How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a lighter headset with spatial audio and a software-tunable sound profile, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1; if you need a glasses-friendly fit and bigger drivers, choose Turtle Beach Atlas 200. Both are wired 3.5mm headsets built for the same job, so the real decision comes down to fit, weight and how much you care about tuning your own audio.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 — biggest strength: 360° spatial audio plus a parametric EQ you can customize, wrapped in a 236g / 0.52lb frame.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 — biggest trade-off: Its 40mm-class dynamic drivers and 36 ohm impedance suit most devices, but the ComfortMAX band and rotating cups mean more moving parts to get used to.
• Turtle Beach Atlas 200 — biggest strength: 50mm Nanoclear drivers and ProSpecs dual-foam cushions designed specifically for gamers who wear glasses.
• Turtle Beach Atlas 200 — biggest trade-off: At roughly 280g it's heavier than the Nova 1, and its "noise control: None" means no active noise cancellation.
• Who the Nova 1 is for: players who want positional audio cues, a retractable mic and a light, adjustable fit across PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.
• Who the Atlas 200 is for: glasses wearers and anyone who wants big-driver sound, a floating headband and a flip-to-mute mic with zero software fuss.
The Arctis Nova 1 is built around the Nova Acoustic System and a set of High Fidelity Drivers, and the feature that matters most for gaming is 360° spatial audio. In practice, that's the design goal of hearing direction — footsteps, reloads, vocal cues — rather than just loud output. It's fully compatible with Tempest 3D Audio on PS5 and Microsoft Spatial Sound, so the surround processing works with the platform's own spatial engine instead of relying on a separate dongle.
The headset weighs 236g / 0.52lb, and the ComfortMAX System gives you four points of adjustability: height-adjusting, rotating earcups, an AirWeave memory cushion and a stretchy band that spreads the load. For long sessions, that combination is the reason to pick it. The ClearCast Gen 2 mic is bidirectional and cuts background noise by up to 25dB, and it fully retracts into the earcup when you're not talking. On-board controls handle volume and mute without leaving the game.
Who should buy it: someone playing on PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox, Switch or mobile who wants spatial audio, a retractable boom mic and a genuinely light headset. Who should skip it: if you wear glasses and find most over-ear cushions press on your frames, the Nova 1's memory foam isn't specifically shaped for that — the Atlas 200 is the better fit there. Also skip it if you want zero software involvement; the Pro-grade Parametric EQ is a strength, but it's a strength you have to actually use.
The Atlas 200 leads with its 50mm Nanoclear drivers — the largest driver size in this comparison — and Turtle Beach's pitch is immersive gaming audio from those bigger drivers. The frequency range is 20Hz to 20kHz, the same nominal spread as the Nova 1, so the difference isn't extension but the driver size itself and how the earcups are tuned.
The standout design detail is the Patented ProSpecs Dual-Foam Ear Cushions, which Turtle Beach explicitly builds for gamers with glasses. If you've ever had a headset clamp your frames into the side of your head, this is the feature that solves it. The floating headband and memory foam cushions are there to keep pressure even across a full day of play, and the enclosure uses athletic weave fabric, memory foam and plastic. At approximately 280g it's heavier than the Nova 1, but the floating headband is designed to distribute that weight.
The mic is uni-directional and flips to mute — a physical, obvious mute you can see at a glance rather than a button you have to remember. Controls run through app control with a rotary knob, and the connection is standard 3.5mm for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation and PC. One honest note from the specs: noise control is listed as "None," so there's no active noise cancellation here.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for spatial audio → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. 360° spatial audio with Tempest 3D and Microsoft Spatial Sound support.
• Best for glasses → Turtle Beach Atlas 200. ProSpecs dual-foam cushions are made for frames.
• Lightest on your head → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. 236g / 0.52lb versus roughly 280g.
• Biggest drivers → Turtle Beach Atlas 200. 50mm Nanoclear versus the Nova 1's dynamic drivers.
• Best mic for noisy rooms → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. The ClearCast Gen 2 cuts background noise by up to 25dB and retracts fully.
• Simplest mute → Turtle Beach Atlas 200. Flip-to-mute is visible and instant.
• Best for sound tinkerers → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. The Pro-grade Parametric EQ lets you shape almost everything.
• Best for plug-and-play console players → Turtle Beach Atlas 200. 3.5mm, a rotary knob and app control, no tuning required.
I'd buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. In my opinion the combination of 360° spatial audio, a parametric EQ, a noise-cancelling retractable mic and a 236g frame covers more of what gaming headphones are actually for — hearing where enemies are and staying comfortable while you do it. The Nova 1 fits PC, PS5/PS4, Xbox, Switch and mobile through one 3.5mm jack, so it moves between setups without drama. That said, if you wear glasses, the Atlas 200's ProSpecs cushions and 50mm drivers are a legitimately better match for you, and I'd point you there without hesitation. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in a similar wired-headset bracket.
FAQ
how much gaming headphones
how to game with bluetooth headphones
You can, but Bluetooth adds latency that matters in competitive games. Both headsets here avoid that by using a wired 3.5mm jack — the Nova 1 lists Bluetooth as a connectivity technology but its primary gaming connection is the 3.5mm cable, and the Atlas 200 is wired only. For low-latency play, wired is the safer route.
is gaming better with headphones
For most people, yes — and the specs show why. The Nova 1's 360° spatial audio and the Atlas 200's 50mm drivers are both designed to place directional cues and detail that TV speakers blur. If you play anything where footsteps or callouts matter, a headset beats open speakers.
are gaming headphones good for calls
They can be. The Arctis Nova 1's ClearCast Gen 2 mic reduces background noise by up to 25dB and retracts into the earcup, which makes it a reasonable everyday comms mic. The Atlas 200's uni-directional flip-to-mute mic is clear on voice but lacks the noise-reduction figure, so in a loud room the Nova 1 is the stronger pick for calls.
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See also: Turtle Beach Recon 200 vs Nacon RIG R5: Gaming Headphones, SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X vs TOZO Open X2, MEE audio M6 vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X