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.

Advertisement

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

Best gaming headsets to buy in 2022

Lucidsound LS50X

Read our LucidSound LS50X review

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.

Buy the Lucidsound LS50X for £175.99 at Amazon

PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset

Gold Wireless2

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

razer barracuda 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.

Buy the Razer Baracuda X for £99.99 at Amazon

EPOS H3

The EPOS H3 in white.
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.

Buy the EPOS H3 for £89 at Amazon

Razer Hammerhead buds

razer hammerhead earbuds

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!

Buy the Razer Hammerhead buds for £45.99 at Amazon

Turtle Beach Recon 500

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.

Buy the Turtle Beach Recon 500 for £69.99 at Amazon

Razer Opus X

razer opus x headset

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.

Buy the Razer Opus X for £99.99 at Amazon

Logitech Pro X

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.

Buy the Logitech Pro X for £189.99 at Logitech

HyperX Cloud II Wireless

hyperx cloud 2 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.

Buy the HyperX Cloud II Wireless for £149.99 at Amazon

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.

Looking for something to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.

Advertisement

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.

Authors

Joe JuliansEntertainment Journalist
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement