Best Gaming Headsets in 2026 to Buy Now: Wired and Wireless

Fully featured with ANC, basal station, etc

It’s hard not to autumn successful emotion with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. You inactive get each the large features of the erstwhile SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless with immoderate caller technology, including progressive sound cancellation and improved audio each around. Using a hybrid noise-canceling strategy with 4 mics, it tin drown retired everything from harsh noises from extracurricular your country to the ambient hum of large fans.

Most importantly, the Nova Pro offers immoderate fantastic dependable prime retired of the container with bold and balanced audio. Its spatial audio onboard is important arsenic well, truthful it's casual to perceive force footsteps astir the country oregon gauge the region of enactment happening successful a competitory shooter. And you tin marque immoderate next-level customizations to the EQ settings and game-chat premix with Sonar and the SteelSeries GG app – bully luck going backmost to your mean headphones for thing but listening to podcasts oregon the news.

With SteelSeries’ latest top-end headset, we spot the biggest plan displacement since the commencement of the Arctis lineup. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless sports telescoping arms connected its adjustable headband truthful it tin amended accommodate larger caput sizes. The earcups are besides slimmer and sleeker, giving disconnected little of a gaming headset vibe and much of a look akin to wireless headphones without sacrificing the comfortableness SteelSeries headsets are known for. And 1 of our favourite features remains intact with a fewer upgrades: the hot-swappable rechargeable artillery system. This means that erstwhile the artillery runs debased during a gaming session, you tin rapidly alteration it retired without having to plug in, giving you wireless state indefinitely.

The Arctis Nova Pro is 1 of the champion headsets you tin bargain close now. It’s well-rounded with uniquely robust features, large dependable prime for gaming, and comfortableness to support you going. Take our connection for it – successful our Arctis Nova Pro headset review, it earned a uncommon 10 for each the aforementioned reasons and more.

Brilliant wide dependable quality

Beyerdynamic is 1 of the galore audiophile-focused brands that person entered the gaming headset abstraction successful much caller times. Its latest successful the MMX 300 Pro and MMX 330 Pro marque flimsy upgrades implicit its predecessors successful wide design, but brings likewise almighty audio performance. It provides the benignant of dependable prime you’d expect from studio-grade headphones similar the DT 770 oregon DT 990, but packs them into a wired headset that’s casual to deterioration for hours connected end. The 2 models lone person 1 distinction: The MMX 300 Pro is closed-back and the MMX 330 Pro is open-back. I personally similar the audio illustration of an open-back headset successful speech for earthy dependable isolation, truthful it truly comes down to preference.

What’s astir arsenic awesome is the microphone clarity, which tin rival adjacent immoderate mid-range standalone mics. I thin to spot built-in mics connected gaming headsets arsenic an afterthought. So agelong arsenic my dependable comes done intelligibly, that’s each I truly request from it – but not with Beyerdynamic. So if you truly privation that all-in-one gaming headset, particularly for streaming oregon signaling content, you’ll find that successful these headsets.

Personally, I gravitate toward the intentionality and craftsmanship of a wired, analog-driven headset oregon brace of headphones, and Beyerdynamic's headsets dependable beauteous close retired of the box. Of course, you tin perchance get much retired of it if you thrust them done a DAC oregon amp, but they're already tuned with gaming successful caput (to stress definite dependable effects successful competitory games) portion besides delivering the benignant of audio acquisition successful different applications you’d expect from headphones astatine this terms range. For each that and more, I gave a 9 to the MMX 300 Pro/MMX 330 Pro successful my review.

Top-notch audio experience

You tin inquire anyone who has utilized the Audeze Maxwell if it's worthy its terms tag, and you're going to get the aforesaid answer: It's a resounding yes, including from me. And finally, Audeze refined its top-tier headset with the Maxwell 2, making it the definitive mentation to get. In the aforesaid vein arsenic its audiophile ethos, it sports a sleek, no-frills plan that looks much similar studio-grade headphones than a emblematic gaming headset. It besides lives up to the expectations erstwhile it comes to dependable quality, defying the conception that wired headphones hooked done an amp volition springiness you the champion listening experience.

The 90mm planar magnetic drivers inactive leap retired of the spec expanse – it's conscionable not thing you typically spot successful headsets, and portion bigger doesn't ever mean better, Audeze made the astir of these drivers. The clarity crossed each frequencies adjacent astatine louder volumes is impressive, and the well-rounded bass gives a affluent earthy audio profile, which is enhanced by the spacious soundstage that comes with its operator and earcup design. It's similar having a location theatre strapped to your head, arsenic it's suited for some competitory gaming wherever you trust connected elaborate dependable cues and cinematic experiences wherever you expect large dependable effects to beryllium punchy.

Another happening that jumps from the spec expanse is that value – 560g makes it the heaviest headset we recommend, by far. Thankfully, the updated strap plan (while inactive a symptom to adjust) and the plushy earpads support the Maxwell 2 comfy to deterioration for hours connected end. It whitethorn beryllium a spot unwieldy, but immoderate shortcomings are acold outweighed by the upside, similar tremendous artillery life, cleanable microphone, and a no-nonsense app for customization. It sets a precocious barroom for high-end gaming headsets, arsenic I item successful my Audeze Maxwell 2 review, and justifies its asking price.

Extremely durable and flexible

No substance which mentation of the HyperX Cloud headset you spell with, you'll get a prime product. If you’re moving connected a fund and privation to get the astir bang for your buck, I ever urge the wired HyperX Cloud III, which tin often beryllium recovered beneath its $100 basal price. It punches supra its value with awesome dependable and mic prime and large comfort. Plus, it’s built similar a ceramic location truthful it’s not going to autumn isolated done years of use.

Out of the box, the Cloud III impressed maine with its physique and durability – its aluminum framework tin beryllium flexed and contorted successful immoderate which absorption without ever feeling similar it’s going to break. Stretching the headset retired to acceptable connected your caput is ace casual and you tin flip them connected your table without worrying astir damaging them. It's built for comfortableness arsenic good with dense foam earpads wrapped successful a leatherette (just beryllium alert it tends to get a spot sweaty), though its clamp unit whitethorn beryllium a spot overmuch for some.

At the extremity of the day, it’s each astir dependable prime and the Cloud III handles assorted frequencies wonderfully. In my Cloud III headset review, I felt comfy tracking force footsteps portion playing a ton of Valorant and enjoyed the balanced audio successful Final Fantasy XIV, which this much budget-friendly headset handled gracefully. Assuming you’re connected a budget, you astir apt don’t privation to walk other connected a decent microphone – luckily, the mic clarity connected the Cloud III was arsenic arsenic impressive. (And if you're truthful inclined, the wireless mentation of the Cloud III goes connected merchantability for a bully price.)

Comfortable and sensible design

Looking for the close headset successful the mid-range tin beryllium challenging since you're caught betwixt redeeming immoderate wealth going with a cheaper enactment oregon tempting yourself connected spending a spot much spell up a tier. Considering however often the Asus ROG Pelta goes connected sale, and the prime you get retired of it, it makes for a fantastic prime if you're looking to walk betwixt $110–$150.

We precocious reviewed the Asus ROG Pelta and awarded it an 8/10, and our long-time writer and tech reviewer Mark Knapp shares a batch of my aforesaid sentiments, saying, "The Asus ROG Pelta is solid, delivering large dependable for gaming and an exceptional microphone (something fewer wireless headsets manage) portion managing to beryllium highly comfortable. As agelong arsenic you tin find a quiescent situation to crippled in, you’ll get large usage retired of this headset, and you won’t person to complaint often. If you privation an adjacent much unfastened soundstage, determination are high-tier headphones that tin bash it better, but the ROG Pelta is exceptional erstwhile it comes to gaming headsets. Asus has a victor connected its hands and it's capable to basal retired successful a crowded field."

Sleek and comfy similar different Arctis headsets

We person a full of 3 SteelSeries headsets presently connected this list, but the institution has earned its spot arsenic 1 of the apical gaming headset makers with the Arctis Nova lineup that covers the full pricing spectrum. Yes, the Arctis Nova Elite carries a shocking terms tag (upwards of $600), but for astir $50, you tin get the introduction level Arctis Nova 1 that shares galore similarities. It's ace lightweight astatine 236g and has brushed sports mesh padding on with the stretchy suspension set for comfortableness atop your head. I find the Arctis Nova headsets to acceptable a small fight, but they consciousness unafraid to deterioration retired and its earpads equilibrium retired the pressure.

They dependable fantastic for the terms arsenic well, rocking the 40mm audio drivers that astir SteelSeries headsets use. It mightiness not beryllium tuned arsenic precisely arsenic the higher-end entries successful the lineup, but the Arctis Nova 1 inactive puts retired decent bass and wide mids and highs adjacent erstwhile the measurement is pumped up. It's a wired headset truthful you don't get the versatility offered by others, but the tucked-in microphone offers coagulated clarity for Discord calls and in-game chat (and you tin divided the line-in and microphone input for PC users). If you privation the champion dependable for the price, I can't urge the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 enough.

Durable and flexible build

As I mentioned above, Turtle Beach knows what it's doing erstwhile it comes to gaming headsets, and adjacent if I spell down the pricing hierarchy, determination are inactive awesome headsets similar the Stealth 500 to beryllium found. Although it’s rather bulky successful its carnal design, I recovered the Stealth 500 to beryllium casual to wield acknowledgment to its ace flexible headband and durability, which besides translates to coagulated comfortableness that’s casual connected the ears.

More importantly, the dependable prime you get from the Stealth 500 is thing to scoff at. While it whitethorn conflict successful higher frequencies, which thin to dependable a spot crunchy, its beardown bass and wide mids marque games dependable afloat without coming crossed arsenic artificial. With the Swarm software’s Signature Sound profile, you’ll beryllium acceptable without having to fiddle with excessively galore settings. Its positional audio was large arsenic well, which I sussed retired portion playing competitory rounds of Counter-Strike 2, truthful you don’t truly request to ammunition retired the large bucks to get that benignant of advantage.

Even astatine this terms point, you get Bluetooth capabilities and tin swap betwixt devices with the property of a button. While the mic isn’t thing to boast about, it’s serviceable and tin beryllium customized successful the bundle arsenic well. It’s nary astonishment that determination are compromises that request to beryllium made successful budget-level headsets, but it gets the essentials right, which earned it an 8 successful my Stealth 500 review.

No compromises crossed the board

Sticker daze volition deed you with the $600 SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite, but erstwhile you're moving successful genuine audiophile spaces, it comes with the territory. That's a hefty terms tag, but what you get successful instrumentality is simply a gaming headset that stands connected its ain atop the clump for its precisely designed audio drivers and hi-res audio capabilities. If you attraction astir having the implicit champion audio fidelity, perceive to a batch of lossless music, and privation thing that is packed with the latest state-of-the-art features geared toward gaming, thing truly comes adjacent to the Arctis Nova Elite. For these reasons, it earned a uncommon people of 10 successful our Arctis Nova Elite review.

Reviewer Will Judd concluded, "The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite is the champion gaming headset that I've ever tested, offering small, meaningful, and multi-faceted upgrades implicit the already-excellent Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. As with that model, the cardinal to occurrence present is delivering industry-leading oregon astatine slightest competitory prime successful astir each element: audio quality, mic quality, comfort, connectivity, design, software, and features. If you privation the eventual gaming headset astatine immoderate terms – an all-in-one offering that works brilliantly crossed PC, consoles, and mobile – this is what I'd recommend."

I've tested and utilized this headset myself, too, and it lives up to each the hype, which was achievable by improving upon the already large Arctis Nova Pro that's stilll our No. 1 recommendation. Again, the Elite is going to cater to a niche crowd, but if you're successful that crowd, there's conscionable thing similar it.

Fantastic usage of THX Spatial Audio

The Kraken V4 is Razer's flagship headset that's geared much towards luxury features (whereas thing similar the Blackshark V2 is much tuned for the competitory scene). And with that peculiar focus, you get 1 of the champion implementations of virutual situation dependable successful immoderate gaming headset. That's mostly owed to THX Spatial Audio and the information that the Kraken V4 was designed with the diagnostic successful mind. Instead of it sounding similar you're successful an bare hall, there's a batch much item successful the positioning and region of dependable effects, particularly erstwhile the crippled oregon movie you're experiencing was designed with spatial audio successful mind. It's not thing I'd urge for competitory gaming, but having bully theater-like dependable connected a headset is pugnacious to find.

In my reappraisal of the Razer Kraken V4 Pro, I praised its dependable quality, comfort, and situation dependable capabilities, but it carries a heftier terms tag with it being the Pro mode. While it comes with a robust basal station, things similar Sensa haptics conscionable aren't worthy seeking out. You tin get the modular Razer Kraken V4 for importantly little and inactive get the fantastic virtual situation dependable features on with that large audio prime and comfort.

Top-tier sound cancellation

The latest headset from Razer took maine by astonishment with however overmuch it genuinely improved implicit its erstwhile model. With the caller BlackShark V3 Pro, you get a uncommon combo of top-notch audio performance, semipermanent comfortableness with sports mesh padding, and almighty progressive sound cancellation. Even with the sports mesh upholstery connected the earpads, which typically doesn't make arsenic bully of a seal for earthy dependable isolation compared to leatherette, it is impressively beardown astatine blocking extracurricular sound done ANC. While galore different headsets travel with immoderate noticeable distortion with ANC enabled, the BlackShark V3 Pro inactive comes done with cleanable and elaborate dependable quality. So, if ANC is of utmost importance, Razer is doing it amended than astir here.

The Xbox exemplary of the BlackShark V3 Pro comes successful a achromatic strategy with greenish stitching to lucifer the platform's aesthetic, and it looks fantastic. More importantly, its expansive diagnostic acceptable helps it basal retired from a crowded lineup; wired analog audio, Bluetooth, ANC, large microphone clarity, fine-tuned EQ profiles, coagulated artillery life, astute implementation of 3D audio, sensible onboard controls, and the lowest latency (on paper) from a wireless headset frankincense far. Razer paid attraction to the small things, and it paid disconnected successful a worthy flagship product.

There was a batch to praise successful my caller reappraisal of the BlackShark V3 Pro, adjacent though it comes successful astatine a whopping $250 astatine retail price. It has a reasonably balanced audio profile, but tin truly sing with punchy bass and cleanable mids erstwhile tuned right, which was evident successful the galore rounds of Call of Duty Warzone I played erstwhile I was reviewing it. When you stack it against the likes of the Audeze Maxwell and SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro recommended above, it easy competes with those high-end juggernauts, making it 1 of the apical gaming headsets and 1 of Razer's champion yet.

Incredible dependable prime from earbuds

Gaming earbuds are a reasonably caller inclination with the notable peripheral companies similar Razer, Asus, and PlayStation making their ain that are suited for games. It's pugnacious due to the fact that of the constricted operator size and artillery life, earbuds thin to marque sacrifices successful 1 mode oregon another. But the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds are truthful awesome due to the fact that of however uncompromising these small rounded buds are.

On apical of having coagulated foundations of dependable quality, artillery life, and semipermanent comfort, SteelSeries has 1 of the astir robust bundle suites, which is easy controllable done a mobile app. This takes retired the inconvenience of having to flip done PS5 menus to customize the earbuds, portion besides letting you entree its 100+ custom-tuned EQ profiles easily.

Although determination are a fewer insignificant inconveniences with however immoderate of its quality-of-life features enactment (autoplay erstwhile taking it connected and off, connecting done Bluetooth reliably), the GameBuds bash each the important things highly well. While you should decidedly usage these arsenic your superior earbuds to perceive to euphony connected your phone, they truly radiance successful games with the benignant of bold audio acquisition you expect from a headset. They'll brace nicely with your PS5 oregon Switch 2 since you besides get a 2.4GHz USB-C wireless receiver for a no-latency connection; this is my preferred audio setup for Switch 2 acknowledgment to the further USB-C ports, letting maine ditch my aged wired earbuds for good. For each that and more, I gave a 9 to the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds successful my review.

At $160, these person cheaper basal terms than the Razer Hammerheads I antecedently recommended. While I inactive deliberation the Hammerheads person a precise flimsy borderline successful dependable quality, it's the artillery life, bundle support, and wide comfortableness that marque the GameBuds the champion each around.

Best Gaming Headsets Changelog

• 2/6/26: The Audeze Maxwell 2 succeeds its predecessor arsenic our prime for champion high-end wireless gaming headset. The updated Maxwell 2 is simply a tad heavier than the archetypal headset, but it besides has an updated headstrap that carries that value well. Meanwhile, its dependable and artillery beingness stay best-in-class.
• 11/24/25: The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is the caller champion wired fund pick, and the HyperX Cloud III is present the champion wired mid-range choice, giving a wider sum of terms options. Picks person been reorganized based connected terms scope with clearer distinctions betwixt wired and wireless options.
• 10/6/25: The caller SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite is our latest audiophile proposal acknowledgment to its caller audio drivers and high-res audio capabilities, arsenic it's specifically catered to the audiophile-gaming crossover crowd.
• 8/25/25: The champion noise-canceling headset we urge is present the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro. It replaced the Alienware Pro headset, which is inactive a fantastic choice, but Razer's caller gaming headset edges it retired with robust dependable prime and roster of cutting borderline features, arsenic good arsenic amended noise-cancelation. We would inactive urge the Alienware Pro if you privation thing to usage arsenic a casual brace of headphones, however.
• 8/25/25: There is present a champion mid-range prime that goes to the Asus ROG Pelta, a large all-rounder that fits into the $110 to $150 terms range. We precocious reviewed it and it checks each the boxes for a gaming headset that's worthy its terms tag.
• 8/25/25: The champion esports headset class was retired, which was going to the Logitech G Pro X 2. It's inactive 1 of, if not the, champion Logitech gaming headset to date. However, we decided to reprioritize categories that volition beryllium adjuvant to those successful the marketplace for gaming headsets.