Best gaming headsets 2023

The best gaming headsets will give you a completely immersive gaming experience, providing crisp, detailed audio that can really up-level your gaming sessions. Along with the sound quality, you will also want your headphones to provide comfort and style, and we've found some brilliant options for you. 

Most headsets these days come with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and more – which is top of the range when it comes to enhancing your sound immersion. You'll be able to hear even the smallest details in the game with complete clarity. Want to know which ones are the best? We've tested only the best headsets for all of the mainstream gaming platforms such as PS5 and PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One), Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite, and even PC.

Whatever your chosen gaming platform, there's something here for everyone - whether you want top of the range or budget, wireless or wired, check out the round-up below for the best of the best in gaming headsets.

Best gaming headsets 2023 

Top 10 gaming headsets

"The Asus ROG Delta S is a super-sounding gaming headset that offers some impressive specs and a few cool customization options, too." – T3's Asus ROG Delta S review

From gaming hardware veterans Asus comes the very impressive Asus ROG Delta S headset, which will work with just about every device out there – though the customization and equalizer software is only available for Windows. This won't suit anyone who definitely wants a wireless set of headphones, but it's well worth considering for everyone else.

It works with a host of gadgets and gizmos via USB-C (or USB-A), from PCs to consoles, and it produces audio quality of the highest order – whether you're wanting to rock out to some tunes or you need to hear everything that's happening during intense gaming sessions.

The headset is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and is well put together too. Add in extras like simulated 7.1 surround sound and support for the high-resolution MQA audio format, and it's easy to see why this made it on to our best gaming headsets list.

Need even more proof that this is a great gaming headset? Well, it's only gone and won the Best Gaming Headset award at the T3 Awards 2021!

It's kind of a given that Sony makes the best PS5 headset option for most people. But it's just the de-facto choice by name alone, it really earns its stripes. How? Well, it's not only sensibly priced, it delivers truly all-encompassing three-dimensional audio that's out of this world, it feels super-lightweight and comfortable to wear, and it's a cinch to use with PS5 but of course.

Sure, it's a bit plasticky and sound isolation isn't great overall, and there's no boom-style mic here (it has mics, they're just hidden), but for the asking price that's all a given really. As we said in our Pulse 3D Wireless review: "[it's] the ideal option for PlayStation gamers".

You know what you're getting with the Trust brand: solid, affordable hardware that you can rely on. That's certainly the case when it comes to the Trust Thian(opens in new tab) gaming headset, which gives you great audio quality in return for not much money at all compared to many of the other options on this list.

Okay it's not the most stylish or well-built pair of headphones out there – and you don't get a detachable mic or any customisation software – but there's no faulting the audio performance, and there are both wired and wireless options to choose from when it comes to getting connected.

Setup is an absolute breeze no matter what device you're using, and these are headphones that are comfortable to wear for an extended period of time too. Think of what else you could spend all the money that you're saving on...

"The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 headset for Xbox impressed us in testing – a PlayStation version is also available, by the way – and we think it's a winner if you're looking to get yourself superior audio without having to pay a huge amount to get it." – T3's Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 review

You can pick up the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 for both Xbox and PlayStation, and both options will work with both current-gen and next-gen consoles. The Xbox version was the one we had in for review, and we were very impressed with the quality of the build and the sound these headphones produced.

The earpads combine memory foam and cooling gel rather well, for a fit that's going to be comfortable across extended gaming sessions, and with the padded, metal-reinforced headband, you don't need to worry about these headphones sliding off.

Across a range of games, the audio was crisp, rich and detailed at all volume levels. As an added bonus, the Stealth 700 Gen 2 comes with Bluetooth connectivity as well as Xbox Wireless connectivity, so you can hook up laptops and phones as well – and music and movie performance are great too.

Considering everything you're getting with this headset – including a flip-out mic – we'd say the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 represents excellent value for money, and this is definitely worth shortlisting whether you buy your consoles from Microsoft or Sony.

"With good audio, a simple setup and long-lasting battery life, the SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless is a winner." – T3's SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless review

SteelSeries has been one of, if not the, best gaming headset maker in the world for the past couple of years, and right here it reboots its very popular Arctis 7 headset for use on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S – say hello to the SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless.

The headset, thanks to a versatile USB Type-C dongle, though, can connect to other systems such as the Nintendo Switch, smartphones, and Xbox One consoles. This makes it more of a refresh of the Arctis 7 with a renewed emphasis on the next-gen, rather than an out-and-out new product.

Regardless, though, it delivers really strong performance across the board, with nuanced audio reproduction across the soundscape, a comfortable design, and a quality Discord-certified ClearCast microphone. For gaming and streaming, the Arctis 7X delivers a very compelling package.

It's not elite-tier in terms of non-gaming applications, and there's no doubting that it retails at the lower end of the high price bracket for gaming headsets, but with its robust build quality (stainless steel headband) and immersive audio, as well as 24-hour battery life on a single charge, this is a headset that will serve Xbox gamers very well for years to come.

"For your money, you get impressive, accurate audio across all types of games and even music, as well as hours of wear without any discomfort." – T3's Razer Barracuda X review

If you don’t want to spend over £100 / AU$150 on a gaming headset and you don’t want to end up with rubbish sound quality either, then the Razer Barracuda X gives you the best of both worlds. 

Razer has stripped back the design of this headset and has focused in on what really matters - performance - and it shows. The audio not only gives you an immersive, 360-degree experience for gaming but you can use the Barracuda X for listening to music too. You won’t find better sound at this price. The microphone is almost as impressive, it’s crystal clear even if it can be a tad quiet at times. You’ll get a whopping 20 hours of battery life from the headset as well. 

There are a few downsides to the Razer Barracuda X, like the fact that there’s no Bluetooth connectivity and you don’t get any manual equaliser settings through desktop software, but in the grand scheme of things those are just minor faults. Overall this is a solid gaming headset that offers fantastic value for money. 

"If you're an Xbox or PC gamer and want a premium headset that offers basically the best of everything, then the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal is it." – T3's Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal review

This is the headset that blew T3's Deputy Editor and gaming headset expert Robert Jones away, with him concluding in his review that:

"If you're an Xbox or PC gamer and want a premium headset that offers basically the best of everything then the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal is it. This headset takes gaming headsets to a new level and, providing you can afford its very expensive price point, then it is a no-brainer purchase."

That is seriously high praise considering the competition that the Portal is up against, and makes it a set of gaming cans that demands attention. Bang & Olufsen is one of the world's finest and most storied audio masters, and here it has poured its expertise into gate-crashing the gaming headset market.

The audio quality is absolutely top-tier, with 40mm electro-dynamic drivers with neodymium magnets, Dolby Atmos for Headphones, active noise-cancellation tech and the aptXTM Adaptive codec combining to deliver incredibly precise and immersive in-game audio.

The killer thing with the Portal, though, is that they are not just limited to use with Xbox or PC systems, with Bluetooth 5.1 and wired 3.mm connectivity allowing them to be used with basically any other piece of hardware you can think of. You can go from gaming on Xbox to listening to music streamed from your phone to watching an epic movie on your tablet in a blink of an eye with the Portal, and that makes it very high price a little more understandable.

The price will obviously mean that the Portal aren't for all gamers, but if you can afford them that you're going to be in for a treat.

"The Roccat Syn Pro Air impresses in most of the areas that matter, not least sound quality and comfort." – T3's Roccat Syn Pro Air review

In terms of sound quality and comfort, as we note in our Roccat Syn Pro Air review,
this headset absolutely nails it. For PC gamers, because this is a gaming headset designed specifically for them, if you prize those two things most (and we think most people do), then this is absolutely a headset to check out.

It's a wireless headset, too, meaning that on top of that comfort and sound quality you get to banish wires entirely thanks to a 2.4GHz wireless receiver, and on top of this great core functionality the Syn Pro Air adds 3D audio and a TruSpeak mic, too.

The comfort comes from the fact that the Syn Pro Air features ProSpecs-grade memory foam earpads and headband, while the defined and balanced audio reproduction comes courtesy of 50mm Nanoclear drivers, with the headset's delivery of Superhuman Hearing tech boosting key in-game sounds.

While this headset does come with Roccat's AIMO lighting system, which is controlled by its NEON software, the actual scope for lighting on the headset isn't massive, though, so RGB junkies may be turned off. There's also no 3.5 mm or wired way of using this headset, so its wireless use with PC only. If you need a headset that can act as you main pair of headphones then this isn't a feasible option.

Overall, though, an exciting and stylish new gaming headset from Roccat, and one that PC gamers should absolutely scope out before making an upgrade decision.

"The Audeze Penrose headset definitely impresses when it comes to the quality of the sound it produces, across music, games and movies." – T3's Audeze Penrose review

What stands out first about the Audeze Penrose headset is its versatility: it can be used with a wired connection, over Bluetooth, or via the bundled 2.4GHz USB dongle, and you can connect it up to Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, the Nintendo Switch, PlayStations and Xboxes (if you want Xbox compatibility, go for the Audeze Penrose X model).

Despite the very reasonable price – these are expensive, but not really for what you get in return – the headphones feature top-tier 100 m planar magnetic drivers, which results in an excellent, rich sound whether you're watching movies on your laptop or gaming on your console.

Throw in a quality fit and finish as well, and you can see why we think this is one of the very best gaming headsets of the moment. Some more advanced features like surround sound would be welcome, but overall we can't fault the Audeze Penrose, especially in terms of audio quality.

Buying advice

How to choose the best gaming headset for you

There are a huge number of headsets and headphones out there for the keen gamer, with most manufacturers offering multiple products with only small variations. While it might be easy to just go with a certain model because of a recognizable brand, before you spend any of your hard-earned cash, it's worth weighing up exactly what you need from your next headset.

Do you want a great-sounding headset for gaming that can also do double duty as a regular pair of headphones, for example? If so, you need to go for a pair of on-ears and, for style and portability issues, one with a built-in or detachable mic.

Equally, if you are looking for a dedicated, heavy-duty headset for streaming and super-long gaming sessions, you'll need a set with excellent battery life, a good boom mic, and an over-ear comfortable fit. Everyone's needs vary to some extent, and the best gaming headset of 2023 is going to be different for everyone.

Who are the best gaming headset makers?

There are lots of gaming headset makers in business today. Some of these firms are specialist gaming headphone producers, who do nothing but that, and others are arms of much bigger companies, who produce a wide-range of gaming accessories and peripherals.

Equally, there are gaming headset makers who have decades of experience under their belt, as well as others who are more young, disruptive new challengers. Here at T3 we've found that while heritage does tend to indicated quality, that is not always the case, though, and often headsets from relatively new makers, such as LucidSound, can outperform similar products from more established producers.

Rating or not rating gaming headset makers is of course subjective, but here at T3 after decades of reviewing gaming headphones, we consider the best gaming headset makers to be:

1. SteelSeries

2. LucidSound

3. Astro

4. Razer

5. Turtle Beach

6. HyperX

7. Roccat

8. Logitech

9. Corsair

10. Audio-Technica

This doesn't mean that headsets in this guide that are not from these makers are poor – far from it. These are just the top 10 companies that, based on empirical evidence, have consistently delivered great gaming headsets.

Gaming headset jargon explained

If you're new to the gaming headset market, or wearable audio products in general, then there's a fair bit of jargon that needs to be processed and understood. Right here T3 provides a small guide to some of the most important terms and phrases, in the aim to make it easier for each gamer to determine which headset will work for them, and which will not.

Type – There are multiple types of gaming headphone styles, but the two most common are over-ear and on-ear. Over-ear headphones have cups that fully encompass each year, and tend to be used on headphones with noise-canceling technology and/or surround sound built-in. On-ear headphones on the other hand have cups that sit on top of the ears and tend to be more compact and direct in terms of their audio delivery.

Drivers – The most important part of each gaming headset, drivers turn electrical signals into hearable sound pressure. In the simplest terms, the better and bigger the driver the better the sound quality will be. Drivers come in magnet, coil and diaphragm types, which determine how they work. Here at T3 we think, as a general rule, a good gaming headset should feature 40mm or larger drivers.

Frequency response – This is important as it determines the entire range of audible sounds the gaming headset can produce. A wider range on paper indicates that the headset is probably more capable than one that has a smaller one, but it is not an indication of sound quality, just the potential of the headphones. Our top-rated gaming headset for PlayStation gamers, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, has a frequency range of 10–40,000 Hz.

Noise cancellation – Noise-canceling technology has developed rapidly over the past five years and is now offered on a fair few gaming headsets. There is both active and passive noise canceling tech, with active the more desirable. In basic terms, active noise canceling works by recording environmental sounds around the gamer and then creating an inverse sound wave to cancel them out within the headset. The result is exterior environmental noise is cut out making in-game audio clearer. Passive systems, on the other hand, just look to block out noise and don't actively try to cancel it out.

Sound pressure level – Finally, sound pressure level (SPL) is, in simple terms, a way of determining just how quiet or loud a set of gaming headphones can go. SPL is often linked to decibels, so simply look for 'dB SPL' in gaming headphone spec sheets. Most gaming headphones will offer between 90 and 105 max dB SPL.

How we test gaming headsets

T3's testing procedure for gaming headsets is detailed and authoritative. Firstly, we examine the package contents and build quality of the headset itself from a fit and finish point of view. We look at this stage for deficiencies in the product and overall package, or things of particular note.

Next up we test out the headset purely from an ergonomic point of view. So we wear the headset and examine its ability to be adjusted for different head shapes and sizes. We wear the headset for a prolonged period to ensure we know how it feels during long gaming sessions.

Thirdly, we then move onto testing the headset's audio reproduction and mic quality. This is done by using the headset in a variety of game types, such as FPS, RPG and RTS, as well as out of game for applications such as Amazon Music Unlimited, Disney Plus, YouTube and Microsoft Teams.

Lastly, we consider the gaming headset in terms of everyday useability from an experiential point of view. This stage is particularly important for headsets that advertise themselves as general-purpose headphones as well as a gaming headset, so we wear them while commuting or on trips out.

When these four stages are complete, we then judge the headset compared to its contemporaries on the market, both in terms of its quality and its price point. It is then here that we finally bestow a star score on a gaming headset, with 5 stars being the best score a product can achieve.

• These are the best laptops for work and play