# SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1: specs and price

**Price (US):** $60 at steelseries.com (MSRP), as of 2026-06-27. A sourced, dated price of record — other retailers (incl. Amazon) may be lower. Among the 13 gaming headsets we track it is the cheapest; category median $189.99.
**Brand:** SteelSeries
**Released:** 2022
**Deskmark:** Platinum Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 88/100, #1 of 16 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).
**Price tracked since:** June 2026

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $60 |
| Brand | SteelSeries |
| Released | 2022 |
| Connection | wired |
| Driver (mm) | 40 |
| Battery hours | — |
| Surround sound | Yes |
| Mic type | retractable |
| Weight (g) | 236 |
| Rgb | No |

## Where it stands

At $60, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is the cheapest of the 13 gaming headsets we track, where the median is $199.99. On the spec sheet, its driver of 40 mm is the lowest of the 15, its weight of 236 g is the lowest of the 16, and its release of 2022 is the lowest of the 11. By release date, it is the oldest of the 11 we date.

## What reviewers say

Across three whitelisted, hands-on testers (SoundGuys, TechRadar, Tom's Hardware), the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is a strong budget wired gaming headset: praised for lightweight comfort, universal 3.5mm connectivity, and better-than-expected sound for ~$60. Common gripes are its analog-only design with few features (reviewers note USB alternatives sound better), restrained/fuzzy bass with some low-mid distortion, and weak passive noise isolation. The microphone divides reviewers. No outlet published its own lab-measured numbers in the fetched text (only manufacturer specs). (Based on 3 reviews, 3 lab-tested, 2022-09-08–2025-06-12.)

Praised: Lightweight, comfortable fit for long sessions; Better-than-expected sound quality for the ~$60 price; Excellent value; Universal 3.5mm connectivity with retractable mic.
Flagged: Analog-only, few features; USB alternatives sound better; Restrained/fuzzy bass and some low-mid distortion; Weak passive noise isolation.
Disagreement: The microphone splits reviewers: SoundGuys rated it favorably ('the microphone quality is superior to that of other gaming headsets on the market'), while TechRadar called it the biggest let-down, and Tom's Hardware praised its audio quality but noted it struggles with noise isolation.
Sources: SoundGuys (2025-06-12, soundguys.com), TechRadar (2023-03-17, techradar.com), Tom's Hardware (2022-09-08, tomshardware.com)

## Frequently asked questions

**What do reviewers say about the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1?**

Across three whitelisted, hands-on testers (SoundGuys, TechRadar, Tom's Hardware), the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is a strong budget wired gaming headset: praised for lightweight comfort, universal 3.5mm connectivity, and better-than-expected sound for ~$60. Common gripes are its analog-only design with few features (reviewers note USB alternatives sound better), restrained/fuzzy bass with some low-mid distortion, and weak passive noise isolation. The microphone divides reviewers. No outlet published its own lab-measured numbers in the fetched text (only manufacturer specs). Praised: Lightweight, comfortable fit for long sessions; Better-than-expected sound quality for the ~$60 price; Excellent value; Universal 3.5mm connectivity with retractable mic. Flagged: Analog-only, few features; USB alternatives sound better; Restrained/fuzzy bass and some low-mid distortion; Weak passive noise isolation. (From 3 tester reviews, 3 lab-tested.)

**How much does the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 cost?**

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 has a US price of $60 (MSRP), as of 2026-06-15.

**How does the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 compare on price?**

At $60, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is the cheapest of the 13 gaming headsets we track, where the median is $199.99.

**When was the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 released?**

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 was released 2022.

**What are the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1's key specs?**

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 (SteelSeries): connection wired, driver mm 40, surround sound Yes, mic type retractable, weight g 236. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.

Source: https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-nova-1 (steelseries.com, accessed 2026-06-15)
Corroboration: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/steelseries-arctis-nova-1 (accessed 2026-06-15)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/gaming-headsets/steelseries-arctis-nova-1/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 price of record was $60 as of 2026-06-15 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/gaming-headsets/steelseries-arctis-nova-1/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl