How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a feature-loaded wireless gaming headset with active noise cancellation and a swappable-battery system, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro; if you need a premium, materials-first headphone built around comfort and a detachable boom mic, choose Master & DYNAMIC MG20.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro — biggest strength: A full gaming ecosystem in one box: active noise cancellation, 360° spatial audio, an OLED base station with dual USB ports, simultaneous 2.4GHz + Bluetooth audio, and a hot-swap "Infinity Power System" battery.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro — biggest trade-off: It's a heavier, more complex setup (1.34 kg with the base station and accessories) that leans on software — Sonar, the base station, and multi-device switching — so casual listeners may pay for features they never touch.
• Master & DYNAMIC MG20 — biggest strength: Premium build and comfort: lightweight magnesium ear cups, lambskin leather ear pads, a coated canvas headband, custom Beryllium drivers, and up to 22 hours of battery with on-head detection.
• Master & DYNAMIC MG20 — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation, a narrower 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency range, and a design that favors listening luxury over a multi-console command center.
• Pick SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro if: you game across Xbox, PC, PS5, and Switch and want one station to switch between them.
• Pick Master & DYNAMIC MG20 if: you want one headphone for long sessions that doubles as a stylish everyday Bluetooth headphone.
The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is the "everything console" of the two. It runs 40mm high-fidelity dynamic drivers and reaches up to 40,000 Hz, and it layers on 360° spatial audio that's compatible with Microsoft Spatial Sound on Xbox and Tempest 3D Audio on PS5. For competitive play, that's the point — directional cues, footsteps, and reload sounds are the whole reason this headset exists, and the Pro-grade Parametric EQ in SteelSeries' Sonar software lets you tune that sound yourself.
Who should buy it: multi-platform gamers who want one headset to rule their desk, people who hate stopping to charge, and anyone who wants ANC and a chat/game mix on the fly. Who should skip it: if you mostly listen to music on your phone, or you want the simplest possible setup, this is more machine than you need — and the 1.34 kg package with the base station, cables, and spare battery reflects that complexity.
Master & DYNAMIC MG20: Who It's For
The MG20 comes at gaming from the other direction. Master & Dynamic built it like a luxury headphone first: lightweight magnesium ear cups with a semi-open acoustic design, lambskin leather ear pads, and a coated canvas headband. The materials are the story — magnesium and leather keep it comfortable for long stretches, and the semi-open tuning is aimed at a balance between isolation and a life-like soundstage rather than maximum blocking. Inside are custom 50mm Beryllium dynamic drivers with 7.1 surround sound, covering a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range.
The mic setup is genuinely flexible. A state-of-the-art detachable boom mic with a pop filter handles chat, and when you pull it off, an internal microphone array keeps voice quality usable — so the MG20 can moonlight as a normal Bluetooth headphone for music and calls. Independent volume controls for mic and game mean you can rebalance on the fly. Battery life is rated up to 22 hours, on-head detection pauses playback to preserve it, and a quick charge gets you to 50% in about 30 minutes. The low-latency adapter handles PC and PlayStation switching plug-and-play, and the M&D Connect app covers EQ profiles, settings, and firmware updates.
Who should buy it: players who value comfort and materials above all, hybrid users who want one headphone for gaming and casual listening, and anyone who prefers a clean, minimalist look over RGB-heavy gear. Who should skip it: if you need active noise cancellation or the widest possible frequency range, the MG20 doesn't offer either — its noise control field is explicitly "None," and its range stops at 20,000 Hz.
• Best for noise cancelling → SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. It has a 4-mic hybrid ANC system with variable Transparency Mode; the MG20 has no noise control at all.
• Best for long-session comfort materials → Master & DYNAMIC MG20. Magnesium cups and lambskin leather pads are built for wear that ages well.
• Best for multi-console switching → SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. The OLED base station's dual USB ports and one-button switching cover Xbox, PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Switch.
• Best for never running out of battery → SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. The Infinity Power System's hot-swap design means one battery is always charging.
• Best for battery life on a single charge → Master & DYNAMIC MG20. Up to 22 hours, plus on-head detection and a fast 50%-in-30-minutes top-up.
• Best for wide frequency range → SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. 20 Hz–40,000 Hz versus the MG20's 20 Hz–20,000 Hz.
• Best for a detachable mic you can remove for music → Master & DYNAMIC MG20. The boom mic pops off cleanly, and the internal array keeps you covered.
• Best for simultaneous chat + game audio → SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. Dual audio streams run 2.4GHz and Bluetooth at once.
In my opinion, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is the one I'd buy for a dedicated gaming desk. The combination of ANC, spatial audio, dual audio streams, console switching, and a battery system that never makes you wait is simply more useful if gaming is the job. The MG20 is the better headphone — beautiful materials, lighter feel, longer single-charge battery, and a mic you can strip off for everyday listening — so if your sessions are long, your setup is simple, and you care about how your gear looks and feels, I'd take the MG20 instead. Match it to how you actually play, not to the spec sheet.
FAQ
No. Its noise control field is listed as "None," so it relies on the semi-open acoustic design and pad seal rather than active noise cancellation. If you need to tune out a loud room, the Arctis Nova Pro's 4-mic hybrid ANC is the clear pick.
The MG20 leans that way on paper — lightweight magnesium ear cups, lambskin leather pads, and a coated canvas headband, plus on-head detection to save battery. The Arctis Nova Pro is over-ear too, but its total package weighs 1.34 kg with the base station and accessories.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. Its dual-USB OLED base station is built to keep Xbox, PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Switch connected and switch between them with one button. The MG20 is more of a plug-and-play PC/PlayStation and Bluetooth headphone. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide.
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