SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

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SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless Review 

More affordable, colorful sibling of the Arctis Nova 5

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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless is every bit as capable as the Arctis Nova 5 Wireless. It just happens to be a tad more affordable and colorful. It’s another one of those instances where I could probably copy-paste what I said in the Arcist Nova 5 review and it’ll mostly be true. 

So, I’ll make this simple and just give you a nice little rundown. 

Competitively priced

The Arctis Nova 3 Wireless (PhP 6,335/ $109.99 USD) is priced pretty darn close to the Arctis Nova 5 (PhP 7,765/ $129.99 USD) that it’s a little baffling. 

For the most part, they do feel like the same headset except for a couple of obvious differences. The first is that the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless is available in more colors. Second, the mic on the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless is removable while the one on the Arctis Nova 5 is retractable. 

That means choosing between the two will really come down to color preference, mic usage, and budget. 

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, let’s talk about the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless more.

Headset highlights 

To best illustrate my point, I’m going to use the exact same highlights (save for 1) of the Arctis Nova 5 on the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless. 

Game specific presets through the companion app. 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

Both headsets use the same companion app –  Arctis. That means you get pretty much the same settings options as well as sound profiles. And those sound profiles cover a lot. 

Adding to the ones already previously available, the app is constantly updated to include more recent releases. Titles released in 2025 like BLEACH Rebirth of Souls, Claire Obscur: Expedition 33, Monster Hunter Wilds, among others have already been added to the exhaustive list. 

You can be sure that any major upcoming title will likely be supported. And if not, you only need to look for a similar-genre game to get the most out of the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless. 

To me, this really is the headsets’ greatest strength. While the differences between certain genres may be marginal, they do quite a good enough job of making sure they are tuned specifically for the game you’re playing. 

Lightweight. 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

The Arctis Nova 5 tips the scale at 256g while the  Arctis Nova 3 Wireless does so at 260g. That’s a pretty negligible difference for most people. It also means they are comparatively light. 

So, same comments apply: 

The headset is mostly made of plastic making it extremely light. That means there’s absolutely no strain whatsoever on your head when wearing it for an extended period. 

Some might view this as a markdown in build quality. However, I think the weight and price byproducts balance the steady but not stellar build.

Battery Life. 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

The controls, btw, are mostly on the left cup. The volume rocker/roller? doubles as a button for play/pause as well as skip to next track.

Yeah, this one’s a battery beast. I fully charged it before going on a 19-hour flight. I didn’t formally keep track of the numbers but I’m pretty certain I used it for 10 of those 19 hours. 

When I checked the battery life before I hopped off the plane, it still had 60% left. That was pretty insane. I used it both on my iPad Mini 7 to catch-up on Yaiba and rewatch some episodes of The Designated Survivor. And I also used it on my Nintendo Switch 2 playing both Street Fighter 6 and Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher. 

Connectivity. 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

I’m not even sure what to add here except to say that the connection is pretty darn good. I never experienced any issues and the instant toggle is a pretty nice touch. 

And even if you’re just switching the bluetooth connection from one device to another – which is what I did during the plane ride – it’s a pretty painless experience. I love it when things just work.

Removable microphone.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

This one I’m not sure how to feel about. I would say I definitely prefer the Arctis Nova 5’s setup where there’s a retractable microphone. That way, no matter where I go, if I need it, I can just pull it out easily. 

On the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless, the mic is removable and I ended up not bringing it with me on the trip. It’s also a bit of a waste of a 3.5mm jack as it seems to work only as an input port. That’s a bit of a bummer. 

Making it so that the port works as both input and output would have the decision to not make the mic retractable more justifiable.

But hey, at least you do have a separate mic that sounds nice.

No ANC. 

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

Ah, here we are again. I already knew what I was getting into when I brought it with me on the flight. The Arctis Nova line isn’t really something you bring for travel. It’s for those stationary gaming moments in your room or other, more tranquil spaces. 

I suppose adding any sort of ANC would shoot the price up to close to $200 USD and that’s not the market SteelSeries is going after. 

Still, it’s a little baffling that they managed to add one to their in-ear model and not in any of the recent over-ear ones. 

A slot for the 2.4Hz USB-C dongle.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

Same refrain here as well. As someone who tends to misplace stuff, some way to carry the dongle with you on the headset would have been nice. 

Again, it’s one of those things that they were able to add on the decidedly more premium Arctis Gamebuds, but couldn’t on a larger body personal audio device. 

Curious design choices, more than anything. 

Is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless your GadgetMatch?

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3P Wireless

Despite my personal displeasure with the lack of ways to integrate both the mic and the dongle on the headset, the merits of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless still make it a Swipe Right. 

It shares the same audio capabilities as the Arctis Nova 5 Wireless while being available in more color options. That may seem trivial to some, but I know many people make their purchase decisions based on the color of the device alone. 

What you’re getting is still a lightweight, plenty-capable headset built for gaming, that can also add a pop of color to your setup. That’s a pretty good deal.

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CASETiFY Match: Finding the right case for your Galaxy Z8 Series phone

Cases that match your personality

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CASETiFY cases for Galaxy Z8 series phones

A phone case can be more than protection. It can also be a way to show off your interests, personality, and the little things that make you, well, you.

For our CASETiFY Match for the Galaxy Z8 Series, we asked the team one question: Why was this CASETiFY design your Match?

From Spider-Man fandom and capybara obsession to feline-inspired art and snake motifs, here are the designs that found their way into our team’s everyday carry, plus a couple of bonus picks worth checking out.

Rodneil: A little New York energy for a certified web-head

If it wasn’t obvious enough, I’m a certified web-head. I love anything and everything Spider-Man, especially the iconic red-and-blue motif. Though, if we’re being honest, I’m more partial to the red.

I had my eyes on the Spider-Man suit design for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the Spider-Man Mask Snappy Grip Stand. Unfortunately, those designs aren’t available for the Galaxy Z Fold8.

So, I went with a design that gives off a bit of New York energy instead. It still pairs nicely with the Spidey Snappy Grip Stand, letting me bring a little of that Spider-Man vibe to my everyday setup.

V: Keeping it cool with capybaras

I’ve been a capybara stan since 2020, long before the world finally caught up with just how cute and chill these animals are. Seeing them get the recognition they deserve has been a source of much excitement.

Finding cool and cute capybara cases and accessories for the phones I use every day, however, hasn’t always been easy.

That’s where Deville Dewil’s capybara collection comes in. It fills that gap while making my Galaxy Z Fold8 feel like an even more personal accessory.

At this point, I’d like to identify as a capy/bara.

Luigi: A cat design that’s playful without being too loud

There’s no shortage of cat-themed cases out there. If you’re a cat lover like me, chances are you’ve considered one at some point.

The tricky part is finding a design that isn’t too whimsical or loud. I love the little furballs, but I still want something sleek and clean.

CASETiFY’s cat collection speaks to that balance. In particular, this design by Catwheezie blends artistry with a touch of whimsy. It lets me show off my personality without being too flashy.

MJ: A little reputation energy

I’ve always had a soft spot for snake motifs, and CASETiFY’s Transparent Kingsnake case gives me Taylor Swift’s reputation era energy.

I love how snakes symbolize transformation. As someone who’s always evolving and never afraid to reinvent himself, that meaning feels personal.

The black-and-white design also brings a sleek, rebellious edge. Paired with my Galaxy Z Flip8, it’s giving statement accessory with a little bite.

Bonus Match: Sunglasses at Night

Sometimes, keeping it simple is the way to go. The Sunglasses at Night design is tasteful and understated, letting me show off the actual color of my phone without competing with it.

Bonus Match: Pink Weekly Planner

For the girls (and gaes) who plan their days–and life–ahead. And of course, for when they need to keep their Wednesdays pink.

Find your Match

There’s no single way to find a phone case that feels right. It might be a favorite character, an animal you’ve loved for years, a piece of art, or a symbol that means something to you.

For our team, the right CASETiFY design is the one that brings a little more personality to a device we carry every day.

So, which design would be your Match?

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Bose acquires Skullcandy

But both are still separate brands.

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As one of the wisest sages of the 2000s once said, “He was a punk, she did ballet. What more can I say?” Sometimes, opposites attract. Now, two of those opposites in the audio space are coming together: the punk Skullcandy and the ballet-loving Bose.

Today, Bose has announced its acquisition of Skullcandy. The latter will continue to operate as a separate brand but now officially under the Bose umbrella. Although, it’s not a new collaboration as the two brands have previously worked together on devices before. Skullcandy will just have more access to Bose’s technologies moving forward.

Alternatively, Bose will now have access to Skullcandy’s more varied audience. Compared to Bose’s focus on premium products, Skullcandy caters to more alternative lifestyles. Though the brand has since mellowed from its more radical roots, it is still known as one of the alternative brands.

Bose, on the other hand, is still a household name for home audio and noise-cancelling headphones. The new relationship between two polar opposites might be seen as a weird one, but it’s ultimately beneficial to both parties. Besides, both brands were very strong in the 2010s. Keeping both brands going is a boon to audiophiles of the past decade.

SEE ALSO: Sony unveils three premium Walkman music players

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Fujifilm’s new instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 make room for more creative memories

A new pocket camera and a collage-making printer join the instax family.

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Seeing a memory take shape beyond your screen changes how it feels. A favorite photo becomes a print you can tuck into a journal or pin beside your desk, and the everyday moments you capture get a little more room to live.

That was the spirit of Fujifilm’s instax Playhou2e launch in Makati, where visual artist Jill Arteche brought her signature illustrations into the event space.

Her artwork surrounded the latest additions to the instax family, the instax Pal 2 and instax Link WIDE 2. Both devices treat photography as a form of personal expression, from the snapshots you take throughout the day to the printed memories you want to keep close.

A pocket-sized camera that goes wherever you do

The original instax Pal made the case for carrying a camera without a full-sized setup. Its successor, the instax Pal 2, builds on that with a refreshed design and improved image quality.

The palm-sized camera is built for everyday adventures and can capture angles that are awkward to get with a smartphone. Its compact body also makes it easy to bring along if you like documenting your day as it happens.

Fujifilm gave the Pal 2 a semi-matte finish. A new monitor on top lets you review shots right after you take them, and the added viewfinder, control dial, and lever give it a more tactile feel to shoot with.

The specs have moved up, too. The Pal 2 captures 10-megapixel images, double the original’s five megapixels, and its internal storage holds up to 100 images compared with 50 before. A separately sold microSD card adds more room.

The creative options are where the Pal 2 gets playful. It offers 30 effects, so you can give images different moods without editing each one from scratch. Its instax Animation mode strings up to 10 consecutive shots into a flipbook-style animated video.

Transferring your photos is straightforward. The Pal 2 supports wireless Bluetooth transfers, and a USB Type-C connection offers faster transfers to compatible smartphones. From there, you can edit the images and post them to social media or keep them in your camera roll.

Because the Pal 2 is part of the instax ecosystem, its digital photos can also be printed on instant film through compatible instax printers. That means you can shoot first and decide later which moments deserve a physical copy.

Turning your camera roll into something worth keeping

Taking photos is only half the fun. The other half is deciding what to do with the hundreds of images that pile up on our phones.

The instax Link WIDE 2 is Fujifilm’s answer for anyone who collects travel photos or documents celebrations. As the brand’s WIDE-format smartphone printer, it prints at twice the image area of the instax mini format, which leaves more space for group photos and landscapes.

Its biggest new feature is Photo Mixer, which builds scrapbook-style collages from multiple images you pick in the dedicated app. Instead of printing a single photo, you can combine highlights from a trip or a gathering into one larger keepsake.

The app suggests layouts based on your chosen photos and adjusts image sizes, angles, text placement, and fonts to keep the design cohesive. You can then add your own text and stamps. A cutout function identifies people and objects in your photos so you can layer them into the collage.

With Photo Mixer, printing becomes part of the creative process, and your camera roll turns into material for building a visual record of an experience in a single print.

The Link WIDE 2 also gets a design refresh, with two-tone finishes in Duo Beige and Duo Blue. The light and dark surfaces give it a polished look on a shelf or desk, and an illuminated instax logo glows while it prints.

Connectivity has expanded, too. Beyond smartphones and tablets, the printer works with PCs, Fujifilm X Series cameras, and the instax Pal 2, so digital artwork and other compatible images can become physical prints.

A more personal way to keep your memories

The instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 share the idea that photography is a way to express yourself. The Pal 2 makes it easy to capture moments as they happen, and the Link WIDE 2 gives those images a place in the physical world.

Jill Arteche’s artwork at the launch backed that idea up. Her illustrations filled the space with personality and showed how photos and art can make an environment feel more personal. The event also made a case for revisiting and reinterpreting the images we collect.

Taking a photo takes seconds, and printing one can make the memory feel more special. The instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 bring that into everyday life and give your snapshots room for creativity, from the moment you press the shutter to the moment you find a place for the print.


In the Philippines, the Fujifilm instax Pal 2 retails for PhP 10,599, while the Fujifilm instax Link WIDE 2 is priced at PhP 10,999. Both devices are now available on Fujifilm’s authorized stores and retailers nationwide.

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