9 Headsets That Celebrate the Unsung Hero of Gaming: Sound

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Sound is the real hero of the gaming experience. Your monitor or TV's graphics processing, your controller's haptic feedback, your wireless mouse's input lag—all of that is important, technically. But nothing makes you feel a game like what you're hearing. Whether that's hearing who is around you while grinding Overwatch, or feeling the stylized soundscape of an expert-awarded Game of The Year.

If you're a casual—only firing up the Xbox, PS5, or Switch for nightly console gaming—you can feel via soundbar or a surround sound. (Imagine Starfield on Dolby Atmos surround sound?) But if you're a hardcore gamer, or any kind of multiplayer gamer, you're going to want a proper headset.

But the market is flooded with cheap options with a shit ton little of LED lights. Finding a proper pair of headphones can be a bit headache inducing. So to spare you the time, we did all the testing. We tried out a bunch of popular gaming headsets, pitted them against each other and came up with this list of the best gaming headsets money can buy. This is our contribution to the community (beyond telling you which game's to play this year). Gamers... you're welcome.

BlackShark V2 X

Razer is a mainstay in the headset game, and with this $100 price point (or $144 for the wireless version), you really can’t beat the BlackShark V2 X.

It’s comfortable—the cushions are infused with cooling gel so they don’t burn up your ears when things get too intense. And they pack a punch, too. With 50mm drivers, these cans are more than capable of filling out that crazy 3D audio on the PS5. And if you stick with the wired version, you’ll be able to use it across the major consoles and PC.

ASTRO A50 X

A headset so good we awarded it in our most recent Esquire Gaming Awards. Logitech G has made the best—really the only—multi-platform wireless gaming headset. That's why these things are so expensive.

The A50 X uses a proprietary adapter box, which allows you to route your Xbox, PS5, or PC through the box and then to your monitor. That box uses its own bluetooth connection to feed you audio, and lets you connect your headphones to three devices at once. Simply switch channels when you’re playing on a different device. It’s insane that this has never been done before, and if you have multiple consoles and headsets, this is the only way you can consolidate.

Arctis Nova Pro - PC and Playstation

Xbox-Compatible Version

Sure, sound is important when you're playing Overwatch, Fortnite, or WarZone online. These SteelSeries headphones are perfect for hearing 360° sound in that context, but they can be so much more.

For sound performance, wired is still always going to beat wireless, so I'd opt for these over the wireless version, first of all. Beyond that, no one makes headphones with better sound than SteelSeries. You get top-tier spatial audio, as well as 3D audio on PS5 and Spatial Sound from Microsoft. There's a lot more tech that goes into it, but trust me: These are the best sounding headphones on the market.

PRO X

There's plenty of great gaming headsets on the market, but there are very few you feel good wearing. Like if you had an audio emergency and needed to use your gaming headphones on a work call, could you log onto Zoom with a straight face?

This pair from Logitech G is one of the only ones where the answer is unequivocally, "yes." Everything about this headset is more refined than others. The ear pads, headband, and microphone all offer a more understated luxury look and feel. That said, it's still an incredible gaming headset. The surround sound is immersive and has great directional performance.

HS60 Haptic Stereo Gaming Headset

Another reliable choice for the day-to-day player is this funky-looking set from Corsair. What sets these headphones apart is the addition of haptic audio. Yes, that’s like when your controller vibrates and gives you feedback to certain game experiences. Except it happens right on your head. Wild.

The onboard microphone is noise-cancelling, and, like a lot of the headsets listed here, you can fine-tune your audio experience with on-ear volume and haptic effect controls. They're a little pricier than the Razer BlackShark, but with the haptic feedback, at least you’re getting something for the extra dough.

Recon 50 Gaming Headset

A headset for 25 bucks! Can you believe it? Long has the world of serious gaming been defined by massively expensive peripherals, crazily over-priced PC technology, and consoles that cost about as much as a down payment on a car. Does it have to be that way?

Apparently not. This Turtle Beach headset is perfectly suited both for hearing and speaking... which is all you really need it for, in the end. It may not have the most pristine audio. But in a pinch, these cans get the job done just fine.

Pulse 3D Wireless Gaming Headset

Sony’s got a pretty great track record with its in-house gaming headsets, so there’s really no reason to stray from the pack if you want some great dedicated audio for your PS5. The Pulse 3D wireless headset matches perfectly with the newest console, and without a big microphone sticking out, it looks sleek as hell.

Perhaps most importantly, though, is the fact that this headset was fine-tuned for the crazy 3D audio on the PS5. If you’ve got a PS5, you really oughta get a headset that makes the most out of the omni-directional audio experience. This one really unlocks the full potential there.

Xbox Wireless Headset

Where Sony gets it right, Microsoft typically gets it wrong. Xbox is notoriously finicky with its wireless headset support. Any Xbox user should just skip the hassle and just go straight with the Xbox Wireless Headset, which supports both the Xbox X|S and the Xbox One (as well as Windows 10 devices).

Unlike its controllers, these have rechargeable batteries (can you believe it?!) with up to 15 hours of life, which is not bad at all, unless you play for longer than that in one sitting (which you probably shouldn’t). The headset also pairs up with Dolby Atmos for headphones, which makes Minecraft sound like a fucking symphony.

GSP 600 Professional Gaming Headset

Sennheiser is a huge name in the audio world, leaning more on the side of gear for digital and sound producers. But the audio behemoth brought its skills to the gaming world with the GSP 600. This is an all-around utility headset, with fantastic high-def sound, noise-cancelling ear pads, and a broadcast-quality mic that will have your squad thanking you. In other words, this bad boy is the best headset for a more audio-oriented gamer.

What We Look for In a Gaming Headset

Shopping for and testing gaming headsets really isn't too difficult. Most models from reputable brands are worth their costs, and very few companies have duds in their lineups. That said, we had some select testing criteria for these reviews:

Connection — We're almost always going to recommend wired over wireless. The added hassle of wireless charging and connecting just doesn't make up for the hassle of having a wire. Plus, with wired headphones you can connect to any device anywhere. The only time we opt for wireless is for Xbox or PlayStation-specific headsets. But even then, we recommend going for a third-party wireless model.

Directional performance — On the high-end headsets, you want good directional performance. When you hear an enemy's footsteps, you want to know they're behind you at four o'clock, not six. This is the biggest determining factor.

Sound performance — After directional sound, we worry about the quality of the sound. Like with the pair of headphones you use to listen to music, you want clear sound with plenty of range.

Microphone — And last of all, the microphone needs to cut out unwanted background noise. Some offer noise cancelling, some just have good unidirectional builds. All on this list are great in this department.

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