The very best 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 Pro 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 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 provide stuff like explosions a bit extra juice with out muddying up the mids. Particulars within the midrange get probably the most emphasis total, however they’re clear, and their forwardness isn’t a foul factor whenever 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, nevertheless 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 absorb a extra cinematic single-player story. And whenever you’re not gaming, you get an pleasant profile for music.

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

Like all open-back headphones, the DT 900 Professional X leak sport audio and let in a lot of noise, so it’s not nice on the go. Clearly, in case you can afford to improve to an ultra-premium pair like Sennheiser’s HD 800 S, you’ll get extra space 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

When you’d quite not spend as a lot, the Sennheiser HD 560S is one other wonderful open-back headphone that’s typically out there 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 a lot snug to put on for prolonged durations. It doesn’t clamp down too arduous on these with large heads (like yours actually), 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, nonetheless, 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 taking part in. However, 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

When you can’t spend greater than $50, it’s still hard to prime 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 decide up with the pricier headphones above. But it surely 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 definitely appears to be like prefer it prices $20, although Koss backs it with a lifetime warranty that primarily allows you to get limitless replacements for $9 every. Even when the KSC75 are pushing 20 years outdated, its comparatively balanced sound stays significantly well-suited for gaming.

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 (elective), Xbox Wi-fi (elective) | Weight: 490g

When 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, nevertheless it’s one of many few devoted gaming headsets we have used whose audio high quality holds up subsequent to the higher “regular” 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 vitality within the upper-mids, nevertheless 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. When you don’t just like the out-of-the-box profile, Audeze’s app additionally contains various tasteful EQ presets.

Alongside these strains, the Maxwell’s removable growth mic is a standout. It does an exceptional job of muting background noise, and whereas your voice will lose some air, it will 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 larger volumes, and its metal headband makes use of an odd suspension mechanism that is successfully unattainable to regulate with out taking the headset off. Normally, although, its design feels substantial. The squishy, closely padded ear cups could make your ears really feel heat, however they preserve the headset snug and isolate a good quantity of out of doors noise. The important controls are constructed into the left earcup, and the gadget can join over Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable along with a USB-C wi-fi dongle. You’ll be able to even join to 2 units 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 case 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)

When you’d choose to avoid wasting money and purchase a good wired gaming headset, think about the . It’s one other open-back pair that sounds extra spacious than most conventional gaming headsets and usually locates in-game results precisely. Its sound signature emphasizes the bass, which provides explosions a clean and satisfying thump, nevertheless it doesn’t overdo the low-end the best way a lot of its friends do.

The A40’s audio high quality continues 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 effective particulars. Its soundstage is narrower by comparability as nicely. But it surely’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 difficulty, 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 mushy and breathable, whereas the ear cups are roomy sufficient to suit bigger ears. The headset has the standard open-back shortcomings, although, because it leaks a bunch of sound and blocks virtually zero exterior noise. The mostly-plastic design appears to be like “gamer-y” and lacks built-in quantity controls, too. No one would name it “premium.” Nonetheless, it is not flimsy.

The A40’s mic, in the meantime, is simply OK. It picks up background noises when you chat and makes voices sound considerably muffled. It’s serviceable, however you’d purchase the A40 for its sound high quality (and relative worth) first. The mic isn’t removable both, however you’ll be able to simply flip it up and out of the best way.

The A40 has been round for a number of years now, however its worth has come down from $150 to a extra affordable $130 in that point. Astro sells an elective with further controls for $130, however at that worth we’d strongly advise shopping for considered one of our different picks as an alternative.

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

You gained’t discover a good open-back gaming headset for lower than $50, so in case you’re on a good finances and want a built-in mic, you’ll must compromise on sound high quality. With that in thoughts, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is a good purchase for $40 or so. It will get the consolation half proper, as its pleather ear cups don’t clamp down arduous and have sufficient mushy padding the place it counts. Its mic makes voices sound comparatively clear and correct as nicely. Actually, the mic is a transparent step up over the Astro A40’s, although it is not removable.

The Cloud Stinger 2 has a V-shaped sound signature, which is to say it exaggerates the bass and treble whereas recessing the mids. It’s not unhealthy for what it’s, and it’ll positively give motion scenes a heavy dose of growth. However the upper-bass is bumped to the purpose the place it might get tiring over time, and also you lose among the effective particulars you’d hear on our different picks. Since this can be a low cost closed-back headset, the Cloud Stinger 2 doesn’t sound practically as large because the pairs above, neither is it as nuanced about positioning sounds precisely. All of that makes it lower than supreme for aggressive video games, although it will probably nonetheless sound “enjoyable” with many different titles.

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

The Astro A50 X prices an eye-watering $380, so we are able to’t moderately advocate it to most individuals. Nevertheless, in case you can abdomen the value, this can be a uniquely handy wi-fi headset for hardcore players who personal a PS5, Xbox Collection X/S and gaming PC. That’s primarily as a consequence of its included charging dock, which serves as a unified A/V station for these three platforms. By chaining HDMI and USB cables from a PS5, Xbox and/or PC to the A50 X’s base station, you’ll be able to join the headset to all three units concurrently. From there, you’ll be able to swap to your lively machine simply by urgent a button on the precise earcup.

It is a ache to arrange: As proven in Logitech’s 12-minute (!) video tutorial, connecting each consoles and a PC requires seven totally different cables, a couple of of which aren’t within the field, plus some futzing round in every system’s menus. It’s not completely seamless as soon as the whole lot’s up and working, both: We needed to manually change video alerts when switching from a PC to a console (although not when doing the inverse) and manually change our PC’s audio output once we needed to hear by desktop audio system. All of this requires you to maintain your gaming {hardware} in the identical space, too.

However for probably the most half, the A50 X is probably the most sensible wi-fi headset we’ve examined for multi-console setups. As an alternative of needing two headsets for Xbox and PS5/PC, or having to reconnect one headset every time you alter consoles, all you must do is take the A50 X off its dock, flip it on and choose the platform you wish to use. A small LED show on the dock will present the lively connection, and the headset will robotically play the right audio supply. With a PS5 and Xbox, it’ll robotically swap video. As long as you employ HDMI 2.1 cables, the bottom station can pass-through 4K 120Hz HDR video to the 2 consoles, with assist for VRR and ALLM. You may also join the A50 X to a Change or cellular gadget by way of Bluetooth — although that you must be inside vary of the bottom station for that to work, and also you don’t get the identical fast-switching performance.

All these connectivity methods wouldn’t imply a lot if the A50 X was a shoddy headset, however fortunately, it’s not. It’s among the many better-sounding wi-fi headsets we’ve used; it’s not “$380 good,” nevertheless it’s dynamic, with wealthy, comparatively nuanced bass and a clear midrange. Explosions and gunshots have crunch with out sounding overly thick, and it’s typically correct at finding footsteps and close by results. The Audeze Maxwell continues to be a stage above, nonetheless; the A50 X has a darker tilt by comparability, so it captures much less element within the treble vary and feels extra boxed-in. It can also’t match the broader, extra enveloping soundstage of our open-back picks. Nonetheless, most individuals will probably be pleased with it, and you may customise its EQ curve to an extent by Logitech’s G Hub software program.

The A50 X’s design is sort of a nicer model of the A40. It’s largely plastic, nevertheless it feels sturdy. The fuzzy, fabric-covered foam on its earpads and headband is mushy and breathable, and whereas the headset isn’t tremendous mild at 0.8 kilos, it distributes its weight in a manner that feels snug but safe. You may also alter your game-to-chat audio combine proper from an earcup. It doesn’t isolate exterior noise very nicely, although, and its growth mic is completely hooked up. Its battery life is mediocre as nicely — Astro charges it at as much as 24 hours at average volumes — however for the reason that headset is designed to sit down on its dock when it’s not in use, that is not a severe difficulty. The mic, in the meantime, is without doubt one of the easiest we’ve used any gaming headset, wired or wi-fi. Voices sound cleaner and extra pure than they do with the Maxwell, and background noise is basically saved in examine.

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