Finding the best gaming headset is arguably as important as choosing the right keyboard, monitor, or even graphics card. The sound of your virtual world and how you communicate with your teammates all depends on the device you wear on your head.
But choosing the best gaming headset for your ears and head shape isn’t easy, due in part to the sheer amount of options that are available. With the ever-rising popularity of esports and the relative simplicity of combining off-the-shelf audio hardware with cushy earcups, a sprinkle of software wizardry and a mic, PC gamers are now offered more choices than ever.
A quick search of popular online retailers yields hundreds of choices across dozens of companies, ranging from less than $10 (£8) to over $600 (£460). You may already know how much you’re willing to spend on your headset, but there are still many other things to consider.
Luckily, we’ve been testing gaming headsets for years (to see every model we’ve tested, check out our gaming headset reviews page (opens in new tab)). We certainly haven’t had all of them on our heads. But below you’ll find the best gaming headsets we’ve tested.
Here are some things to keep in mind when searching for the best gaming headset for you:
- Wired or wireless? Wired headsets usually cost less and don’t need to be charged. Therefore, if you’re typically gaming at your desk, you may want to stick to wired options to keep things cheaper and simpler. A wired headset also won’t die on you mid-game. On the other hand, there’s no denying the convenience of being able to run to the kitchen for a drink without having to remove your cans.
- Headbands and earcups. Comfort is more subjective than measuring audio output and input, but generally speaking you should avoid plush gaming headsets with thick bulges, cheap foam and cloth covers. When we’ve tested these types of headsets, we’ve often found disappointing acoustic performance. Ear-cushion material can make a huge difference in what your ears ultimately perceive.
- Audio and mic quality. These are very important if you want the best gaming headset, but impossible to evaluate via one or two floor models in a store. We focus on these aspects in detail in our reviews. In short, detailed reproduction and good spatial resolution, specifically when it comes to complex noises and environments with multiple sound sources, are more important than any attempt at simulated surround sound.
- A key Bluetooth spec: aptX. If you do go wireless and opt for Bluetooth (no USB dongle needed), look for headsets that support Qualcomm’s aptX, a compression tech (codec) that’s been leveraged for decades in TV and movie voice-work, movie theater audio and thousands of radio stations. If you’ve heard Bluetooth audio in years past and hated it (it definitely was bad for a long time), give an aptX-enabled headset a listen. As long as the underlying hardware is good, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the sound output. And it helps assure the lip movements in movies and TV shows match what you’re hearing, as well.
The Best Gaming Headsets You Can Buy Today
SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset isn’t cheap, but it’s absolutely worth it. This stylish headset is packed with so many features it’s hard to figure out where to begin, but let’s start with the gaming features: Multi-system connectivity via the headset’s wireless base station, technically ‘infinite’ battery life thanks to a swappable battery system, and a highly-adjustable design that’s so lightweight and comfortable you’ll forget it’s on your head.
The Nova Pro Wireless delivers excellent audio and sports hi-fi-capable, custom-designed 40mm drivers (though you’ll need a wired connection and a DAC to experience the headset’s 10 – 40,000Hz frequency response). It’s not just game audio that sounds immersive and layered; this headset does a great job with all types of audio. Oh, and there’s more: A fully-retractable bidirectional noise-canceling mic, active noise canceling (with an optional transparency mode), and simultaneous 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with audio mixing capabilities.
This headset not only does it all, it slips seamlessly between it all — from PC gaming to console gaming to video chatting to audiophile listening. The Nova Pro Wireless is ambitious, but it delivers — and it’s a much better deal if you consider that this might be the only headset/pair of headphones you ever need to buy. But if these aren’t in your budget, the Kingston HyperX Cloud Alpha is a solid sub-$100 pick that boasts excellent audio and a comfortable fit.
Read: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless review
The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is one of the rare headsets that looks as good as it sounds. The best wireless gaming headset for most, it offers premium quality audio that enters audiophile territory and looks pretty and shiny instead of clunky and heavy. The SE version of the Virtuoso RGB boasts gunmetal-colored aluminum stamped with a touch of RGB via the Corsair logo. Overall, it looks as expensive as it is.
The Virtuoso RGB SE delivered strong audio, including Hi-res support, in our testing. Its 50mm drivers also sounded great with gun fights in games like Borderlands 3. The cans’ music reproduction sat in the middle of bass-heavy cans like the Audio-Technica’s ATH-G1 and flatter-sounding ones like the SteelSeris Arctis Pro Wireless listed below.
Topping things off with a 20-hour wireless battery life, Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is a fine pair of cans that both look and sound premium.
Read: Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE review
The Creative SXFI Air Gamer offers a lot of functionality of the pricier Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT (also on this page) but at a much cheaper price. If you want cans that you can connect to your PC via a reliable cable and switch to or add a Bluetooth connection simultaneously, this is the best gaming headset with Bluetooth for you.
Creative’s offering differs from the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT in appearance and its lack of a wireless dongle. If you’re okay with that, you get a headset that can use a 3.5mm or USB connection and pair with your phone or other Bluetooth device at the same time. The best part is that the audio quality is on a premium level, including superior bass reproduction, and is fit for your favorite games as well as watching movies or listening to music.
The SXFI Air Gamer also goes a step further by offering not 1, not 2, but 3 microphones. You get a small, detachable, bidrecitonal mic and a larger one, plus the integrated omnidirectional mic on the earcup. This lets you prioritize quality or portability, depending on your situation.
More: Creative SXFI Air Gamer review
Many gamers prefer gaming with a dongle connection rather than Bluetooth for speed and reliability, but if you’re looking for the option to save a port or connect to two devices at once, the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is the best gaming headset for you. A newer version of the Virtuoso Wireless RGB SE and similar to the Creative SFXI Air Gamer (both on this page), the pricier Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT lets you connect via 3.5mm, the included USB Type-A cable, a wireless dongle or Bluetooth with aptX. And like the Creative SFXI Air Gamer above, with these cans you can connect to two different devices simultaneously via dongle and Bluetooth. That proved to be a boon for productivity, letting us game with a dongle and hear music or notifications from our phone, for example, so we never missed a thing. The downside is that the headset is specced to last 20 hours with one device but only 15 hours if connected to two devices.
Out of the box, the headset is geared toward gaming, with sounds like zombie wails and enemy wingbeats standing out. For music, you’ll probably want to download Corsair’s software and switch the EQ. Once we found our preferred setting, we enjoyed more natural mids and punchy, but not overpowering, low-ends.
But with comfort that makes the headset feel lighter than cans with less weight to them and a mature, versatile and stylish design, including 10 headband adjustments, the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is a premium, wireless option for gamers.
Want a cheaper wireless gaming headset? Consider the dongle-only SteelSeries Arctis 7.
Read: Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT review
The Asus TUF Gaming H3 is the best gaming headset for preserving your budget. This can be hard to find, but you can typically spot it selling for about $40 (opens in new tab). Despite the lower price, you still get a headset that fits well and sounds good right out of the box. That means you can get right to gaming without having to fiddle around in software. When we tested the cans, performance was comparable to pricier rivals, including the Asus TUF Gaming H7 (opens in new tab). We attribute a lot of that to the H3’s comfortable fit with leatherette contact points preventing sound leakage.
The downside is these aren’t particularly pretty. And if you’re excited about virtual 7.1 surround sound, note that the H3 is a 3.5mm headset that only uses Windows’ Sonic spatial audio, which any 3.5mm headset can use.
But when it comes to gaming and hearing sound cues like weapon switches, this headset gets the job done without effort on your part or heavy damage to your bank account.
If you don’t need virtual surround sound, the Roccat Elo X Stereo is also a great pair of budget cans.
Read: Asus TUF Gaming H3 review (opens in new tab)
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is, indeed, expensive, but its premium sound quality and featureset makes it the best gaming headset for splurging. The cans give you a discernible gaming advantage, thanks to its customizable 3D mode with head tracking. When you’re gaming with head tracking, the location of your enemies is apparent, and the auditory environment moves with you.
You can also use head tracking for your game controls, which frees up your hands for more action. (For another head tracking option with premium features, check out the similarly priced JBL Quantum One (opens in new tab)).
There are lower-priced headsets with true surround sound (instead of the Orbit S’ virtual surround sound) and wireless capability. But the Orbit S, which bears the same cozy memory foam headband and earpads as other headsets in HyperX’s Cloud line, offers a gaming edge you’ll actually notice.
We also love the versatility of this headset. In addition to supporting hi-res, virtual surround and 3D audio, you can use the headset with a 3.5mm jack, USB Type-A port or USB Type-C port.
Read: HyperX Cloud Orbit S review (opens in new tab)
Not every gamer also demands the joys of hi-res music, but those who do can graduate to more powerful, immersive jam sessions, especially with the Asus ROG Delta S. These cans sniped the title of Best Hi-res Gaming Headset from the SteelSeries Arctis Pro+ GameDAC, partially by including a more powerful DAC. The Asus opts for ESS’ 9281 Pro Quad DAC for lossless audio processing, which is specced for 140 dB of dynamic range and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 130 dB, compared to the ESS 9018 on the SteelSeries’ 121 dB and 109 dB, respectively. On the ROG Delta S, hi-res music boasted meaty reverb and also sounded live.
In terms of gaming, the ROG Delta S is also premium, offering more oomph in the overall soundscape than rivals, from the twang of a bow and arrow to the cracks of an assault rifle. Just beware that those nearby you might start hearing the action if you crank the volume up to 75% or higher.
Meanwhile, virtual 7.1 surround sound performance varied. We weren’t able to pinpoint enemies better with it in Outriders, but in Horizon Zero Dawn, the featured amplified environmental sounds definitely helped. It’s easy to prefer the popular DTS Headphone:X v2.0 surround scheme that the Arctis Pro+ GameDac employs than the one Asus concocted.
The Arctis Pro+ GameDac also has other quality-of-life advantages, like a screen-equipped DAC with a ChatMix control. However, the ROG Delta S doesn’t leave you hanging when it comes to extras, instead throwing in reactive RGB to its earcups’ 4 RGB zones.
If you’re truly about the hi-res, the ROG Delta S stands out above other gaming headsets.
Read: Asus ROG Delta S review
If you do a lot of chatting on your headset, be it with your Overwatch teammates, work colleagues or Mom, the Corsair Void RGB Elite USB will make sure you sound just like you to whoever’s listening. For this price, we were pleased at the microphone’s quality, plus its ability to handily fold up when you need to take a sip of water or sneeze. It’s also Discord-certified and showed better low-end response than rivals. It’s not quite as warm as what you can get with the best gaming microphones or any USB mic, but it’s close.
On the other hand, when we tested the headset with a smaller head, bass was lacking due to sound leakage. Your head size may change things. The Void RGB Elite USB also has virtual 7.1 surround sound, but it didn’t prove to be anything extraordinary.
For chatterboxes, this is the best gaming headset with its mid-range price, cozy padding and splash of RGB. Note there’s also a wireless version of the Void RGB Elite USB (opens in new tab). For more mic options, consider the expensive JBL Quantum One, which comes with a unidirectional and detachable boom microphone and a separate calibration microphone.
Read: Corsair Void RGB Elite USB review
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro kicks things up a notch or two over other SteelSeries cans, including the Arctis 7 wireless ones listed above. It’s very pricey, even for a wireless headset. But you get your choice of wireless dongle or Bluetooth connectivity, which means you could use the Arctis Pro Wireless without it occupying a USB port.
The cans offer a large frequency response range and hi-res audio. Lossless titles, like Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, sounded noticeably crisper with a lot of depth on the Arctis Pro. Ultimately, the game sounded more immersive, particularly in the high end, where we could hear the different layers of sound. You also get DTS Headphones:X virtual surround sound via a transmitter base station boasting other helpful features, like ChatMix and general volume control.
Despite its higher price, the Arctis Pro Wireless isn’t vastly more comfortable than the cheaper Arctis 7 wireless cans and don’t offer twice as detailed audio. But the Arctis Pro Wireless has the advantage in its smart design, Bluetooth capability and swappable batteries that keep the party going while traveling.
For a cheaper Bluetooth option, consider the Sennheiser GSP 670.
Read: SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless review
Sometimes, you just want one device that can do everything. If that sounds like you, then the Epos H3 Hybrid Gaming Headset is your speed. This is a combination wired and wireless headset that comes with a removable bidirectional boom mic plus an omnidirectional mic built into the cups. Combine that with its ability to connect via a wireless USB-C dongle (which can also connect to USB-A via an adapter) or a 3.5mm audio jack, and it can do pretty much anything other mics can except bluetooth.
It’s also superbly comfortable and looks pretty swanky, plus has long battery life. Unfortunately, the headsets do need to be powered on even when connected via a 3.5mm connection, which is a bummer. Plus, you’ll need to adjust the EQ in the Epos Gaming Suite software to get the best sound out of your music. But this mic’s sheer amount of customization options still makes it a powerful addition to any gaming arsenal.
Read: Epos H3 Hybrid review
The Razer Kraken V3 Pro is the best headset within the Kraken range, including all the incremental updates from its predecessors while cutting the cord at the same time. In addition to the inclusion of THX spatial audio, the headset further immerses audiences with its haptic feedback technology. The wireless headset can also be used on Xbox consoles and the Nintendo Switch via its 3.5mm headphone jack in addition to PC and PlayStation via its 2.4Ghz adapter.
Plush materials like its hybrid fabric and memory foam keep the headset feeling comfy for extended periods of use. Razer’s 50mm TriForce Titanium drivers also produce dynamic sounds for music and film in addition to gaming. Its Razer Synapse software also elevates mic and sound quality with its EQ and various presets. The software also allows you to customize its two RGB zones to match your setup. Unfortunately, you may get finger tied trying to press the right button on the left earcup, and you won’t be able to charge and use it at the same time, so make sure to take advantage of its up to 44-hour battery life.
Read: Razer Kraken V3 Pro review
Discounts on the Best Gaming Headets
Whether you’re shopping for one of the best gaming headsets that we listed above or a similar model, you may find savings by checking out our lists of best Razer promo codes, best Corsair coupon codes and best Newegg promo codes.