Best PC Gaming Headsets: Everything To Look Out For

Truth be told, a gaming session is only as good as the sound system accompanying it. Whether you are playing a story-intensive game or have your hands deep in a shooter – a proper headset is necessary.

With fancy elements like spatial audio and 3D sounds now introduced to the mix, what exactly should you look out for when choosing your audio partner? Well, that is exactly what I will be helping you out with today!

Things To Consider

I will showcase important features below that you should look out for when selecting your gaming headset. Feel free to mix and match between these according to what you require!

Comfort

Perhaps the most important aspect of selecting a headset is the comfort level you have with it. Gaming headsets have different build qualities, shapes, sizes, and everything else! Certain sets might sit better on your head than others.

When selecting one to purchase, you should pick a set that offers a more significant amount of comfort to you. For example, some headsets have circular earcups, whereas others feature an oval-like shape. For myself, the former can hurt the ears after a long gaming session.

There is no point in having a fantastic headset if you are left with discomfort in your ears after a significant amount of gameplay. In short, make sure you are comfortable wearing the headset you select!

Sound Quality

This one might seem pretty obvious – but it can easily be overlooked. The first and foremost reason for wanting a good headset is superior audio quality. Whether it is FPSs, Adventure games, or RPGs – you need good audio.

Better audio quality can often be the difference between victory and defeat! Ideally, you should go for a mix between comfort and sound quality. It is not wise to stray too far from these qualities since focusing entirely on either can be detrimental.

Besides, superior sound quality can elevate your gaming experience to another level. I find this to be most visible in story-based games, but it can easily be noticed in shooters and the like.

Surround Sound / 3D Audio

3D audio is a relatively newer concept, whereas Surround Sound has been around for a while. The latter is fairly simple. Surround Sound, as the name suggests, surrounds you with sound. You can easily pick up where sounds are coming from, which makes your experience much better.

Surround Sound is a pertinent feature of most gaming headsets worth their salt in today’s market. This is especially useful in gaming to pinpoint the location of the different things you hear during your gameplay and is most effectively utilized in shooter games.

3D sound (or Spatial Audio) is a relatively newer concept and it is essentially the next big step. The main difference between the two is that Surround Sound is limited to 4 or so directions when outputting audio.

3D audio, on the other hand, provides a truly immersive experience, making you hear sound from every direction! This makes it feel as if the game’s events are happening all around you.

Considering all this, 3D audio would take the win over Surround Sound. Having used a 3D audio headset, I recommend going for the feature, as it feels like an upgrade. That said, 3D audio headsets can take a hit on your wallet!

Headsets featuring Surround Sound are generally cheaper than the ones with 3D audio. The feature you go for should ultimately depend on your budget and the type of experience you would like to have.

Noise Cancellation

For me, active noise cancellation is one of the most significant aspects to look at when purchasing a new headset.

Most of us would agree that having your gaming session interrupted is incredibly annoying.

This also stands true for any noise in your surroundings. The noise around you can not only disrupt your session by mixing in with the game’s audio itself, but it can also cause a much less immersive experience than you would have with the game otherwise.

To counter this, noise cancellation comes in, which is usually a safe spot when picking up a new headset. What I mean by that is most modern headsets have impeccable noise cancellation. I would even go as far as saying that four out of five headsets that I try have more than satisfactory noise cancellation.

It is essential, however, that you do not unnecessarily spend on the feature. You only require noise cancellation if you play in an environment with excessive sounds that may cause distractions. If your room is quiet and peaceful, there is no need to seek out headsets having this feature!

Microphone

Coming up next is a microphone, and this is the aspect that you can balance out your budget on. Using a microphone is a highly subjective task. For example, I have hardly used the microphone on my headset two or three times in the past year.

On the other hand, I know people who use their microphones every second of the day. Talking to your teammates and effective communication is an integral part of your gaming experience. Communication is entirely worthless if you are playing a story-based game.

My point here is that, first and foremost, you need to determine whether you even need a mic in the first place. If you do not, well, problem solved! On the other hand, if you feel like you will be using a mic – there are a few things to consider.

Some headsets have integrated mics, and others have external ones attached to your headset (which come out in a curve as a mouthpiece). The former usually lack clarity and can be challenging to work with. If you want to communicate with your teammates precisely and clearly, it will serve you well to go for the latter option!

Durability / Battery Life

Lastly, we need to consider the aspects of durability and battery life. The former is for wired and wireless headsets, whereas the latter only applies to wireless variants.

By durability, I mean the build of the headset in specific. If you’re picking up a new headset, at the very least, you would want it to last a couple of years. In such cases, ensuring the headset isn’t made from some cheap plastic material is essential.

I’ve faced this issue several times where a new headset works well for a few months, but it starts eroding after significant usage. Whether it is chipped material on the body, loose earcups, or wiring issues – ensuring the longevity of your headset is critical.

Battery life, on the other hand, is exclusive to wireless headsets. Most gadgets in the market right now can feature 6 to 300+ hours of battery cycles!

Of course, fancy headsets featuring LED lights and vibration motors would have a shorter battery life than more minimalistic ones. It is a good practice to look into the specifics of the headsets you intend to purchase and ensure that the battery hours match up with the amount of gameplay time you want to have!

Recommendations

Now that you understand essential features you should look out for in a headset, I will make your job even easier! Here is a breakdown of some of the best headsets you can get your hands on that have a good mixture of the aspects I’ve mentioned above: