The Best Gaming Headsets for Every System
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Best for Most PeopleLogitech Pro X 2Read more
A Great Runner-UpSteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wired/Wireless HeadsetRead more
Best for Nintendo SwitchSteelSeries Arctis 7+Read more
Best for Xbox (One and Series X/S)SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7XRead more
Thoughtful sound design is a touchstone of modern gaming, and one of the best ways to improve your experience is with a better pair of headphones. Plenty of headsets are designed just for this task, with mics for team chat, wired and wireless options, and comfortable designs for hours of play. We've rounded up the best wireless gaming headsets, no matter what your needs are.
For the rest of your gaming accessory needs, be sure to check out our other guides, like the Best Gaming Keyboard, Best Gaming Mouse, and Best Game Controllers. We also have console-specific picks for the Best PS5 Accessories and Best Nintendo Switch Accessories.
Updated April 2024: We've added the Audeze Maxwell Wireless and NZXT Relay Headset.
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- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best for Most People
Logitech Pro X 2The Logitech G Pro X (8/10, WIRED Recommends) was our previous top pick, and the Pro X 2 improves on it in almost every way. These over-ear headphones use Logitech's Lightspeed wireless connection to maintain ultrafast, low-latency audio, but you can also pair via Bluetooth, which the previous model could not. It also has the option for a 3.5-mm wired connection. All of this gives it more connectivity options than its predecessor, making it excellent for PC gaming, console gaming, and even just using it with your phone.
This headset also comes with the same high-quality 7.1 surround soundstage, Logitech software for customizing your microphone quality, and memory foam earpads from the previous model. The Logitech-owned Blue (of Blue Yeti fame) contributed to the mic and software design, so your voice comms sound excellent to your team. Also, just like the original, the price is extremely reasonable, making it an excellent value on one of the best gaming headsets we've tested.
- Photograph: SteelSeries
A Great Runner-Up
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wired/Wireless HeadsetThe SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset produces immersive, expansive sound, and it packs a desktop DAC with a slick little display. This DAC is packed with functionality to customize your audio. It can be used to adjust volume, or the mix of voice, sidetone, and voice chat, and even tweak EQ. The over-ear headphones are super comfy to wear for long periods. The ear cups are plush and soft, and they shut out almost all exterior sounds. The new adjustable head strap pays homage to the classic ski-goggle adjustment strap that made the original Arctis such a standout.
The wireless version (8/10, WIRED Recommends) blew us away. On top of all the benefits shared with the wired version, it comes with two batteries, each of which can provide around 25 hours on a full charge. When one is in use, the other can charge inside the GameDAC, so there's always a fresh battery when you need it.
- Photograph: SteelSeries
Best for Nintendo Switch
SteelSeries Arctis 7+Many of the SteelSeries Arctis headsets have impressed us, and the Arctis 7+ (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorites. It pulls off an impressive 30-hour battery life, and it's comfortable. But the best part is its handy, low-profile USB-C adapter that lets it pair with everything from Android phones to the Nintendo Switch. While the Switch supports Bluetooth audio, you'll get lower latency and better sound quality with this headset.
- Photograph: SteelSeries
Best for Xbox (One and Series X/S)
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7XThe Arctis Nova 7X is the Swiss Army knife of console headsets. While most gaming headsets can only pair with one console or the other, this one can do it all. Thanks to a handy switch on the USB-C dongle, it can connect to the PlayStation 5, or to your Xbox Series X/S (or Xbox One, if you still have one of those). It can pair with PC, Mac, or your phone, plus it has a separate Bluetooth connection. This lets you pipe in game audio from one source while playing music, listening to a podcast, or watching a video essay from another. Our previous top Xbox pick, the Arctis Nova 9X, is a small step up, but unfortunately it tends to fluctuate in and out of stock.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best for PlayStation 5
Sony Pulse Elite HeadsetWe weren't super impressed with Sony's Pulse 3D headset (5/10, WIRED Review), but the Pulse Elite (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a much better contender. It uses planar magnetic drivers to deliver more accurate audio with richer lows, more precise mids, and clear, distinct highs. It has both Bluetooth and wireless USB dongle connectivity options, which you can use simultaneously. The headset gets up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, and it also comes with a charging hanger that uses wireless contact points to charge the headset whenever you're done using it—so it rarely dies in the first place. It also matches the striking PS5 design, which means you don't need any RGB LEDs for people to know you're a GamerTM while wearing this thing.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Another Good PlayStation 5 Option
SteelSeries Arctis 7P+The Arctis 7P+ (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is nearly identical to the Arctis 7+ mentioned above. The minor difference is that the 7+ has a dial to control ChatMix, a PC feature that balances team chat and game audio. That feature isn't supported on the PlayStation, so the 7P+ repurposes this dial to control sidetone. That change aside, it still pulls off 30-hour battery life and comes with the wireless USB-C dongle that makes it compatible with most systems.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best for (Unreal) Battery Life
HP HyperX Cloud Alpha WirelessHyperX is best known for getting you the most bang for your buck, and the Cloud Alpha Wireless headset (10/10, WIRED Recommends) raised that bar by a country mile. Most gaming headsets—including several others we recommend on this list—offer 30 hours of battery life. This one, however, is rated for 300 hours. Yes, 300. In our testing, it lasted for over 325 hours of continuous usage on a single charge. It's such a baffling achievement that our friends over at iFixit did a teardown just to figure out how they pulled it off.
Combined with shockingly comfortable cans, impressive audio, and a measly sub-$200 price tag (it's been “on sale” for $170 for months at this point and often drops even lower), this is one of the few gadgets that's ever earned our perfect review score. The only downside is that it lacks a headphone jack or any non-dongle wireless options, like Bluetooth. But for wireless battery life, this headset is quite literally an order of magnitude above the rest of the competition.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Another Great Battery Life Option
HyperX Cloud III WirelessThe 300-hour battery life on the Hyper Cloud Alpha Wireless makes the Cloud III Wireless feel like its "mere" 120-hour battery life is somehow a step down. But don't let the comparison fool you. It's still several times more battery than most gaming headsets we review, and even if you use it for eight hours a day, this battery will last a couple of weeks before needing a recharge.
However, the Cloud III comes with a USB-C dongle and a USB-A adapter, making it compatible with more devices than the Alpha, so you can connect it to your desktop, laptop, phone, or even your Switch. Technically, its retail price is about $30 less than the Cloud Alpha, but we rarely see the latter at its full $200 retail price anymore. If you care more about the USB-C dongle than anything else, $170 is still solid for the Cloud III, but we recommend catching this one on a sale.
- Photograph: JBL
Best for 3D Audio
JBL Quantum OneWe complain about "gamer" aesthetics pretty often, but in the case of the JBL Quantum One, the ostentatious design and lighting are well worth it. This headset is expensive, but it's for people who have full-on gaming desktop setups and want the best, most immersive sound while gaming (or listening to music while they work, like me). First and foremost, the sound is just incredible. The broad, expansive soundstage and deep rumbly bass make it perfect for consuming any kind of media.
At this price, you get a few more features on top of great audio. These headphones offer spatial audio, so when you set them up with the JBL software, they track the position of your head. If you turn away from your computer, the volume goes way down. The spatial audio makes for a killer, sometimes overstimulating, gaming experience. They also feature active noise cancelation and a super-clear boom mic. The only thing we don't like? The exterior design. If they were a bit more understated, these could be closer to our top pick.
- Photograph: SteelSeries
Best Under $100
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1SteelSeries shows up a lot on this list, but for good reason. At $60 (MSRP), the Arctis Nova 1 is a budget pick, but it's surprisingly robust. It feels every bit as sturdy as SteelSeries' more expensive offerings and sounds almost as good. It's a bit less immersive and directional than the Nova Pro, but the sound is clear, detailed, and surprisingly rich. It's just really hard to beat the build quality at this price.
- Photograph: beyerdynamic
Best for Streamers and Audio Pros
Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro XThe DT 700 Pro X (8/10, WIRED Recommends) might not be your typical choice for a wired gaming headset, unless you happen to game in a professional audio editing environment. These studio headphones use a mini-XLR to audio jack cable, and they have no internal processing to provide the accurate sound delivery that professional sound designers need. But we've found that this often means movies and games sound clearer, since you're hearing the highly engineered sound they were designed to have. These headsets lack a lot of features you might expect from others at this price, like a microphone for gaming. But if clear, accurate sound quality is your priority, it's hard to beat this one.
- Photograph: Røde
For Professional-Level Clarity
Røde NTH-100The Rode NTH-100 wired headphones are designed for audio accuracy more than anything else. These are the kind of headphones you get if you're editing music or video and need to hear exactly what the audio sounds like. You won't get any EQ adjustments or artificial bass boost here. For some of you, that is precisely what you want. The earcups have a unique, triangular-ish design that comfortably fits over my ears, and the headband has a nice amount of padding. Unlike many other professional studio headsets, the NTH-100 allows you to plug the 3.5-mm cable into either earcup. The included cable has an interlocking mechanism to keep it in place, so make sure you're plugging the correct end into the headset.
- Photograph: Beyerdynamic
For Studio Quality With Wireless Convenience
Beyerdynamic MMX 200Beyerdynamic is known for making highly accurate headsets for creative professionals who work in studios, but we've had a hunch that some of its headphones might be great for gaming too. Apparently the company agrees, as it recently launched its first wireless headset specifically for gaming: the MMX 200. Its reproduction of audio signals is pretty much as the studios who make your games designed it to be. This headset comes with a detachable microphone for gaming chat and a volume knob that doubles as a dial to adjust the balance between game audio and team chat. Simply click the button in to switch which one you're adjusting. The kit includes a USB-C dongle with a USB-A adapter, which means it's compatible with a wide array of consoles and gaming devices.
- Photograph: Turtle Beach
A Cheaper PS5 Headset
Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 600 Gen 2 for PlayStationIf you're trying to save some cash, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 is a great budget pick for the PlayStation ecosystem. It's not the single greatest wireless gaming headset by any stretch, but like its predecessor it offers a good mix of features for its price: excellent sound, a decently comfortable fit, mic monitoring, extra audio modes, vocal cues, 15 hours of battery life, solid range, and a flip-to-mute mic. Unfortunately, there's no 3.5-mm wired option.
- Photograph: Turtle Beach
A Cheaper Xbox Headset
Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 600 Gen 2 for XboxThanks to the never-ending war between Sony and Microsoft, you’ll need to buy two separate pairs of the Stealth 600 Gen 2 if you game on both Xbox and PlayStation. Like the PS4/PS5 version, this is a solid all-around headset for the price, giving you a host of premium features, like mic monitoring and dongle-free wireless, at a low price. The Gen 2 iteration is an incremental update from the original Stealth 600, which you can learn more about in our review.
- Photograph: Logitech
Best for Gaming on the Go
Logitech G333 In-Ear Gaming MonitorsI'm usually of the opinion that earbuds are earbuds, unless they're wireless. They usually sound decent, but they rarely impress with rich, robust sound. That was until I tried the Logitech G333. These little buds pack big, bassy sound in a tiny body. Plus, they come with a tangle-free cable (yes, please) and an included dongle, and they support USB-C right out of the box. All of this makes them a perfect choice for Switch or mobile gamers.
Photograph: SteelSeriesHonorable Mentions
Wireless Gaming Headset Honorable MentionsThere are so many good headsets on the market that we have a hard time picking out our favorites. Here is where we list other headsets that we like, but that didn't find a distinct place on our list above.
Apple AirPods Max Wireless for $500: These headphones are among the best we've tested, but they're also incredibly expensive. They can be finicky when connecting to Windows, or when connecting to multiplayer games. If money's no object and you care more about audio quality than anything else, this is a great option, but there are cheaper, simpler picks on our list.
Photograph: Turtle BeachWill It Work With Your Setup?
Headset CompatibilityThe most important question to ask yourself when looking for a gaming headset is, will it work with my [insert device here]? Here are some tips to make sure your new headset will work with your setup.
- USB headsets may have trouble with consoles: If it's a wired headset that uses USB, it'll work perfectly with a PC but might be finicky when it comes to consoles. Most console headsets plug in via a 3.5-mm port on the controller itself.
- 3.5-mm works everywhere. Mic audio, not always: Any 3.5-mm headphone jack can take any 3.5-mm plug, but you might not get the audio and microphone support. Count the bands around the plug. If there are two bands, you'll get audio output with no mic, or you'll get mono audio plus microphone input. Two-banded plugs are called three-pole plugs because the bands separate three sections of metal. If there are three bands, this is called a four-pole plug, and you'll get stereo audio and your microphone. This is what you want out of a corded gaming headset.
- Wireless is a bonus, sometimes: Most wireless headsets now come with a 3.5-mm cable so you can use them wired or wireless. Those cables aren't always the three-band version we want, so be sure to double-check before you buy. Many of them do still require a battery charge to work.
Photograph: Getty ImagesHow to Pick a Great Wireless Headset
How to Pick a Great Wireless HeadsetAudio quality: It seems like it would go without saying, but we're saying it anyway: You can't always tell from a spec sheet how a headset will sound. A well-made stereo headset can sound better than a poorly made 7.1 Dolby Atmos surround sound set. Check reviews to get a sense of how a headset performs in real life.
Surround sound options: Modern headsets have gotten very good at recreating or simulating surround sound in headsets with systems like Dolby Atmos for Headphones or DTS:X. These systems are particularly impactful in games where you want to be able to hear exactly where an enemy is firing at you from. Be sure you can turn the surround sound on or off.
Comfort: This is another subjective category, but if you're going to wear a headset for hours while you're gaming, it's important that it doesn't hurt. A heavy headset pressing against your temples can give you a headache after a while. Look for headsets that have adjustable, ergonomic designs, plenty of cushioning, and are generally lightweight.
An adjustable boom microphone: If you plan to use your headset for online gaming, a good microphone is important. Many headsets come with boom mics that can be positioned in front of your mouth. Some are removable, while others can simply be rotated or bent away from your mouth when they're not in use. Make sure you get the kind that's right for your needs.
Visible mic muting and indicator LEDs: It's important to know when you're broadcasting audio so you don't accidentally share your private conversations with your teammates. Some mics mute automatically when you flip them upward, while others use a dedicated mute button. We particularly like headsets that include red LEDs that indicate when you're muted, which can be helpful.
Mic monitoring so you can hear your voice: If you want to keep tabs on how you sound to your teammates, and not sound like you're yelling while playing, mic monitoring is a feature that lets you hear your own audio through your headphones. Optimally, you can adjust its volume. When you listen to a podcast or radio talk show, chances are those folks are using some form of mic monitoring so they can hear themselves, as well as others.
Equalizer (EQ) and customization tools: Games, movies, and TV shows are mixed differently, and when you're listening, you might want to emphasize different aspects of the audio signal. Custom EQ presets let you set different balances for watching a movie versus playing a game, or even have different balances on a per-game basis.
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