A gaming headset is one of the most essential accessories for any gamer. Whether you’re a diehard single player fan or a hardcore competitive gamer, a gaming headset is worth it. Video games have incredible sound design, an important element in informing the player about their changing environment. Maybe you want an incredible audio experience with the beautiful visuals on the screen, or maybe you want to know exactly which direction the enemy is coming from in an exciting multiplayer match. A gaming headset can do both things for you. If you’re an Xbox gamer, you have a wide variety of headsets to choose from, thanks in large part to the consoles’ backwards compatibility.
Whether you have a reliable Xbox One or a great new one Xbox Series X or Series S, a wired headset is an easy and affordable option. Both generations of controllers have a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, so it’s an easy plug-and-play setup. Plus, it’s also worth noting that many if not most of the best Xbox headset options in the wired gaming headset category also work just fine with the Playstation 5Windows PCs, Macs and the Nintendo Switch.
However, if you want to eliminate the cord that goes from the controller to your headphones, there are plenty of wireless headset options as well. The nice thing about them is that most don’t require a USB dongle to connect wirelessly (most PS4 Wireless Headsets do, for example). Microsoft wireless Xbox technology allows you to quickly pair with your Xbox without a dongle. Wireless models that require dongles are specifically listed below.
In making these choices, we focused primarily on a few key variables, including design and build quality, comfort and sound quality, as well as additional features – think noise cancellation, noise isolation, surround sound, detachable microphone and Bluetooth connectivity – along with with price. We’ve also considered microphone quality, which is especially important if your gaming session requires group coordination. If you can’t be heard, you can’t come up with a strategy.
Finally, to the best of our knowledge, all Xbox One wireless headsets listed here will also work with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Now that those basics have been established, let’s talk about the best Xbox headset. These are the results of our own home tests, which are regularly updated, as well as some of the other most popular gaming headsets on the market today. Any of these can greatly improve your gaming experience, especially if you settle for a long gaming session.
Read more: Best gaming headset for PS5
David Carnoy/CNET
Turtle Beach has upgraded its popular Stealth 700 headset, improving both performance and comfort. Build quality is solid and I loved the “cooling gel-infused” memory foam ear cushions, which fit really well on my head and play well with glasses. The headband is also sturdy and well padded.
Turtle Beach says this Gen 2 model has upgraded 50mm Nanoclear drivers – the sound is more detailed and “precise” – there’s a redesigned metal-reinforced headband and a larger, high-sensitivity flip-up microphone. The engineers tuned it to deliver an even “detailed and more accurate sound”. I thought it sounded pretty good, and the headset pairs with your phone and is also good for listening to music and taking calls while gaming. There’s an “all new” Turtle Beach Hub app for iOS and Android that lets you customize the audio and remap buttons.
This headset works with older Xbox One consoles as well as next-gen Series consoles. The battery life is now up to 20 hours — the headset charges via USB-C — and thanks to Xbox Wireless technology, you can wirelessly connect to the Xbox without using a dongle, like you have to do with the PS4.
Looking at this versus the step-down Stealth 600 Gen 2, which retails for $100, that model is good too, but the Stealth 700 Gen definitely has a more premium feel to it. It’s a really good wireless Xbox headset for $150.
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HyperX
If you’re looking for a really solid wired headset with an affordable price tag, the HyperX Cloud X is an excellent choice. It’s built solidly, has great sound with strong microphone performance and, most importantly, it’s comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions. It is designed to work with the Xbox One and Series S and X, but is also compatible with the PS4 and PS5, as well as the Nintendo Switch and PCs.
Read our HyperX Cloud Alpha preview.
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David Carnoy/CNET
The Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox is a beast of a wireless headset, at least in terms of size. That said, it’s not heavy and the auto-adjusting headband makes this one of the most comfortable gaming headsets money can buy; Keep in mind that the ear cups really stick out of your head. The ear cushions are equipped with cooling gel-infused cushions and the Razer logo lights up.
Apart from excellent sound quality and comfort, the other signature feature is the built-in HyperSense haptic feedback technology that allows you to feel the game while you are playing. You could call it a gimmick, but it does add another dimension to the gaming experience. The only downside is that battery life takes a hit once you turn it on. It is 6 o’clock with HyperSense on and 20 o’clock with disabled.
It’s worth pointing out that this is an open-back headset, which helps open up the soundstage and give the audio a fluffier quality, but the sound will leak out of the headphones, which can irritate others around you. . I thought the microphone performance was good, but not great.
This also connects wirelessly to a PC with an Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows.
SteelSeries
On the PlayStation and PC side, Arctis has its high-end Pro Wireless ($330), which some say is the best all-round headset for both platforms. But for Xbox, the Arctis 9X Wireless is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more premium wireless headset. It connects directly to the Xbox wirelessly without a dongle and can also be used with your phone with a Bluetooth connection. It delivers 20 hours of battery life.
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David Carnoy/CNET
If you can’t quite afford Turtle Beach’s new Stealth 700 Gen 2, the new Stealth 600 Gen 2 is a good $100 alternative. While it doesn’t have the more premium build quality of the Stealth 700, it’s a very comfortable headset with good sound and good performance. The sound quality has been improved slightly and like the Stealth 700 it is equipped with a larger, highly sensitive flip-up microphone that integrates seamlessly into the headset when retracted (muted).
An audio preset button on the left earcup lets you quickly adjust your audio, and Xbox Wireless technology makes it easy to connect to your Xbox. The battery life is 15 hours and the headset is charged via USB-C.
The headset is shown in white, but is more readily available in black. The PlayStation version includes a dongle for wireless connectivity to the PS4 and PS5.
SteelSeries
If you want a much more affordable alternative to the 9X, check out the Arctis 1, a well-designed (but less chic) wireless model that retails for around $100. While you’ll need to use a dongle (included), it works when plugged into Xbox, Switch, PlayStation, or even Android (the USB-C dongle comes with a USB-A adapter cable). It’s good value, with a detachable Discord-certified microphone, and battery life is up to 20 hours, which is pretty decent.
You will receive price alerts for SteelSeries Arctis 1 (PC)
Amazon
Like the Steel Series Arctis 1 above, the HyperX Cloud X Flight uses a 2.4GHz low-latency USB dongle for its wireless connection to your Xbox rather than connecting directly without a dongle. This is a very comfortable headset with excellent sound and good microphone performance (the microphone is detachable). It also has very good battery life (up to 30 hours), although you’ll need to turn off the LEDs on the ear cups to maximize battery life. Hopefully the next generation version will switch to USB-C charging (it uses Micro-USB).
Amazon
As for basic wired gaming headsets, you can’t go wrong with HyperX’s Cloud Stinger Core. It is comfortable and has good sound quality and microphone performance. Build quality isn’t as good as some of HyperX’s entry-level models, but you can’t expect everything for $40 or less.
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David Carnoy/CNET
The Quantum 100 is the entry-level model in JBL’s new line of Quantum gaming headsets, which run from $40 to $300. There’s nothing fancy about this model, but it’s quite light and comfortable with nicely padded ear cups, plus a detachable boom mic. On the left earcup is a volume control and a button to mute the microphone. It also works with other game consoles and is quite good for music, although it is a bit bright.
While some of JBL’s more expensive models offer wireless connectivity and even noise cancellation, the Quantum 100 is just a basic gaming headset that will appeal to more casual gamers on a budget.
You will receive price alerts for JBL Quantum 100 (black)
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