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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated Jun 04, 2018 at 03:11 pm
Latest change: Writing modified Nov 23, 2023 at 10:38 am
Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset Picture
8.0
Neutral Sound
4.1
Commute/Travel
5.7
Sports/Fitness
5.5
Office
5.8
Wireless Gaming
7.8
Wired Gaming
6.9
Phone Calls

The Sennheiser Game One is a simple and comfortable gaming headset with great sound quality. These headphones have a wired design, so they suffer in range but have practically no latency, making them suitable for both gaming and watching movies. They also have open ear cups, which is relatively rare for gaming headsets. This gives them a better soundstage but makes them even less suitable for loud environments and outdoor use. Unfortunately, they lack a few active features compared to other gaming headphones in their price range.

Our Verdict

8.0 Neutral Sound

Great for neutral listening. The Game One have a well-balanced sound quality and an open design that gives them a more open soundstage than many gaming headsets. Also, although they may lack a little bass for gaming, their neutral sound and comfortable design make them a good option for casual and neutral listening.

Pros
  • Open and balanced audio reproduction.
  • Great microphone quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation, by design.
  • Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
  • High leakage, by design.
4.1 Commute/Travel

Not made for commuting. They have an open design that barely blocks ambient noise, so they won't be suitable for commuting or traveling. They're also not very portable.

Pros
  • Open and balanced audio reproduction.
  • Great microphone quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation, by design.
  • Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
  • High leakage, by design.
5.7 Sports/Fitness

Sub-par for sports. Although they have a breathable design, they're not stable enough to be a decent option for running. Their bulky design has a mediocre-at-best control scheme and sways a lot during physical activity.

Pros
  • Open and balanced audio reproduction.
  • Great microphone quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation, by design.
  • Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
  • High leakage, by design.
5.5 Office

Sub-par for office use. Their open design leaks a lot, which may be distracting to the people around you. They also don't block a lot of ambient noise, so if you have a lively office, you can hear all the chatter.

Pros
  • Open and balanced audio reproduction.
  • Great microphone quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation, by design.
  • Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
  • High leakage, by design.
5.8 Wireless Gaming

This wired gaming headset can't be used wirelessly.

7.8 Wired Gaming

Good for gaming. The Sennheiser Game One have great sound quality, a comfortable design, low latency, and a good mic that filters out a lot of noise. Since they're open-back, they have a slightly more spacious soundstage than other gaming headsets. They're also more breathable, so you can wear them longer, but they're less isolating. Unfortunately, they lack software support and customization options.

Pros
  • Open and balanced audio reproduction.
  • Great microphone quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation, by design.
  • Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
  • High leakage, by design.
6.9 Phone Calls

Pros
  • Open and balanced audio reproduction.
  • Great microphone quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation, by design.
  • Slightly bulky and cumbersome design.
  • High leakage, by design.
  • 8.0 Neutral Sound
  • 4.1 Commute/Travel
  • 5.7 Sports/Fitness
  • 5.5 Office
  • 5.8 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.8 Wired Gaming
  • 6.9 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Nov 23, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO in Style.
  2. Updated Aug 11, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  3. Updated Feb 18, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  4. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  5. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  6. Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  7. Updated Nov 09, 2017: Review published.
  8. Updated Nov 07, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
  9. Updated Nov 07, 2017: Early access published.
  10. Updated Nov 05, 2017: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  11. Updated Sep 07, 2017: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Sennheiser Game One are comfortable wired gaming headphones with great sound quality. This makes them a good choice for critical listening, and their wired design means they have no latency when watching videos and gaming. Unfortunately, they lack in features compared to most gaming headsets in their price range, so they won't be as convenient for gaming as some of the models compared below. You also can't remove their boom mic, and since they have an open-back design, they will not be suitable for outdoor use.

See our recommendations for the best gaming headsets and the best gaming headsets under $100.

Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019

The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 are better open-back gaming headphones than the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset. The Astro have more controls and better customization support via their app, which the Sennheiser lack. The Astro feel better built and have a great bass performance despite their open-back design. However, some people have reported issues using the companion software, which is a bit disappointing. On the other hand, the Sennheiser might offer better value if you don’t really have a need for an app, as they are quite versatile and work with every console that has the appropriate jack, while you need a console-specific model for the Astro.

Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X

The Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X perform similarly to the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset. While both headphones are well-built, comfortable, the Sennheiser have a slightly better overall boom mic performance. However, the Drop have significantly better bass accuracy.

HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II

The HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II and the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset are both good gaming headsets, but each performs better in different ways. The open-back Sennheiser has better audio reproduction and will be more open-sounding than the HyperX, but some may feel like it is a bit lacking in sub-bass. The mic of the Sennheiser also offers a better recording quality. On the other hand, the HyperX has channel mixing when used via USB and is more comfortable and better built. They are also more versatile, as their closed-back design blocks more ambient noise, and you can fully detach the microphone for a more outdoor-friendly look.

EPOS Sennheiser GSP 600

The Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset is better for wired gaming than the EPOS Sennheiser GSP 600. The Game One are more comfortable, and they have better frequency response consistency. Also, thanks to their open-back design, they have a better soundstage. That said, the closed-back GSP 600 have better noise isolation and leakage performances. Also, they're better built and more stable.

HyperX Cloud Alpha

The Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset is a slightly better wired gaming headset than the HyperX Cloud Alpha. While they're both similarly comfortable, the Sennheiser have a better-balanced sound profile and a more consistent frequency response. Their boom microphone also has a remarkable performance overall. However, the HyperX feel more durable and are better built.

SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017

The SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 and the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset are both good gaming headsets, but the SteelSeries are more versatile thanks to their wireless support. The Sennheiser's mic has a much better recording quality, though, and their open-back design helps them sound more spacious. If you prefer the freedom of wireless gaming the Arctis 7 will be better for you but the Sennheiser are a good option for those who prefer a wired connection.

Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO and the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset are both wired, open-back gaming headsets. As a result, they have similar strengths and weaknesses: they both struggle to reproduce low-bass frequencies and won't block out any ambient noise, but they also offer a comfortable fit and a superior soundstage performance to closed-back headsets. While the Sennheiser have a better quality microphone, the Corsair have a more immersive soundstage and come with a sturdy carrying case if you need to transport them.

SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC

The Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset and the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC are both very good wired gaming headsets, but with very different designs. The Sennheiser are open-back headphones, which means they hardly isolate any noise but have a more immersive sound as a result. The SteelSeries isolate more noise thanks to their closed-back design and get more bass. They’re also a lot more customizable than the Sennheiser, thanks to their unique GameDAC, although it does add a bit of latency that highly competitive gamers may notice.

Astro A50 Gen 3 Wireless 2017

The Astro A50 Gen 3 Wireless 2017 are better gaming headphones than the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset. The Astro have an overall well-balanced sound, although the Sennheiser's open-back design may be better suited for some. The Astro are slightly better-built, but their design requires their dock for them to work, while the wired connection of the Sennheiser is more versatile. The Sennheiser's mic offers a better recording quality, and you won't have to manage a battery life as well. On the other hand, the Astro have a few customization options inside their app, which the Sennheiser lack.

Beats Solo Pro Wireless

The Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset and the Beats Solo Pro Wireless are designed for different purposes. The Sennheiser are gaming headphones with an open-back design. They're more comfortable and have a significantly better passive soundstage as well as overall microphone performance. In contrast, the Beats are more suitable for casual use. They have a wireless, closed-back design, feel better-built, and have an ANC system that can block out a significant amount of noise around you.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Open-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

The Sennheiser Game One look similar to the Sennheiser HD 598 or an open Sennheiser HD 380 Pro. They come in two color schemes: an all-black variation and a two-tone black-and-white scheme that's more flashy. The microfiber padding on both the headband and the ear cups give them a more high-end appeal, although they do not have the versatility of having a detachable mic. If you're looking for a headset where you can remove the mic for a more casual look, the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO feature a cable design where the mic is attached to the cable itself, and you can swap it out for a mic-less 1/8" TRRS cable.

8.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.6 lbs
Clamping Force
0.9 lbs

The Game One headphones are similar in fit and size to the super comfortable Sennheiser HD 598. They're a bit tighter on the head than the 598 but the ear cups are large and fit well around most listeners' ears. The headband and the ear cups are also well-padded and covered in a microfiber fabric that feels soft and pleasant on the skin. They're not as comfortable as the HD 598 but you can wear these headphones for hours and not feel any fatigue, making them suitable for long gaming sessions.

5.3
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Okay
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls No

The Sennheiser Game One have a very basic but easy to use control scheme. They have a volume dial and a mute switch embedded in the Mic swiveling mechanism (i.e. placing the mic in the upright position will disable it). Unfortunately, the volume dial doesn't have any distinct notches to better set your preferred volume level, and the overall control scheme feels a little lacking in features when compared to other gaming headsets and more casual everyday headphones.

7.0
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 4.1 °C

These headphones are fairly breathable thanks to their open-back design and porous ear cup pads. They won't be the ideal choice for sports since they are not designed for that use case and will make you sweat during intense exercises. However, for gaming and casual listening, they are a lot more breathable than most gaming headsets.

5.4
Design
Portability
L 7.5" (19.1 cm)
W 7.0" (17.8 cm)
H 4.0" (10.2 cm)
Volume 211.00 in³ (3,457.66 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Sennheiser Game One, like most gaming headphones, are not really portable. They're bulky and do not fold up into a more compact format. The ear cups also do not lay flat, making for a cumbersome and difficult to carry headphone. Unfortunately, they do not come with a case or pouch, which is slightly disappointing.

0
Design
Case
Type No case
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A

These headphones do not come with a case.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The Sennheiser Game One headphones feel sturdy enough that they won't break from a few accidental falls. The headband is flexible and has a wide metal frame for support but it's also a bit creaky. Also the plastic casing covering the headband looks and feels a little cheap. On the upside, the ear cups are dense and durable and the padding material used in their build quality feels high-end. However, like the similarly designed HD 598, the hinges are the most susceptible points and may not be as durable as the rest of the build quality.

6.5
Design
Stability

The Sennheiser Game One headphones are slightly more stable than the HD598 because they are tighter on the head but have the same issue. They should be fine for gaming and casual listening sessions but they will easily move and sway if you wear them while doing physical exercises. This makes them not suitable for sports but on the upside, they have a detachable cable that easily disconnects if it gets hooked on something.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Sennheiser G4me One Headphones
  • Audio cable
  • Headset Adapter

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-4.44 dB
Treble Amount
-2.18 dB
8.3
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.34 dB

The Sennheiser Game One has a great frequency response consistency. Due to the open-back design, and unlike closed-back ones, these headphones don't rely as much on an air-tight seal for their bass delivery. Therefore, they performed quite consistently across our human subjects. They are also quite consistent in the treble range across multiple positions, likely due to their small ear cups.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
6.8
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.45 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
85.99 Hz
Low-Bass
-8.67 dB
Mid-Bass
-2.96 dB
High-Bass
0.96 dB

The bass is good. Low-frequency extension (LFE) is at 53Hz, which is about average. Also, low-bass, which is responsible for the thump and rumble common to bass-heavy genres and video games, is lacking by more than 5dB. This tends to be a common shortcoming among most open-back headphones. Mid-bass, responsible for body and punch is well-balanced, but the 2.5dB bump in high-bass adds a bit of muddiness to the overall sound.

9.4
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
0.79 dB
Low-Mid
0.34 dB
Mid-Mid
-0.47 dB
High-Mid
-0.49 dB

The mid-range is very good. The response is virtually flat, which is great for vocals and lead instruments. However, it is consistently over our target by about 2dB, especially in low-mid. This adds a little bit of clutter to the mix and makes the overall sound a tad mid-rangy.

8.0
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.06 dB
Low-Treble
-1.8 dB
Mid-Treble
-1.82 dB
High-Treble
-8.87 dB

The treble performance is excellent. The overall response is rather uneven, but quite well-balanced. Low-treble is within 1dB of our neutral target, and mid-treble is within 0.3dB of our target. This suggests a well-balanced reproduction of vocals, leads, and cymbals.

8.0
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.37 dB
Dips
0.68 dB
8.7
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.16
Weighted Phase Mismatch
4.13
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.8
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.74

The imaging performance of the G4me One is excellent. Weighted group delay is at 0.16, which is excellent. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase. This is important for the proper placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo field.

7.5
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
2.8 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
3.77 dB
PRTF Distance
6.92 dB
Openness
9.5
Acoustic Space Excitation
8.4

The soundstage is about average. The PRTF response shows a decent amount of activation, but the pinna interaction is not very accurate as there's not a 10KHz notch present. This results in a relatively small soundstage that is perceived to be located inside the listener's head. However, the open-back design of these headphone could make them feel more open sounding than closed-back headphones.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
8.0
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.252
WHD @ 100
0.096
Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
No Firmware
Power
Passive
Connection
Wired
Codec
PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Boom
Isolation
1.3
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-3.37 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-0.16 dB
Mid
0.94 dB
Treble
-10.58 dB

The isolation is poor. These are open-back headphones so they don't isolate well. In the bass range, they will let in all the low rumbling noises of your environment. In the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they also don't achieve any isolation. In the treble range, occupied by sharp sounds like S and Ts, they reduce outside noise by about 11dB, which is inadequate. For gaming headphones with better noise isolation, check out the EPOS Sennheiser GSP 600.

2.0
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
62.17 dB

The leakage performance of the Game One is poor. The significant portion of their leakage is between 200Hz and 20KHz, which is a very broad range. This means that their leakage will sound a lot fuller than that of closed-back headphones, and in-ears. The overall level of the leakage is quite loud too. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at about 62dB SPL, and peaks at 77dB, which is quite higher than the noise floor of most offices.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
No
Boom
Yes
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
8.7
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
20 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
1.83 dB
HFE
8,010.97 Hz
Weighted THD
0.291
Gain
31.14 dB

The recording quality of Game One's boom microphone is great. The LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 20Hz, which results in the recorded/transmitted speech to sound full-bodied. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 8KHz, suggests a speech that is clear and present, but lacking slightly in airiness and brilliance. The response between LFE and HFE points is very good, and results in a natural speech.

7.7
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
41.32 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
8.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

Update 11/24/2021: These headphones have been updated to test bench 1.5. In this update, we made changes to the way we test noise handling. We now use a subjective evaluation of our audio clips. This new method has resulted in different results than what we had reported in our previous test bench. As a result, the scoring of this box has changed, and we have updated our results.

The boom microphone has good noise handling. They can separate speech from ambient noise even in the most demanding situations.

Active Features
0
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
No Battery
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Passive Headphone
Charging Port None

These headphones are passive and have no battery life.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

These headphones do not have any compatible software for added customization. If you like wired headphones but want a headset with a bit a more customization options then check out the SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDac.

Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
No Bluetooth
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
PC Latency (SBC)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
N/A
Android Latency
N/A

These headphones are wired and do not have a Bluetooth connection. If you want a gaming headset that supports Bluetooth, check out the Turtle Beach Stealth 700.

These headphones have negligible latency thanks to their wired connection. This makes them suitable for gaming and watching movies but they are limited by the range of their relatively short cable.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 9.40 ft (2.87 m)
Connection
1/8" TRS
Analog/USB Audio Latency
0 ms

The Sennheiser Game One have a wired connection that provides volume control and microphone compatibility support for consoles as long as you plug them into the Xbox One or PS4 controllers. They also come with Y-splitter headset adapter for PCs.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio + Microphone
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock

This gaming headset does not have a dock. If you need a headset with a dock that also has a wired connection for gaming or watching movies, then consider the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition.