A dedicated gaming headset is a great way to improve your gaming experience, especially if you love feeling immersed in rich cinematic soundscapes or like to catch approaching enemy footsteps as soon as possible. You'll want headphones that are comfortable enough for marathon gaming sessions and have a good-quality microphone so you can chat on voice comms.
The choice between wireless and wired headphones depends on your personal usage. Some users prefer the freedom of movement afforded by wireless headphones, but if you won't be moving around much, wired options are great and have almost zero latency. If you already have a separate microphone, a pair of wired audiophile headphones can also do the trick.
We've tested over 845 headphones, and below are our recommendations for PC gaming headsets. If you also game on other platforms, check out our recommendations for the best PS5/PS5 Pro headsets and the best Xbox Series X/S headsets. If you're looking for a more portable fit, check out the best earbuds for gaming.
Quick Look
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one, so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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Best PC Gaming Headset
Comfort7.0Controls7.6Noise Isolation - Full Range5.3Battery9.0Build Quality8.0Recording Quality7.5Peaks/Dips7.8See all our test resultsMicrophone (In Development)8.3The best PC gaming headset we've tested is the Audeze Maxwell Wireless. Out of the box, they have a slightly warm sound profile with added rumble and thump that make in-game sound effects feel exciting, but they still represent instruments and sound effects naturally and with plenty of detail. Voices are rendered accurately so you can understand teammates even during busy fights. The Maxwell stand apart from other high-end gaming headsets because of their planar magnetic drivers and audiophile focus, supporting high bit-depth audio even via their wireless dongle. For casual use, they also support Hi-Res audio codecs via Bluetooth, like LDAC and LC3.
Their drivers make them a bit heavier than our other entries, so you might need to take a couple of breaks if you're in the middle of a marathon gaming session, but their 78-hour battery life means you won't be stuck needing to recharge every time you do. If you'd prefer more comfortable, lighter gaming headphones, the Astro A50 X are worth checking out. They can connect your PC, PlayStation, and Xbox simultaneously, although you can't use their HDMI 2.1 passthrough with your PC. Unfortunately, their mic doesn't separate your voice from noise as well as the Audeze, and their battery life is a shorter 26.4 hours.
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Best Upper Mid-Range PC Gaming Headset
Comfort7.5Controls8.4Noise Isolation - Full Range7.3Battery9.4Build Quality7.5Recording Quality8.1Peaks/Dips7.3See all our test resultsMicrophone (In Development)7.8The Razer Blackshark V3 Pro are our upper mid-range pick for PC gamers. Unlike the Audeze Maxwell Wireless, these use the more common dynamic driver design, which shaves off a bit of weight. While the Audeze are known for their relatively warm sound profile, the Razer diverge with a more excited tuning that highlights the low-end and trebly details of your games' audio. Immersive rumbling effects and clashing swords cut through with their V-shaped default tuning, but if you prefer a different sound, you can use the EQ tools in the companion PC software.
This headset also includes active noise cancelling (ANC) to supplement the passive isolating properties of the earpads and fit. While the ANC doesn't rank amongst the best on any over-ears, it's still fairly uncommon on gaming cans, and does a decent job of softening the sounds in your space to help you focus. With ANC enabled, the battery lasts an impressive 42 hours in Ultra Low Latency Mode (using the wireless USB-C dongle while connected to a second device), or just shy of 70 hours with a single connection and ANC on. Their connectivity options are also quite flexible, featuring wireless USB-C, wired USB-C, Bluetooth, and analog audio with microphone support. However, it's worth noting that you can't have two simultaneous Bluetooth connections, unlike the Audeze. The detachable boom mic sounds very good, too, so enemies will hear you egg them on with pristine clarity. Meanwhile, the onboard controls are comprehensive and easy to distinguish by feel, covering everything from chat mix to ANC.
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Best Mid-Range PC Gaming Headset
Comfort7.5Controls7.6Noise Isolation - Full Range4.8Battery9.3Build Quality7.5Recording Quality7.8Peaks/Dips7.1See all our test resultsMicrophone (In Development)7.7The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is the best wireless gaming headset for PC in the mid-range we've tested. These headphones have a warm sound profile that emphasizes sound effects like footsteps and the rumble of explosions. While their mid-range is relatively flat, reproducing accurate dialogue, they have a somewhat inconsistent treble response out of the box, with sibilants rendered dull or piercing depending on their pitch. Fortunately, you can customize their sound to your tastes via their companion app's parametric EQ. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can connect them to your phone via Bluetooth at the same time as your PC via their wireless dongle.
Compared to the Razer Blackshark V3 Pro, these headphones have a shorter battery life of roughly 30 hours of juice, and they don't have ANC, but 30 hours is still plenty, and ANC isn't common in headsets at this tier. If you only plan to game wirelessly, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 are worth checking out, as they last almost 50 hours and have a slightly better mic than the Nova 7. However, the Nova 5 can't be used via a wired connection, so they're a little less versatile than our pick. You'll still sound natural when using the Nova 7's mic, though its higher noise floor might distract others if you aren't using any software noise attenuation.
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Best Lower Mid-Range PC Gaming Headset
Comfort7.5Controls7.5Noise Isolation - Full Range4.9Battery8.9Build Quality6.5Recording Quality7.8See all our test resultsPeaks/Dips8.0For gamers looking to get the most essential features without paying a lot, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3) is the best wireless gaming headset for PC. Don't let their price fool you, though; these headphones have many gamer-centric features, including a great companion app and a flip-up-to-mute microphone. Their mic punches above their price point, performing just as well as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7's. It's great at separating your voice from any noise around you, so whoever you're talking to won't be distracted when your noisy roommates start playing tunes in the next room.
Their low-latency wireless dongle provides a great connection for gaming. You can also connect them to your phone via Bluetooth, but you can't hear audio via both Bluetooth and dongle connections simultaneously, unlike with the SteelSeries. Still, a simple press of the QuickSwitch button means it's not too difficult to take a mid-game phone call, but you'll just have to settle for listening to music from your PC.
With a fairly excited sound profile, they do a good job making rumbly explosions and clashing swords come alive, but this can come at the cost of making other audio, like dialogue, sound both too boomy and piercing. Luckily, their companion app includes a graphic EQ, so you can tailor these to your preferences. They're not as well-built as more expensive headphones like the SteelSeries or the Audeze Maxwell Wireless, but they have a comfortable fit and an amazing 85-hour battery life.
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Best Budget PC Gaming Headset
Comfort7.5Controls5.6Noise Isolation3.3Battery8.5Build Quality6.5Recording Quality6.8See all our test resultsPeaks/Dips7.3If you're a PC gamer looking to keep your expenditure down, the Logitech G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless are a great budget pick. You can't use these headphones via a wired connection, but they offer a decent wireless gaming experience via their low-latency dongle connection. They're comfortable, especially if you have a smaller head.
They have a warm sound profile out of the box, which makes effects like footsteps easy to hear and soundtracks exciting. A mid-range dip can cause dialogue to sound a touch distant, but there's enough brightness to ensure you won't miss anything your teammates say. Overall, they present a variety of game audio with sufficient detail to ensure an enjoyable experience while wearing them.
Like most headphones in this price range, they don't offer extra features like an EQ to adjust their sound, and their 20-hour battery life also doesn't come close to the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (Gen 3)'s 85 hours. Their mic is adequate, but doesn't perform as well as the Turtle Beach's. If you want to keep costs down but microphone quality is important, consider the Logitech G432. These are wired-only, but they present your voice more accurately to whoever you're talking with.
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Best Open-Back PC Gaming Headset
Comfort8.0Controls5.6Noise Isolation - Full Range1.5Build Quality7.5Recording Quality8.7Peaks/Dips8.6See all our test resultsMicrophone (In Development)8.0The Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X are the best open-back headphones for PC gaming we've tested. Unlike the other options on this list, these headphones have ear cups that aren't sealed. This allows audio to leak out of the cups and interact with your environment, resulting in a wider and more immersive sound. The downside is they're not the best choice for a noisy environment, as they don't block out much sound and leak a lot of audio.
These headphones are well-built and comfortable enough to wear for long gaming sessions. Like many open-back headphones, these lack low bass, so effects like explosions are robbed of their rumble. However, they still have enough high bass to ensure cinematic Taiko drums have plenty of boom, and effects like footsteps feel immersive. Their well-balanced mid-range accurately and with detail renders dialogue and instruments.
These headphones also have a great mic that captures your voice naturally and with plenty of body, so whoever you're gaming with will hear you clearly. However, these headphones can only be used with a wired connection, and they don't come with additional software. If you like the idea of a deeper, wider soundstage but want to game wirelessly, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air are worth considering. They have a similarly open sound to the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS and a great microphone. You can also use them wired if you like, and they can connect to your other devices via Bluetooth. However, you can't hear audio simultaneously via their wireless dongle and Bluetooth connections. That said, the Turtle Beach are less comfortable than our pick for marathon gaming sessions.
Notable Mentions
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SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite:
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite is a premium tier headset with ANC and flexible connectivity, but it's much more costly than Audeze Maxwell with a shorter battery life (even with hot-swappable batteries). Although for the right person, it's a worthwhile choice.
See our review -
Razer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed Wireless:
The Razer BlackShark V2 HyperSpeed Wireless' mic performs noticeably better than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7, so they're a good choice for fans of online gaming. However, these headphones aren't as well-built and lack gamer-centric features like on-ear channel mixing.
See our review -
Sennheiser HD 560S:
The Sennheiser HD 560S are audiophile headphones that work well for gaming. Like the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X, their balanced sound profile renders dialogue and effects accurately. However, you'll need to bring your own mic if you plan to chat on comms.
See our review -
Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless:
The Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless are a solid alternative to the Razer Blackshark V3 Pro if you don't need ANC. Their 100-hour battery life is impressive, and they include comprehensive software; however, they don't block out noise as effectively.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 19, 2025:
This article was updated to replace the Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless with the Razer Blackshark V3 Pro for the upper mid-range pick, and to move the Logitech to the Notable Mentions. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite has been added to the Notable Mentions. The Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless was removed from the Notable Mentions because the Blackshark V3 Pro outperforms it in most metrics, and the Sony INZONE Buds Truly Wireless were also removed to tighten the scope of the article to over-ears.
May 07, 2025:
We've updated this text to bring it into line with changes made as part of our Test Bench 2.0 update, but we haven't changed our picks.
Apr 11, 2025:
We've edited our text to improve its clarity and ensure all hyperlinks are up to date, but we haven't changed our picks.
Mar 13, 2025:
We've updated the article for accuracy, but our picks remain unchanged.
Feb 11, 2025:
We've edited this text to ensure compatibility with updates made as part of Test Bench 1.8 but haven't changed our picks.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best gaming headphones for PC to buy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our headphone reviews, sorted by their wireless gaming performance. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection, especially if you don't care about having a microphone or wireless features.