The Best Gaming Headsets of 2024

• Connection type: USB, 3.5mm jack
• Noise canceling: Microphone only
• Supported systems: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

One of the most comfortable gaming headsets on the market, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro uses a flexible suspension band to customize size, with super soft ear cups that let you game for hours—even while wearing glasses. Comfort alone isn't enough reason to buy a wired gaming headset that keeps you tethered to your station. But the Arctis Pro is often on sale and it offers plenty of reasons to pick it up.

Both music and games sound fantastic using the Arctis Pro. We played both quiet indie games and loud, booming matches of Overwatch 2 with this headset and were pleased with both. The headset balances soft music with in-game sound effects, like the crunching of grass beneath your character's feet, with excellent subtlety.

In first-person shooters, we were able to clearly distinguish allies' voices from in-game noise, which can sometimes be a struggle. That's largely thanks to the mixer that comes with the SteelSeries, which makes for a perfectly customizable balance between game and chat.

Customization includes an equalizer that lets you change frequencies without any extra software. Just note that although this one will work with Xbox consoles if you connect the 3.5mm headphone jack through a controller, you may not get the full functionality—for that, you'll need to check out the Turtle Beach Recon 500 (our Best for Xbox pick), or the upgraded pick SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.

• Connection type: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz LIGHTSPEED wireless
• Noise canceling: Microphone only
• Supported systems: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, mobile

While gaming headsets can feel like a dime a dozen, Logitech’s Astro A50 X embraces innovation in addition to excellent sound. While maintaining the classic look and exceptional comfort the Astro series is known for, this headset adds PLAYSYNC, a new feature that allows you to change the platform you’re playing on with a single push of a button on the side of the ear cup.

The hallmark feature works by adding an HDMI hub into the back of the headset’s base station. Capable of passing through 4K120Hz video, this new switcher syncs directly with the headset’s PLAYSYNC button, swapping video sources on the TV and the sound coming into the headset. A third platform can also be connected for audio switching but you’ll need to pick up your remote for that one.

This new capability is especially useful for streaming, but if you play on more than one console or want to quickly swap to a PC, you’ll find a lot to love here.

Of course, a gaming headset wouldn’t be much without great sound and the A50 X delivers. The acoustics are rich and cinematic without overplaying the bass. There’s plenty of detail to help you pick out opponents by sound and it’s not sharp or fatiguing in the highs. The mic is also one of the very best we’ve heard on a wireless gaming headset, so you won’t need to worry about investing in an expensive desktop microphone.

The biggest downside to this headset is its high price, but considering all that you’re getting and its wholly unique PLAYSYNC feature, we think it's worth it for quality-conscious gamers who play on multiple platforms.

Read our full review of the Logitech Astro A50 X

• Connection type: 3.5mm aux, wired USB-C, USB-A (detachable)
• Noise canceling: Microphone only
• Supported systems: PC, Mac, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and 4, Nintendo Switch

HyperX focused its efforts on (almost) all the important areas for the Cloud III: sound quality, microphone performance, and comfort. The result is a product that lands on the bulky side of the spectrum, but nevertheless delivers superb sound, sports a solid microphone and feels comfortable to cover your ears for long periods of time. It’s not perfect, but it is a perfectly good deal for a moderately priced gaming headset.

The HyperX Cloud III’s audio prowess starts with its 53mm dynamic drivers, which add sufficient bass to music and gaming alike. They don’t shine as bright with midrange or high frequencies, but they do a solid enough job in each of those departments to maintain exceptional overall sound. And that’s before you factor in the that the Cloud III come with DTS Headphone: X, a feature that provides simulated 3D audio specialization.

The Cloud III’s microphone is a solid selling point even if it doesn’t necessarily blow the competition out of the water. HyperX must have made note of the previous iteration’s poor reception in the microphone department, because the Cloud III have a 10mm detachable boom arm microphone equipped with both noise cancelation and an internal mesh pop filter. The features helped to efficiently dampen outside noise while on a Microsoft Teams call or during multiplayer gameplay.

The Cloud III are heavy to wear but quite comfy thanks to a memory foam headband and leatherette ear cushions. Pair that with good sound and a much-improved microphone, and it’s easy to see why the HyperX Cloud III are an excellent choice for anyone hoping to snag a pair of competent gaming headphones for just $100.

Read our review of the HyperX Cloud III.

• Connection type: USB, Bluetooth
• Noise canceling: Microphone and headset
• Supported systems: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Mobile; PlayStation 4 and 5 and Xbox One and Series S|X versions exist

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro isn’t just an incredible gaming headset, it’s an amazing headset for anything you play. SteelSeries developed new custom drivers that deliver detailed and engaging sound, fully immersing you in the sonic environment. Whether it be NPC dialogue, the crunch of enemies lurking in surrounding foliage, or an epic soundtrack, sound is spacious and clear. That clarity extends to the microphone—which is fully retractable into the left earcup—allowing for easily understood conversation between teammates.

As with other SteelSeries headsets, the Arctis Nova Pro is very comfortable for long gaming sessions. The thick leatherette pads feel luxurious and soft against the head, and the clamping force is just enough to keep the headset secure without causing headaches. An adjustable headband allows it to fit head sizes small and large.

The Arctis Nova Pro is loaded with features, too. The two included batteries are hot-swappable so when one runs low you won’t miss out on any of the action (the second charges while you play in the headset’s base station). When connected to a PC, the Sonar app allows for a huge range of adjustments including noise canceling to both incoming and outgoing signals, a 10-band equalizer, included sound profiles customized to 20 specific games, and a mixer for game and chat volumes.

There are both PlayStation and Xbox wireless versions available. And if you don’t mind being tethered to your controller or PC, there’s a wired one, too.

Read our full review of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.

• Connection type: 2.4 GHz via USB-C dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm, USB-C
• Noise canceling: Microphone only
• Supported systems: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android (AudezeHQ App only on PC, Mac, iOS and Android)

The Audeze Maxwell is a special breed of gaming headset. They’re audiophile headphones with a detachable boom microphone added, and it’s a formula that works shockingly well. The Maxwell headset boasts a low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection that works with a broad range of gaming platforms—something that really drives up the value.

It also supports high-quality Bluetooth connections with LDAC, LC3, Bluetooth LE, and AAC. That’s topped off with wired connectivity over both 3.5mm AUX cables and USB.

All of the audio pumps out of powerful, precise 90mm planar magnetic drivers. Every part of even the busiest music comes through quite clearly, and that clarity carries over into gaming as well. The adjustable boom mic ensures communications are crisp. Meanwhile, built-in pinole microphones let you keep chatting when you’re on the move and don’t want a clunky boom mic in the way, so the Audeze Maxwell can pull double duty as a normal (if heavy) set of headphones.

This headset may not quite have all of the features of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless or active noise cancelation, but that’s made up for with a more impressive audio experience that will likely be well worth it for gamers who care about maximum fidelity. It even hits 80 hours of battery life.

Read our full review of the Audeze Maxwell.