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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 that lets you tweak game-by-game audio profiles from your phone, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X; if you need a wired USB-C headset built around planar magnetic drivers and AI noise-cancelling voice chat, choose ausounds USB-C/A Gaming.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X — biggest strength: true wireless freedom (2.4GHz plus Bluetooth 5.3) with up to 40 hours of battery and 200+ app-controlled game presets.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X — biggest trade-off: it's a wireless-only design with no headphone jack, so you're dependent on its dongle or Bluetooth and on keeping it charged.
• ausounds USB-C/A Gaming — biggest strength: planar magnetic drivers with 7.1 spatial audio and 32K AI noise reduction on the mic, in a plug-in-and-play wired setup.
• ausounds USB-C/A Gaming — biggest trade-off: it's wired and heavier (1.1 kg listed), so it's tethered to your PC or PS5 and not something you'd wear on a commute.
• Pick the SteelSeries if you split time between Xbox, PS5, PC, Switch, handhelds and a phone, and want to slip into a preset for shooters on the fly.
• Pick the ausounds if you game at a desk, want spatial surround and a mic that fights background noise, and never want to think about charging.
The Arctis Nova 3X is built around flexibility. It runs a 2.4GHz connection for low-latency gaming and Bluetooth 5.3 for everything else, and it ships with a USB-C dongle plus a USB-A adapter. In practice that means the same headset follows you from an Xbox to a PS5 to a PC to a Switch or a handheld, and then switches over to Bluetooth for music on your phone. That quick-switch behavior is the core of the pitch here.
The second pillar is the software layer. The Arctis Companion app unlocks 200+ game presets — think footstep, reload and heal cues sharpened for specific titles — and you control it from your phone rather than digging through a PC utility. Paired with custom neodymium magnetic drivers, the aim is a detailed soundscape rather than a bass-heavy one. If you play competitive shooters and want to hear a flank before you see it, this is the design intent.
Battery life is the practical selling point: up to 40 hours on a charge, and 15 minutes of fast charging gets you up to 9 hours of playback. At 260 g with a stretchy headband and multiple adjustment points, it's also tuned for long sessions, and the dual-hinge design is there for durability. I'd steer you here if you want one headset for everything and you value app-driven tuning. Skip it if you specifically want a wired connection, a 3.5mm jack, or you'd rather not manage a charge cycle at all.
The ausounds USB-C/A Gaming takes the opposite approach: it's a wired, desk-bound headset that leans on driver technology and audio processing rather than convenience features. The headline is planar magnetic drivers, which are associated with fast, precise transient response — the kind of clarity that helps you pick out enemy footsteps and weapon cues. Add 7.1 surround spatial audio and you get an intentionally immersive, direction-aware soundstage for single-player atmosphere as much as competitive play.
The voice side is where ausounds puts real emphasis. It lists 32K AI noise cancellation and an upgraded microphone tuned for clarity, described as crushing 100+ distractions — which translates to cleaner comms in a noisy room, whether that's a fan, a mechanical keyboard or background chatter. There's an inline volume dial for quick adjustments without leaving the game, plus RGB and an "infinity mirror" lighting effect on the cups if you care about how your setup looks. Active noise cancellation is also listed as a control feature.
Comfort comes from memory foam earcups in an over-ear, circular shape, and it's a black wired unit aimed at adults and teens. Two things to weigh honestly: the listed weight is 1.1 kg, which is heavy for a headset, and there's no wireless mode at all — it's USB-C/A only. I'd point you here if you game at a fixed desk with a PC or PS5, want surround processing and a strong mic, and prefer never charging anything. Skip it if portability, long-wear lightness or console-hopping matter most.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for multi-platform use → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X: 2.4GHz plus Bluetooth 5.3 covers Xbox, PS5, PC, Switch, handhelds, phones and tablets from one headset.
• Best for battery life and charging speed → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X: up to 40 hours per charge, with 15 minutes of fast charging returning up to 9 hours.
• Best for all-day comfort → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X: 260 g with a stretchy headband and multiple adjustment points versus the ausounds' listed 1.1 kg.
• Best for spatial immersion → ausounds USB-C/A Gaming: 7.1 surround spatial audio with planar magnetic drivers for a wide, suspenseful soundstage.
• Best for clean voice chat → ausounds USB-C/A Gaming: 32K AI noise cancellation and an upgraded mic designed to cut through background noise.
• Best for a zero-charging desk setup → ausounds USB-C/A Gaming: wired USB-C/A means no battery to manage and no dongle to lose.
• Best for on-the-go listening → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X: Bluetooth 5.3 makes it a usable everyday headphone, which the wired ausounds simply isn't.
In my opinion, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X is the better buy for most people, because it does more jobs well: wireless on consoles and PC, Bluetooth for your phone, app-based presets for the games you actually play, and 40 hours of battery with fast charging. The ausounds USB-C/A Gaming is the stronger pick if you sit at one desk, want planar magnetic detail and 7.1 surround, and value AI noise-cancelling voice chat over portability. If you never want to think about charging and you're always at the same setup, go ausounds. Otherwise, I'd take the SteelSeries. Before deciding, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page.
FAQ
Yes. It includes a microphone with 32K AI noise cancellation and an upgraded design for clearer voice capture, alongside an inline volume dial. There's no Bluetooth or 2.4GHz mode — it's wired USB-C/A only.
Based on the specs, the SteelSeries is the lighter option at 260 g with a stretchy headband and multiple adjustment points, and its 40-hour battery supports long wireless sessions. The ausounds lists 1.1 kg, which is notably heavier, though its memory foam earcups are designed for comfort.
Both work there. The SteelSeries adds Xbox, Switch, handhelds and mobile over 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, so it's the more versatile choice. The ausounds is wired USB-C/A for PC and PS5, with 7.1 surround spatial audio as its main draw.
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