The Best Gaming Headset for 2022

HyperX Cloud Alpha Gaming Headset

Virtual surround sound and serious bass at a surprisingly budget price

Reviewers have been praising the HyperX Cloud Alpha as the best gaming headset for years, and while it has plenty of great competition now, it still sits among the best of the best. At its price point, it’s very attractive considering how often a gaming headset often costs. It’s been custom-tuned to offer virtual surround sound so you can hear the footsteps of enemy soldiers creeping up on you.

Part of the reason this offers some of the best sound quality is the fact that it packs in dual-chamber drivers. These provide you with some booming bass, but you can adjust them to suit the needs of your games through the use of full bass adjustment sliders and a full audio control mixer. Even fully tuned, it comes with a pretty solid balance between your chat and game channels, resulting in some of the best audio around.

SteelSeries Arctis Pro Gaming Headset

The best of the Arctis line with impressive wireless capabilities

The SteelSeries Arctis line is one of the best-regarded in the gaming headset industry, and the best headset in the Arctis line is without a doubt the SteelSeries Arctis Pro. The price tag may be a bit steep, but you’d be hard-pressed to find some better sound performance than what you’ll get from this gaming headset. The ski goggle suspension headband is designed to feel comfortable even if you find yourself playing until the sun comes up.

The wireless capabilities here are very impressive. This headset comes with a specially made digital to audio converter designed with the needs of gamers in mind, so you won’t have to worry about the wireless signal ruining your voice over the mic. If you’d rather go with something physically connected, you can also connect this headset via 3.5mm aux, USB, or optical cables.

HyperX Cloud Stinger – Gaming Headset

HyperX is mostly known for their expensive and top-of-the-line headsets, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t scale down to the needs of more budget-oriented gamers. The HyperX Cloud Stinger is cheaper than even the Turtle Beach Recon 200, and it offers the same level of compatibility across consoles and PCs. In the name of comfort, HyperX has included some plush memory foam cups along with an adjustable steel slider.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger makes it easy to adjust your listening experience in-game, too. Volume controls are placed right onto the ear cup for easy access even in the heat of battle, and the audio performance here is better than you might expect. The HyperX Cloud Stinger won’t be going toe-to-toe with some of the more expensive models on our list, but it rates great for a budget model.

Corsair HS35 – Stereo Gaming Headset

Comfort and functionality without a high price tag

Corsair is pretty much a household name in the world of gaming peripherals due to the reliable quality of their products, and the HS35 headset is no exception. Aside from delivering high-quality stereo audio, this headset is incredibly lightweight and comfortable, making them ideal for longer gaming sessions. They’re also entirely multi-platform, meaning you can use them with just about any gaming device you may own.

Functionality is the name of the game with this Corsair headset. The Discord-certified unidirectional mic is fully detachable and optimized to significantly reduce ambient sound. What’s more, the on-ear volume and mute controls offer convenience and simplicity without forcing you to mess around with an inline remote.

Logitech G Pro X Gaming Headset

Intuitive design meets high-performance audio and versatility

Logitech may be best known for creating high-quality keyboards and mice with office productivity in mind, but the Logitech G series has earned a lot of praise from gamers due to its universally intuitive design and practical approach to gaming performance. The Pro X headset is no exception to that trend. The 7.1 surround sound system is object-based to provide you with far more precise situational awareness when you’re deep in a game.

This gaming headset is built to last, too. It’s made from durable aluminum and steel for a fit that’s durable while also being flexible to the shape and size of your head. If your computer’s sound system isn’t up to snuff, you can depend on the USB external sound card, and you can also use it along with the onboard memory to set your own customized EQ And sound profile for later use.

Sennheiser GSP 600 – Wired Closed Acoustic Gaming Headset

Audiophile-quality performance with some serious ergonomics

Sennheiser is normally known for their sound equipment targeted at consumer audiophiles, but it makes sense that their exceptional design sensibilities also translate well among the world of gaming headsets. The GSP 600 may be a little light on advanced features targeted towards the gaming market, but it produces some of the absolute best sound quality you’ll find on a headset in 2022.

This is a chunky model, but there are some serious ergonomics at work here. The headband is adjustable at important pressure points so you can find a fit that’s right for you and isn’t going to squeeze your temples, while the suede cups feel great while reducing sweating and overheating. And if you’re seeking out headsets for PS4 or Xbox One, you can rest easy knowing that this model is compatible with modern consoles in addition to any modern PC.

SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless Gaming Headset

If the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is a little out of your budget or if you’re looking for headsets compatible with Xbox One, you may want to turn your attention to the more affordably priced SteelSeries Arctis 9x. It’s built to work with Xbox One right out of the box, so you won’t have to worry about any compatibility issues, but it’s also an equally capable headset for PC use.

At its core, this headset is nearly identical to the Arctis Pro, but there are some slight differences between the two. You trade in the charging station here, which means that you don’t have access to wired connectivity, but that base station would just be crowded anyway if you plan on using the wireless connectivity exclusively. The biggest advantage to Xbox One gamers is that it offers native support for Xbox chat, unlike the Arctis Pro

ASTRO Gaming A50 Wireless Headset

If you want the best gaming experience possible, the Astro A50 can deliver it. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to spend around $300 for the privilege. This gaming headset promises a battery life of over 15 hours – more than enough for even the longest gaming sessions – and the inclusion of a charging stand provides you with a pleasing way to display your gaming headset while keeping your battery life topped off.

The standard audio experience here is drawn from cinematic Dolby audio, but you’ll have all the tools at your disposal to craft a sonic experience tailored specifically to your favorite games. The free Astro Command Center software platform gives you the means to adjust the game and voice channels as well as dig deeper into audio controls. When using this gaming headset on a PC, you also get access to an advanced game:voice balance.

Razer Kraken X Ultralight Gaming Headset

The Razer Kraken X Ultralight costs less than $50, and while that means it can’t compete with some of the more expensive headsets on our list, it’s one of the best models in the ultra-budget range. It isn’t great with music, but the in-game audio performance is pretty strong, so it offers a lot of value if you aren’t trying to listen to your favorite songs.

Perhaps most importantly, this headset feels great to wear. The design is highly durable, but it has certain level of flexibility that can help it adjust to just about any head. And you can count on Razer headsets to offer easy compatibility with any modern console or PC.

Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Aero Gaming Headset

Turtle Beach makes some great gaming headsets, but where they really shine is with their wireless models. This Turtle Beach wireless gaming headset takes what might arguably be the best gaming headsets that Turtle Beach offers and strips it free of all cords. It feels comfortable on the ears and offers a clear and precise mic, but it only really comes into its own when you start taking into consideration the excellent sound quality and customization on offer.

This Turtle Beach headset provides you with 3D audio – a huge advantage when you’re trying to figure out where your opponents are hiding and whether or not they’re trying to ambush you – and it can be further enhanced by making use of Turtle Beach’s trademark Superhuman Hearing function. The EQ settings on this Turtle Beach wireless gaming headset are just as sophisticated. Whether you’re looking to boost the bass, the vocals, or ambient noise, you’ll find a mode you’ll love with this Turtle Beach headset.

Corsair VOID RGB Elite Wireless Premium Gaming Headset

The Corsair VOID RGB Elite is arguably the best wireless headset we’ve found in terms of all-around balance. It doesn’t fit the most comfortably, offer the best sound quality, or come with the most features, but it offers strong performance across all the important metrics while coming in with a price tag of just under a hundred dollars. That’s an exceeding rarity for a wireless model.

This model may take a little getting used to. The awkward shape of the ear cups results in a looser fit, but it’s comfortable once you get used to it, thanks to the combination of breathable mesh and plush memory foam that offers support while preventing overheating. Corsair has also included wireless 7.1 surround sound in this model, providing you with the means to better stalk your prey and steer clear of ambushes in more intense game sessions.

Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gaming Headset

The Turtle Beach Recon 200 is designed with the needs of gamers on a budget in mind. It retails for around $60 and is compatible with Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC, making it a great all-in-one choice for households with a lot of systems. The Bass Boost is one of the best features here, and a great way to make sure that explosions and gunfire really have an impact (though it may also drown out the telltale sound of footsteps).

While the build quality here isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, the Recon 200 fits snugly. The ear cups are nicely padded, and although it doesn’t offer the best audio quality on our list, it’s definitely excellent sound for the price. We wouldn’t call this model the best of the best, but it should satisfy multi-console households and less competitive players admirably.