Best Gaming Headsets 2021: Wireless, Budget and More

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Finding the best gaming headset is arguably as important as choosing a gaming keyboard or even a graphics card. After all, the sound of your virtual world and the way you communicate with your teammates all depend on the device you're wearing on your head.

But picking the best gaming headset for your ears isn't easy, in part because of just how saturated the market is right now. With the ever-increasing popularity of eSports and the relative simplicity of combining standard audio hardware with comfortable earbuds, a dash of software wizardry and maybe a little RGB, PC gamers are now being offered more choice than ever. A quick search of a few popular online retailers will yield hundreds of choices from dozens of companies, ranging from under $10 (£8) to over $600 (£460). You may already know how much you're willing to spend on a pair of cans, but there's still plenty more to consider.

Luckily, we've tested stacks of gaming headsets (to see each model we've tested, check out our

gaming headset reviews page

). Below are the best gaming headsets we've tested.

Quick Gaming Headset Buying Tips

Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for the best gaming headset for you:

Wired or wireless?

Wired headsets generally cost less and don't need to be charged. Therefore, if you typically game at your desk, you might want to stick with wired options to keep things cheaper and simpler. A wired headset also won't die on you in the middle of battle. On the other hand, there is no denying the convenience of being able to run for a drink in the kitchen without having to remove your cans.

Headbands and earpieces.

Comfort is more subjective than measuring audio output and input, but generally speaking, you should be wary of plush gaming headsets with thick bulges, cheap foams, and fabric covers. When we tested these types of headphones, we often found disappointing acoustic performance. Earpad material can make a huge difference in what your ears ultimately perceive.

Audio and microphone quality.

These are very important if you want the best gaming headset, but impossible to rate on the single or dual stage models. We focus on these aspects in detail in our reviews. In short, detailed reproduction and good spatial resolution, especially when dealing with complex noises and environments with multiple sound sources, are more important than any attempt at simulated surround sound.

A key Bluetooth specification: aptX.< /p>

If you go wireless and opt for Bluetooth (no USB dongle needed), look for headsets that support

aptX technology

from Qualcomm, a compression technology (codec) that has been used for decades in television and film voice work, in movie theater audio, and in thousands of radio stations. If you've heard Bluetooth audio in years past and hated it (it was definitely

Wrong

for a long time), listen to an aptX compatible headset. As long as the underlying hardware is good, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the sound output.

The best gaming headsets you can buy today

With exemplary comfort and versatile sound, the HyperX Cloud Alpha is the best gaming headset for most.

(Image credit: HyperX)

1. HyperX Cloud Alpha

Best Gaming Headset

Pilot:

50mm neodymium |

Impedance:

65 Ohms |

Frequency response:

13–27,000Hz |

Microphone:

Unidirectional |

Connectivity:

3.5mm |

Weight:

0.7 pounds (317.5g)

Neutral sound quality

Solid build quality

Good choice of materials

Comfortable fit

a bit heavy

Small dips and peaks in the frequency curve

The HyperX Cloud Alpha is the best gaming headset for most gamers, offering near-perfect sound quality and impressive value, especially if you can find it for.

less than $100

. The noise reproduction with these boxes sounds natural and the speakers avoid annoying defects, such as bass or overly aggressive treble. It's not a revolutionary headphone, but it offers the necessary sound quality and high-end comfort with a rare reasonable price.

In terms of long-term wearability, the headset earns its Cloud mark with a lightweight, comfortable fit made from quality materials. This includes thick memory foam padding on the headband and earcups and HyperX's decision to go with aluminum over plastic in some important areas. The overall look and feel are both quality. If you like the design of the Cloud Alpha but want something with more features, there's also the

HyperX Cloud Alpha S

. It's essentially the same headset but with virtual 7.1 surround sound, an in-line controller and bass sliders on each ear cup. The black and blue or all black color options (instead of the Cloud Alpha's black and gold or black and red) also add more options.

Read:

HyperX Cloud Alpha review

Packed with premium features and sound, Corsair's Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is the best wireless gaming headset.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

2. Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE

Best Wireless Gaming Headset

Pilot:

50mm neodymium |

Impedance:

32 Ohms |

Frequency response:

20-40,000Hz |

Mic:

Omnidirectional |

Connectivity:

2.4GHz USB Type-A Dongle |

Weight:

0.8 pounds (360g)

Powerful Hi-Res Audio

Impeccable presentation

Great battery life

Wireless range depends on home construction

Headband sags a little over time

Slightly heavy reverb

The Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is one of the few headsets that looks as good as it looks. The best wireless gaming headset for most, it delivers premium sound that enters audiophile territory and looks nice and shiny instead of clunky and heavy. The SE version of the Virtuoso RGB features bronze-colored aluminum stamped with an RGB key via the Corsair logo. All in all, it looks as expensive as it gets.

The Virtuoso RGB SE delivered powerful sound, including high-res support, in our tests. Its 50mm speakers also sounded great with gun battles in games like

Borderlands 3

. The music reproduction of the cans sat amid bass-heavy cans like Audio-Technica's ATH-G1

and those with a flatter sound like the

SteelSeris Arctis Pro Wireless

listed below.

To top it all off with a 20-hour wireless battery life, Corsair's Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE is a nice pair of cans that both look and sound great.

Read:

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE review

Creative's SXFI Air Gamer offers high-end features at a more value-oriented price.

3. Creative SXFI Air Gamer

Best Bluetooth Gaming Headset

Pilot:

50mm neodymium |

Impedance:

> 2.2kohm |

Frequency response:

20-20,000Hz |

Microphone:

2x bidirectional, 1x omnidirectional |

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C cable, 3.5mm cable |

Weight:

0.8 lbs (335g)

Excellent audio quality for games, music, movies

Simultaneous USB and Bluetooth connections let you hear both your PC and your phone

Setup requires a smartphone and is much easier with a second person

External sound insulation could be better

The Creative SXFI Air Gamer offers many features of the more expensive Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT on this page, but at a much cheaper price. If you want cans that you can connect to your PC via a reliable cable and switch or add Bluetooth connection simultaneously, this is the best gaming headset with Bluetooth for you.

Creative's offering differs from the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT in appearance, and there's no option to connect via a wireless dongle. If that's okay with you, you get a headset that can use a 3.5mm or USB connection and pair with your phone or other Bluetooth device at the same time. The best part is that the audio quality is next level, including exceptional bass reproduction, and is suitable for your favorite games, as well as watching movies or listening to music.

The SXFI Air Gamer also goes a step further by offering not 1, not 2, but 3 microphones. You get a small detachable bidirectional mic and a larger one, as well as the built-in omnidirectional mic on the earcup. This allows you to prioritize quality or portability, depending on your situation.

More:

Creative SXFI Air Gamer Review

You can connect to two devices simultaneously with this Bluetooth Gaming Headset.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

4. Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT

Best Bluetooth Gaming Headset Craze

Pilot:

50mm neodymium |

Impedance:

Frequency response:

20-40,000Hz |

Mic:

Omnidirectional |

3.5mm, USB Type-A cable, USB Type-A dongle, Bluetooth |

Weight:

0.8 pounds (362.9g)

Comfortable and stylish

Simultaneous dongle/Bluetooth connectivity lets you hear your phone and PC

Expensive

Battery life isn't great when connected to two devices

Many gamers prefer to play with a dongle connection over Bluetooth for speed and reliability, but if you're looking for the ability to port save or connect to two devices at once, the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is the go-to. best gaming headset for you. A newer version of the Virtuoso Wireless RGB SE and similar to the Creative SFXI Air Gamer (both on this page), the more expensive Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT lets you connect via 3.5mm, the included USB Type-A cable, a wireless or Bluetooth dongle with aptX. And like the Creative SFXI Air Gamer above, with these cans you can connect to two different devices simultaneously via a dongle and Bluetooth. It proved a boon to productivity, allowing us to play with a dongle and hear music or notifications from our phone, for example, so we never missed a thing. The downside is that the headset is rated to last 20 hours with one device, but only 15 hours when connected to two devices.

Right out of the box, the headset is built for gaming, with sounds like moaning zombies and flapping Varkid's wings. For music, you'll probably want to download Corsair's software and change the equalizer. Once we found our favorite setting, we enjoyed more natural mids and more punchy, but not overpowering, low-ends.

But with comfort that makes the headset lighter than cans with less weight and a mature, versatile and sleek design, including 10 headband adjustments, the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is a premium wireless option for players.

For a cheaper wireless gaming headset with great performance, consider the dongle only

SteelSeries Arctis 7

.

Read:

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT review

Asus' TUF Gaming H3 is the best gaming headset for a cheap price but good build.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

5. Asus TUF Gaming H3

Best Budget Gaming Headset

Pilot:

50mm neodymium |

Impedance:

32 Ohms |

Frequency response:

20-20,000Hz |

Mic:

One Way Capacitor |

Connectivity:

3.5mm |

Weight:

0.6 pounds (272.2g)

Impressive sound quality out of the box

Incredibly comfortable

Questionable build quality

I finally figured out how to turn off the annoying voice notifications on my @CORSAIR Void Pro Wireless Headset.T… https://t.co/AiS74oe2m8

— SackOfFlummery Sun May 17 08:41:07 +0000 2020

Advertised virtual 7.1 surround sound is Windows Sonic, usable through any 3.5mm headset

The Asus TUF Gaming H3 is the best gaming headset to preserve your budget. These can be hard to find, but you can usually see it selling out

about $40

. Despite the lower price, you still get a headset that fits well and sounds great right out of the box. This means you can jump right into the game without fiddling with any software. When we tested the cans, performance was on par with more expensive competitors, including the

Asus TUF Gaming H7

. We attribute this largely to the H3's comfortable fit with leatherette touch points preventing sound leakage.

The downside is that they aren't particularly pretty. And if you're keen on virtual 7.1 surround sound, note that the H3 is a 3.5mm headset that uses only Windows Sonic Spatial Audio, which any 3.5mm headset can use.

But when it comes to gaming and hearing beeps like weapon switches, this headset gets the job done without effort on your part or seriously damaging your bank account.

Looking for a cheap helmet

without

virtual surround sound? Take a look at our

Roccat Elo X Stereo Review

.

Read:

Asus TUF Gaming H3 Review

The HyperX Cloud Orbit S delivers powerful and immersive 3D audio via headtracking,

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

6. HyperX Cloud Orbit S

Best gaming headset for virtual surround sound

Pilot:

100 mm neodymium |

Impedance:

Undisclosed |

Frequency response:

10-50000Hz |

Microphone:

Unidirectional condenser |

Connectivity:

3.5mm, USB Type-A, USB Type-C |

Weight:

0.8 pounds (362.9g) p>

Immersive and powerful 3D audio

Soft, spongy band and earpads

Good battery life

Precise head tracking

a bit heavy

Head tracking audio impact varies by game

The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is, indeed, expensive, but its sound quality and premium features make it the best gaming headset to splurge on. Cans give you a noticeable gaming advantage, thanks to its customizable 3D mode with head tracking. When playing with head tracking, the location of your enemies is obvious and the auditory environment moves with you.

You can also use head tracking as in-game controls, freeing up your hands for more action. (For another head tracking option with premium features, check out the similar price

JBL Quantum One

).

There are cheaper headsets with true surround (instead of the virtual surround sound of the Orbit S) and wireless capability. But the Orbit S, which sports the same comfortable memory foam headband and earpads as the other headsets in HyperX's Cloud lineup, offers a gaming edge you'll actually notice.

We also like the versatility of this headset. In addition to supporting high resolution, virtual surround, and 3D audio, you can use the headset with a 3.5mm jack, USB Type-A port, or USB Type-C port.

Read:

HyperX Cloud Orbit S Review

Its Quad DAC makes the Asus ROG Delta S the best high-res gaming headset.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

7. Asus ROG Delta S

Best Gaming Headset for Hi-Res

Pilot:

50mm neodymium |

Impedance:

32 Ohms |

Frequency response:

20-40,000Hz |

Mic:

Noise canceling condenser |< /p>

Connectivity:

USB Type-C or USB-C to USB-A adapter |

Weight:

0.7 lbs (320g)

Incredible audio clarity

Solid build quality

short cable

Slight sound leak

Not all gamers demand the joys of hi-res music either, but those who do can step up to more powerful and immersive jam sessions, especially with the Asus ROG Delta S. These boxes snatched the title best hi-res gaming headset

, in part by including a more powerful DAC. Asus opts for the ESS 9281 Pro Quad DAC for lossless audio processing, which is specified for 140dB of dynamic range and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 130dB, compared to the ESS 9018 on 121dB of the SteelSeries. and 109 dB, respectively. On the ROG Delta S, Hi-Res music had a meaty reverb and also sounded live.

In terms of gaming, the ROG Delta S is also top of the line, delivering more punch to the overall soundscape than its rivals, from a bow and arrow hit through the cracks of an assault rifle. Just be aware that people nearby might start hearing the action if you crank the volume up to 75% or more.

Meanwhile, the performance of virtual 7.1 surround sound varied. We couldn't better identify the enemies with in

Outriders

, but in

Horizon Zero Dawn

, the featured amplified ambient sounds. It's easy to prefer the DTS Headphone:X v2.0 surround system used by the Arctis Pro+ GameDac to the one concocted by Asus.

The Arctis Pro+ GameDac also has other quality of life benefits, such as a screen-equipped DAC with ChatMix control. However, the ROG Delta S doesn't leave you hanging when it comes to extras, but adds 4 reactive RGB zones to its ear cups.

If you really like high resolution, the ROG Delta S stands out from other gaming headsets.

Read:

Asus ROG Delta S review

The best gaming headset mic ensures your teammates hear you loud and clear.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

8. Corsair Void RGB Elite USB

Best Mic for Gaming Headset

Pilot:

neodymium 50mm |

Impedance:

32 Ohms |

Frequency response:

20-30,000Hz |

Mic:

Omnidirectional condenser |

USB Type-A |

Weight:

0.9 pounds (390g)

You can land planes with this micro

Exceptionally soft foam padding

Very breathable

Some fit issues on small heads

Sound leaks affect bass tightness

Annoying mic mute button

If you talk a lot with your headset, be with your

Overwatch

teammates, co-workers, or mom, the Corsair Void RGB Elite USB will make sure you sound like you to anyone listening. For this price, we were happy with the quality of the microphone, which can easily fold away when you need to take a sip of water or sneeze. It's also Discord-certified and showed better low-end response than its competitors. It's not as hot as you can get with the best gaming microphones

or any micro USB, but it's close.

In contrast, when we tested the headset with a smaller head, bass was lacking due to sound leakage. Your head circumference can change things. The Void RGB Elite USB also has virtual 7.1 surround sound, but it didn't turn out to be anything out of the ordinary.

For chatterboxes, this is the best gaming headset with its mid price, comfortable padding and splashes of RGB. Note that there is also a

wireless version of the Void RGB Elite USB

. For more mic options, consider the expensive

JBL Quantum One

, which comes with a unidirectional, detachable boom microphone and a separate calibration microphone.

Read:

Corsair Void RGB Elite USB Review

If money is no object, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless is hard to beat.

(Image credit: SteelSeries) p>

9. SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless

Best gaming headset craze

Pilot:

40mm neodymium |

Impedance:

32 Ohms |

Frequency response:

20-40,000Hz |

Mic:

Bidirectional condenser |

Connectivity:

USB Type-A or Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Dongle |

Weight:

0.8 lbs (357g)

Comfortable headband design

Unparalleled interchangeable battery system

Clear Hi-Res Audio

Feature-rich base station

Requires base station to charge

Headband durability issues

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro gives the other SteelSeries cans a boost, including the Arctis 7 Cordless Cans listed above. It's very expensive, even for a wireless headset. But you have the choice of a wireless dongle or Bluetooth connectivity, meaning you can use the Arctis Pro Wireless without it taking up a USB port.

The cans provide a wide frequency response range and high resolution. Lossless titles, like

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus,

looked noticeably sharper with plenty of depth on the Arctis Pro. In the end, the game sounded more immersive, especially in the high end, where you could hear the different sound layers. You also get DTS Headphones:X virtual surround sound via a base station transmitter with other useful features, such as ChatMix and master volume control.

Despite its higher price, the Arctis Pro Wireless isn't much more comfortable than the cheaper Arctis 7 wireless cans and doesn't offer twice the detailed sound. But the Arctis Pro Wireless has the advantage of smart design, Bluetooth capability, and interchangeable batteries to keep the party going while travelling.

For a cheaper Bluetooth option, consider the

Sennheiser GSP 670

.

Read:

SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless review

Discounts on the best gaming headsets

Whether you're buying one of the best gaming headsets we've listed above or a similar model, you can save money by checking out our lists of

best razer promo codes

,

the best Corsair promo codes

and

the best Newegg promo codes

.