At this price, comfort and a usable microphone are the things to get right. Sound quality is acceptable on most models, but fit varies a lot from person to person.
Plug type: 3.5 mm or USB
A headset with a 3.5 mm plug works with many devices, including consoles, phones and most PCs. Some PCs have separate headphone and microphone jacks, so a headset with one combined plug may need a splitter. A USB headset has its own small sound card, works with PCs and some consoles, and often comes with software for equalizer settings. Check which devices the headset supports before you buy.
Comfort comes first
Weight, clamping force and earcup size decide whether you can wear a headset for hours. Check whether the earcups fit around your ears or press on them, whether the padding is soft, and, if you wear glasses, whether the cushions are soft enough not to press the frames into your head.
The microphone
A detachable or flip-up boom microphone is convenient, and flip-to-mute is handy. Headset microphones are fine for voice chat with friends. If you stream or record, a separate microphone sounds better, and our USB microphone guide explains how to choose one.
Do not pay for surround sound hype
Most budget headsets have two speakers, so virtual surround is software processing. Some players like it in story games. For competitive shooters, plain stereo is often clearer. Very bass-heavy tuning can drown out footsteps, so look for reviews that describe the sound as balanced.
Check before you buy
- Cable length, and whether the cable is detachable.
- Whether the headband and hinges feel sturdy in reviews, since cheap plastic is the usual failure point.
- The return policy, because comfort is the one thing reviews cannot tell you.
We pick products from published reviews and say plainly when we have not tested them. You can read how we choose in About SteelGames.
