As a result, it's almost difficult to judge the quality of a gaming headset based on its specifications alone. Fortunately, we've intervened to help you find the best gaming headset alternatives for every price range.
Our team of experts thoroughly tested every gaming headset we reviewed. In addition to comparing build quality to competing headsets, we also scrutinise the audio, battery life and microphone. We also make an effort to test every function, including ANC, haptic feedback and customisable lighting.
We regularly update this list to reflect the best gaming headset options on the market. This way you can rest assured that you're getting superior quality for your money.
You can also use our Best PS5 Headset and Best Xbox Headset articles to focus your search on a specific platform. These headsets have only been tested on the specified systems.
Corsair HS80 Max Wireless
Premium experiences don't necessarily come at premium costs, but the Corsair HS80 Max Wireless certainly do. These headphones feature 50mm drivers that deliver a rich, realistic experience. Every gunshot and environmental explosion in CS:GO felt powerful, while tracks like Rush's YYZ and Wolf Alice's Smile showed a lot of depth.
There's also access to Dolby Atmos, which provides spatial audio when connected to a PC. Thanks to this, supported games look much more immersive and engaging. Furthermore, Sony's Tempest 3D Audio feature is available to PS5 users, bringing your favourite triple-A PlayStation 5 games to life.
Beyond the exceptional sound quality, these headphones have excellent battery life. We observed an endurance of 24 hours with the RGB lighting on, but that endurance increased to 65 hours when switched off, allowing you to play video games for long periods of time without worrying about being disturbed. Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz wireless receiver are the only connectivity options. As a result, it can connect to a PC, Nintendo Switch and PS5, but Xbox users will have to go elsewhere.
The HS80 Max Wireless has a very modern and contemporary overall look, is available in black or white and has a reliable build quality to match its premium price. The plush headband, along with the fabric surrounding the earcups and memory foam cushioning provided a nice degree of support, making this headset enjoyable to use for extended periods of time.
All in all, the Corsair HS80 Max Wireless is an ideal option for gamers looking for the highest sound quality available. It works great with both music and video games, no matter what platform you're using, and both spatial audio and Sony's 3D audio support ensure an immersive experience.
Razer Barracuda Pro
If you want headphones for listening to music on the go and a gaming headset for communicating with friends online, buying two different devices may be unnecessary. Instead, you can get the Razer Barracuda Pro, which is built to excel in both situations.
Because it uses both Bluetooth and USB-C dongles, this headset is compatible with a variety of operating systems. While the lack of a headphone socket for cable connections is frustrating, the only major platform without wireless playback is the Xbox. We found the Easy-Switch function, which allows us to switch between connections with the press of a button, to be quite handy when searching while gaming.
The presence of ANC technology allows you to cancel ambient noise, whether you are strolling down the street or trying to block the howling of your dog at home. The 50mm Razer TriForce drivers, which produce excellent sound, also caught our attention.
The price is the biggest downside to this headset. Fortunately, if you don't mind features like ANC and Bluetooth connectivity, the Razer Barracuda X is a solid alternative at a fairly low price and worth considering. If you want a gaming headset that can also function as a pair of ANC-equipped headphones for playing music on the go, the Razer Barracuda Pro is still our top pick.
Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless
The only gaming headset on this list, the Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless is small and lightweight. In our assessment, they provided a tight seal around the ears, allowing users to take full advantage of the hybrid ANC.
We loved that the headphones had a variety of ANC settings, with the heavier setting helping to block out extremely noisy areas such as public transport, while the softer setting made you more aware of your surroundings. We believed that the ANC features, along with the excellent quality, made these headphones a versatile pair that could also be used for listening to music.
These headsets include Bluetooth connectivity, making them a desirable option for gamers who want to play on a variety of platforms. Additionally, they provide excellent portability, something that not all gaming headsets can do.
The battery life of these headsets was their only serious flaw; 4.5 hours for the buds alone and 27 hours total with the charging case. The sound was incredibly detailed and balanced, and despite having a shorter lifespan than many headsets, we believed these headsets were a great performer for gaming.
EPOS H3PRO Hybrid
These headsets include Bluetooth connectivity, making them a desirable option for gamers who want to play on a variety of platforms. Additionally, they provide excellent portability, something that not all gaming headsets can do.
The battery life of these headsets was their only serious flaw; 4.5 hours for the buds alone and 27 hours total with the charging case. The sound was incredibly detailed and balanced, and despite having a shorter lifespan than many headsets, we believed these headsets were a great performer for gaming.
We were pleased with the variety of connectivity options, including USB-A dongle, Bluetooth, and a cable dongle option. All but Xbox Wireless are compatible with this headset.
Price is the only real downside for us, as there are cheaper ANC-enabled options available, such as the Razer Opus X. But with the best overall quality of all the devices we tested, the EPOS H3PRO Hybrid remains our favourite gaming headset right now.
Astro A30 Wireless
While many gaming headsets claim to support a variety of platforms, few actually provide wireless connectivity for each device. This is largely because Bluetooth is used by devices such as PCs, Nintendo Switch and mobile phones, while the PS5 and Xbox Series X both use different wireless protocols. But Astro A30 Wireless has found a solution to this.
To ensure your new headset is compatible with PS5 or Xbox Series X, you can select the desired adapter at checkout. You can also purchase a second USB adapter separately if you want support for both systems. Even if Bluetooth is built in by default, you can purchase a USB-C converter that will connect wirelessly to a Nintendo Switch or smartphone. Even a headphone port is provided here in case you're not ready for a wireless connection.
The Astro's incredible adaptability doesn't stop there, in our review we also mentioned that the headset has both an integrated and boom microphone. The former provides more precise speech capture, but it's convenient to be able to detach it and continue using voice chat when out and about.
Our tests also reveal that the Astro A30 Wireless has excellent sound quality and 27 hours of battery life. Our only major complaint is its high cost, but if you need to connect to a large number of devices, it's a more practical choice than buying a separate headset for each system.
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless
Anyone looking to play games on PC and PS5 should pick the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless. It comes with a 2.4GHz USB-A receiver, which we found surprisingly easy to set up.
With metal earcups and red accents, the headset has a luxurious feel in our opinion. It lacks some flashy elements like RGB lighting but has a more sophisticated and elegant design, which we found extremely stylish.
According to our review, the headset has a big, meaty sound profile with plenty of loudness that's perfect for gaming. Plus, the Cloud Alpha Wireless is a great option for anyone looking to listen to music or podcasts, as it's full of depth and detail, as highlighted in our review.
Perhaps the best feature of this headset is its battery life of over 300 hours. Our reviewer used the headset for two weeks without having to charge it, so we noticed no battery drain, making the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless the best option for those looking for a headset that can be used all night long without any problems.
Sony Pulse 3D
Our top pick for PlayStation consoles is the Sony Pulse 3D Headset. We loved the look, which blends perfectly with the PS5, but we were even more surprised by the Spatial 3D Sound, which puts you right in the heart of the action.
Only a few first-party titles like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Demon's Souls and Returnal, only a few first-party titles offer this functionality. Overall we found it worked great, but we did notice that the sound quality dropped a little when it was switched on.
The Sony Pulse 3D Headset provides wireless connectivity to the PS5 via USB-A dongle. We were unhappy to discover that it has no Bluetooth support, which prevented us from using it with our mobile device or Nintendo Switch while on the go. Fortunately, we were able to connect it to PC, so it still has some adaptability.
In our testing, however, we found that battery life was rather disappointing, barely reaching around 12 hours of use before needing to be recharged. Many high-end wireless headphones can last up to 20 hours, and as our test results show, the Sony Pulse 3D Headset is well behind the competition in this area. However, we did discover that it charges via the PS5 when in standby mode, so it's not a deal-breaker.
If you like the idea of a gaming headset with the Sony logo, you should check out the Inzone H7. It has higher sound quality and is made for PS5 and PC. However, it's twice as expensive, so choosing this as an option will require you to stretch your budget further.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro 2023
One of the best gaming headsets for eSports players or streamers is the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023). It has a great microphone, which is a huge improvement over the previous generation. It includes a 9.9mm condenser microphone with a sampling rate of 32 kHz, which we found to give a rich, background-free response with a deep bass. You won't have to constantly adjust the mic during gameplay as the lever holding the mic in place is tighter, which prevents it from moving further and further away during gameplay.
The Razer Triforce used by the headset is the same one used by many other Razer headsets. Music sounded quite spacious for closed-back headphones, and the mid-ranges were sung nicely, in our opinion. Games like Resident Evil Village and Doom Eternal sound more immersive and ominous as a result of playing with the Synapse EQ.
The BlackShark V2 Pro charges using a USB-C for communication. It's much more adaptable than traditional wired headphones, as it can connect to devices via Bluetooth or USB receiver. We were able to connect it to smartphones and the Nintendo Switch, and the sound sounded consistent on each of these devices. However, the lack of a 3.5mm audio connector was quite restrictive and prevented this headset from being used by Xbox Series X/S gamers.
Battery life was excellent. According to Razer, battery life is around 70 hours when using the 2.4 GHz receiver and 90 hours when using Bluetooth. Although we didn't reach these heights during testing, the stats given show that after a week of use, battery life was halved.
If you're looking for a headset with additional high-end features like haptic feedback or ANC, the Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense or Asus ROG Cetra True Wireless headsets might be better options. If you're looking for a good microphone for talking to friends or starting a streaming community on websites like Twitch, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is arguably the headset for you.
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