You can, for example, connect the headset to both your PC and console simultaneously, and simply switch inputs via the amp. The amp also provides an understated, but incredibly convenient feature, in the form of two USB inputs. To help drive a clear audio signal out of your PC or console, and to make sure as little interference is introduced as possible, both the wired and wireless versions of the Arctis Nova Pro come with a sleek little pre-amp, which features an OLED screen, and a satisfying dial – nice, premium touches. We can say this from experience: once you’ve experienced Hi-Res Audio, it’s very difficult to go back. This means the headsets have the ability to play back lossless audio, and to confidently handle the full sonic range that it demands – sound at its purest form.

The big thing for the Arctis Nova Pro line, of course, is top-of-the-line audio drivers, which not only boast almost twice the supported frequency response range of the mid and entry-level Arctis models, but also sport the prestige of being Hi-Res Audio Certified.

It’s also about the feeling of getting a best-in-class, premium experience – especially when you expect to be wearing them for hours on end, day after day, whether you’re working or playing. The answer is that it’s all about the fine details, and the bumps in quality that you only begin to really appreciate once you’ve spent long enough with them – things that you miss when they’re not there anymore. Why should you even consider the high-end Arctis Nova Pro when the entry-level Arctis 1 is also a great-sounding product? Take SteelSeries for example, a hardware manufacturer whose Arctis line of PC and console gaming headsets have attracted awards and kudos from various gaming and tech publications for years, across the whole range.

It’s a question that anyone who has looked at a pair of headphones has asked themselves: what benefits does a top-of-the-line model actually give? When the basics of what you want out of an audio experience – great sound – is offered in the entry and mid-range models of your favourite manufacturer, you start looking at the increases in price tag and wonder what you get for all those extra dollars.

Steelseries