How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wireless, multi-platform headset you can wear all day and tune per game from your phone, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P; if you need a wired, wired-only USB-C headset with a retractable mic, memory-foam cushions and RGB flair, choose Razer Kraken V4.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P — biggest strength: 40-hour battery with 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3, plus 200+ game presets you control in the companion app.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P — biggest trade-off: It's a wireless-first design, so you're relying on charging and a dongle rather than a plug-and-play cable.
• Razer Kraken V4 — biggest strength: Wired USB-C/Type-A connection with no battery to manage, TriForce 40mm drivers and a retractable cardioid mic.
• Razer Kraken V4 — biggest trade-off: It's wired, so there's no Bluetooth or untethered freedom, and the pink My Melody styling is a very specific aesthetic.
• Pick the Arctis Nova 3P if you jump between PS5, PC, Switch, handhelds and mobile and want one headset that follows you wirelessly.
• Pick the Kraken V4 if you want a dedicated desk/console headset with zero charging, a mic you can hide, and RGB lighting.
The Arctis Nova 3P is built around flexibility. The headline feature is the dual wireless setup: a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle for low-latency gaming, plus Bluetooth 5.3 for everything else. That means you can be in a match on 2.4GHz and still take a call or play music over Bluetooth without unplugging anything. SteelSeries frames this as a quick-switch between "game" and "music" modes, and the spec sheet backs it up.
Battery is the other big story. A full charge is rated at up to 40 hours, and fast charging gives you up to 9 hours of playback from just 15 minutes on the cable. For anyone who games in long sessions or forgets to charge, that's a genuinely useful buffer. It's also light at 260g (listed at 9.12 ounces), with a stretchy headband, multiple adjustment points and a dual-hinge design for durability. If headset "hot spots" or pressure headaches are your usual complaint, the low weight and suspension-style band are the reason to look here.
Who should buy it: multi-platform players who want wireless freedom on PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, mobile and handhelds, and anyone who values battery life and app-based tuning. Who should skip it: if you want a strictly wired headset with no charging routine, or you specifically want a retractable boom mic and RGB lighting, this isn't the one.
Razer Kraken V4: Who It's For
The Kraken V4 X takes the opposite approach: it's wired, and it leans into that. A convertible USB-C to USB-A cable means you can connect to PC, Mac, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck and ROG Ally without adapters or dongles. There's no battery, no pairing, no charging — you plug in and you're live. For a fixed desk setup or a console that lives under the TV, that simplicity is the whole appeal.
Audio comes from Razer's patented TriForce 40mm drivers, a three-part design meant to keep highs, mids and lows from muddying into each other. Razer also includes 7.1 surround sound for positional audio, which is the feature most relevant to competitive shooters where directional cues matter. Impedance is 32 ohm with a 20 kHz frequency response and 96 dB sensitivity — easy enough to drive from a controller or laptop jack.
The mic is a retractable HyperClear cardioid unit. A cardioid pickup pattern focuses on your voice and rejects more surrounding noise, and because it retracts, you can tuck it away when you're just listening. Comfort is handled by hybrid fabric and leatherette memory-foam cushions that Razer says provide sound isolation during long sessions. And then there's Chroma RGB — 16.8 million colors with effects that sync across a large ecosystem of games and devices, if lighting matters to you. Note that this is the My Melody Edition in pink, so the look is a deliberate statement rather than a neutral black. Warranty is listed at 2 years, versus 1 year on the SteelSeries.
Who should buy it: players who want a wired, no-maintenance headset for PC or console, care about a clean retractable mic, and like RGB and the My Melody aesthetic. Who should skip it: anyone who needs Bluetooth, wireless range, or a headset that works untethered across many devices.
• Best for battery life and wireless freedom → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. Up to 40 hours, plus 15 minutes of charging for up to 9 hours.
• Best for multi-device hopping → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. 2.4GHz dongle plus Bluetooth 5.3 covers PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, mobile and handhelds.
• Best for zero-maintenance setup → Razer Kraken V4. Wired USB-C/Type-A means no charging and no pairing.
• Best for game-specific audio tuning → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. The companion app's 200+ presets, including CoD and Fortnite profiles, are the standout software feature.
• Best for voice clarity and mic flexibility → Razer Kraken V4. The retractable Hyperclear cardioid mic is designed to pick up more voice and less noise.
• Best for positional audio in shooters → Razer Kraken V4. 7.1 surround sound is the headline for hearing direction.
• Best for comfort on long sessions → a close call. The Arctis Nova 3P is lighter at 260g with a stretchy band; the Kraken V4 counters with memory-foam hybrid cushions and sound isolation.
• Best for a distinctive look → Razer Kraken V4. Chroma RGB with 16.8 million colors, in My Melody pink.
If I had to pick one, I'd take the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. In my opinion, the combination of 2.4GHz plus Bluetooth, up to 40 hours of battery and the app-driven game presets makes it the more versatile headset for how most people actually play — across several platforms, often with a phone nearby. The Kraken V4 is the better pick if you specifically want a wired, set-and-forget headset with a retractable mic, 7.1 surround and RGB, and you don't mind being tethered. Both are solid; the Arctis Nova 3P simply fits more setups. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's the one variable this comparison can't cover.
how much gaming headphones
That varies a lot by model and by when you buy, so I won't quote a figure. Both the Arctis Nova 3P and Kraken V4 sit in the mainstream gaming-headset bracket, but the wireless Arctis Nova 3P and the wired Kraken V4 are priced differently. Use the price button on this page to see the current numbers on Amazon.
how to game with bluetooth headphones
Bluetooth works for gaming, but latency is the catch — that's why the Arctis Nova 3P pairs Bluetooth 5.3 with a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle. Use the 2.4GHz connection for competitive play and switch to Bluetooth for music or calls. The Kraken V4 is wired only, so Bluetooth isn't an option there.
is gaming better with headphones
For most people, yes — a headset gives you directional audio and a mic in one device. The Kraken V4's 7.1 surround targets positional cues, while the Arctis Nova 3P's app presets sharpen footsteps and reloads. Both are designed to give you information a TV speaker won't.
are gaming headphones good for calls
They can be. The Kraken V4's retractable cardioid mic is built to emphasize your voice over background noise. The Arctis Nova 3P supports Bluetooth 5.3, which makes it easy to take calls on your phone while keeping the headset on. Neither is a dedicated office headset, but both handle voice fine.
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