The 6 Best Gaming Headsets of 2025

A great gaming headset changes everything. It pulls you deeper into the world, lets you track a rival by the faint scrape of a footstep, and keeps your squad hearing you clearly when the match gets chaotic. Choosing the right one, though, means weighing a few essentials: build quality, long-session comfort, sound tuning, microphone clarity, latency performance, and the way it connects to your platform. If you already own a dedicated mic or want studio-style fidelity, you can also consider pairing audiophile headphones with a separate microphone. For everyone else, the picks below cover the best all-in-one headsets across budgets and systems in 2025.

Best Overall: Audeze Maxwell Wireless

If you want a flagship experience without fiddling, the Audeze Maxwell Wireless sits at the top. Planar magnetic drivers deliver clean detail and punch, while a slightly warm default tuning keeps footsteps, dialogue, and cinematic effects present without harshness. A companion app adds EQ presets for quick tailoring, and spatial audio support (including Dolby Atmos) boosts immersion in shooters and RPGs alike. A low-latency USB dongle keeps audio locked to the on-screen action, and you can still use Bluetooth when you’re away from your console or PC. Battery life is exceptional at well over 70 hours, and the detachable boom mic cuts through background noise so team comms stay crisp. Compatibility spans PC, PlayStation, and Xbox variants, making it an easy top pick for multi-platform players.

Prefer something lighter with lots of software controls? The Astro A50 X trades some battery endurance for comfort and a deeper app, though it loses the Maxwell’s marathon runtime and doesn’t offer a wired fallback when the battery taps out.

Best Upper Mid-Range: Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless

For PC and PlayStation users, the G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED hits a sweet spot. Its 2.4 GHz dongle keeps latency low, Bluetooth is on board for off-console use, and the tuning leans warm for a cinematic feel that doesn’t drown out dialogue. You can plug an auxiliary source into the dongle to hear chat or music alongside game audio, and the boom mic does a strong job separating your voice from room noise. Battery life is spectacular, stretching toward triple digits in hours for most people.

Trade-offs to note: recording quality is fine but not studio-natural, and aggressive Blue Voice tweaks can make you sound processed. Bluetooth is single-device only, so no seamless phone-plus-PC mixing. If multi-device pairing matters, the Astro A30 Wireless can juggle sources more easily, though it isn’t as comfy and won’t last as long per charge.

Best Mid-Range: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless (7 / 7P / 7X)

The Nova 7 line is a crowd-pleaser for good reason. A low-latency dongle, a comfortable suspension band, and a warm, energetic sound signature make it a strong daily driver. The midrange is balanced enough to keep voices clear, bass has satisfying weight for explosions, and the companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets. Battery life lands around the 30-hour mark, and unlike many wireless headsets, this one still works over analog when you need it.

Two caveats: the sidetone monitor has a noticeable noise floor, and while the mic sounds clean and natural, it isn’t the very best in this list. If you only plan to play wirelessly, the Arctis Nova 5 is a solid alternative with a longer battery but no wired option. As for variants, the 7X is the flexible choice if you want Xbox support and cross-play with PC and PlayStation via the dongle; the 7 and 7P focus on PC/PlayStation.

Best Lower Mid-Range: Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3)

On a tighter budget but still want modern features? The Stealth 600 Gen 3 lands a lot of hits. The flip-to-mute boom mic sounds impressively clear and resists room noise, the wireless dongle keeps delay low, and the battery is a monster, frequently stretching beyond 80 hours between charges. Platform variants cover PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. If you play across platforms, the Xbox version offers the most flexibility because it also works with PC and PlayStation over the dongle.

Trade-offs show up in the tuning and connectivity. There’s no wired mode, and the default EQ bumps bass and upper treble, which can add excitement but also push dialogue toward muddy or effects toward bright. The companion app’s graphic EQ helps you dial it in. Bluetooth and dongle can stay connected simultaneously, but you have to switch which source you’re hearing with a button press rather than mixing them.

Best Budget: Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless

If your budget is strict, the G435 is the safe, simple pick. It’s lightweight, keeps latency low whether you’re on the dongle or Bluetooth, and its warm tilt gives games a satisfying thump without burying voices. The dual-beamforming mic array makes your voice sound bright and intelligible, though it isn’t as full as a dedicated boom. Expect around 20 hours per charge in typical use.

Limitations are the price you pay: the plastic build is basic, passive isolation is poor, there’s no EQ for fine-tuning, and Xbox compatibility isn’t on the menu. Still, for casual sessions or a first headset, it does the fundamentals well for less.

Best Open-Back: Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X

Open-back fans who prefer a spacious, speaker-like presentation should start here. The PC38X is light, comfortable, and refreshingly natural-sounding, with a boom mic that keeps your voice full and clear. The open design won’t slam low-bass like a closed cup, but it pays you back with a wide, airy soundstage that excels in single-player games and tactical shooters where positional audio matters. Being open, it leaks sound and lets in noise, so it’s not ideal for dorms or busy living rooms.

Want that open feel without a cable? Turtle Beach Atlas Air offers wired and 2.4 GHz modes with improved mic noise handling, though the treble tilt can be fatiguing for some and comfort isn’t quite as plush.

Notable Mentions

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (PC/PS/Xbox): Premium build and a desktop dock with on-the-fly controls. The Audeze Maxwell edges it on out-of-box tuning, mic performance, spatial features, and raw battery life.
Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless: A commuter-friendly pick thanks to strong active noise cancelling. For pure gaming durability and feel, Logitech’s G PRO X 2 build quality still wins, and the Barracuda Pro is wireless-only.
Razer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed Wireless: Excellent boom mic for online play and solid latency. Skips analog input and leans brighter than the Nova 7, which makes it slightly less versatile across genres.
SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds: In-ear alternative with IP55 resistance and decent ANC for on-the-go gaming. Battery life can’t match over-ears, but portability is a big plus.
Sony INZONE Buds Truly Wireless: Low-latency performance and ANC in a compact package. Best for PC and PlayStation players, since Xbox compatibility is absent.
Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO: Wired open-back with a balanced tilt and a removable-cable boom mic. Comfortable and clear, though it lacks spare pads and isn’t as cushy as the PC38X over long sessions.

How to Choose the Right Headset

Comfort first: Look for low clamp force, breathable pads, and headband designs that distribute weight. A light set you can wear for hours beats a heavy “audiophile” tank you keep taking off.
Sound tuning: A mild bass lift adds impact; a clear midrange preserves dialogue; restrained treble avoids fatigue. A built-in EQ is a lifesaver if you like to tweak.
Microphone quality: If teammates can’t understand you, nothing else matters. Boom mics typically beat inline or beamforming mics for natural tone and noise rejection.
Latency and connections: A 2.4 GHz dongle is the safest low-latency route for competitive play. Bluetooth is convenient, but not all chipsets are equal for gaming delay.
Compatibility: Check whether the model or variant covers your platform. Xbox support often requires a specific version of the headset or dongle.
Open vs. closed: Closed-back isolates better and hits harder in the low end; open-back sounds wider and more natural but leaks sound.

Recent Updates

July 10, 2025: Reviewed picks for accuracy and availability; tightened wording for clarity.
May 16, 2025: Added SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds as an in-ear option for players who prefer earbuds.
March 17, 2025: Refreshed details and included Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO as another wired open-back choice.
January 16, 2025: Updated text to reflect measurement and testing refinements.
November 12, 2024: Included Arctis Nova 5 Wireless as a mid-range alternative for wireless-only gamers and aligned descriptions with our latest testing approach.

These six headsets cover nearly every need, from marathon MMO nights to ranked shooters and story-heavy epics. Match the connection type and comfort profile to your platform and playstyle, use EQ when available, and you’ll land a setup that sounds great today and still feels good after hour five tomorrow.