Best Gaming Headsets: 13 Options for Immersive Gameplay

Maybe your current gaming speakers are fine. But until you’ve used a high-quality headset to listen to the screech of your tires as you drift around the final lap, the horrifying growls of the beast hiding in the next room, or the intensity of an explosion-packed firefight,, you’re sadly missing out. The unmatched feeling of immersion makes it worth buying a premium headset on its own, but once you’ve played with memory foam earcups, on-ear audio controls, and a battery that only needs to be charged once a week, it’s hard to go back to a lesser headset.

We’ve researched, compared, and tested a collection of headsets to find the most comfortable, nicest sounding, and all-around best headsets available. Whether you’re looking for a solid, yet inexpensive model, or a top-of-the line edition for serious gaming fans, these are the 13 best gaming headsets to make your racers, horror adventures, and action games sound their absolute best.

Our top picks for the best gaming headsets

How we selected the best gaming headsets

Our in-depth research of popular and lesser-known gaming brands and their many audio offerings, alongside comprehensive testing and many years of experience playing with gaming headsets, led us to pick the best options on the market. We considered each product’s sound quality, features, comfort level, and durability to identify exceptional headsets that gaming enthusiasts will appreciate for a long time to come.

What to consider when buying gaming headsets

Audio quality

This is easily the top consideration when picking a gaming headset, so take the time to research models noted for their crisp, balanced, and rich sound. Other aspects of a high-end headset include deep bass, immersive 3D spatial audio, and high-fidelity speakers that pipe consistently clear voices, music, and sound effects into your ears.

Comfort

Since you’re going to wear them for hours at a time, it’s a good idea to consider gaming headsets designed with your comfort in mind. No one likes the feel of a tight or bulky headset, so look for models designed with lightweight materials, plush ear cushions (especially those that utilize memory foam or cooling gel,) and the ability to adjust their fit for maximum comfort.

Keep in mind, too, that not all gaming headsets will accommodate glasses. If you need eyewear to play, look for headsets made to be comfortably worn alongside your glasses.

Durability

If you’re going to invest in a quality headset, it’s absolutely worth buying one that was made to last for many gaming sessions to come. Keep an eye out for headsets made with premium materials, a durable frame, and before you buy, check if you’re able to buy replacement batteries, earpads, and other components if you ever need to in the future.

Features

One of the most important reasons to shop around for a gaming headset is to find a model that suits your needs. It’s easy to find a barebones headset for basic communication, but dedicated gaming fans may need a quality microphone with active noise cancellation, a wireless mode with a long battery life, compatibility between multiple platforms, and integrated mute and volume buttons for instant access.

Aesthetics

Once you’ve found the best gaming headset for your needs, take a minute to check for designs that speak to your sense of style. Whether you’d prefer a sleek and minimalist design, or a bold and flashy model, there are plenty of aesthetically pleasing headsets to choose from.

Best gaming headset brands

Whether you need a top-of-the-line audio experience, or a simple, yet solid model, some of the best gaming brands to consider when shopping for a new headset include SteelSeries, Turtle Beach, Razer, HyperX, Audeze, Logitech, Asus, Corsair, and JBL.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Why do you need a good headset for gaming?

Best two reasons to buy a great gaming headset are for enjoying clear and balanced audio, and communicating with your gaming friends while playing together.

Video game developers put a massive amount of time and effort into crafting mesmerizing music, engaging sound effects, and unforgettable voices into their games, and an impressive gaming headset will ensure that you hear every orchestral note of a grand sweeping musical score, swift footstep of your enemies as they close in on your location, and the terrifying sounds of the nasty creature lurking in the darkness just offscreen, at their absolute clearest.

In addition to the unparalleled immersion of listening in on your games via a well-made headset, a good headset can make all the difference when playing online with teammates. Not only will the spatial sound inform you of incoming dangers so you can react accordingly, efficient communication between you and your team can mean the difference between winning and losing in titles like Dead by Daylight, Halo Infinite, and Gears 5. A simple headset may get the job done, but your teammates will sincerely appreciate you bringing a nicer model with a noise canceling microphone and a dedicated mute button to your next game of Overwatch 2.

Are expensive gaming headsets worth it?

That depends on your gaming preferences. If videogames are your passion, you tend to play for many hours at a time, and deeply appreciate the crisp audio, cozy feel, and crystal-clear microphone of a premium gaming headset, it is absolutely worth the investment to make your hobby that much more enjoyable.

On the other hand, if you play infrequently, prefer single player games, or just need a simple microphone and earpiece to communicate with online friends occasionally, an affordable, yet reliable gaming headset is probably your best option.

How much should you spend on a gaming headset?

The bottom line is that the amount you should spend on a gaming headset depends on how you intend to use them.If you play minimally, or need a basic headset for simply hearing and speaking with other players, you should spend between $20 and $50 for a solid model that will certainly get the job done, but is light on additional features.

Those who regularly play online and are looking for an immersive audio experience should expect to spend between $51 and $199 for a rock-solid midrange gaming headset. Some features commonly found in this price range include a dependably cozy fit, basic noise cancellation, the ability to fine-tune sound quality via a companion app, wireless play, and surround sound.

Dedicated gamers and esports players should consider investing upwards of $200 on a premium gaming headset. These top-of-the-line headsets include impressive features such as enhanced comfort, a professional-grade microphone, premium audio, and an extremely sturdy design. Some other perks of these high-quality headsets include a long battery life, exceptional technologies such as haptic feedback, active noise cancellation, and Dolby Audio or THX-powered spatial audio.

Why do gamers prefer wired headphones?

Although many gamers appreciate the unobtrusive design and ability to move freely with wireless headphones, there are a few worthwhile reasons to consider a wired set.

• Playing with a wireless headset means having to stop and charge their internal battery, or swap out the battery at inopportune times
• Wired headsets have essentially zero latency, which means that the visuals on screen are perfectly synced to the sounds in your ear, allowing you to react even more quickly to in-game threats and the actions of other online players
• In addition to the small, yet noticeable reaction time difference felt by seasoned gamers, the audio of wireless gaming headsets may suffer from slight data loss due to signal interference from other devices in your home, resulting in immersion-ruining and gameplay-affecting sound distortion