The perfect gaming headsets for 2024

Enclosure: Open-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 5 – 40,000Hz | Mic: No | Connectivity: Wired | Weight: 345g (with out cable)

The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Professional X ought to please most individuals keen to pay for a capital-N good pair of headphones for gaming functions. It localizes sounds precisely and delivers the type of spacious soundstage anticipated from a very good open-back mannequin. Bass is a bit more current right here than on many open-back headphones as nicely. There nonetheless isn’t a lot in the best way of deep sub-bass, unsurprisingly, however there’s sufficient heat to offer stuff like explosions a bit extra juice with out muddying up the mids. Particulars within the midrange get essentially the most emphasis general, however they’re clear, and their forwardness isn’t a nasty factor while you’re making an attempt to hear for enemy gamers in a aggressive FPS like Counter-Strike 2 or Apex Legends. The treble isn’t pushed fairly as arduous, however it’s neither overly recessed nor harsh.

All of this helps the DT 900 Professional X sound detailed however not boring. It is the type of sound that performs good whether or not you’re making an attempt to win a multiplayer sport or soak up a extra cinematic single-player story. And while you’re not gaming, you get an satisfying profile for music.

The entire thing is constructed nicely, too. The DT 900 Professional X will clamp down barely tougher than common in case you have a big head, however it balances its weight nicely, and its splendidly tender velour earpads go a great distance towards maintaining the pair comfy over hours-long gaming classes. It comes with two removable cables, together with a three-meter possibility that’s handy in the event you sit far out of your PC. It will possibly’t fold up, although.

Like all open-back headphones, the DT 900 Professional X leak sport audio and let in numerous noise, so it’s not nice on the go. Clearly, in the event you can afford to improve to an ultra-premium pair like Sennheiser’s HD 800 S, you’ll get more room and true-to-life element. However for a comparatively attainable $250 to $300, the DT 900 Professional X ought to fulfill.

Enclosure: Open-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 6 – 38,000Hz | Mic: No | Connectivity: Wired | Weight: 280g

In the event you’d relatively not spend as a lot, the Sennheiser HD 560S is one other glorious open-back headphone that’s usually accessible for lower than $200. Just like the DT 900 Professional X, it has a large soundstage that makes it simpler to really feel immersed in a given sport. Its signature is barely extra impartial on the entire, so that you gained’t really feel such as you’re lacking any a part of what’s taking place, and it retrieves a stunning quantity of treble and midrange element. There’s much less bass energy for explosions, although. And the treble, whereas extra current right here than on Beyerdynamic’s pair, can sound piercing at instances. Imaging isn’t fairly as nuanced both, although it’s removed from poor.

The HD560S’ design is loads comfy to put on for prolonged intervals. It doesn’t clamp down too arduous on these with massive heads (like yours really), and its velour earpads hug the ears softly. The included cable is detachable, too. The plastic body doesn’t really feel as sturdy or premium because the DT 900 Professional X, nevertheless, so that you gained’t wish to chuck it round haphazardly. It will not isolate a lot noise both, nor will it stop others from listening to what you are enjoying. Nonetheless, the HD 560S is a pleasure, and a fantastic worth.

Enclosure: Open-back (on-ear) | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 15 – 25,000Hz | Mic: No | Connectivity: Wired | Weight: 43g

In the event you can’t spend greater than $50, it’s nonetheless arduous to high the Koss KSC75. It prices $20, however judging purely on audio high quality, it’s higher than some headphones priced nearer to $100. This pair may be very clearly devoid of deep bass, so that you gained’t get that full-bodied oomph from in-game results. You additionally will not hear all of the intricate particulars you’d choose up with the pricier headphones above. However it locates sounds precisely, and its open design delivers an actual sense of width. It’s an excellent worth for aggressive play.

The catch is that it’s constructed like a set of free airline headphones. The KSC75 has an odd clip-on design that’s light-weight however gained’t be a snug match for everybody. It actually appears to be like prefer it prices $20, although Koss backs it with a lifetime guarantee that primarily enables you to get countless replacements for $9 every. Even when the KSC75 are pushing 20 years previous, its comparatively balanced sound stays significantly well-suited for gaming.

Enclosure: Open-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 20 – 40,000Hz | Mic: Sure, removable | Connectivity: 2.4GHz (PS5, PC, Change), Bluetooth 5.2 (AAC, SBC), 3.5mm | Weight: 301g

In the event you do desire a devoted gaming headset with a built-in mic, we love the Turtle Seaside Atlas Air. It’s a little bit of a rarity: a wi-fi mannequin with an open-back design. It sounds a lot wider, airier and extra pure than the overwhelming majority of its friends in consequence, creating the feeling that your sport is occurring round you rather than feeling confined in your head. It’s additionally higher than most at positioning in-game results in the appropriate locations.

The Atlas Air has a largely flat audio profile by default, with a soar within the treble that lends further crispness to issues like cymbals. Like most open-back pairs, it’s pretty weak within the low-bass area, so gunfire and EDM lack the type of muscle you’d get with good closed-backs. The DT 900 Professional X nonetheless sounds extra dynamic, with extra element within the mids and stronger bass that makes footsteps and explosions extra intimate. That mentioned, the Atlas Air holds its personal surprisingly nicely. It’s about as spacious, and what bass is right here doesn’t come off as blobby. It’s an easygoing hear, and the higher sense of spatial consciousness supplied by its design makes an actual distinction whether or not you’re listening for enemies in Counter-Strike 2 or basking in an enormous boss battle in Remaining Fantasy XVI. Going from a pair like this to a conventional headset usually makes it sound like a bit of the world has been lopped off.

The Atlas Air can be exceptionally comfy. Its ear cups are generously padded with mild reminiscence foam and coated in a tender material materials; they offer loads of room for bigger ears to breathe, with out trapping an excessive amount of warmth. The suspension-style headband doesn’t enable a lot in the best way of guide changes, however it’s extraordinarily versatile, so these with particularly giant heads can nonetheless pop the headphones on with little wrestle. The design as an entire is light-weight at 0.66 kilos, and it’s light about clamping down on the edges of your head. Put all of it collectively and also you get a headset that’s a breeze to put on for hours at a time.

All of its controls — together with an enormous quantity dial that circles the left ear cup — are simply accessible past that. Our chief grievance is that the design is nearly fully plastic, so it doesn’t fairly really feel like a $180 machine to the contact. It’s additionally type of… ugly, to be trustworthy. None of that could be a massive deal after getting it on, nevertheless, and we haven’t observed any creaking or looseness to the body after a number of months of testing.

The Atlas Air’s removable increase mic is completely advantageous. You wouldn’t wish to use it for podcasting, because it robs a very good chunk of bass out of your voice, however you’ll nonetheless come via clearly in a loud room, with no harsh sibilance to “ess” sounds. The mic itself is sufficiently versatile, and also you merely flip it as much as mute it, which is at all times handy.

The headset works with PC, PS5 or a docked Nintendo Change via its USB dongle, plus it helps Bluetooth for cellular gadgets and the Change’s handheld mode. You possibly can’t pipe via audio from two connections on the similar time, however you’ll be able to no less than change between the 2 pretty shortly utilizing a button on the left ear cup. Whereas there’s no assist for Xbox’s wi-fi protocol, you too can use the headset passively (i.e., with out counting on battery energy) with an included 3.5mm cable with its personal inline quantity dial. In the event you’re an Xbox participant and don’t thoughts utilizing a cable, we’d nonetheless take into account the Atlas Air our high suggestion. With out the wire, Turtle Seaside says the machine can last as long as 50 hours, although we’ve been in a position to squeeze one other 5 to 10 hours out at reasonable volumes. It’s removed from the longest-lasting pair we’ve examined, however this implies it could possibly doubtless go for every week or two earlier than it wants a cost.

The primary trade-offs with the Atlas Air are the identical ones famous above: As a result of they’re open-back, they let in and leak tons of noise. In the event you don’t play in a fairly quiet surroundings, take into account our subsequent choose. We additionally had a driver problem that prevented us from connecting to PC upon first receiving the headset, however a software program replace shortly fastened that and we haven’t had any hiccups or stutters since. On the whole, Turtle Seaside’s Swarm II app is pretty easy, providing a customized EQ instrument, sport/chat combine, mic settings and the like.

Enclosure: Closed-back | Driver: Planar magnetic | Frequency response: 10 – 50,000Hz | Mic: Sure, removable | Connectivity: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.3 (LDAC, LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, AAC, SBC), 3.5mm, USB-C digital audio (non-compulsory), Xbox Wi-fi (non-compulsory) | Weight: 490g

In the event you’re keen to pay further for a premium gaming headset with a extra isolating closed-back design, get the . At $299 for a PS5 mannequin or $329 for an Xbox mannequin, it’s not low cost, however it’s one of many few devoted gaming headsets we have used whose audio high quality holds up subsequent to the higher “normal” wi-fi headphones available on the market.

The Maxwell’s default signature is sort of a extra refined model of the frequent “gaming headset” sound. Bass is impactful however well-controlled, whereas highs are crisp however not sharp. There is a bit of additional power within the upper-mids, however it’s not overwhelming, and the headset’s planar-magnetic drivers do nicely to breed smaller intricacies all through. It nonetheless cannot present the immersive width and exact imaging of our open-back picks, the Atlas Air included, however the Maxwell sounds unusually textured, balanced and intimate in comparison with different wi-fi gaming headsets. Whereas it lacks the airiness of the Turtle Seaside headset, the punchier low-end makes issues like footsteps extra simply identifiable in video games. In the event you don’t just like the out-of-the-box profile, Audeze’s app additionally contains a lot of tasteful EQ presets.

Alongside these strains, the Maxwell’s removable increase mic is a standout. It does an outstanding job of muting background noise, and whereas your voice will lose some air, it’s going to sound clearer and fuller right here than on most wi-fi headsets we’ve examined.

The Maxwell may be very a lot on the cumbersome aspect, it leaks sound at greater volumes, and its metal headband makes use of an odd suspension mechanism that is successfully not possible to regulate with out taking the headset off. On the whole, although, its design feels substantial. The squishy, closely padded ear cups could make your ears really feel heat, however they hold the headset comfy and isolate a good quantity of outdoor noise. The important controls are constructed into the left earcup, and the machine can join over Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable along with a USB-C wi-fi dongle. You possibly can even join to 2 gadgets without delay, one over the dongle and one other over Bluetooth, although you’ll be able to’t stream audio from each sources concurrently. The headset additionally must be powered on with the intention to play music over a cable.

Audeze charges the Maxwell’s battery life at roughly 80 hours, which is nice and has typically held true in our testing. You may get a bit much less in the event you play at excessive volumes or use options like Bluetooth or sidetone closely, although.

Enclosure: Open-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 20 – 20,000Hz | Mic: Sure, not removable | Connectivity: Wired | Weight: 369g (with out cable)

In the event you’d favor to avoid wasting money and purchase an honest wired gaming headset, take into account the . It’s one other open-back pair that sounds extra spacious than most conventional gaming headsets and customarily locates in-game results precisely. Its sound signature emphasizes the bass, which supplies explosions a clean and satisfying thump, however it doesn’t overdo the low-end the best way lots of its friends do.

The A40’s audio high quality remains to be a step behind the DT 900 Professional X, HD 560S and Atlas Air, particularly for on-line shooters. Subsequent to these headphones, its veiled treble and pushed upper-bass/low-mids can blunt footsteps and different advantageous particulars. Its soundstage is narrower by comparability as nicely. However it’s higher balanced than most gaming headsets, particularly these in its worth vary. It does nicely to envelop you in no matter’s taking place onscreen.

Consolation shouldn’t be a problem, both. The A40 is on the bulkier aspect, however its weight is evenly distributed, and it doesn’t clamp down overly arduous. The fuzzy earpads are tender and breathable, whereas the ear cups are roomy sufficient to suit bigger ears. The headset has the same old open-back shortcomings, although, because it leaks a bunch of sound and blocks nearly zero outdoors noise. The mostly-plastic design appears to be like “gamer-y” and lacks built-in volume controls, too. Nobody would call it “premium.” Still, it’s not flimsy.

The A40’s mic, meanwhile, is just OK. It picks up background noises while you chat and makes voices sound somewhat muffled. It’s serviceable, but you’d buy the A40 for its sound quality (and relative value) first. The mic isn’t detachable either, but you can easily flip it up and out of the way.

The A40 has been around for several years now, but its price has come down from $150 to a more reasonable $130 in that time. Astro sells an optional with extra controls for $130, but at that price we’d strongly advise buying one of our other picks instead.

Enclosure: Closed-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 10 – 28,000Hz | Mic: Yes, not detachable | Connectivity: Wired | Weight: 275g

You won’t find a good open-back gaming headset for less than $50, so if you’re on a tight budget and need a built-in mic, you’ll have to compromise on sound quality. With that in mind, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is a decent buy for $40 or so. It gets the comfort part right, as its pleather ear cups don’t clamp down hard and have enough soft padding where it counts. Its mic makes voices sound relatively clear and accurate as well. In fact, the mic is a clear step up over the Astro A40’s, though it’s not detachable.

The Cloud Stinger 2 has a V-shaped sound signature, which is to say it exaggerates the bass and treble while recessing the mids. It’s not bad for what it is, and it’ll definitely give action scenes a heavy dose of boom. But the upper-bass is bumped to the point where it may get tiring over time, and you lose some of the fine details you’d hear on our other picks. Since this is a cheap closed-back headset, the Cloud Stinger 2 doesn’t sound nearly as wide as the pairs above, nor is it as nuanced about positioning sounds accurately. All of that makes it less than ideal for competitive games, though it can still sound “fun” with many different titles.

Past that, the plastic design feels cheapish. Its cable isn’t detachable, and it doesn’t block a lot outdoors noise regardless of having a closed-back design. Nonetheless, it’s a must to choose your battles on this worth vary. The Cloud Stinger 2 is flawed, however it does sufficient nicely to be a very good headset for sure budget-conscious patrons.

The Astro A50 X costs an eye-watering $380, so we can’t reasonably recommend it to most people. However, if you can stomach the price, this is a uniquely convenient wireless headset for hardcore gamers who own a PS5, Xbox Series X/S and gaming PC. That’s mainly due to its included charging dock, which serves as a unified A/V station for those three platforms. By chaining HDMI and USB cables from a PS5, Xbox and/or PC to the A50 X’s base station, you can connect the headset to all three devices simultaneously. From there, you can swap to your active machine just by pressing a button on the right earcup.

This is a pain to set up: As shown in Logitech’s 12-minute (!) video tutorial, connecting both consoles and a PC requires seven different cables, a few of which aren’t in the box, plus some futzing around in each system’s menus. It’s not totally seamless once everything’s up and running, either: We had to manually change video signals when switching from a PC to a console (though not when doing the inverse) and manually change our PC’s audio output when we wanted to listen through desktop speakers. All of this requires you to keep your gaming hardware in the same area, too.

But for the most part, the A50 X is the most practical wireless headset we’ve tested for multi-console setups. Instead of needing two headsets for Xbox and PS5/PC, or having to reconnect one headset each time you change consoles, all you have to do is take the A50 X off its dock, turn it on and select the platform you want to use. A small LED display on the dock will show the active connection, and the headset will automatically play the correct audio source. With a PS5 and Xbox, it’ll automatically swap video. So long as you use HDMI 2.1 cables, the base station can pass-through 4K 120Hz HDR video to the two consoles, with support for VRR and ALLM. You can also connect the A50 X to a Switch or mobile device via Bluetooth — though you need to be within range of the base station for that to work, and you don’t get the same fast-switching functionality.

All these connectivity tricks wouldn’t mean much if the A50 X was a shoddy headset, but thankfully, it’s not. It’s among the better-sounding wireless headsets we’ve used; it’s not “$380 good,” but it’s dynamic, with rich, relatively nuanced bass and a clean midrange. Explosions and gunshots have a good crunch without sounding overly thick, and it’s generally accurate at locating footsteps and nearby effects. The Audeze Maxwell is still a level above, however; the A50 X has a darker tilt by comparison, so it captures less detail in the treble range and feels more boxed-in. It also can’t match the wider, more enveloping soundstage of our open-back picks. Still, most people will be happy with it, and you can customize its EQ curve to an extent through Logitech’s G Hub software.

The A50 X’s design is like a nicer version of the A40. It’s largely plastic, but it feels sturdy. The fuzzy, fabric-covered foam on its earpads and headband is soft and breathable, and while the headset isn’t super light at 0.8 pounds, it distributes its weight in a way that feels comfortable yet secure. You can also adjust your game-to-chat audio mix right from an earcup. It doesn’t isolate outside noise very well, though, and its boom mic is permanently attached. Its battery life is mediocre as well — Astro rates it at up to 24 hours at moderate volumes — but since the headset is designed to sit on its dock when it’s not in use, that’s not a serious issue. The mic, meanwhile, is one of the very best we’ve used any gaming headset, wired or wireless. Voices sound cleaner and more natural than they do with the Maxwell, and background noise is largely kept in check.

Enclosure: Closed-back | Driver: Dynamic | Frequency response: 60 – 20,000Hz | Mic: Yes, not detachable | Connectivity: HDMI audio, USB audio, Bluetooth | Weight: 363g