We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a single wireless headset that doubles as a serious gaming tool on PC and console, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P; if you need an open-ear headset built for all-day work calls and clear voice pickup, choose MAIRDI Open Ear Bone.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P — biggest strength: a genuine dual-radio design (2.4GHz plus Bluetooth 5.3) with a USB-C dongle, 40-hour battery, fast charge, and app-driven per-game audio presets.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P — biggest trade-off: it's an over-ear gaming headset first, so it's the heavier, more enclosed option at 260g, and its calling features aren't its headline pitch.
• MAIRDI Open Ear Bone — biggest strength: bone conduction with an adjustable boom mic and AI dual-mic ENC that the maker says cuts up to 98% of background noise — plus a USB dongle that adds Bluetooth to PCs that don't have it.
• MAIRDI Open Ear Bone — biggest trade-off: 8 hours of playtime per charge and an open-ear fit that trades bass isolation for awareness, so it's not a cinematic gaming headset.
• Pick the SteelSeries if you game across PS5, PC, Switch or handhelds and want low-latency wireless with music on the side.
• Pick the MAIRDI if your day is meetings, calls and online learning and you want your ears left open.
The Arctis Nova 3P is, at its core, a multi-platform gaming headset. SteelSeries built it around a USB-C dongle that runs low-latency 2.4GHz wireless on PC, PlayStation, Switch, handhelds, phones and tablets — then layered Bluetooth 5.3 on top so you can quick-switch to a music preset when you stop gaming. That dual-radio setup is the real story here. It means you can stay on a fast gaming connection and still take a Bluetooth audio source without unplugging anything.
The spec sheet reads like a headset designed for long sessions. A full charge runs up to 40 hours, and fast charging gives you up to 9 hours of playback from a 15-minute top-up. At 260g with a stretchy headband and multiple adjustment points, plus a dual-hinge build, it's clearly aimed at people who wear a headset for hours and don't want pressure headaches. The custom neodymium magnetic drivers are tuned for a detailed soundscape with clear highs, pinpoint mids and deep bass — the kind of tuning that helps you hear footsteps, reloads and heals. The Arctis Companion mobile app adds 200+ game presets you can apply in real time, including profiles for Call of Duty and Fortnite.
Who should buy it: gamers who split time between a console and a PC, want one headset for both, and value low-latency wireless plus a long battery over everything else. It also suits anyone who wants active noise cancellation and on-ear controls for mute, pairing, power and volume.
Who should skip it: if your priority is being able to hear the room around you, or if you mostly take voice calls in a noisy office, this is the wrong tool. It's a closed, over-ear gaming headset. Its calling story isn't the focus, and the enclosure is the opposite of open. If you want a lightweight headset for meetings rather than a gaming rig, look at the other option.
The MAIRDI Open Ear Bone is a different animal entirely. It's a bone conduction headset — the sound reaches you through vibration rather than sealing a driver over your ear canal. That single design choice defines everything. Your ears stay open, so you keep awareness of your surroundings, and the headset sits on a titanium alloy neckband that the maker says hugs the ear securely, even under a helmet or with glasses on. At just 32g, it's built to disappear on your head over a long day.
Where it really aims is voice work. There's an adjustable boom microphone, and MAIRDI's AI dual-mic noise cancelling is claimed to remove up to 98% of background noise so the person on the other end hears you clearly — in a busy office, a truck cab, a video conference or an online class. The connectivity is thoughtfully handled too: Qualcomm QCC Bluetooth 5.3 for stable transmission and lower power draw, multi-point pairing so it holds two Bluetooth devices at once, and an included USB Bluetooth adapter so you can plug it into a PC or laptop that has no Bluetooth at all. That's plug-and-play for desktop calls.
Battery life is where you need to be honest with yourself. MAIRDI rates it at 8 hours of music and calls, with 200 hours of standby, and charging is magnetic rather than a fiddly cable. Eight hours covers a workday of calls comfortably, but it isn't a marathon gaming number. The open-ear fit also means less bass isolation and more ambient sound — great for awareness, less great for immersion.
Who should buy it: remote workers, drivers, office staff and students who live in voice calls and want their ears unblocked. It's also a sensible pick if your PC doesn't have Bluetooth and you'd rather not add a separate adapter.
Who should skip it: if you want a deep, sealed, cinematic sound for single-player games or movie nights, this isn't it. And if you game for ten hours straight without charging, 8 hours will cut you short.
• Best for PC gaming and low latency → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. The USB-C dongle runs 2.4GHz wireless, which is the point of a gaming headset.
• Best for voice calls and meetings → MAIRDI Open Ear Bone. The adjustable boom mic plus AI dual-mic ENC is purpose-built for being understood.
• Best for battery life → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. Up to 40 hours versus 8 hours is not close.
• Best for fast top-ups → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. A 15-minute charge returns up to 9 hours of playback.
• Best for all-day comfort with minimal weight → MAIRDI Open Ear Bone. At 32g it's dramatically lighter than the 260g SteelSeries.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → MAIRDI Open Ear Bone. Open-ear bone conduction leaves your ears unblocked.
• Best for consoles → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. It's explicitly built for PS5, PS4, PC, Switch and mobile.
• Best for a PC with no Bluetooth → MAIRDI Open Ear Bone. The bundled USB adapter makes it plug-and-play.
In my opinion, most people torn between these two should buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. It's the more versatile device: dual 2.4GHz and Bluetooth radios, up to 40 hours of battery, fast charging, app presets and console support make it the better single purchase if gaming and general listening are your priorities. I'd only steer you to the MAIRDI Open Ear Bone if your day is genuinely built around calls and meetings and you value an open-ear, lightweight fit with a dedicated boom mic above all else. Two different jobs, two different headsets — pick the one that matches your actual week.
FAQ
how to connect bluetooth headphones for pc
how to use bluetooth headphones for pc
Once paired, set the headset as both the output and input device in your sound settings so audio and microphone route correctly. For calls, confirm the mic is selected as the recording device. The Arctis Nova 3P adds app-based presets through Arctis Companion, while the MAIRDI leans on its boom mic and multi-point pairing for switching between two devices.
how to bluetooth headphones to pc
Turn the headset on, hold its pairing button until the indicator flashes, then add a device in your PC's Bluetooth menu. The Arctis Nova 3P supports Bluetooth 5.3 and quick-switching from its 2.4GHz connection; the MAIRDI uses Qualcomm QCC Bluetooth 5.3 and can hold two Bluetooth connections at once.
how to pair bluetooth headphones pc
Put the headphones in pairing mode and select them from the Bluetooth device list on your computer. If pairing fails, remove the old entry and try again. The MAIRDI's included USB adapter is the simplest fix for desktops that lack Bluetooth entirely.
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See also: LOBKIN Bone Conduction Headphones vs Psadhi Open Ear Clip, HAUSBELL Open Ear vs ZIDOXING Open Ear Bone, sunshot Ows Open Ear vs MZYDM Bone Conduction Headphones