The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 and the HyperX Cloud III S Wireless are two of the most-recommended wireless gaming headsets in the mid-price bracket, and they often sell at very similar prices. Both are current best-sellers — the Nova 5 has racked up 1,488 ratings at a 4.2-star average, while the newer Cloud III S has already pulled in 2,376 ratings at 4.3 stars in less time on the market. On paper they look like close substitutes: similar price, similar over-ear closed-back design, similar 2.4GHz-plus-Bluetooth wireless setup. In practice, TechRadar's separate hands-on reviews, plus newer coverage of the Cloud III S from Tom's Hardware and SoundGuys, point to two headsets built around genuinely different priorities — one leans into software and per-game audio customization, the other into sheer battery endurance.
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 | HyperX Cloud III S Wireless | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Amazon) | Check current price on Amazon | Check current price on Amazon |
| Drivers | 40mm Neodymium magnetic | 53mm angled dynamic |
| Battery (claimed) | Up to 60 hours; 15-min fast charge adds 6 hours | Up to 120 hours on 2.4GHz, up to 200 hours on Bluetooth |
| Connectivity | 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, wired USB-C | 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth, wired USB-C |
| Microphone | Retractable ClearCast Gen 2.X | Detachable boom mic |
| Software | Nova 5 Companion App — 100+ per-game presets, plus SteelSeries GG/Sonar on PC | HyperX NGenuity — basic 10-band EQ and toggles only |
| ANC | No | No |
| Platform compatibility (this SKU) | PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, mobile (Bluetooth) — Xbox needs the separate Nova 5X variant | PC, PS5, Switch, mobile (Bluetooth) — no native Xbox support |
| Amazon rating | 4.2/5 from 1,488 ratings | 4.3/5 from 2,376 ratings |
A note on the table: TechRadar reviewed both headsets independently rather than head-to-head, so this isn't a single shared rubric the way a SoundGuys "Recommended" score is — but what each outlet praises and flags is consistent enough, and it lines up with the Amazon owner data too.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5: what reviewers found
TechRadar's Rob Dwiar spent nearly two weeks testing the Nova 5 lineup and called it "sublime, versatile, and about as close to the complete package as it gets," giving it a rare unreserved recommendation. The headline feature isn't the audio hardware — though the 40mm Neodymium drivers delivered "lovely and rounded" mids and bass that's "strong and punchy without ever sounding muddy" — it's the free Nova 5 Companion App, which packs more than 100 game-specific EQ presets built by SteelSeries audio engineers and esports pros. Dwiar noted the presets make a genuinely audible difference in supported titles, though he cautioned that "the real number of effective profiles to use is much lower than the claimed 100-plus" since some presets don't move the needle much. UK outlet Vivid Repairs scored the headset 8.5/10, and Tom's Guide handed it an Editor's Choice award.
Battery life is a genuine strength at up to 60 hours — TechRadar compared this favorably against rivals like the Astro A30 Wireless (27+ hours) — plus a 15-minute fast charge buys another 6 hours of playtime. The build uses SteelSeries' AirWeave earcup material, which reviewers across outlets agreed stays comfortable and doesn't overheat during long sessions. The consistent complaints: no active noise cancellation, and the Companion App currently only works with Nova 5-series headsets rather than SteelSeries' wider lineup.
What reviewers liked
- "Sublime, versatile" all-round performance with an unreserved TechRadar recommendation
- 100+ game-specific EQ presets via the free Companion App (TechRadar, Tom's Guide)
- Up to 60 hours of battery life plus fast charging (TechRadar)
- Comfortable AirWeave earcups for extended sessions (TechRadar, Vivid Repairs)
What reviewers flagged
- No active noise cancellation (TechRadar)
- Companion App is currently limited to the Nova 5 family only (TechRadar)
- Not every one of the 100+ presets makes an audible difference (TechRadar)
- This specific SKU skips Xbox — the separate Nova 5X variant is needed for that
HyperX Cloud III S Wireless: what reviewers found
The Cloud III S Wireless is HyperX's update to the original Cloud III Wireless, which TechRadar reviewed and summarized as offering "a solid blend of excellent build quality and reasonable audio performance," singling out its "class-leading battery life" as the standout feature — the original was rated for up to 120 hours, well ahead of rivals like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X (38 hours) and the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (24 hours). Tom's Hardware and SoundGuys, reviewing the newer S variant specifically, found HyperX kept that same 120-hour 2.4GHz endurance and added Bluetooth on top — rated for up to 200 hours — meaning the Cloud III S can now also pair directly with a phone, something the original Cloud III Wireless couldn't do at all.
On sound, TechRadar described the original Cloud III Wireless as "bass-heavy" with audio that "impresses in some games" via its 53mm angled drivers, though it noted the mic "lacks some lower-end body" compared to rivals — a criticism SoundGuys echoed for the S variant, describing the boom mic as sounding "thin compared to competitors at this price." Software is the other recurring weak point: HyperX's NGenuity app offers only a basic 10-band EQ and a few toggles, which TechRadar called "cheap" next to SteelSeries' or Razer's software. Comfort is a genuine strength across every review — deep, plush memory-foam earcups that reviewers consistently rated among the more comfortable options at this price.
What reviewers liked
- Class-leading battery life: up to 120 hours on 2.4GHz, up to 200 hours on Bluetooth (TechRadar, Tom's Hardware)
- Bluetooth added on the S variant — now pairs directly with phones (Tom's Hardware, SoundGuys)
- Comfortable, well-built memory-foam earcups (TechRadar)
- Bass-heavy sound that suits shooters and action games (TechRadar)
What reviewers flagged
- NGenuity software offers only basic EQ control — "cheap" next to the competition (TechRadar)
- Boom mic "lacks some lower-end body" and sounds "thin" (TechRadar, SoundGuys)
- No Xbox support (TechRadar)
- No per-game presets — nothing on the HyperX side matches SteelSeries' Companion App
Head-to-head: which should you buy?
You want the longest possible runtime between charges: the Cloud III S Wireless isn't close — 120 hours on 2.4GHz and up to 200 on Bluetooth beats the Nova 5's already-strong 60 hours by a wide margin. If you hate charging headsets, this is the deciding factor.
You want per-game audio tuning and a real companion app: the Nova 5's Companion App, with its 100+ presets built for specific titles, has no real equivalent on the HyperX side. If you like tweaking EQ per game rather than living with one flat profile, the Nova 5 wins clearly.
You also use the headset with your phone: both now support Bluetooth, but the Cloud III S's 200-hour Bluetooth rating and simple pairing make it the more phone-friendly of the two for commuting or calls.
Voice chat and streaming quality matter to you: reviewers rated the Nova 5's ClearCast Gen 2.X mic ahead of the Cloud III S's boom mic, which multiple outlets flagged as thin-sounding. If a dedicated mic already handles your streaming audio instead, our HyperX QuadCast 2 S vs Razer Seiren V3 Chroma comparison covers that separately.
Budget is genuinely tight either way: the two often sell at nearly the same price, so price alone won't decide this one — it comes down to whether battery life or software customization matters more to how you actually game.
Our take, based on the roundup
Neither headset is a bad buy at $129.99, and the reviews are unusually consistent on why: the Nova 5 is the software-and-customization pick, backed by TechRadar's outright recommendation and Tom's Guide's Editor's Choice award, while the Cloud III S is the battery-life pick, carrying forward the "class-leading" endurance TechRadar praised in the original Cloud III Wireless and adding Bluetooth on top. If we had to point most buyers toward one, it'd be the Nova 5 for the more complete package — a better-reviewed mic, a companion app that meaningfully changes the audio, and battery life that's still excellent even if it isn't class-leading. But if charging headsets is your actual pain point, the Cloud III S's runtime is hard to argue with.
Sources
- TechRadar — SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 review
- Tom's Guide — SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 review (Editor's Choice)
- RTINGS — SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 review
- TechRadar — HyperX Cloud III Wireless review
- Tom's Hardware — HyperX Cloud III S Wireless review
- SoundGuys — HyperX Cloud III S Wireless review
- Amazon — SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless (owner ratings)
- Amazon — HyperX Cloud III S Wireless (owner ratings)