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Best gaming headsets: A buyer's guide to the best gaming headphones to buy
Which of the best gaming headsets will you buy in 2022?
- Joe Julians
Published: Tuesday, 29 November 2022 at 3:37 pm
A headset is more than just a cool little accessory for your profile picture (although there's nothing wrong with an aesthetically pleasing headset). It's a means of social gaming with efficiency. However, with so many companies offering so many options, it's understandable to get a bit frozen in decision making.
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If this is the case for you, we're here to help. There are plenty of things to factor in, like budget, quality, reviews, and of course the platform you're using. Whether you're buying for yourself, or for someone else as a Christmas gift, we've got you covered.
So keep reading if you want to be as efficient as possible, whether you're streaming or teaming up to annihilate your opponent.
How to choose the best gaming headset
Before you start your gaming headset hunt, here are some key things you will want to consider!
- Price: There are many gaming headsets you can buy, and the cost will vary significantly. Keep in mind that just because one may well be pricey, it does not automatically mean it is the best, and you could get something just as good for considerably less.
- Read the reviews: With as much choice as there is on the shelves now, relying on the reviews of others is more important than ever. So, pick about three or four sites that you trust, and see what they had to say about the gaming headset that you are looking at – if there is a glaring issue, then one of them should have spotted it at least.
- Check what they work with: This one is key – check your device of choice supports the headset before buying. This is especially true now we are in a new generation of consoles as many headsets, even premium ones, will not work without buying extras.
Best gaming headsets at a glance
- The best Xbox headset: Lucidsound LS50X
- The best PS4 headset: Gold Wireless Headset
- The best multipurpose gaming headset: Razer Baracuda X
- The best wired headset: EPOS H3
- The best gaming earbuds: Razer Hammerhead buds
- The best budget gaming headset: Turtle Beach Recon 500
- The best Bluetooth gaming headset: Razer Opus X
- The best gaming headset microphone: Logitech Pro X
- The best for battery life: HyperX Cloud II Wireless
Best gaming headsets to buy in 2022
Lucidsound LS50X
The best Xbox headset
Pros:
- Fantastic audio
- Super comfortable
- Loads of features
Cons:
- Controls can be fiddly
- No wireless connection for PlayStation users
You may find that the controls can take some getting used to with the Lucidsound LS50X, but once you master them, you will find that you have a truly impressive headset that will give you audio that more than does the job. Not only that, but it remains comfy to wear, and while it is less than ideal for PlayStation players, Xbox users will likely be delighted with the purchase.
- Read the full Lucidsound LS50X review
Buy the Lucidsound LS50X for £175.99 at Amazon
PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset
The best headset for PS4
Pros:
- 7.1 virtual surround sound
- Comfortable
Cons:
- Limited range
The official Gold Wireless Headset for the PlayStation 4 has been out for a while, but it's reliable as ever. Compatible with regular games and VR, you can create custom audio settings and experience the best quality bass for any multiplayer shooter. Never get snuck up on again! Or if you've already upgraded to PS5, we'd recommend Sony's official Pulse 3D headset, the stunning spiritual successor to this beauty from the PS4 era.
Buy the PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset for £94 on OnBuy
Razer Baracuda X
The best multipurpose gaming headset
Pros:
- Solid audio quality
- A comfy fit
- Lightweight
Cons:
- No option to fold and put away
- No iPhone connectivity
The Razer Barracuda not working with iPhones or iPads will likely be enough to put some people off, but that aside you could do far worse than making this your headset of choice. This is a comfy, lightweight headset that will work brilliantly whether you use it for gaming or just listening to your favourite tunes on the move.
- Read the full Razer Baracuda X review
Buy the Razer Baracuda X for £99.99 at Amazon
EPOS H3
EPOS
The best wired headset
Pros:
- Volume change dial is easy to use
- Really comfortable
- High-quality audio
Cons:
- The design choice will be questionable for some
- A pricier option
- Non-detachable microphone
We suspect that if you want the best looking headset out there, you will end up looking elsewhere than the EPOS H3. But that aside, what you will get is a nifty headset that gives better audio than the price tag attached may suggest. It is also comfy for long periods of time with easy to access controls – being able to remove the mic would have been nice, though.
- Read the full EPOS H3 review
Buy the EPOS H3 for £89 at Amazon
Razer Hammerhead buds
The best gaming earbuds
Pros:
- Decent battery life
- Great audio quality
- Supports the AAC format
- Comfy
- Speech is easily heard
Cons:
- The Bluetooth connection can drop out randomly
- No charging indicator on the earpiece
Small niggles aside, we were really impressed with the Razer Hammerhead buds. Not only are they great value for money, but they look fantastic, the sound is impressive, and they are secure and comfortable to wear. Plus, the handy carry case they come in looks just as good as the buds themselves!
- Read the full Razer Hammerhead buds review
Buy the Razer Hammerhead buds for £45.99 at Amazon
Turtle Beach Recon 500
The best budget gaming headset
Pros:
- No distortion
- The sound is really impressive
- Fantastic price
Cons:
- The design could be better
- The mic picks up headphone audio on occasion
So good are Turtle Beach that many still instantly think of them when discussing the best gaming headsets out there. While this one is by no means the best, it remains a solid choice for a number of reasons – not least the amazing price. The mic is a bit iffy, and the design is not exactly eye-catching. However, what it lacks in those areas it more than makes up for with its impressive audio.
- Read the full Turtle Beach Recon 500 review
Buy the Turtle Beach Recon 500 for £69.99 at Amazon
Razer Opus X
The best Bluetooth gaming headset
Pros:
- Comfortable to wear
- Solid audio
- Affordable cost
- Hard to lose even in the dark
Cons:
- Your ears will likely get a bit sweaty after a while
- Bluetooth only connection
The garish green will likely put some people off, but then we love the colour, so it will probably win just as many people over. Other than the design, though, this is a great headset for all uses. Gaming sounds fantastic when using them, and listening to music while out and about is equally as impressive.
- Read the full Razer Opus X review
Buy the Razer Opus X for £99.99 at Amazon
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Logitech Pro X
The best gaming headset microphone
Pros:
- G Hub app is better than others out there
- Amazing sound quality
- Great price
- It is not perfect, but this is one of the better mics out there
Cons:
- The mic is lacking with the bass
- Having to fine-tune settings in an app is frustrating
While the mic is not perfect, we were truly impressed with it in many ways – and microphones are hard to get right with headsets, it seems. Audio-wise, you will not be disappointed with the product, and it was better than we imagined it would be. And given how good this headset is, the price is pretty good, relatively speaking.
- Read the full Logitech Pro X review
Buy the Logitech Pro X for £189.99 at Logitech
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HyperX Cloud II Wireless
The best for battery life
Pros:
- Comfortable even for long uses
- One of the best battery lives that we have seen in a headset
- Audio is powerful
Cons:
- A big price jump from the last model
- Subpar microphone
We have gone for this one as it is one of the latest from HyperX, but there is a big price jump from the last model without much being added – so buying the older version will save you some cash. The HyperX Cloud II Wireless remains a good headset, though, despite the cost. The audio is quite something, and the battery lasted us far longer than we thought it would.
- Read the full HyperX Cloud II Wireless review
Buy the HyperX Cloud II Wireless for £149.99 at Amazon
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How we tested the best gaming headsets
All the gaming headsets in this guide have been tried, tested and reviewed by our tech experts. Each headset was tested against the same criteria before being given a final rating out of five.
The categories we considered included the design, how easy it is to set up, any additional features and how it performs – especially over a long gaming session! And, of course, we looked at the price to determine whether it is worse the many pennies that some of them will cost.
To determine the scores (out of 5), we carried out a series of tests, including testing the sound out on various different types of games and with music and film.
All the headsets to make it into our best gaming headset guide received an overall rating of 3.5 or higher.
Hungry for more gaming? Visit our video game release schedule, or swing by our hubs for more Gaming and Technology news.
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Joe JuliansEntertainment Journalist
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