Maxwell vs Arctis Nova Pro

Hello All,

I have owned both the Maxwell and Arctis Nova Pro since February, and have used both of them extensively. For reference, I use the headset for watching netflix, podcasts while cooking/working, gaming in games from CS:GO, ARMA3, PUBG, but also single player games like SubNautica, StarWars Squadron, and others.

When deciding which I should by, I was frustrated at not being able to decide between the two, so decided to get both. Having gotten a chance to use both of them, I wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts for those who may also be looking for a new headset.

In my eyes, the differences are in three main categories:

1: sound

2: features

3: wear/comfort

Now, for my opinions. In my eyes the nova is superior in each of these categories, and is the better purchase.

1: I understand that the Maxwell's planar magnetic drive is supposed to have a better sound. Now I'm no audiophile, but I genuinely cannot discern a difference between the two. None AT ALL. At best, this category is a draw.

2: The arctis annihilates the maxwell here. The simultaneous Bluetooth and PC feed and hot swap battery alone make it in a whole different league. When you couple this with more reliable software and superior sound stage (detecting where footsteps come from), it is absolutely no contest. This is truly the category in which I believe the nova pro shines more than any other headset.

3: The nova is lighter and not as warm on the ears. The Maxwell, being metal, feels a little sturdier, but research suggests that both have a concerning habit of breaking in similar places.

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Overall, I find myself using the nova pro about 80% of the time because of the dual bluetooth/dongle feed, footstep detection ability, and superior comfort primarily. The only thing that the Maxwell is superior for is that the microphone records a clearer, more "authentic" sound. For this reason, I use it to record some voice audio as I don't have a standalone microphone. For what it's worth, my gaming friends prefer the mic on the arctis as they find it more clear.

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FWIW, I have had absolutely NO QC issues with my Maxwell. No wrinkles on the driver, no crackling, no broken headband. I don't baby them, and they've performed exceptionally. IDK what is up with all the QC issues that I've seen popping up on the subreddit, but I haven't had that experience. Though the above thoughts make it clear that I prefer the Arctis with the benefit of actually owning both, I'd genuinely be totally happy having either one as my only headset.

I hope this is helpful.

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TL;DR: I own both Arctis and Maxwell. IMO the Arctis is better. They are both exceptional, and you should genuinely be happy with either one. The differences are negligible. I have not experienced any QC issues.