The Best Wireless Gaming Headset For PS5, Xbox, Switch and PC

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Wireless gaming headsets have come a long way since the early days of Bluetooth. Though some enthusiasts will always prefer the "purity" of wires, there's no real reason for the average person to have to worry about daisy-chains and cable management when queueing up for League of Legends. Wireless headsets let you walk away from your rig to make a cup of coffee (or check on a screaming baby) without interrupting the subtle repartee of your party chat. That convenience matters a lot to many of us.

In 2024, wireless gaming headsets deliver crisp audio and dozens of hours of battery life. While they're typically a bit more expensive than their traditional wired cousins, there are solid options at every price point, from $50 to $500. From a casual headset for the occasional meetup to audiophile-grade cans that can enhance the detailed texture of both Call of Duty and Dark Side of The Moon, this elite array of the best wireless gaming headsets has something for everyone. We’ll walk you through the shopping process, too, to make sure the headset you pick matches your play style.

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The Best Wireless Gaming Headsets

• Best Overall: HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Gaming Headset

• Best Value: SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

• Best Mid-range: Logitech G535 Lightspeed Wireless

• Best Sound Quality: Audeze Maxwell

• Best for Xbox: Xbox Wireless Headset

What to Consider in a Wireless Gaming Headset

Platform Compatibility

Aside from a few notable (and expensive) exceptions, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro: Xbox Edition and the Logitech G Astro A50 X, most wireless headsets work on either Xbox or PlayStation, so make sure you select an option designed for your platform(s) of choice. All PS5 headsets and some Xbox headsets that support Bluetooth are compatible with the Nintendo Switch and PC, as well. Manufacturers usually label their gear clearly, so you don’t need to do a ton of research. Just make sure to check the product listing. Otherwise, you might end up ordering a headphone-shaped paperweight that doesn't connect to your new console.

Connectivity

Most worthwhile wireless gaming headsets rely on a 2.4GHz wireless connection, which requires you to plug a USB dongle into your console or PC. (Some Xbox headsets bypass the dongle, allowing you to connect directly to the console using the same pairing protocol as the Xbox controller.) These connections are the default, because they provide a more stable connection with less input lag compared to other methods.

That said, more and more headsets feature Bluetooth support, as well. While it isn’t ideal for gaming, Bluetooth makes a headset more versatile: It allows you to pair with the Nintendo Switch, as well as iOS and Android phones or tablets. That’s great for games, and also allows you to use your headset as an everyday pair of headphones. In fact, some headsets will allow you to connect to two devices at once–one via a dongle and a second via Bluetooth so you can, for example, chat with friends on Discord and listen to your game at the same time.

A Bluetooth connection isn’t the gold standard for games, so I wouldn’t recommend buying a Bluetooth-only headset for PC or consoles. That said, with more substantial online games coming to mobile than ever, not to mention cloud streaming and remote play services, having a mobile-ready headset is more useful than ever.

Comfort

If you’re going to play games for an extended period of time–say, all weekend–it’s important to buy a set that feels comfortable to wear for as long as you need it. As a whole, though, most gaming headsets tend to embrace large earcups and closed-back audio, which might not be ideal for every player.

There are a few factors that can make a headset more or less comfortable. The most important of them is how a headset feels sitting on your head. The heavier the headset frame, the more padding it needs to absorb that weight. That said, padding adds heft too. No matter how much padding you put on, a heavier headset will eventually weigh you down and start to feel uncomfortable after many hours.

Another factor to consider is climate and temperature. Depending on the material covering the padding on your ear cups, some headphones will start to feel hot over time–the most supple materials, like leather, tend to get the hottest. Lightweight mesh and fabric materials create more airflow, but can feel scratchy on your head if made poorly.

Finally, while it's difficult to know exactly how a headset will fit your particular ears and head without trying it on, you can get a sense of the feel by looking at the shape of the ear cups. For example, if you have long ears, you probably want a longer, more elliptical ear cup.

Overall, it's up to you to figure out what you're looking for, but if you're particularly concerned about comfort, searching some user reviews for that very issue might serve you well.

Battery Life

Nobody likes turning on their console and putting on their headset only to find that it needs to be charged. Most gaming headsets have an average stated battery life between 20 and 40 hours of regular use. Based on my experience and estimates from other reviewers, that will typically last most players for a week or two, depending on how much you play. That said, there are some headsets that can last for much longer. (Our top pick lasts up to 300 hours!)

Special Features

Most premium wireless headsets offer extra features that aren't strictly necessary to get playing, but can enhance audio quality or make things more convenient for you.

Some headsets feature active noise-canceling, similar to what you’d find on standard wireless headphones, to minimize ambient noise.

PC headsets often feature advanced audio customization tools that allow you to change the EQ (equalization) and other settings. (Console players often get a set of EQ presets, but not full control.)

A built-in amp or digital-to-audio converter (DAC) improves the volume and clarity of your headset’s sound. And these are gaming headsets, after all, so don’t forget about RGB lighting.

More often than not, you have to pay a premium for these features, but they are helpful (and fun), if you’re willing to spend some extra money and want the best possible audio quality.

How We Selected The Best Wireless Gaming Headsets

To select the best wireless gaming headsets, I leveraged my own years of knowledge and experience testing and playing games using a wide range of dedicated gaming headsets. I played a battery of games in different genres (from platformers to shooters) to get a complete sense of how they sound in both competitive multiplayer and immersive single-player experiences. I also did a music-based listening test, which incorporated a range of artists and genres, from Led Zeppelin to the Wu-Tang Clan.

I haven’t tested every headset on the list, though. Those recommendations are based on in-depth product reviews, user testimonials, and expert blog posts from audio enthusiast sites like Audiophile On. Regardless of your budget and use case, we have a wireless gaming headset that'll fit your hectic gaming life.

Cloud Alpha Wireless Gaming Headset

With a previously-unheard-of 300-hour battery life, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is an easy recommendation for PC and PlayStation users who just want to play their games without thinking too hard about their audio setup.

HyperX, by and large, makes simple yet well-crafted and reliable headsets: Though you won’t find any clutch flourishes like Bluetooth support active noise-canceling, the Cloud Alpha has a sturdy aluminum construction with a distinctive design, thick ear cup padding, and strong audio quality relative to other sub-$200 headsets.

If you aren’t striving for the flashiest, most feature-rich option, the Cloud Alpha delivers exactly what you need: A long-lasting headset that feels comfortable and sounds good without any fuss, and doesn’t cost too much.

Arctis 1

Generally speaking, looking for a wireless gaming headset cuts out the least expensive set of budget gaming headsets, which tend to be wired-only. There are still deals to be had among wireless headsets, though, and the SteelSeries Arctis 1 feels like a steal for around $100. Comfortable and lightweight, it features SteelSeries’ well-tuned speakers and clear microphone.

It isn’t without drawbacks: The Arctis 1 skates by with merely okay 24-hour battery life, and it lacks advanced features like spatial audio. Still, you could do far worse at this price point.

PlayStation Xbox

G733 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset

Logitech has been a dominant name in tech accessories for decades, and its G733 Lightspeed Wireless has a lot of features and strong fundamentals. It features comfortable memory-foam ear cups, built-in mic filters, and DTS spatial audio support through Headphone:X 2.0.

It also has Bluetooth support. Top that with an above-average 29 hours of battery life and a sleek black aesthetic with customizable RGB lighting, and you have a fun, fully featured gaming audio experience.

Maxwell

Audiophile headphone manufacturer Audeze has ascended to carve out a substantial new niche of expensive high-end gaming headsets. The Maxwell is a luxury headset in every sense of the word, with loads of bells and whistles and incredible sound quality that you won’t find from most dedicated headsets.

Among its riches are massive 90mm planar magnetic drivers, which push your game audio loud and clear, proprietary AI noise filtering technology, and a crystal clear mic.

The Maxwell is the only headset I’ve tried that compares to high-end headphones for music and audio production. It comes at heavy cost, though. The headset also feels quite heavy on your head. Like most audiophile gear, the gear is designed to produce great sound, sometimes to the detriment of other things.

With all that said, its raw sound quality is incredibly impressive, and worth the cost to serious audio enthusiasts who may not be satisfied with the clarity and detail of other options from gaming-focused brands.

PlayStation Xbox

Wireless Headset

Microsoft's official Xbox headset is a relatively affordable choice, but quite impressive by any standard. For less than $100, you get solid performance and a bevy of nice-to-have features like Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound support.

It's also pretty fetching from a visual perspective, especially if you're a die-hard Xbox fan. A 15-hour battery life is less than impressive, but if you want a bang-for-your-buck wireless gaming headset that meets all of your needs on Xbox, this is definitely it.

BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless

Many of the wireless gaming headsets on our list support PS4 and PS5 natively, and the Razer Blackshark V2 is a great option for those who game primarily on those platforms. The mid-range, e-sports-focused headset delivers solid audio and mic quality, as well as wear-all-day comfort.

And, despite the fact that this is a wireless headset guide, I appreciate the ability to plug in with a wired connection. Virtual 7.1 surround sound support is a nice add for those who like to take advantage of spatial audio. This is one of the best all-around headsets I’ve tried, and it's perfect for PlayStation gamers.

Quantum TWS True Wireless

Almost everybody has a pair of wireless earbuds these days, but added latency from using Bluetooth means that they're rarely what you want when gaming. There are, however, a handful of “gaming earbuds,” which offer 2.4 GHz connectivity via a mobile-friendly USB-C dongle in addition to Bluetooth for a higher-quality connection.

Earbuds still present some additional problems–no internal earbud mic provides the same clarity and volume as the adjustable boom mics found on most over-ear headsets, which you can position directly over your mouth. Still, earbuds are convenient on the go and some people simply prefer the in-ear feel.

If you prefer earbuds, I like the JBL Quantum TWS, which sound great (by earbud standards), fit in your pocket, and feature strong active noise canceling to filter out all sorts of distracting ambient noise on the go. It’s also the most viable everyday carry headset in our guide, since they fit in your pocket and you can connect via Bluetooth when you aren’t playing games.

As you might expect, that portability takes its toll on both audio quality and battery life, but if you want to play games in the car, train or plane, this is a solid compromise.

Arctis Nova Pro Wireless: Xbox Edition

Having a single wireless headset that can connect to every platform is the holy grail of gaming accessories, and there are finally a few models that can do it. Of course, these headsets are all very expensive, so it's important to find a headset that feels like it’s worth that expense. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is so jam-packed with deluxe features and nuance that you cannot deny that you get what you pay for.

Comparable to a set of high-end enthusiast headphones, the Arctis Nova Pro’s flat black aesthetic might be confused with that of the iconic Audio-Technica M50, but the headset is light and well-padded so you won’t feel it weighing you down over time.

Its smooth sound isn’t quite up to par with audiophile cans like Audeze, but it delivers pro-grade mixing controls on PC, and a highly customizable EQ on consoles through the headset’s base station, which connects to two consoles/PCs at once. In terms of battery life, it comes with two hot-swappable 20-hour batteries, so you can always have your backup charging and ready.

Back to connectivity: There are two versions of this headset–Xbox and “PlayStation” (which really just means “not Xbox.) Both versions have two USB-C ports on the base station. On the Xbox edition, one of those ports is just for Xbox, and the other works with every other platform. On the PlayStation version, you simply get two of the PS5/Switch/PC ports.

In either case, you can hot-swap between platforms by pushing a button on the base station, which can be a bit of a hassle depending on where you place it.

The bottom line is this: The Arctis Nova Pro is a maximalist headset with a ton of features and a heavy price tag. If you want one wireless headset for all your gaming needs, this is the one.

Xbox PlayStation

Q+A with Gaming Gear Expert Steven T. Wright

Are wireless gaming headsets better than wired headsets?

It depends what you mean by "better." Speaking broadly, the best, “truest” audio will come from a wired connection, especially if you’re pairing headphones with an amplifier and receiver, and listening to music from a lossless audio file.

Within the world of gaming headsets, though, the situation is a bit different. Wireless headsets generally dominate the mid- and high-range headset market, so they often offer better sound quality and features than wireless headsets. There are exceptions, especially among PC-focused headsets that are made to appeal to audiophiles, such as the Asus ROG Delta S or Audeze’ ultra-lux LCD-GX headset.

Realistically, the average player will not notice a substantial difference between a good wireless headset and a comparably priced one in most games, or while streaming music and podcasts from a streaming service like Spotify.

Does game audio sent through a 2.4 GHz connection sound better than Bluetooth audio?

A 2.4 GHz signal is better for gaming, but the difference is less about improving sound quality and more about making sure that what you hear in your headphones “keeps up” with what you’re doing in-game.

As Corsair explains, this is because a 2.4 GHz signal typically has much lower latency and a better range than a Bluetooth signal. The polling rate of Bluetooth signals is also limited, which means it can't update as fast as a 2.4 GHz signal.

What's better, a headset mic or a standalone mic?

If you’re just playing games–with friends or random folks online–the microphone on your headset will sound perfectly clear in the moment. However, if you're streaming or recording gameplay, you should consider upgrading to a standalone microphone.

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