Best Wireless
- Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero
Best Overall
- HyperX Cloud Revolver S
Best Budget
- Corsair HS50 Stereo
A gaming headset is almost as important as a gaming keyboard. Hearing sounds as accurately as possible (even if that includes the odd opponent raging a bit) is key to top gaming performance. There are more headsets out there claiming to be the be-all and end-all of audio than sand at the beach, however… which is why we want to help you make the best choice you can! We’ve assembled a list of headphones any gamer would be proud to call their own.
Key Features
- Detachable mic
- Long cable
- 1 channel surround sound
Specifications
- Built-in mute buttons and separate mic and audio volume controls
- 50mm drivers
- Wired
HyperX is, not without a reason, one of the most popular headset and peripherals brand. The Cloud Revolver S is a good example of why – it has top notch sound, high build quality, and other than its high price and a few finnicky details is one of the best headsets a gamer can get their hands on.
Its removable mic is one of the bigger issues it has as it is somewhat oddly placed and not as easy to position as it should be – that said, once it’s in place, it offers top mic performance and picks up speech very well.
- Excellent sound quality
- Extremely comfortable
- Price
- Fragile microphone
- Bulky
Key Features
- Retractable microphone
- Sound isolation
- Colour changing LED edge lighting
Specifications
- Chat mix wheel – dynamic adjustment of voice vs game audio
- On-headset volume control
- 100-10k kHz mic sensitivity
The SteelSeries Arctis Pro aren’t just visually appealing – they’re also top-notch, audio-wise. The unusual LED lighting around the outside edge is definitely a draw for those looking for style, but the real appeal of the Arctis Pro is its surprisingly good audio quality.
It has an included DAC, making it ideal for both gaming and just listening to your favourite music. The innovative chat mix dial means that you can adjust your audio balance mid-play, without having to tab out in order to manually turn up Discord or your game. If the limited adjustment options regarding fit and comfort aren’t an issue to you, this headset is a top choice.
- Comfortable for most
- Good sound isolation
- Few comfort adjustment options
- Pricy
Key Features
- Large ear cups
- Multi-platform compatibility
Specifications
- 50mm drivers
- On-ear volume controls
- On-ear mute button
If your budget is limited, you pretty much can’t do better than the Corsair HS50. It doesn’t have any fancy gimmick or unique visual appeal, but it offers solid sound quality and fit comfort for surprisingly little money.
The headset is compatible with just about every setup – be it console, mobile, or PC, and with the removable mic, you can easily use it to listen to music on your commute as well. Outside of that, the headset doesn’t have any particular features – but its simplicity is why it’s so affordable.
- Fantastic value for the price
- Detachable mic
- No 7.1 surround
- Limited adjustment options for comfort
Key Features
- Wireless
- Free software suite for sound customisation
- Removable mic
Specifications
- Built-in DAC
- 50mm Neodymium Nanoclear speakers
- 30-hour battery life
By now, a lot of gamers have discovered that Turtle Beach makes some solid headsets – the Elite Atlas Aero is a class in and of itself though. It boasts a ton of specialised features, optimisers and customisation options. One of the most interesting ones is the ProSpecs glasses systems that allows the user to adjust the earcups so that they have a small channel into which glasses can slot comfortably.
Beyond that, it boasts all sorts of additional audio features. If you’re not looking to finetune every part of your experience, there may almost be too many options – from adjusting your own voice to balancing the audio you hear and selecting various equalizer options, there is nothing you can’t do. The headset even comes with its own audio suite – that’s how much control over your sound you have.
If all that isn’t what you’re looking for, you may want to consider a different (cheaper) option, or one with features more suited to you.
- Tons of features, options and customisation potential
- High quality for mid-price range
- Overwhelming audio customisation options
- Unusual, thick design
This is our top list of gaming headsets for 2021. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly option or you just want to out-style your friends with some LED lights, you’re sure to find a good fit for yourself and your gaming style on this list. If you picked a headset not on the list, let us know which one, and why it’s your top choice!