Top 6 Best PC Gaming Headsets of 2023

PC gaming is still considered “the real way of gaming” by gaming purists. Finding the right headset here can be even more difficult than finding one for a console. This is because all headsets are compatible with PCs, but not all headsets are compatible with consoles.

Thus, you are thrown into a sea of headsets, drowning in doubt over which headset to buy. But fear not, we are here to help. We scoured the ocean and traveled the continents in search of the best PC gaming headsets, and finally, here they are!

Top 6 Best PC Gaming Headsets  To Buy of 2023

1 SteelSeries Arctis 7

The Arctis 7 is a budget wireless headset that offers solid performance. It uses a ski goggles type band to strap onto your head. It’s comfortable and never feels like it’s crushing your skull. The frame is made of aluminum and feels sturdy. The vinyl padding is soft and comfortable, and the airweave earpads stay nice and cool for long periods of time.

The sound on offer here is superb. The headset has a very balanced, neutral sound that suits any form of media and games. When you play games, the different sound effects, voices, and music are all equally balanced. And there is no audio masking present.

The headset also offers surround sound that actually sounds pretty well. The stereo separation and sound staging are superb. When you play FPS shooters, you won’t be left wondering where the fire came from.

The ski band clamps down hard enough to form a really good seal, but don’t expect ANC quality.

The boom microphone is one of the few flaws here. The microphone de-emphasizes a lot of the low-end frequencies. So, people with low/deep voices might find that they sound unnatural or robotic.

The headset opts for an RF transmitter, which offers superior latency over Bluetooth headphones.

The battery life isn’t the best at 16 hours on a full charge.

Want to find out even more? No problem, check out our review of the SteelSeries Arctis 7.

2 HyperX Cloud Alpha

HyperCloud offers a great budget headset with the HyperX Cloud Alpha.

For a budget headphone, the headset feels pretty premium. The aluminum frame offers great durability and very little flex. The vinyl wrapped earpads are soft and comfortable. Vinyl earpads tend to get a little hot after long hours of use, but never to the point that it becomes unbearable.

The longevity of the headset is further increased with removable parts. You can replace the microphone, cable, and ear cups. However, the HyperX does not include an extra pair of earpads in the box.

For a budget headset, it really does offer some premium sound, and the sound quality is excellent, no matter what you use it for. Listening to music, watching Netflix, or blowing up buildings in a game. The untampered sound frequencies provide a great base for any style of music or game. Couple that with great noise isolation, and you’ve got a recipe for a super sounding headset.

The noise isolation is great here. There is very little sound leaking, so you can play your games while your other half sleeps peacefully.

The microphone quality is average and not much to write home about. It does peak at high volumes, so don’t shout over the microphone when you get killed twice by the same person.

It’s not a wireless headset and connects with a 3.5 mm audio jack. Regardless it’s a great budget headphone under $100.

Need more info? Simply take a look at our review of the HyperX Cloud Alpha.

3 SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC

The GameDAC provided with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro offers easy sound customization and control. It’s perfect for gamers who prefer not to turn off their game to mess around on software.

The Arctis Pro is big and sturdy. The aluminum headband straps on with an elastic band like a pair of ski goggles. The air weaved fabric is soft and really comfy. It also stays cool for longer than the typical vinyl found on many headphones.

The microphone is not detachable, but it can retract when not in use. The quality of the mic is average, and it de-emphasizes the low-end frequencies making deeper voices sound a little thin. There was some peaking when we spoke loudly, but nothing that rendered it unusable.

The attached DAC can control many features like the in-chat volume and mix, RGB lights, and the volume of the sound itself.

The headset features a very typical gaming sound profile with the boosted low ends. However, this does cause some audio masking when there is a lot of different noises or instrumentation.

The DTS X2 technology provides amazing surround sound. The sound stage feels like a real 3D environment, and pinpointing where a sound came from is super easy.

4 Razer Thresher Ultimate

The Razer Thresher Ultimate is a decent wireless gaming headset, at a cost. This headset was made to cater to PC and Xbox players alike. However, it is important to note that some extra features included only work on the Xbox.

The durable metal frame is padded and quite comfy. The earpads are well padded and thick. They are comfortable when worn, even for long periods of time. The Razer Thresher Ultimate is a bulky headset but never feels too heavy or uncomfortable. And the company even includes carved grooves in the frame for people who wear glasses.

Razer opts for a well-balanced mix when it comes to sound, unlike most gaming headsets that overemphasize the bass. And the headset performs well for all types of media – music sounds clear and punchy, and movies sound great as well.

The headset really shines when it comes to gaming, which really comes alive. Razer provides a decent sound stage; all FPS players will appreciate that. Knowing where the shots are coming from is very important, especially when you play online.

The headset clamps down well, which leads to a decent seal and sound isolation. It’s not the best, though, and at this price, there are proper ANC headphones available.

The microphone sounds really good and is easily adjusted.

This is a wireless headphone, which means it works with a battery. You will get 16 hours from a single charge, not the best, but enough for a days’ worth of gaming.

If you’re a fan of Razor, find out about their entire range in our review of the Best Razer Gaming Headsets.

5 Sennheiser Game One

The Sennheiser Game One is a trustworthy, affordable headset that provides great performance.

The red accents might be out of place for Sennheiser, but it does look really good. The headset is all matte black and takes a lot of design cues from modern headphones. The black finish doesn’t get scratched very easily and also isn’t a fingerprint magnet.

The biggest difference with these from most other gaming headsets is that the Game One are an open-back headset. If you’re an audiophile, the open back might have you jumping for joy. However, an open back design allows a lot of ambient noise in, fine when you’re at home, but not so great at a LAN party or on the bus.

The headset provides superb, neutral sound. This means that music, movies, and games sound the way they were intended to. It also means the user can customize the EQ to their liking. The balanced sound also means the Game One can be used for all types of media consumption and will sound excellent regardless of what audio is going through them.

The microphone, which is powered separately from the headset (the connector is split with two 3.5 mm jacks. One for audio and one for the microphone), leaves a little to be desired. It’s very quiet and needs you to almost shout to get to an audible volume.

If you love great sounding audio and want an open-backed design, this is your best option on a budget. But, if you want something that actually isolates noise, you’re better off looking at something like the Cloud Alpha from HyperX.

Find out even more in our comprehensive Beyerdynamic Custom Game review.

6 Sennheiser GSP 600

The Sennheiser GSP 600 is the epitome of gaming headphones. From its design to the sound, it is practically shouting gaming from the top of its lungs. Its design says, “look at me, I’m a gamer from the early ’90s, and I never grew up.”

Sennheiser takes the boxy route to heart, literally. The design is big, clunky, and as square as well… a square.

The big, heavy design also isn’t very comfortable to wear. The headset is somewhat top heavy, putting the top of your head under a lot of pressure. The soft, thick earpads help a bit, but the heavy clamp already does too much damage.

The sound quality is good but can be grating over extended periods of play. This is because of the mid-range frequency boost. Vocals are especially loud on this headset. It’s lively sounding and great for most types of music and games, but can become harsh over extended periods at higher volumes.

The best part about the headset is Sennheiser’s amazing sound stage. Just like the Game One, you get an amazing sense of depth and awareness whilst listening to the headset. This is vitally important for games where you need to know where the explosions and gunfire are coming from.

The microphone on here is also exceptional, with crystal clear representation and no peaking or distortion whatsoever.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Headsets Do Pro-gamers Use?

Pro gamers actually wear earbuds during large E-Sports events for gameplay audio. The large overhead earphones only act as noise-canceling devices, feeding white noise into the player’s ears to block out the noise from the crowd.

There are many different brands associated with gaming. You’ll find a lot of pros using either SteelSeries, Sennheiser, or HyperX. It’s strange, because the average person thinks of Razer when asked about gaming headsets, but very few pro gamers actually use the brand.

Alliances Dota 2 team use the Sennheiser Game Zero headsets. These are definitely one of the most used headsets in the pro gamer arena at the moment.

Danil Ashutin, better known as Dendi, uses HyperX’s Cloud 2. These are a premium pair of headphones, but if you’re on a budget, the Cloud Alpha is also a great option.

Connor Prince, aka “Avast,” who plays Overwatch for his team Boston Uprising uses a pair of Sennheiser HD201.

What Are The Most Comfortable Gaming Headsets?

Definitely SteelSeries, with Logitech coming in a close second.

SteelSeries and Logitech both equip most of their headsets with a soft fabric that breathes much better than the vinyl wrapped earpads that are very in fashion at the moment.

This means more airflow, which leads to cooler ears for longer periods of time. Sure, they still heat up eventually, but never as much as the vinyl wrapped earpads.

Are Gaming Headsets Worth It?

It depends if you already own a quality pair of earphones. If you do, it’s not really worth buying a separate headset just for gaming. Unless you are upgrading to something better.

However, if you don’t own a headset and want a headset that can do everything well, including gaming, yes, it is a good idea.

There are some stellar headsets that offer amazing sound, and not just for games, but for music and movies too. If you are an avid gamer, but also want something you can take on a commute to work or watch Netflix with, headsets like SteelSeries’ Arctis 7 are capable of doing anything you throw at it.

Are Wireless Gaming Headsets Worth It?

This all depends on how you game and the purpose the headset has to fulfill. Again, if you are looking for a jack of all trades, yes, a wireless headset will be better.

The same goes if you’re a console gamer. Wireless headsets have come a long way, especially those with RF transmitters that offer almost latency-free gaming. That said, if you are only gaming on a PC, it really won’t matter. So, if you’re on a budget, a wired headset will be cheaper. This means more for less!

Are Gaming Headsets Better Than Headphones?

No, they just serve a different purpose.

There are headphones in the market that are also great for gaming, such as the Sony WH-1000XM3. That is, if you use it wired and not with the latency issues of Bluetooth functionality. Its microphone sounds excellent and isolates your voice really well. Perfect for online gaming.

Then again, if you’re on a budget, it’s better to stick to a gaming headphone. You will find budget headphones don’t always have great microphones or decent sound staging. Things that are more important for games than consuming media.

Are Wired or Wireless Better For Gaming?

At this point in time, there really isn’t much of a difference. RF transmitters are nearly lag free, and the wireless headsets have great battery life and not to mention, no cords!

Serious PC gamers still swear by wired headsets, but honestly, most wireless headsets can still be used with a wire. If you are gaming casually, the little bit of latency won’t make a difference. Once things get serious, just plug in the 3.5 mm cable and game away.

Need Even More Choice?

No problem at all, simply check out our comprehensive reviews of the Best Wireless Playstation 4 Headsets, or the Best Gaming Headsets, as well as the Best Nintendo Switch Gaming Headsets on the market.

Alternatively, you might be interested in our reviews of the Logitec G432 or the Playstation Gold Wireless.

Best PC Gaming Headsets Round-Up

There you have it, folks. And in our opinion, the best headset for PC gaming for wired gamers is the… HyperX Cloud Alpha.

and the best for wireless geeks is the… SteelSeries Arctis 7.

These headsets check all the boxes when it comes to a gaming headset and perform as needed exceptionally well. It’s better to find a headset that does everything well, than a headset that is the best at one thing, but has faults in other areas.

Both of these are super comfy and offer impeccable sound quality at a budget-friendly price. What more do you need!

Happy gaming.