Gaming Headsets

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a fantastic premium headset, with base station, and is one of the most expensive recommendations on this listing. For the price, you will be getting great audio fidelity and bass in a sleek, high quality and comfortable design. Before going into detail, it's worth noting that this headset has variants for different consoles/pc, and there is a wired version of this headset that is more affordable. Let's run through some of its most noteworthy features. The Nova Pro Wireless can connect two devices with USB-C into the base station at the same time, like a pc and console, and also use bluetooth. It has the infinity power system, which has two batteries (one for use and one charging) for near infinite power up-time. The base station offers good hardware control and has an aux-in/out, so it can be used with a mixer like the goXLR and still use the headset microphone if you wish, plus the headset also utilizes wired, wireless and bluetooth modes; the bluetooth mode can connect to your phone and can even run at the same time as the wireless, without cutting off game audio. Utilizing SteelSeries' Sonar software, the Nova Pro has great sound customization and the device can be configured for multiple audio channels. It also sports noise cancellation and spatial audio. Despite this fantastic feature set, not all put the Nova Pro on a pedestal; it has been said that the microphone sound quality isn't perfected and that the SteelSeries GG software can be a bit buggy, but you probably won't need to customize it after you're set up. Finally, unplugging and messing around with the base station can mess with your Sonar profiles/channels and require it being set up again, which can be tedious. For those looking for an alternative to the Nova Pro, the Logitech Astro A50x is said to offer the best multi-device connectivity. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a high quality headset that is rich with many convenient features, but be prepared to foot a hefty bill for this product. That said, it's definitely a fantastic choice if you are in the market for a premium headset with the most features.

BeyerDynamic are known for their studio-grade headphones, so it's no surprise they've created a superb headset with the MMX 330's. Coming in at a price on the upper end of the mid range, the BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro is a wired open-back headset and has received many positive reviews. There is also a closed-back version of this headset, in the MMX 300 Pro, which will help limit environmental noise leakage. This review will focus on the MMX 330 Pro's, which have been reviewed by many to be the best audiophile gaming headset on the market, because they offer premium fidelity audio combined with a great microphone. Suitable for competitive gamers, the bass on this headset is said to be well controlled and provides spatial awareness without muddying the rest of the audio, and the general sound profile of the MMX 330 is said to be well balanced with a hint of extra treble. This headset does not come with software, so if you're hesitant about buying before trying, then I'd suggest you have a 3rd party app for tweaking things to your liking. Due to its open-back nature, the MMX 330 offers an expansive and immersive soundstage, providing a high quality listening experience that ought to help you pinpoint enemies better. Additionally, many users have commended the condenser cardioid microphone, which offers clear and precise voice reproduction - suitable for streaming and gaming. Due to their high quality German engineering, the MMX 330's are well constructed and sturdy, including having comfortable and breathable earpads, so they should perform well for long gaming sessions. This headset is wired only and doesn't have any RGB lighting, so it's missing some features you can find on other premium headsets, and, as it is an open-back headset, noise from the environment can be leaked into and out of the headphones. The last minor issue is that the microphone mute button is on an in-line remote on the cable instead of just flipping the microphone up on the headset. Other than not having the more extensive range of features that pricier options provide, there's not many downsides to the MMX 330's. So, if you are in the market for an audiophile quality gaming headset with great voice capture, the BeyerDynamic MMX 330 Pro's, with their studio-grade audio, comfort, build quality, and included high quality microphone, make a case for being the the most well rounded headset on the market.

Sitting comfortably in the middle range price point, the wireless, open-back Turtle Beach Atlas Air has featured positively in many reviews and seems like a wise choice for competitive gamers and casuals alike. Its standout feature is how incredibly light (300g) and comfortable it is. The Atlas Air is made from flexible material, has a "floating earcup" design, and a headband that contours the head, which will make it your best friend for long gaming sessions. This headset has up to 50 hours of battery life and, with the supplied USB cable, can be charged while in use. Most importantly, it produces great audio and has a good microphone too, making it a practical option for most users. Being an open-back headset, the Atlas Air accurately produces a balanced, open and natural sound out of the box, and, on a positive note for competitive fps gamers, the headset is said to have slightly less low end bass, emphasizing the higher end and with some brightness mixed in - so hopefully hearing footsteps should be easier than some other alternatives. Like all open-back headphones, if your volume is up or your environment is loud, there will be noise leakage into and out of the headphones - if that's a dealbreaker then maybe consider something like the Logitech G Pro X 2. This headset comes with a companion app for the phone and Swarm II app for the PC; the app can configure some headset and microphone settings and the PC app also has an equalizer for additional tweaking. The Atlas Air is great value but it isn't perfect - it has wireless and bluetooth but they won't work simultaneously, so you will have to press a button on the headset to switch modes, and, unfortunately for Xbox fans, the wireless on this unit doesn't work with the Xbox. That said, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air sits nicely in the middle price range and with solid audio, microphone and features, it's probably the most practical and comfortable option for your gaming needs.

Sitting in a nice price range between the Cloud III and Atlas Air, the HS80 MAX has wireless, bluetooth and wired charging. Known for its nice audio quality, great battery life (with lighting lowered) and high quality microphone, the HS80 Max is a solid performer all round. This headset is comfortable, with an adjustable velcro headstrap and has breathable and comfortable velour earcups. In terms of audio quality, the bass on the unit is somewhat flat and neutral, making it suitable for competitive gaming and hearing footsteps, but it will be less 'cinematic'. Higher pitched sounds aren't too sharp or too harsh, so it should provide a pleasant experience. The microphone on the HS80 MAX has some noise cancellation built in and it can be muted by flipping it up - it sounds good but its quality is limited by the fact the headset is wireless only, that said, the headset can still be used while charging with the usb cable, it just won't be running sound through the cable. The headset has power and volume controls on the unit itself, and the scroll wheel on the headset is clickable and can be used as a macro, so you could do something like set up an additional sound profile and swap to it with the button. The HS80 MAX features apps for PC - iCUE (Corsair software), Dolby Atmos, and also features the soundID app, which allows you to test and hear reference sounds and adjust the headset properties to your preferred listening experience. Dolby Atmos provides the ability for spatial audio, but you can't use your iCUE EQ profile with it. As for battery life, lowering the RGB lighting strength allows the headset to last around a week of casual use and gaming, and even longer if using bluetooth. One caveat of the HS80 MAX is that there is no AUX input, so you can't use it on Xbox. Well that sums up the Corsair HS80 MAX wireless, which I think is a very practical choice for any gamer. With nice audio, microphone, and at an affordable price, it sits in a comfortable spot and is worthy of high consideration in any new headset purchase.

When it comes to buying something affordable with great performance, the highly appreciated HyperX Cloud III arguably provides the best bang for your buck when it comes to a wired headset with good audio and microphone. There are wireless alternatives to this headset, in the HyperX Cloud III / S Wireless and HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, which are more affordable than the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, but please read some reviews for them if they interest you. Praised for their exceptional comfort, the Cloud III has plush padding with deep earcups embodied by a lightweight design, even encompassing some metal components for a more sturdy and premium feel. The microphone quality on the Cloud III is considered excellent for the price and provides clear voice capture, and the audio quality provides great value - competitive fps gamers may enjoy the benefits of having slightly less bass, clear mids and more refined treble, however music listeners and people desiring audio immersion may find the bass lacking. The Cloud III has a microphone mute button and volume wheel on the headset, so adjusting settings is easy. This is a wired headset and will work on console, PC and most devices, but you will need a Windows operating system if you want to use HyperX's Ngenuity app to adjust EQ and microphone settings. Well that about sums up the HyperX Cloud III, providing breathtaking value with its low price and high quality audio and design, it's truly worth considering if you are looking to pick up an affordable headset that performs well.