The 6 Best PC Gaming Headsets - Fall 2024

The best PC gaming headset we've tested is the Audeze Maxwell Wireless. They're often back-ordered but are worth waiting for if you want the best. Out of the box, they have a generally flat sound profile that represents instruments and sound effects naturally and with plenty of detail. Voices are rendered remarkably accurately, so you can understand teammates even during busy fights. The Maxwell stand apart from other high-end gaming headsets because of their planar magnetic drivers, producing a deeper, more accurate bass response than dynamic driver headphones like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.

Those drivers make them a bit heavy and bulky, so you might need to take a couple of breaks if you're a fan of marathon gaming sessions, but their 78-hour battery life means you won't be stuck needing to recharge every time you do. If you'd prefer more comfortable, lighter gaming headphones, the Astro A50 X Wireless are worth checking out. The Astro can connect your PC, PlayStation, and Xbox simultaneously, although you can't use their HDMI 2.1 passthrough with your PC. Unfortunately, their mic doesn't perform as well as the Audeze's great detachable boom mic, and their battery life isn't as long.

The Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless are a great choice for gamers who like the idea of the Audeze Maxwell Wireless' generally flat and detailed mid-range sound but want something a little lighter, both on the head and the wallet. The Logitech have a touch of extra bass out of the box, which adds boom to explosions and warmth to cinematic soundtracks without muddying up dialogue. Overall, their sound lacks a little of the Audeze's detail and isn't as well-balanced out of the box. You can also fine-tune their sound using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.

They last almost 100 hours on a single charge—easily enough to get through many days of gaming before needing a top-up. You can connect them to your phone via Bluetooth, but they can't simultaneously receive audio via Bluetooth and their dongle. Their mic does a fantastic job separating your voice from any background noise, so even if you're gaming by an open window, anyone you're talking to will hear you clearly. That said, while you'll be understood, you won't sound very natural. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro's mic renders your voice naturally and with plenty of body. However, it isn't as good as separating your voice from any noise around you, and most people won't find these headphones as comfortable as the Logitech.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless is the best wireless gaming headset for PC in the mid-range we've tested. These headphones have a warm sound profile that emphasizes sound effects like footsteps and the rumble of explosions without getting in the way of dialogue. They have a rather inconsistent treble response out of the box, with sibilants rendered dull or piercing depending on their pitch. Fortunately, you can customize their sound to your liking via their companion app's parametric EQ.

These headphones don't feel as premium as the Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless, and their battery life isn't as long—though, with roughly 30 hours of juice, you'll need to recharge your own battery before these need a top-up. Their mic makes your voice sound natural but has a high noise floor, which might annoy you if you play online multiplayer games. They support multi-device pairing, so you can connect them to your phone via Bluetooth at the same time as your PC via their wireless dongle.

For budget-conscious gamers, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3) Wireless is the best wireless gaming headset for PC. Don't let their price fool you, though; these headphones have many gamer-centric features, including a great companion app and a flip-up-to-mute microphone. Their mic punches above their price point, performing just as well as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless'. It's great at separating your voice from any noise around you, so whoever you're talking to won't be distracted when your rackety roommates start playing tunes in the next room.

Their low-latency wireless dongle provides a great connection for gaming. You can also connect them to your phone via Bluetooth, but you can't hear audio via the Bluetooth and dongle connections simultaneously like you can with the SteelSeries. Still, a simple press of the QuickSwitch button means it's not too difficult to take a mid-game phone call—you'll just have to settle for listening to music from your PC.

With a generally flat sound profile, they do a good job representing everything from rumbly explosions to clashing swords, although their default sound can sometimes be a little piercing. Happily, their companion app includes a graphic EQ, so you can tailor these to your preferences. They're not as well-built as more expensive headphones like the SteelSeries or Audeze Maxwell Wireless, but they have a comfortable fit and an amazing 85-hour battery life.

If you're a PC gamer looking to keep your headset expenditure down, the Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless are a great budget pick. You can't use these headphones via a wired connection, but they offer a decent wireless gaming experience via their low-latency dongle connection. They're comfortable, especially if you have a smaller head.

They have a warm sound profile out of the box, which makes effects like footsteps easy to hear and soundtracks exciting. A mid-range dip can cause dialogue to sound a touch distant, but there's enough brightness to ensure you won't miss anything your teammates say. Overall, they present a variety of game audio with enough detail for you to have an enjoyable experience wearing them.

Like most headphones in this price range, they don't offer extra features like an EQ to adjust their sound, and their 20-hour battery life also doesn't come close to the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3) Wireless' 85 hours. Their mic is adequate but doesn't perform as well as the Turtle Beach's. If you want to keep costs down but microphone quality is important, consider the Logitech G432. These are wired-only but present your voice more accurately to whoever you're talking with.

The Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X are the best open-back headphones for PC gaming we've tested. Unlike the other options on this list, these headphones have ear cups that aren't sealed. This allows audio to leak out of the cups and interact with your environment, resulting in a wider and more spacious sound. The downside is they're not the best choice for a noisy environment as they don't block out much sound and leak a lot of audio.

These headphones are well-built and comfortable enough to wear for long gaming sessions. Like many open-backs, these headphones lack a little low bass, so effects like explosions are robbed of a little rumble. But they still have enough bass to ensure cinematic taiko drums have plenty of boom and effects like footsteps feel immersive. Their well-balanced sound profile also renders dialogue and instruments accurate and with detail.

These headphones also have a great mic that renders your voice naturally and with plenty of body, so whoever you're gaming with will hear you clearly. One downside of these headphones is that you can only use them wired. If you like the idea of a deeper, wider soundstage but want to game wirelessly, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air Wireless are a great alternative. They have a similarly immersive sound to the Drop + Sennheiser and a great microphone. You can also use them wired if you like, and they can connect to your other devices via Bluetooth. However, you can't hear audio simultaneously via their wireless dongle and Bluetooth connections. Their default sound isn't as balanced as our pick, and they're less comfortable for marathon gaming sessions.