The best gaming headset for every platform

Complete your setup.
By Joseph Green and Matt Ford  on 
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Overview

Best For Immersive Sound

SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless

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Best For PS5

Pulse Elite

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Best For Detailed Sound

Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max

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Best For Xbox Series X

Microsoft Xbox Wireless

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Best For Comfort

Logitech G935

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Best For Tight Budgets

HyperX Cloud Stinger

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See 1 More

What does your perfect gaming set-up look like? We’re picturing a really comfortable chair, plenty of snacks, and maybe some atmospheric lighting. Plus, your console and controller of choice. But what about a quality gaming headset? It's all too often forgotten about, but a good headset can be a literal game-changer.

The right gaming headset will give you a level of immersion that just isn't possible without incredible feedback. It will pull you deeper into the world you're exploring on the screen, making your game an all-round reality.

The good news is that there are absolutely loads of gaming headsets out there. The bad news is that it can be difficult to find the right headset for you when there's so much on offer. This is where we can help you out.

Do you need a gaming headset?

By blocking out background noise and producing accurate, detailed, and powerful sound that places you in the centre of the action, headsets are your perfect gaming partner. Gaming is all about immersion, after all.

Another reason to consider a headset is that these devices can be the difference between success and failure. Being able to pick up on subtle sounds is absolutely vital at crunch time. We realise that not everyone is that fussed about blocking out the world and dominating opponents, but there are some seriously competitive gamers out there who will be looking to find every possible edge.

What are the most important gaming headset features?

Yes, there are a lot of gaming headsets out there. So to make your life that little bit easier, we've researched all the ldetails and lined up the most important things to consider:

  • Comfort — Nothing ruins a gaming session like an uncomfortable headset, and it simply doesn't matter if an uncomfortable headset produces absolutely incredible sound with an accurate microphone and a stylish design. If it's not comfortable, it's not worth considering.

  • Durability — The majority of gaming headsets are made from plastic, but this can result is a flimsy and cheap feel. If you can’t find something with a durable metal or wire frame, you should at least try and pick a headset that has a good range of movement.

  • Isolation — Some games use very slight directional audio cues, so a headset's seal heavily impacts the sound quality. It's important to consider how the foam of the headphone pad will mould to the shape of your head. If the seal isn't effective, find something that fits better. Some gaming headsets may take isolation even further with noise cancellation.

  • Microphone — When selecting a gaming headset, you should consider whether it comes with a built-in mic. If not, you'll need to purchase a microphone to attach to your headphones. If it does come with a built-in mic (and it should), it's worth checking for noise-cancelling properties, a convenient mute function, and a boom. All of this combines to improve voice clarity, minimise outside distractions, and ensure your privacy.

  • Spatial Sound — Getting the edge over the competition really comes down to spatial audio aka virtual surround sound. This feature provides accurate omnidirectional hearing, giving you a heads up when enemies are close by. The best gaming headsets are able to map sounds to virtual 3D locations where calibrated speakers can precisely position the sounds. If someone is sneaking up on you from the left, you’ll hear the sound from that direction.

  • Style — There are many more important things to consider when it comes to your gaming headset, but style is essential to many gamers. It's always better to prioritise sound and build quality, but there is no reason why you can't have both things with a stylish design.

How much does a gaming headset cost?

You can get a decent set for under £100. In fact, there are some very affordable options on this list. But you can also pay much more if you want serious quality and advanced tech. If you’re dedicated gamer, it’s worth spending anywhere up to £300-plus.

What is the best gaming headset?

That all depends on your price range and gaming requirements. To help, we have tracked down a selection of the very best headsets to suit every gamer and every budget, with something for your PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. We've checked out specs, features, and reviews to give you a clear idea of what headset is best suited to you and your needs.

These are the best gaming headsets in 2024.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset delivers next level gaming audio, combining premium high-fidelity hardware with SteelSeries’ Sonar Audio Software Suite. Seriously, this one's a literal game changer.

It uses algorithms to create 360° Spatial Audio, an immersive surround sound experience that blasts in sound from every direction, putting you right at the centre of the action. Active noise cancellation immerses you even further.

This headset also has Pro-grade Parametric EQ, which SteelSeries boasts is a first for gaming. This feature allows you to adjust and customise every aspect of the sound, so you can lower certain elements and crank up others.

Amazingly, you can connect to both console and phone at once (via a multi-system receiver, which is included with the package). That means you can play your game and take calls from friends. And while this one's made for PS5 users, there's an Xbox version too.

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The Pulse, the official PS5 headset, has seen a significant upgrade with the Pulse Elite. The name's fitting: It's a superior headset in pretty much every way. PlayStation diehards will notice that the price has gone up as well, though not by that much. It costs less than other headsets on this list and easily outperforms some of the more expensive options you'll find online.

Most importantly, the audio performance is first class, thanks to souped-up magnetic drivers. And while there's no noise cancellation, the design of the ear cups does a great job of passive isolation. If there's a complaint about the audio department, it's with the microphone performance. Sony has upgraded to a retractable mic, but the quality is a bit average, according to gamers.

There's plenty more to rave about, including a nifty interface with all kinds of audio customisation features, intuitive volume control on the left ear cup, and a lightning fast connection via PlayStation Link technology. 

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Turtle Beach has a strong reputation for delivering excellent gaming headsets. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is arguably its best ever. It comes recommended for both its sound and microphone quality, probably the most important combination for any gamer.

Our favourite feature is Turtle Beach's patented "Superhuman Hearing", which gives you the ultimate gaming advantage. When switched on this feature allows you to identify small, otherwise-undetectable sounds — such as footsteps — so you can pinpoint exactly which direction the sound is coming from. Perfect if an enemy is stalking you from behind. Meanwhile, its large and more sensitive microphone will improve the clarity of your comms.

The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 is also pretty comfortable. Unless you're passionately against snug-fitting headsets, that is. In which case you might want to look elsewhere. There's not much to complain about with this headset. The vast majority of reviews are very positive.

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The Xbox Wireless Headset is the official partner to the Xbox Series X, which will appeal to Xbox devotees. Just as the Pulse headset is a must-have for PS5 purists, these are the official companion to the latest-gen Xbox. There are more reasons to add this headset to your arsenal though, beyond making sure all your accessories have green-and-black style.

The audio is powerful and clear, with spatial sound technologies that include Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone. And it pairs directly to your console without the need for dongles, cables, or a base station. 

It's also flexible and lightweight, with an adjustable headband that makes it comfortable for long gaming sessions. The rotating ear cup dials have controls built in — a quick, intuitive way to adjust the volume and game/chat balance.  

If you want a cheaper alternative, there's also a budget-priced wired version of this headset available.

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Logitech is one of the biggest names in gaming gear, so you can trust that its headsets deliver. That's why the Logitech G935 has stacks and stacks of positive reviews on Amazon. And it's easy to see why gamers love it. Indeed, the G935 is a premium headset with lots of features, not least of all its large 50-mm Pro-G drivers and woven hybrid mesh for reducing distortion.

It also boasts DTS Headphone:X 2.0 surround sound, which creates precise in-game positional awareness, so you can hear opponents sneaking around.

LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting sets this headset apart from the competition. The lighting is fully customisable and reacts to in-game action on supported games. It also has a large 6-mm flip-to-mute mic and programmable G-Keys (these allow you to perform specific commands at the push of a button).

You can combine this headset with other Logitech accessories, such as the Logitech G mouse and keyboard, for the full Logitech gaming experience.

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Nobody wants a heavy headset weighing them down, especially for lengthy gaming sessions. If that's a problem that sounds neck-achingly familiar, look no further than the HyperX Cloud Stinger — not only light on the head, but light on the wallet too.

This wireless headset has memory foam ear cups that rotate at a 90-degree angle for an all-round better fit. They could possibly be a little tighter, but comfort isn't an issue thanks to the combination of the memory foam and an adjustable steel slider. They look pretty cool too.

The 50mm directional drivers position sound directly into your ear, with an intuitive volume control located on the right ear cup and swivel-to-mute noise-cancellation microphone (just flip the mic vertically to silence it). All of which keeps things simple, allowing you to focus on your game.

Sure, you lose some of the freedom you get with a wireless headset, but at this price there's not much else to complain about.

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Topics Gaming

Photo of Joseph Green
Joseph Green
Global Shopping Editor

Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming services, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.

Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.

Mashable Image
Matt Ford

Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.


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