I had a problem. I have loved my SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P gaming headset for over a year now, but I have the white model, and that means that the fabric ear cushions are tough to keep clean. I guess oils and sweat from my hair are things I've never had to consider before, but the ear cushions on my gaming headset were starting to get a little gross, and it was time for a replacement.
Third-party replacements at Amazon didn't look great, so I decided to reach out to SteelSeries to see if they'd be up for sending me some of their official ear cushion replacements. I didn't actually realise they existed, since most gaming headset brands don't offer this kind of futureproofing. The folks at SteelSeries agreed, but they also wanted to send over some other accessories for my headset, and asked a question I wasn't prepared for: "Which color would you like?"
As you can see, in my indecision, I said, "Yes."
Let's back up. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P is one of the best gaming headsets on the market today because it offers all-round audio greatness for a mid-range price, as well as a lot of cool features like simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity, so you can listen to audio from two devices at once.
One of its coolest features is that it sports magnetic speaker plates you can swap out, as well as various choices of ear cushions and headbands. Until now, I've used the white model of the headset with the "Mint" booster pack, which has given it a nice dash of color without ruining the clean, white aesthetic. However, the care package SteelSeries has sent me has unlocked a new level of versatility to this headset, and one which I'm not sure anyone realizes is there.
The scariest part is that even though the brand sent me five booster packs, two standalone headbands, and two new sets of ear cushions, that still isn't the extent of the Arctis Nova's color options. With what I've been sent, I've been able to try over 20 color combinations on one headset, which is a sickening amount of personalisation from about half of the range SteelSeries offers.
The Arctis Nova range already boasts a look that would blend in with a lot of normal headphones you'd see commuters using on a train, but with this kind of personalisation, you could properly accessorise and coordinate with your outfits if you wanted to. Seeing as the booster pack fits on any Arctis Nova headset, you don't even need to buy into one of the more premium versions to make the most of these cosmetics.
Honestly, for how good a headset this is, I had no idea it was capable of this much aesthetic versatility, and now, I can't decide which combination I like best. This article was supposed to be about how new ear cushions can give a headset a new lease of life, but honestly, I'm light-years from that now.
Thankfully, the Black and Grey ear cushions I was sent act as pretty neutral colors that'll interact with the more flamboyant booster packs. Even then, you can still make some pretty weird combinations if you want to.
Shocker, staying true to those more neutral color combinations makes some super clean-looking headsets, with an all black and white option leading the pack in that regard.
As great as the booster packs are at adding variation, it helps that the ear cushions add a lot of depth and texture as well. The Black Ear Cushions are as dark as the void, which adds a massive contrast when used with the white headset. Meanwhile, the Grey cushions add an almost Sackboy-esque plushy texture that looks so inviting - and yes, the padding is as comfortable as that texture makes it look.
It helps that these accessories are so dang easy to swap on and off. The Headband secures via some clever push buttons, and the Speaker caps are magnetic, so they snap on and off in seconds. If there's a problem child here, it's the Ear Cushions, funnily enough. When you develop some sleight of hand, it's easy enough to slot the small plastic lining into the groove on the earcups and rotate it on. But be prepared to fumble around for a good minute or two if you have negative finger dexterity like I do. I wouldn't even bring this up as an issue, but upsetting the fold along the lining of the Ear Cushions feels like it's upsetting its lifespan, so on the next iteration of this device, I'd love to see some more magnets used.
All told, I have no idea which color combination I like best. My best friend suggested I set a reminder each month to swap them around, and I think I might need to at this rate.
For clarity, I don't suggest that anybody buys this many swappable cosmetics for a gaming headset that already costs north of $150. But SteelSeries has more than proven its point to me that there are some ridiculous levels of personalization potential when it comes to its Arctis Nova headsets. If you fancy jazzing up the look of your headset, or, like me, you want to give yours a new lease of life without paying for an entirely new device, the booster packs may be something to look into.
Haven't got one of these headsets? Check em out at below...
- SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7: $169 at Amazon
- SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro: $301 at Amazon
- SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5: $109.99 at Amazon
Looking for something specific to your platform? Check out the best PS5 headsets, the best Xbox Series X headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch headset.
