The 6 Best Headsets For Xbox Series X/S - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best headset for Xbox Series X|S we've tested is the Audeze Maxwell Wireless. Even though these headphones can be hard to find in stock, they can be worth waiting for. If they aren't in stock from online retailers, you might have better luck buying directly from the manufacturer. The Xbox variant of these headphones offers full audio and mic compatibility, whether connected via non-Bluetooth wireless, wired USB, or analog. They have low wireless latency and support Bluetooth, so you can stream chat audio or music from your phone and hear sound from your console. Their battery lasts for over 77 hours continuously, making them a good choice for several long gaming sessions.

These cans have planar magnetic drivers, which helps set them apart from most other gaming headphones on the market, which use dynamic drivers. This design helps them reproduce a more extended low-bass, keep distortion low, and create a wider, more immersive soundstage than closed-back, dynamic counterparts like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. However, these drivers make them quite heavy, and wearing them over long periods can be fatiguing. In addition, their headband only offers a limited adjustment range, making it tricky to get the right fit.

Out of the box, they have a versatile and neutral sound profile that's well-suited for gaming. If you prefer a different sound, you can fine-tune them using their companion app's EQ presets. They have a boom mic and an integrated mic, but if you want to ensure the best performance, the boom mic keeps your voice clear and understandable, even in noisy environments.

If you're looking for premium design at a lower price point, look at the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, the best gaming headset for Xbox Series X in the mid-range. These headphones come with a GameDAC (digital-to-analog converter), which puts valuable controls like volume, EQ, and channel mixing within easy reach. That said, they're less well-built than the Audeze Maxwell Wireless, as their ear cups feel easily removable from the frame, making the headphones seem a bit cheap.

Like most SteelSeries headphones, they have a ski-band headband design to help ensure a comfortable fit during gaming marathons. Unfortunately, it makes the headphones prone to inconsistent audio delivery, so it's important to take the time to ensure you have a good fit. Their somewhat neutral sound profile keeps instruments and dialogue bright and clear in gameplay, but you can also use their EQ to customize them to your liking.

Their boom mic also ensures your voice is clear and natural, even if there's some noise around you. If you still prefer a wireless design or want more casual-looking headphones, consider the Astro A30 Wireless, which also come in an Xbox variant. Using either their boom or integrated mic doesn't produce the same high performance as the SteelSeries, but they support Bluetooth and come with a wireless dongle for gaming on a console.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless lack high-end bells and whistles like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro's GameDAC but represent a solid option for less. They have many features well-suited for gaming, including a wireless dongle that you can use on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation with low latency. They also support Bluetooth, which is great if you want to receive audio from your smartphone while gaming. They last over 33 hours continuously and have an auto-off timer if you forget to turn them off.

They have a bass-rich sound profile out of the box, which can help emphasize sound effects like footsteps or explosions. You can fine-tune them using their companion app's customization features. However, you'll need to disable Sonar and strictly use SteelSeries GG if you want your settings to transfer over to this console. Their boom mic does a very good job overall, so your teammates and enemies alike will hear you clearly, even if you're gaming in a noisy living room.

The best wireless headset for Xbox Series X in the lower mid-range we've tested is the Razer Kaira Pro Wireless for Xbox. Unlike the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless, these headphones have an integrated Xbox Wireless, ensuring low latency while eliminating the use of a dongle or transmitter. They also have a companion app within the Microsoft store, and you can fine-tune their sound to your liking through your console.

Their default sound profile is uneven, though. They deliver a lot of extra boom, which can help emphasize vocals and instruments, but this added bass also muddies dialogue and instruments. Their mic delivers excellent recording quality, so your voice is clear to teammates and enemies alike. It can also separate your voice from background noise well.

These well-built over-ears are comfortable enough for long gaming marathons and last over 19 hours continuously. If you don't want to stress about battery life, it's worth checking out the HyperX Cloud Alpha S instead. These are wired headphones that are more comfortable. They also have a bass slider on each ear cup, so you can easily adjust the bass to suit your tastes. However, their mic has a worse recording quality.

If you're looking for something more budget-friendly for your Xbox, the best headset for Xbox Series S we've tested is the Logitech G432. Unlike the Razer Kaira Pro Wireless for Xbox, these gaming headphones are designed with PCs in mind, meaning their customization features aren't available on Xbox. However, if you're okay with that, their wired design suits them for Xbox gaming.

They have a fairly balanced sound with punchy bass. Their flat mid-range also helps ensure dialogue and instruments reproduce clearly and accurately. However, they're somewhat prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, so it's important to take the time to ensure a good fit when you use them. Their boom mic offers excellent overall performance, meaning teammates will have no problem understanding you well.

At this price point, headphones tend to have simple controls, and these comfortable over-ears only have a volume wheel and mic mute when you flip the mic upwards. Their build also feels plasticky and cheap compared to other options. If you want something sturdier, check out the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 instead. They have a significantly more robust build, but their sound profile isn't as neutral, and they're even more prone to inconsistencies in bass and treble delivery.

If you prefer open-backs for gaming, you'll want to check out the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X, the best Xbox Series X headset with an open-back design we've tested. This enclosure allows audio to leave the ear cups and interact with your environment, creating a more spacious, open, and immersive soundstage than similarly priced closed-back headphones like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X. While they may not be the best choice if you share your space with others since they leak a lot of audio by default and won't block out any background noise, they're worth considering if you have a quiet, dedicated space for gaming.

These headphones have a very comfortable fit to last through long gaming marathons. Their boom mic also captures your voice, even in moderately noisy environments, so your teammates and enemies hear you clearly. Since they're open-back, they struggle to reproduce a thumpy low-bass, but their sound has extra boom to help emphasize sound effects like footsteps in your gameplay. Unfortunately, they lack customization features to help you tweak them to suit your preferences.