Sennheiser

Sennheiser HD 800S

Name: Sennheiser HD 800S
Brand: Sennheiser
SKU: sennheiser-hd-800s

Over-ear · 2016

/ 100

From $1,699

Sennheiser HD 800S wins by 5

SteelSeries

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black

Gaming · 2022 · PS5 Edition

/ 100

From $349

Specdex verdict

Sennheiser HD 800S takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Sennheiser HD 800S lands at 95 and SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black at 90. That puts Sennheiser HD 800S ahead by 5 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Sennheiser HD 800S if…

✓Flagship comfort + ANC on modern models
✓Premium build
✓Active noise cancellation (most models)

Pick SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black if…

✓Low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless (most)
✓Detachable broadcast mic
✓Console compatibility

Share this comparison: Share to Reddit X / Twitter

Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Sound quality

Sennheiser HD 800S

Tuning, detail, and staging

Sennheiser HD 800S leads on sound (95 vs 90).

Noise cancelling

Sennheiser HD 800S

ANC strength for commute and travel

Sennheiser HD 800S leads on anc (93 vs 70).

Comfort

Sennheiser HD 800S

Long-session wearability

Sennheiser HD 800S leads on comfort (94 vs 88).

Value for money

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black more score per dollar ($349 vs $1,699).

Sennheiser HD 800S 95

90 SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black

Score breakdown

Sennheiser HD 800S

anc 93

sound 95

comfort 94

battery 82

features 91

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black

anc 70

sound 90

comfort 88

battery 86

features 90

Specs side-by-side

Hide identical rows

Sennheiser HD 800S versus SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black — full spec comparison
Spec	Sennheiser HD 800S	SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black
Type	Over-ear	Gaming headset
Release year	2016	2022
Variant	—	PS5 Edition

Sennheiser HD 800S

Pros

+Flagship comfort + ANC on modern models
+Premium build
+Active noise cancellation (most models)

Cons

−Battery varies by codec
−Some are Bluetooth-only
−Price creep vs previous gen

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black

Pros

+Low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless (most)
+Detachable broadcast mic
+Console compatibility

Cons

−Bulkier than audiophile cans
−Game-tuned EQ
−Software required on PC

FAQ: Sennheiser HD 800S vs SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black

Which is better, Sennheiser HD 800S or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black? +

Sennheiser HD 800S scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 5. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Sennheiser HD 800S worth the price? +

At $1,699, Sennheiser HD 800S delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in sound.

Is SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black worth the price? +

At $349, SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in sound.

Does Sennheiser HD 800S or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for sound quality, Sennheiser HD 800S or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black? +

Sennheiser HD 800S — leads on sound (95 vs 90). Tuning, detail, and staging.

Which is better for noise cancelling, Sennheiser HD 800S or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PS5 Edition) · Midnight Black? +

Sennheiser HD 800S — leads on anc (93 vs 70). ANC strength for commute and travel.