The Best Gaming Headsets for Prolonged Wear

Astro is known for producing excellent headsets, especially their wired series with mixamps that let you get the best audio possible. With this wireless selection, they’ve proven their ability to make a tremendous wireless gaming headset.

This headset includes gold plated connectors for superior sound quality, 40mm drivers in full cup headphones that sound terrific, and the unit connects wirelessly to a USB dongle. It also includes a USB cord used to recharge the batteries and you can continue using the headset while charging through the cable. One thing to note, however, is that you cannot remove the batteries, so you must recharge them after about six to ten hours of use.

The microphone on this model is very adjustable (though not removable) and it mutes automatically when completely rotated up away from your mouth. There are also a number of audio controls on one of the earpieces (including volume adjustments) and an integrated switch lets you choose between three audio presets.

This is an excellent model offering users some nice extra features and customization options that you don't often find with a wireless gaming headset. First and foremost are the buttons on the headset itself. There'sa standard mute button and a wheel that controls volume, as well as three programmable buttons with them. You can set these to control different audio elements in games or other programs you use such as to skip, pause, and go back in a music player, or program them to change rooms in a voice chat program. You can even program the buttons to enter commands into a PC game you play.

Sound is great with the headset which includes 40mm drivers that provide 7.1 surround sound. It uses a wireless adapter and includes a USB cable that you use to charge the headset’s battery, and you can keep playing with it connected. The headsets microphone is also fully adjustable, and can be folded up into the headset itself.

This is a great headset, and though many of its nicest features aren’t entirely necessary for playing a lot of PC games, such a terrific level of customization is worth checking out. The speakers are very good, with 40mm drivers providing either 5.1 or 7.1 stereo surround sound while you're wearing them.

The included “mixamp” device is terrific and lets you control volume and even adjust the sound levels and balance between game sounds and other people's voices during online play. This gives you a lot more audio control than most other gaming headsets have, even those with equalizer software and hotkeys on the earpiece. The headset is quite comfortable and the adjustable microphone which can detach and be connected to either the left or right side, has a frequency response of 15Hz-28KHz, which beautifully captures both low and high voices.

Overall, this is a very strong choice for a gaming headset which offers a closed design, meaning you get plenty of great 7.1 surround audio from the 50mm speakers in the headset and it blocks out sound around you. If you tend to play in an area with other people talking or television noise, this helps block out extra sound but if you tend to play with people in the room you need to be able to hear it may be an issue.

This headset has a retractable microphone, which is great for keeping the boom out of your way when not in use, and has a frequency response range of 100Hz-10KHz, which is pretty good but definitely not amazing. The ear cups are illuminated with a wide range of colors to choose from, so you can customize your choice to match your gaming rig and even program it to change colors intermittently.

The audio controls are found on wheels on the ear cups, with one side controlling volume and the other letting you mute the microphone. There’s also an indicator light on the microphone which lets you know when it’s muted. This headset also comes with a USB sound card that enhances the audio performance further, and can connect via USB in addition to both single and dual 3.5mm plugs.

If you want a high-quality gaming headset but you don't need a lot of extra bells and whistles like devices that let you control audio with a mixing device, then give this one a good look. The 7.1 channel sound is nice and the 40mm drivers provide great sounding audio but there are more powerful headsets on the market. Perhaps the best feature on this headset is the three programmable buttons located on one of the ear cups. You can set them up to change audio settings, control music, and even enter commands into games you are playing. The three buttons are located alongside volume and microphone mute controls on the ear cup. The noise-cancelling microphone is pretty good, with a frequency response range of 100Hz-20KHz, which means it is not ideal for capturing low frequency sounds, but should be good for most voice. Lastly, this headset offers nicely padded ear cups and headband so it’s quite comfortable to wear on your head and you're even able to adjust the color of lighting on the headset for the ultimate in customization.

This is a great headset designed for optimal use by gamers, even professional gamers. The ear cups are made from thick leatherette with multiple layers of memory foam, which keeps it very comfortable and helps block outside noises. The noise-cancelling microphone picks your voice up clearly and eliminates other noises that can be distracting to individuals you’re talking to. This microphone has a frequency range of 50Hz-16KHz which is very good, though certainly not the absolute best range available.

There is a simple control on one ear cup to change the volume, and you can easily raise the boom to automatically mute your microphone. This model sounds great and connects through a 3.5mm audio connection. One very nice feature of this headset is it folds up and includes a carrying case, making it ideal for taking with you to LAN parties and professional gaming tournaments.

The design of this budget gaming headset is simple and light-weight, so it's easy to wear even during long gaming sessions. It has padded ear cups and headband so it stays comfortable and helps block out some outside sounds while you're wearing it. The noise-cancelling microphone is on an adjustable boom that you can rotate out of the way when you're not talking through it.

While the simple in-line controls for volume and muting the microphone are easy to use, it lacks any other customization or control options. This model also uses a USB connection, rather than individual 3.5mm headphones and microphone plugs. While that certainly works well for some setups, you typically get better customization and sound quality with a pair of 3.5mm plugs.

This is an excellent gaming headset in many ways, but the price on it is just a bit high when compared to other budget models. You get a solid headset that offers great, clear sound thanks to 40mm speakers. There’s also a detachable, adjustable noise-cancelling microphone, a feature you don’t normally find find in a budget-friendly model.

This is a comfortable headset that’s nicely padded both for the top of your head and your ears. It uses a 3.5mm stereo input so make sure your computer has the right kind of connections for these plugs. You get simple, but effective in-line controls that include volume adjustment and a mute switch. It’s a slick headset that sounds and feels great, but the suggested retail price on it is pretty close to the budget limit.

While SADES might not be a major household name like Logitech or Corsair, this is a surprisingly nice budget gaming headset that really saves you money. The ear cups are quite large, covering your ears well while blocking out surrounding noise. A nice bonus is the ear cups house 40mm drivers which offer up surprisingly rich sound at this price point. The microphone can be rotated toward your mouth or up into the ear cups to hide it from view, but you cannot bend the boom which makes it less adjustable than some other headsets on our list.

The headsets omni-directional microphone captures your voice quite well, but can also potentially pick up more background noise than other models, so keep that in mind. This budget gaming headset has in-line controls with a mute switch and volume wheel to give total control over your audio, but otherwise lacks any extra bells or whistles.