The Best Gaming Headsets for 2025

PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

A well-crafted gaming headset is vital for enjoying game audio and voice chat without disturbing the people in your immediate vicinity. Check out our recommendations if you need a pair, because PCMag knows gaming headsets as well as we know gaming laptops, gaming keyboards, and gaming mice. Each headset on this list was placed through a battery of tests and ongoing use to evaluate its quality and value. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is our top pick for wireless headsets thanks to its excellent sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), support for two USB audio sources, and hot-swappable battery. On the wired side, the Razer Blackshark V2 is affordable, sounds great, and has a fantastic microphone. These are just two of our top picks for the best gaming headsets, and many more are included in the list below.

Wired vs. Wireless Gaming Headsets

Headsets can be wired or wireless, with wireless models costing more money. More importantly, each gaming headset supports different console, handheld, and PC connections. You can use Bluetooth with a wireless headset to connect to a PlayStation 5 Pro, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, last-gen consoles, most mobile devices, and some computers (the original Xbox One lacks Bluetooth support, though). Other systems require a different wireless connection, often with a separate base plugged into your console or computer.

Bluetooth has made great strides in the last few years, but proprietary wireless connections generally offer better audio quality, faster response, and a stronger signal. Proprietary wireless connections are typically designed for only one console or one console and a PC; for most wireless gaming headsets, you must choose between Xbox and PlayStation models.

If you game on the PlayStation 4/5, the Nintendo Switch, newer Xbox models, or most handheld gaming devices, you can just plug a 3.5mm headphone jack into the controller or system and start playing. The Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One all work similarly, but if you have an older (pre-2016) Xbox One gamepad, you might need Microsoft's Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter to use a wired headset. Most headsets on this list can connect to your preferred system one way or another.

If you want to use your headset with even older systems, like the PS3 and Xbox 360, you must see if the headset supports those console's unique connections, or if adapters are available. PCs are the most flexible with gaming headsets, since they can work with USB headsets (which are generally only compatible with PCs), 3.5mm analog connections (though you might need a splitter adapter if your headset ends in just one plug), and often optical audio.

For more, see our picks for the Best Wireless Gaming Headsets.

Do You Need Surround Sound for a Gaming Headset?

Most high-end gaming headsets claim to offer some form of surround sound, but this isn't technically accurate. Gaming headsets use stereo drivers (one for each ear) to produce sound, and they can't create true surround sound acoustics like multiple speakers distributed around a room. The gaming surround aspect comes from Dolby, DTS, and/or THX processing technologies that tweak how the headsets mix sound between your ears to give an impression of 360-degree audio. This processing has gotten quite good, however, and can provide a strong sense of directionality. If a headset doesn't offer this processing out of the box, the PlayStation 5 produces it with any connected headset anyway, and you can get Dolby Atmos or THX Spatial Audio on your PC or Xbox with paid apps.

The Best Gaming Headset for Consoles

Most high-end headsets come in distinct, console-specific versions. If a headset is marketed primarily for PC, it may work with a console via USB. However, the headset may not support all features. Of course, any headset with a 3.5mm wired connection can work with either console through the headset jack on the controller; it's the USB compatibility that can throw off different versions. Check the packaging and product page to make sure the headset you want is compatible with your gaming platform.

There are a few console-specific headsets and variations you can consider, like the Xbox Wireless Headset, which offers strong performance. Still, you generally won't find a "best" headset unique to a console; the top models usually have multiple, system-specific versions.

The Best Microphones for Gaming

In terms of headset microphones, we've been consistently impressed by the mics Razer puts in its headsets, along with the mics on Logitech, and SteelSeries' flagship headsets. These models can get pretty pricey, but they feature excellent voice clarity.

You can also consider the Antlion Audio ModMic (pictured above). It's a boom mic that easily attaches to your favorite pair of headphones, and can be removed when not in use thanks to a two-piece magnetic mount. ModMic lacks the gaming-specific features associated with dedicated gaming headsets, but it lets you use your beloved old cans for voice chat. Just make sure you have the right connection or adapter to use it with your preferred game platform.

If you're really serious about streaming or other gaming commentary, you might want to forego the boom mic entirely and get a dedicated USB microphone. Decent USB mics can be found for around $50 to $150, and they offer far clearer, richer, more natural audio than any boom mic. They're trickier to properly set up to get good sound, though; you need to be mindful of microphone position and where you are relative to it.

If you prefer single-player games and live alone, you don't need a headset at all. You can use speakers to enjoy the room-filling atmosphere, and shout into the inexpensive and mediocre monoaural headsets bundled with many consoles.

The next time you're in a deathmatch, raid, or capture mission, make sure you're barking into the boom mic of a good headset. To find the right one, check out our recommendations here, then take a look at 5 Easy Tips to Extend the Life of Your Headphones.