest trade-off: No 3.5mm jack at all, so if the battery dies you're charging rather than plugging in, and tinkering with presets lives in the Companion App.
• Pick Skullcandy SLYR Pro if you want flexibility across platforms and a wired safety net, and you're fine charging more often.
• Pick SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X if you play long sessions on Xbox/PC/PS and take calls mid-game, and you want the battery to outlast your week.
The SLYR Pro is a wireless headset built around flexibility. The included ultra-low-latency transmitter handles PlayStation, PC and Nintendo Switch, and Bluetooth covers mobile gaming on top of that. If you don't want to think about which device you're on, this is the appeal: one headset, several ways in. There's also a 3.5mm aux cable in the box, which matters more than it sounds — it gives you a wired option when you'd rather not use wireless at all.
The mic setup is the other headline. Skullcandy uses an AI-assisted "Clear Voice Smart Mic" that isolates your voice and cuts background noise, and it works through both the built-in mics and the removable boom mic. That's a genuinely useful arrangement: leave the boom off for casual play and calls, clip it on when you're coordinating with a squad. The Skull-HQ app handles ChatMix, EQ and sidetone on desktop or mobile, so the tuning lives in software rather than on the headset.
Battery is rated at up to 30 hours, with Rapid Charge to top up quickly. That's plenty for a normal week of evening sessions, but it's the clear weak point next to the Arctis Nova 5X. The 320g weight and over-ear plastic build are unremarkable but sensible.
Buy it if you want wireless with a wired backup, you play across PlayStation, PC, Switch and mobile, and you like the idea of a detachable boom mic. Skip it if you grind through 8-hour sessions daily, you want hardware buttons for ChatMix and mute, or you refuse to install an app to tune your audio.
The Arctis Nova 5X is built for people who live in their headset. The 60-hour battery is the whole story here: SteelSeries frames it as 8 hours a day for a full week, and USB-C fast charge gives you 6 hours of play from a 15-minute top-up. If you're the kind of player who forgets to charge until the headset beeps at you, that fast-charge number is the feature that saves your session.
The mic is fully retractable and upgraded to ClearCast Gen2.X, with a high-bandwidth chipset supporting 32KHz/16-bit audio. Retractable beats removable for most people — nothing to lose, nothing to clip on. Around it, SteelSeries puts every control on the headset itself: power, mute, volume, ChatMix for balancing game and chat audio, and Quick-Switch to jump between 2.4GHz gaming and Bluetooth 5.3. Notification beeps tell you about incoming calls while you're mid-match, which is a small touch that makes the Bluetooth side actually usable.
Audio runs through neodymium magnetic drivers with a 20–22,000Hz range, and the Companion App offers 100+ game audio presets with separate EQ profiles for gaming and Bluetooth that switch automatically. Cross-platform support covers Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Meta Quest, phones and tablets via the compact USB-C dongle.
The trade-off is real: there's no 3.5mm jack. Wireless only. If the battery runs dry, you're tethered to a charger, not a cable.
Buy it if you play long sessions, want on-ear controls, and like the idea of game-specific presets without leaving your match. Skip it if you need a wired fallback, you're on a mixed household of older consoles, or you'd rather not manage a companion app.
• Best for battery life → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. 60 hours versus 30, plus 6 hours from a 15-minute fast charge.
• Best for connection flexibility → Skullcandy SLYR Pro. 2.4GHz, Bluetooth and a 3.5mm wired cable, so you're never stuck.
• Best for on-headset controls → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. Power, mute, volume, ChatMix and Quick-Switch all live on the earcup.
• Best for mic convenience → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X. The ClearCast Gen2.X boom retracts fully; nothing to store or lose.
• Best for a detachable boom mic you can remove entirely → Skullcandy SLYR Pro. Removable boom plus built-in mics for when you don't want it.
• Best for everyday tonal tweaking → tie. Skull-HQ (ChatMix, EQ, sidetone) versus the Arctis Nova 5 Companion App (100+ presets, dual EQ profiles).
• Best for the lightest carry → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X at roughly 0.28kg versus the SLYR Pro's 320g.
• Best for mixed-device households → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X if everything is modern USB-C; Skullcandy SLYR Pro if you still want a jack.
In my opinion, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X is the one I'd buy for most people. The 60-hour battery, retractable mic, on-ear ChatMix and Quick-Switch make it a genuinely lower-maintenance headset, and the fast charge covers the one day you forget. I'd only steer you to the Skullcandy SLYR Pro if the wired 3.5mm option or the removable boom mic is non-negotiable for you — that flexibility is the SLYR Pro's real argument, and it's a good one. Otherwise, the Nova 5X simply asks less of you every week. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that gap matters for value.
how to connect wireless headset ps5
On the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5X, plug the USB-C dongle into the console and it connects over 2.4GHz — the dongle also covers Xbox, PC, Switch and mobile. On the Skullcandy SLYR Pro, use the included ultra-low-latency transmitter for PlayStation, or connect over Bluetooth. Both include a USB-C cable for charging.
how to connect wireless headset xbox
The Arctis Nova 5X is the straightforward pick here: its USB-C dongle is listed for Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Meta Quest, phones and tablets. The SLYR Pro is designed around PlayStation and lists PC, Switch and mobile for its transmitter — Xbox isn't in its compatibility list, so treat it as a PlayStation-first headset.
how to work wireless headset
Charge it over USB-C, plug the 2.4GHz transmitter into your console or PC for low-latency gaming, and use Bluetooth for calls and media. On the Nova 5X, Quick-Switch toggles between the two with a button and notification beeps flag incoming calls; on the SLYR Pro, the Skull-HQ app handles ChatMix, EQ and sidetone.
how to wireless headset battery last longer
Start with the spec: the Arctis Nova 5X is rated up to 60 hours and adds USB-C fast charge for 6 hours from 15 minutes. The SLYR Pro is rated up to 30 hours with Rapid Charge. Lower volume and skip idle Bluetooth time if you want either to stretch further.
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See also: SteelSeries Arctis Prime vs BlueFire Gaming Earbuds, Amazon Renewed Beats Fit Pro vs BASN ASONE 14.2mm, Konohan 160 vs Raycon Pro Earbuds