We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a polished, app-tuned gaming headset with a light 260 g build and fast USB-C charging, choose SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P; if you need marathon battery life, a foldable frame and wired fallback for consoles, choose NUBWO 2.4GHz.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P — biggest strength: deep software support (200+ game presets in the Arctis Companion app), a light 260 g dual-hinge frame, and 15 minutes of charging for up to 9 hours of play.
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P — biggest trade-off: shorter maximum runtime than the NUBWO and no wired 3.5 mm fallback listed, so you are relying on the dongle or Bluetooth.
• NUBWO 2.4GHz — biggest strength: up to 80+ hours in 2.4GHz mode with the mic off, a foldable lightweight body at roughly 6.08 oz, and 7.1 virtual surround plus 3.5 mm wired support for Xbox and Switch.
• NUBWO 2.4GHz — biggest trade-off: plastic enclosure, button-only controls, no companion app or per-game presets, and its mic is not supported on Nintendo Switch.
• Pick the SteelSeries if you play a handful of competitive shooters and want per-game audio tuning without fiddling.
• Pick the NUBWO if you bounce between consoles, hate charging, and want one headset that folds into a bag.
The Arctis Nova 3P is built around one idea: give you control over what you hear, per game. The Arctis Companion mobile app carries 200+ presets, including profiles for Call of Duty, Fortnite and other shooters, so footsteps, reloads and heals can be pushed forward in the mix. If you play the same two or three competitive titles and you want them to sound tuned rather than default, that is the whole pitch — and it is a genuinely different proposition from a headset that just plays everything flat.
The hardware backs it up in ways that matter for long sessions. At 260 g with a stretchy headband, multiple adjustment points and a dual-hinge design, this is a headset built to sit on your head for hours without hotspot pressure. Custom neodymium magnetic drivers handle the sound, with a 36 ohm impedance and frequency response up to 22,000 Hz. Charging is the standout: 15 minutes gets you up to 9 hours of playback, and a full charge runs up to 40 hours. Connection is a USB-C dongle for low-latency 2.4GHz on PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, handhelds, phones and tablets, plus Bluetooth 5.3 for a quick switch to music. Controls cover mute, pairing, power and volume, and there is active noise cancellation in the mix.
Who should skip it? If you want one headset that also plugs into an Xbox controller with a cable, the sheet does not list a 3.5 mm jack here, so that is a real gap. And if your sessions routinely run past 40 hours between charges — or you simply hate remembering to charge — the NUBWO's endurance will suit you better. I would also steer away if you want zero app involvement; the Nova 3P's best feature lives behind a phone.
The NUBWO HG04 is the "one headset for everything" play. It runs 2.4GHz through a dongle for PS5, PS4, PC, laptop and Mac, Bluetooth 5.3 for mobile and tablet, and a 3.5 mm wired connection for Xbox and Switch. That three-way flexibility is the reason to look at it — you are not locked to one platform or one connection type, and the 33 ft Bluetooth range means you can walk away from your desk mid-call.
Battery is the headline number: up to 80+ hours in 2.4GHz mode with the mic off, and still 50+ hours in Bluetooth mode with the mic on. A full charge takes about 4 hours, and a 10-minute quick charge grants 2 hours of use. One caveat straight from the sheet: it cannot be used while charging, so plan around that. Audio is 40 mm dynamic drivers, 32 ohm impedance, 90 dB sensitivity, frequency response to 20,000 Hz, with 7.1 virtual surround and latency rated at 20 ms or less. The directional mic focuses on your voice from the front and uses passive noise reduction — but it does not work on Nintendo Switch, so don't buy it for Switch party chat.
The trade-offs are honest ones. The enclosure is plastic, controls are plain push buttons with no app, no EQ presets and no active noise cancellation — just passive isolation. It weighs about 6.08 oz and folds, which makes it a better travel companion than a desk fixture. If you want plug-and-play simplicity across four platforms and you never want to think about a charger, this is the one. If you want to tune audio per game, it is not.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for competitive shooter tuning → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. The 200+ Arctis Companion presets, including CoD and Fortnite profiles, are the differentiator.
• Best for fast top-ups → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. 15 minutes for up to 9 hours beats the NUBWO's 10 minutes for 2 hours.
• Best for multi-platform coverage → NUBWO 2.4GHz. 2.4GHz, Bluetooth and 3.5 mm wired covers PS5, PS4, PC, Mac, Xbox and Switch; the SteelSeries relies on its USB-C dongle and Bluetooth.
• Best for lightweight long sessions → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. 260 g with a stretchy headband and dual hinges is the more comfort-focused design.
• Best for travel and portability → NUBWO 2.4GHz. Foldable at roughly 6.08 oz, and it can't be tethered to a charger mid-session anyway.
• Best for quiet-room focus → SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. It lists active noise cancellation; the NUBWO offers passive isolation only.
• Best for setup-and-forget simplicity → NUBWO 2.4GHz. Button controls, no app, no presets to manage.
In my opinion, the deciding question is whether you want to tune your audio or simply stop charging. If you play the same competitive shooters and want per-game presets, ANC and the lightest, most adjustable frame of the two, I would buy the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P. If you jump between PS5, PC and Switch, want wired fallback and hate battery anxiety, I would buy the NUBWO 2.4GHz. Neither is universally better — they solve different problems. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since value depends on what each costs you today.
how much gaming headphones
There is no single answer — it depends on the features you need. Both of these are wireless over-ear models with 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, and the NUBWO adds 3.5 mm wired support. Check the current price on Amazon for each, since pricing changes and this page does not list it.
how to game with bluetooth headphones
Pair over Bluetooth, then accept the trade-off. The NUBWO lists Bluetooth 5.3 with up to 50+ hours with the mic on and a 33 ft range; the SteelSeries lists Bluetooth 5.3 alongside its lower-latency 2.4GHz dongle. For competitive play, the 2.4GHz dongle is the better path on both.
is gaming better with headphones
It can be, mainly for positional awareness. The NUBWO lists 7.1 virtual surround and 20 ms-or-less latency for detecting footsteps and reloads, and the SteelSeries uses per-game presets to push those same cues forward. Neither replaces good game sense, but both are designed around it.
are gaming headphones good for calls
Usually yes, with caveats. The NUBWO uses a directional mic with passive noise reduction but is not supported on Nintendo Switch for mic use. The SteelSeries includes mute and volume controls plus Bluetooth for phone switching, which makes it the more natural pick for mixed gaming and call use.
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See also: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 vs Turtle Beach Atlas 200, SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X vs TOZO Open X2, MEE audio M6 vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1X