The Best Gaming Headset in 2023

A gaming headset is more practical and modern than individual devices. There are a few things to consider when choosing a gaming headset. A good price and sound quality are foremost, but comfort is up there, too. Also, noise-cancelling mics are crucial for coms, so most of the headsets we’ve listed here include this feature.

You want decent voice quality and a microphone that won’t pick up every single keypress on your mechanical keyboard. The best gaming headset: No desk can be imagined without headphones or headsets these days. Whether in the office for meetings and conferences, for listening to music or for gaming.

Gaming headsets have emerged as an excellent all-round solution. The best PC gaming headsets deliver a deeper level of immersion for a better gaming experience. And, in many ways, they’re much better for your gaming sessions than most traditional PC speakers. Gaming headsets without cables (wireless gaming headsets) offer more freedom, but here you have to accept a higher weight and pay attention to the battery.

Which is the best gaming headset?

Questions like the headline above are more often read in FAQs or on review portals, as well as in forums for technology and gaming. However, there are as many answers to this question as a hedgehog has spines. Just as not all people can be lumped together, every headset has at least one advantage and one disadvantage.

Certainly, there are gaming headsets that are technically better than others or are made of a higher-quality material, but that doesn’t automatically make a corresponding model the best gaming headset. listed below are the top and best gaming headset in 2023

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
• Razer Barracuda X
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7
• PDP Airlite Pro
• Audeze LCD GX
• Asus ROG Delta S
• Audeze Penrose X
• JBL Quantum One.

On the Internet, you can find many best lists that seem to answer this question, though. But don’t be mistaken: Such lists usually only look at the technical aspects and judge them in terms of their general quality – which is completely okay for a first impression.

However, we want to go a bit deeper into the matter in this guide and look at where the individual strengths lie and what should be emphasized in the individual aspects, should you want to get a new gaming headset. The best gaming headset 2023 does not necessarily have to be expensive.

Gaming headset or normal headset

Not every headset is also suitable for gaming in front of the computer screen or console. We have already talked earlier about the fact that it must have certain attributes to meet the needs during gaming for gamers. This is just a general distinction for now, and later we’ll deal with the individual parts in a bit more detail. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two most important aspects of the two variants:

The microphone: There are relatively similar demands on both sides when it comes to the microphone: The voice should be transmitted realistically, without crackling or other noises. As clear and intelligible as possible, without having to put the microphone completely in the mouth.

The headphones: If headsets are used for pure telephoning or on the job, it is usually sufficient if the quality is right and no rustling or hissing can be heard. The counterpart must be clearly understood. In most cases, no great demands are made.

Gaming headsets are quite different. Here, the sound quality is one of the most important points. A clear sound reproduction is by no means sufficient here. Good speech intelligibility, spatial localization of sounds, differentiation and various settings are crucial here.

Furthermore, there is also this variant: microphone and headphones separately. This is often used by streamers, since both parts can be selected individually this way. In addition, the sound quality for recordings is often a bit better and can be adjusted directly on the PC with the appropriate program.

Professionals in particular swear by the combination of high-quality headphones and clip-on or table microphone.

Best gaming headsets: here’s what to look out for

When buying a gaming headset, there are many factors you need to keep in mind. It already starts with the connection or the question whether it should be a wireless gaming headset. Do you need a model for the PC or do you prefer playing on consoles?

Meanwhile, there are even gaming headsets with an ANC function, i.e. active noise cancellation, which effectively blocks out ambient noise in the background. Here are a few factors you should look out for when buying:

1. Analog or Digital

The type of connection is also not uninteresting when choosing a headset. Usually there is a choice between analog and digital connection. Both versions are common and each offers its own advantages.

Analog connection

With an analog connection, the headphones are connected directly to the audio port on the end device. For this purpose, the headset has a 3.5 millimeter jack connector. This allows it to be connected to the PC, console, smartphone or even tablet. Since the end device takes over the sound refinement, it is especially advisable to use this option if a high-quality audio solution is available. The advantage is that your gaming headset directly accesses the sound card of the device and does not need its own card.

Digital jack connector

With the digital connection, the headset is connected to the end device via a USB cable. In this case, the selected gaming headset has its own sound processing and exchanges the corresponding data with the system.

The advantage: DSP* often offers very good sound quality and different sound profiles. The latter can then be set analog, depending on what the headset is currently used for: Music, movies or while gaming. Further configuration can then also be made for different games.

*DSP stands for Digital Sound Processor. This refers to digital sound processing, which in some cases provide better sound quality than normal onboard sound chips..

2. Wireless or wired?

Apart from the many technical aspects, from the frequency response to the shape of the ear cup and the built-in speakers, the question of the cable is also essential. The idea of not having another cable dangling from the PC sounds tempting. You also don’t really want to see anything plugged into the controller – after all, that restricts the freedom of movement enormously.

This is where a wireless gaming headset can be a better choice. However, you need to keep a few aspects in mind here:

• Due to the built-in batteries and technology, wireless gaming headsets are usually heavier
• You need to keep the battery charge level in mind. If the battery is empty, the sound will drop out
• Most of the time, wireless gaming headsets are a bit more expensive than wired models

Who these factors do not bother, can enjoy a lot of freedom while gaming. In most cases, the headset is connected to the end device via Bluetooth or with the help of a USB dongle. Sometimes both are possible, for example, to enable a parallel connection of PC and smartphone.

Some headsets, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless*, offer a complete transmitter station that is not only connected via USB, but also offers extensive connection options.

3. Surround sound: 5.1 or 7.1

There are different ways to talk about the sound of gaming headphones. However, to say that something sounds good or not is a bit too general. What matters most to gamers is surround sound, that is, the feeling of being in the middle of the action.

4. The frequency response

What a frequency is, most people know. But what is a frequency response? Basically, this term indicates a certain range in which the headset can deliver clear, high-quality and consistent sound. This range is measured in hertz.

5. Impedance

Every gaming headset has a certain nominal impedance, which is measured in ohms. If the ohm value is low, it requires very little power to make sounds come out of the headphones. However, the quality is not particularly good in return.

6. The construction and comfort

Gaming headsets are available in many colors, shapes and designs. Here you should pay attention to what appeals to you the most or ideally try out a headset at a retailer first. Most gaming headsets in 2022 are closed over-ear models. This means they seal well against ambient noise and completely enclose your ears.

7. The ecosystem

Not unimportant for the best gaming headset, especially for PC gamers, is the ecosystem of the manufacturer. Since additional software is usually used, with the help of which you can adjust the sound and make other settings, you should also pay attention to this. At the same time, it can be much more convenient to choose a headset from an ecosystem that you already use.