The game-changing arrival of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have ushered gamers into a new era of 4k resolutions, increased frame rates, and almost non-existent loading times. It is easy to focus on the visual upgrades and shiny new graphics, but this means a vital component of the gaming experience is often overlooked and underappreciated; the sound.
Finding the right headset is key in ensuring you’re getting the absolute most out of your console. It will offer a more immersive experience and give you a competitive edge over your opponents in multiplayer games.
Fortunately, we at the Evening Standard are here to make things easier for you. We have tried and tested premium and budget headsets from the most reputable and established brands in gaming
Trialled on both the current and previous generations of Xbox and PlayStation, our comprehensive guide determines the best gaming headsets currently available on the market as we make the most of 2024.
Shop the best gaming headsets of 2024 here
Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
A beautiful bit of kit, this. So good, in fact, that you could use them as your everyday headphones and they would work just as well. They’re that versatile.
These bad boys look gorgeous – elegant, black matte, with the Steelseries logo in silver on the ear cups themselves. They’re relatively lightweight, and both the cups and headband are padded out – while the ear cups themselves can swivel to suit more head shapes.
The Nova Pro Wireless features multi-device connectivity, removing the ‘which console’ question that dogs many headsets. The headsets connect to a ‘base station’ (in all honesty this bit is a tad fiddly), which can be connected to two sources – but there are also Bluetooth and cable connections you can use instead.
And what’s the sound like? In a word, excellent. There’s active noise cancellation, and a beautiful deep bass, and the 360-degree audio feature means that the soundscape is really well rendered. In other words, perfect for both listening to music and playing Call of Duty.
The battery life is also pleasingly robust: there are two batteries that can be charged independently and swapped in and out, meaning the gaming fun can go on indefinitely. Even better, SteelSeries has added a fast charge capability - meaning that 15 minutes of charging will get you three hours of play. Not bad at all.
The microphone is very unobtrusive and tucks into the ear cup itself, which is a plus. Yes, there’s a high price point – but honestly, you get what you pay for and so it proves here.
Buy now £319.25, Amazon
Budget Alternative: Steelseries Arctis Nova 1
One of the cheapest gaming headsets on this list, the Arctis Nova 1 offers fewer of the bells and whistles of its flashier competitors. Made primarily of lightweight plastic, the ear cups are padded out with memory foam, making for a surprisingly comfortable wearing experience.
The microphone itself is pleasingly unobtrusive, folding up into the ear cup when not needed. No Bluetooth here: this baby connects via a replaceable cable, and the controls are simple: volume, mute button and a power button.
With all that considered, does the audio match up? It’s certainly not one of the best on the market – and any sound cancelling capabilities are minimal at best – but the sound is decent and manages to sound good at both ends of the frequency spectrum.
Is it flashy? No. But it’s also a solid, low-budget option that does the basics (sound, build and comfort) well. Sometimes, the simplest options are the best – and the very low price point means that this is a serious option to consider when looking for good-quality budget headsets. Plus, its cable jack means it can connect to pretty much any console.
Buy now £59.98, Amazon
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro
Few of the headsets on this list come with a price tag as hefty as the Stealth Pro – but don’t let that put you off. Turtle Beach’s newest entrant onto the market is a top-of-the-range set of cans that come with two different versions – one for Xbox players, and one for PlayStation ones.
Fortunately (with a headset as expensive as this), the controls are actually remarkably simple: power, Bluetooth, something called Superhuman Hearing (which lets you foreground certain noises, such as gunshots or footsteps - sneaky) and a wheel that lets you swap in pre-programmed player profiles via a connecting smartphone app.
In addition to all the bells and whistles: the sound (and especially surround sound) is great, and features ever-handy noise cancelling capabilities, which are surprisingly good for a gaming headset.
Helpfully, the battery is also decent: a full battery (there are two, which can be charged up and swapped out with the headset’s battery port) lasts 12 hours and even comes with a USB slot to charge your controllers. This is primarily a Bluetooth headset, with a range of about 15 metres.
There are downsides. The headset is a little small – for those with bigger heads (such as myself), this sat a little bit uncomfortably. Plus, the microphone isn’t the best as set into the ear cup, it sacrifices sound quality for subtlety. But in all other aspects, it shines.
Buy now £221.24, Amazon
Budget Alternative: Turtle Beach Recon 500
Turtle Beach is the undisputed king of comfortable headphones, and so it proves here. The brand’s budget offering, the Recon 500, is built with a pleasingly sturdy design: think metal-reinforced (and very heavily padded) ear cups, and a solid headband that snaps firmly into place.
As might be evident from the picture, this is a wire-connected headset, which has its benefits: firstly, it’s easy to use, and secondly, it’s compatible with pretty much everything. The controls themselves are also pleasingly simple, with a volume dial and mute button, meaning you really can just plug it in and go. Even better, there’s no faffing around with charging the battery.
Soundwise, the audio is good - and we’d expect nothing less from Turtle Beach. The virtual surround sound works well (letting you pinpoint an enemy with surprising precision) and at full volume, sounds remain clear without becoming fuzzy or tinny.
As ever with the cheaper gaming headsets, the microphone is a problem - namely, that it is rather stiff, and can’t be detached - but the mic’s inbuilt noise cancellation software does a great job delivering clear audio with minimal noise interference from household sounds. The only problem is that while the headset connects fine with Xbox or PlayStation, its performance on PC can be a bit iffy: for some reason, the microphone doesn’t work properly and can cut in and out. Not great.
Buy now £59.50, Amazon
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless
Though the Cloud II Wireless might look a bit cheap, its battery life is what makes this headset stand out. Boasting 300 hours – are you kidding? That’s long enough to play for twelve and a half days consecutively before needing to charge it up.
Insane battery life aside (though that is, of course, a major plus), the headset features an aluminium frame with comfortable padding for the earphones, plus a detachable microphone, making it ideal for switching between multi- and single-player games. The buttons are all located in sensible, easy-to-reach places – the left ear cup features the mic, power button, mute button and charging port, while the right has a volume wheel.
Of course, this would mean nothing if the audio quality wasn’t up to snuff; fortunately, it is. This headset features 50mm neodymium dual-chambered drivers with two chambers (one for mid-high frequencies and one for low), which combine with the Ngenuity downloadable software (only available on PC) to create crystal-clear audio. It has got surround sound for days, and the USB-A wireless adapter means it connects easily to pretty much any console (though watch out: this is detachable and therefore easy to lose).
One of the main downsides here would have to be the microphone: the audio quality is disappointingly scratchy and tinny, not what you’d expect from a premium headset – despite featuring a bi-directional mic. But in every other way, it shines.
Buy now £124.36, Amazon
Budget Alternative: HyperX Cloud Stinger 2
If you want basic affordability, then here it is. The Cloud Stinger 2 does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a perfectly good, serviceable gaming headset at an absolutely tiny price point.
Unsurprisingly, the focus here is value-for-money, and on that it delivers. The build quality is good and fairly solid, with pleather material covering the ear cups – and while it’s pretty comfortable, it’s also rather heavy, meaning that wearing this for long periods of time might prove a little bit much.
There’s a jack that means it can connect to both Xbox and PlayStation consoles, while the controls themselves are pretty minimal: basically, volume control and that’s it. The microphone isn’t too bad, surprisingly, managing to pick up most audio and avoid that terrible, crackly quality that the worst mics often fall prey to. That said, it does stick out in front of the face in a rather annoying way – the only way to get rid of it is to flip it upwards.
And sound? Again, for the price point, not too bad at all. It’s pretty similar to most other budget headsets on the market, the bass isn’t too rattly and it manages to make most games sound pretty good – if not quite delivering on that 360-degree soundscape. All in all, a perfectly serviceable offering.
Buy now £44.99, Amazon
Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform Wireless Gaming Headset
First thing first: Skullcandy’s PLYR headset might not be to everybody’s taste, but don’t let the exterior put you off. This is a seriously cool piece of kit, and at £129.99, actually a little cheaper than some of its direct rivals.
Putting the headset on, it’s comfortable: there are padded ear cups and the whole thing feels lightweight, which means I could wear this for hours on end without feeling the strain (though it does also feel worryingly breakable). There are several buttons on the headphones themselves, which are for the usual suspects: pausing, muting and skipping audio, as well as turning the wireless feature on and off (there is also a cable with which to connect to different consoles).
Audio-wise, the PLYR is decent: the sound quality is good, but the real hero of this element is the Skullcandy HQ app, which boasts an Enhanced Sound Perception add-on. Basically, this lets you customise the audio features to suit your personal preference via an in-depth hearing test at the start. There’s also built-in Tile integration, which is handy - the only shortfalling is the Supreme Sound element, which can feel a little bit too aggressive at times, and can’t be turned off.
The audio quality is surprisingly good, and features built-in AI to boost it still further. Again, the mic is detachable here: a huge relief, especially given that it’s rather stiff and tends to stick out in front of the face in an awkward way.
Buy now £98.99, Amazon
Budget Alternative: Skullcandy SLYR Multi-Platform Wired Gaming Headset
Skullcandy is one of the OGs of the gaming headset market, and it shows here: the sound quality on all of its headsets is excellent, even the lower-range options. Made from lightweight plastic that sits easily on the head (the whole thing only weighs 265g), the headset comes in different colours that pop against the inside of the earcups.
The headset also boasts Skullcandy’s ‘Supreme Sound’ capabilities, which the website has billed as a “unique audio-tuning process that enables users to maximise the depth and detail of each sound”. In practice, that means a deep, rich sound that really immerses you in the soundscape of whichever game you happen to be playing. If something sounds behind you in-game, it sounds like it’s coming from behind you here – which is surely the gold standard for any headset.
The microphone is also a thing of beauty: sensitive and bi-directional – that is, capable of picking up sounds coming both from in front of and behind it. Plus, it’s detachable, with an LED that lights up when it’s in use: you’ll never be caught unaware again. Even better, it’s compatible with all consoles, even mobile devices. Well worth the money.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon
Razer Barracuda Pro
The Barracuda Pro is another gaming headset that comes without a mic attached – and indeed, its sound-cancelling capabilities make it something that could easily be worn as a regular pair of headphones as well as when you pick up your controller (in fact, this is billed as a hybrid).
The headset itself feels sturdy, while the leather earcups cushion the ears snugly without feeling too tight. Plus, the controls are fairly simple: there are only four buttons, comprising power, Bluetooth/ noise cancelling, volume control and a mute button for the microphone.
Now for the million-dollar question: what is the much-vaunted noise cancellation like? Actually, pretty good – the ANC cancels out most background sounds, and to make things better, the headset also comes with access to Razer Synapse, which lets you tailor your listening experience even further.
The sound quality is also pleasingly balanced, but the only downside is the microphone – set into the earcups themselves, the audio quality isn’t as good as it would be with a boom mic. And beware: there is no Xbox compatibility for this. But in every other aspect, it shines.
Buy now £219.94, Amazon
Budget alternative: Razer Barracuda X
A cheaper gaming headset that’s also wireless? The Barracuda X will set you back a cool £100, but for that, you get excellent value for money. Yes, you read that right.
The headset itself is surprisingly lightweight, which means you can wear it for hours without succumbing to that pesky sore neck or ears – plus the earcups are surprisingly soft even though they’re made of mesh.
This being on the cheaper end, there is no access to Razer’s Synapse app here (which allows you to further tailor your headphone settings and listening experience) but it’s fairly simple to connect to via Bluetooth, and there is also a cord for people who don’t want to bother with the faff. It’s also worth mentioning that the battery life is excellent – one charge (which takes a few hours) will easily last the advertised 20 hours, making it a good shout for those longer gaming sessions.
Razer does also offer Active Noise Cancellation with these headphones, which isn’t too bad – though loud background noise like talking does come through – and the sound, too, is fairly good, though its bass leaves something to be desired. But let’s be honest: for the price point, its performance is excellent. You’ll struggle to find better.
Buy now £125.98, Amazon
Verdict
At £329.99, the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is certainly not cheap but the long-lasting battery life, wireless capabilities and top-notch sound quality mean that it certainly lives up to its price tag. When you add these features to the unrivalled levels of comfort on offer, the Nova Pro Wireless takes the prize of our best gaming headset of 2023 so far.
For those looking for sheer quality, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is also an excellent second option. Though it’s expensive, it has top-of-the-range customisation that makes this a must for serious gamers - indeed, given the headset’s excellent noise cancelling, it could easily double as an everyday pair of earphones too.
For a more affordable alternative, the Skullcandy SLYR provides a solid performance. Despite not having some of the headline features of other more premium headsets, its comfortable build and unrivalled compatibility make it the headset to beat when looking at affordable gaming headsets.
