TOP 5 GAMING HEADSET

 

Gaming headsets offer great sound quality and greater immersion while you play your favorite games some have added features like surround sound or wireless connectivity but with so many choices out there which ones are actually built well and sound good. Well, we will break down the top 5 gaming headsets on the market this year based on performance and situations they'll be used in.

We'll be taking a look at gaming headsets in every budget range so whether you're looking for a budget headset with virtual surround sound or a headset that's compatible with next-gen consoles like the Xbox series xrs or the PlayStation 5 will have an option for you so if you're interested in finding out which gaming headset will be best for you.

1. RAZER KRAKEN X.

         

We'll start with the razer Kraken x our choice for the best budget gaming headset under 50$ razer's Kraken x headset retails at a great budget price point that gives you a virtual surround sound for a highly enjoyable immersive gaming experience.

The Kraken x works with your pc Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo switch and more it's been designed for comfort weighing in at just 250 grams making it ideal for marathon gaming sessions, and even though this headset is a budget model a great deal of thought has gone into the design including channels in the ear cups to allow the arms of your glasses to pass through without putting increased pressure on the sides of your head.

Each ear cup features a custom-tuned 40-millimeter neodymium driver that produces a frequency response of 12 hertz to 28 000 hertz for in-game voice chat a cardioid mic is attached to the headset with the mic placed on a bendable non-retractable boom the cardioid mic's pickup pattern is heart-shaped picking up the sound from the front and sides and rejecting it from the rear making it great for keeping background noise to a minimum.

There are a few controls on the left ear cup including a volume wheel and a mute switch and both ear cups are nicely padded the padding continues on the bottom of the top headband and features a glossy razer logo on the top the virtual surround sound adds a lot to the overall soundscape there's a boost in low frequencies so in-game explosions and other loud sound effects are enhanced while mid and high range sounds like voices are very clear/

But because the virtual surround is software-based it will only work with your pc and unfortunately not on your console the razer Kraken x headset gives you good sound quality and comfort and an unbeatable sub 50 price point and it's compatible with pcs and consoles even though the virtual surround isn't available on consoles the sound quality is still very decent and its low price point makes it more than acceptable.

2. RAZER BLACK SHARK V2:

Now we'll take a look at the razer black shark v2  our choice for the best-wired gaming headset the razer black shark v2 is a comfortable lightweight gaming headset with a USB-based sound card that lets you take advantage of the thx spatial audio mode for pc gamers.

It is one of the best-wired gaming headsets you can get you'll be gaming in comfort thanks to the ear cups and headband that are generously padded with soft memory foam and covered by a breathable fabric that keeps the area of contact cool each earcup features a 50-millimeter titanium triforce driver that produces a frequency response of 12 hertz to 28 000 hertz with excellent stereo separation.

The detachable mic uses a cardioid pickup pattern so it's perfect for picking up your voice and disregards a lot of the surrounding background noise it's also very flexible and can be bent and placed wherever you need it if you don't need a mic you can either bend it out of the way or completely remove it and to avoid those annoying plosives the mic is equipped with a pop screen.

The included USB sound card is one of the biggest features for pc users and enables the thx spatial audio and emulate surround sound but you'll have to be playing a compatible game like apex legends call of duty warzone or red dead redemption 2. and while we're on the subject of options for a few more books this headset is also available in a pro version that's wireless so you may want to explore that option as well.

For console gamers just plug into your game controller and go but unfortunately, you won't get the spatial audio the razer black shark v2 delivers good sound quality with sound accuracy and detail being its strong points it's well built and comfortable so you'll be able to get a lot of use out of it for gamers who have strictly consoled players the black shark v2 sounds excellent on its own even without the thx spatial audio

3. TURTLE BEACH STEALTH 700 GEN 2:

Next, we have the turtle beach stealth 700 gen 2 our choice for a great all-rounder headset for consoles if you're looking for a headset that's a

a great all-rounder for the latest generation consoles.

Turtle beach's stealth 700 gen 2 has a version for the Xbox series x and s and the PlayStation 5 and it's available at a reasonably affordable price point the Xbox version of the headset is compatible with both the series x and the series s consoles as well.

As the older Xbox models connect wirelessly while the PlayStation version comes with a USB nano adapter that will work with the PlayStation 4 or 5 and is also compatible with the Nintendo switch and connects using a mini USB transmitter dongle so you must select the right model to match your hardware for great comfort the headband is well padded and features adjustments that help you find the best fit for your head.

Each ear cup is cushioned with memory foam that features aero fit cooling technology to keep your ears cooler over longer periods and is then covered with synthetic leather fabric like the Kraken x the stealth 700 gen 2 makes accommodations for gamers that wear glasses with a design that reduces any clamping pressure this headset also has a superhuman sound setting that enhances important in-game sounds and offers spatial cues like enemy footsteps or weapon reloads.

It's quick to enable with a single button push the microphone is omnidirectional and adjust by flipping it forward or back battery life is very good averaging

about 20 hours per charge the headset uses 50-millimeter nano clear drivers that feature ridges in the cone to increase the stiffness of the material and delivers better low-end response without increasing overall weight whether you have an Xbox a PlayStation switch or a pc there's a version of turtle beach's stealth 700 gen 2 headsets that will work for you this headset looks and feels great has good sound quality and a flip-down mic that flips up and out of the way and mutes itself when needed.

4. STEEL SERIES ARCTIS 9X:

This brings us to the steel series arctis 9x our choice for the best overall wireless gaming headset the SteelSeries arctics 9x is a top-notch wireless gaming headset that's fully compatible with next-gen

gaming consoles like the Xbox series x

and s.

It is a bit on the higher end of

the pricing spectrum but the arctis 9x's

performance more than justifies the extra investment in the headband design and adjustment mechanism are the biggest contributors to the fit and comfort of this headset the well-padded ear cups had additional comfort and you'll really feel that.

This headset was tailor-made for you the aesthetic features a green zigzag motif that really speaks to the look of the Xbox with everything else in matte black the controls for volume power and for the microphone are on the left ear cup along with a mini USB for charging and all are easy to access and if you're using this headset on a device that doesn't support wireless connectivity.

There's also a 3.5-millimeter jack so you can use it as a wired headset if needed the mic uses a bi-directional design for superior noise cancellation so your voice always sounds upfront clear and natural the arctis 9x connects directly to your box console just like a wireless controller and also has Bluetooth so you can mix in music and take calls while gaming or use it wirelessly on the go with your mobile device.

The wireless connectivity is rock solid when paired with your console and has super low latency with crystal clear audio battery performance is outstanding providing over 21 hours of uptime on a single charge if you're wanting one of the best wireless headsets you can get or if you have an Xbox series xrs and are looking for a headset that will perform really well with it the steel series arctis 9x has a great build quality a nice aesthetic good sound quality and stable wireless connectivity that makes it one of the best in its class

5. ASTRO A50:

Last we'll be taking a look at the astroa50 our choice for the best premium gaming headsets if money's not an issue and you're looking to splurge on the Cadillac of gaming headsets the Astro A50 not only offers excellent gaming sound quality it also comes with a convenient wireless charging dock.

For starters, the A50 delivers legendary sound quality wrapped in the aesthetic ergonomics and durability that serious gamers look for it also comes in different versions one for the PlayStation 4 or 5 and one for the box series xrs and box one whichever version of the 850 you go with either is also compatible with the pc deep tweaking of your headset is available through the Astro command center app.

But for quick on-the-fly adjustments you'll find a lot at your fingertips through the headset controls but on the whole sound quality is top-notch with a good focus on sound balance so there's not a lot of over-exaggerated low-end or hissing high frequencies and thanks to Dolby virtual surround support the Astro 850 delivers an extremely immersive gameplay experience that you're sure to enjoy.

The 850s also come with a wireless charging dock that acts as a 2.4 gigahertz wireless dongle sound card and charging station and makes getting into the habit of charging up your headset easier it also keeps you informed of your battery life and audio equalization presets the a50s 15-hour battery life will have you covered for those all-nighter gaming sessions and once you're done for the night just slip them back into the dock and they'll be charged up and ready to go the next day.

To help you conserve battery life the a50 has an auto shut off feature that kicks in when the headset remains perfectly still for a short period of time if you're in search of a luxurious premium wireless headset that comes with amazing clear accurate audio great power saving features as well as a convenient charging dock the astro a50 is definitely worth checking out if you can afford it the 850 will not disappoint.