The best gaming headsets provide the unfettered means to communicate with your foe, to react instantly to the delightful chaos of the most challenging games. They provide excellent surround sound quality that creates an expansive sound stage without the distortion to wear out your ears, or cause irritability. You don’t visit the game. You don’t play the game. You live in the game. You are, in a word, immersed.
Here are a few gaming headsets we believe have the capability to inject you into your favorite game. They’re also excellent for when you emerge, and you just want to watch a movie or make a phone call.
Smart features
Enhanced with a host of upgrades, the Gen 2 includes a larger mic that delivers higher sensitivity. The sound is clear, adjustable, and surround, and the headset has been reinforced and upgraded for durability and comfort. Another great feature: soft ear cushions have been designed to be kind to gamers with glasses, avoiding the recurring complaint of them pushing into the head. But be aware: they come with a firmware update that must be downloaded immediately to avoid issues.
Lighter construction
This headset supports just about any gaming controller, tablet, laptop, or mobile phone you can name. Great sound at an affordable level, and the headband of light metal is designed for durability. Nice depth on the earpads for comfort, and we like the movable mic along the cable, with a mute switch to boot. The movable microphone offers clear, crisp audio. One note: the USB plug must be connected to activate the blue LED lighting – a cool effect in darkened rooms.
Game on
As the name suggests, this is a headset made for demanding hard-core players, and the top pro pleaser is that it’s wireless – with spatial surround sound capability! Crisp, clear, and spaced accurately, it provides the 360-degree realistic experience gamers expect when engaged on the chaotic virtual battleground. It is outfitted with cutting-edge, 50mm sound drivers that can be divided for individual tuning of highs, mids, and lows. A startling lightweight construction allows for not only extended game-playing, but a full day of virtual class instruction as well.
Non-wireless choice
For those willing to forego wireless for price, the Razer BlackShark V2 offers the same amazing audio, superior mic clarity and supreme sound isolation. It’s fitted with titanium-coated drivers, a USB sound card, softer ear cushions and that same THX 7.1 spatial surround sound, allowing players to dive in deep through quickly identifying the directional audio cues ingrained into the most challenging games. And the detachable cardioid mic mimics the sound and clarity of top-of-the-line cell phones.
Quick way to victory
If looks could kill … well you might win every game of Fortnite with this headset. It’s stylish and lightweight, and equipped with a 50mm magnetic neodymium driver that provides a wide soundscape that pinpoints origins of audio, lending to quick responses while competing in battle. Phone calls come in unmuffled and clear. The over-the-ear oval shaped muff provides hours of comfortable play.
S. Ruxton is a contributing writer to Florida Travel & Life, an online brand that inspires active, affluent travelers, providing them with insider information on discovering the best of Florida. Informative and engaging, the website showcases travel destinations, arts and cultural venues, vibrant dining scenes, recreational activities, the great outdoors and the revitalized real-estate market. A former baseball writer, S. Ruxton loves to revisit the smaller Gulf towns of Clearwater, Dunedin, and Bradenton. Historic Winter Park is also a favorite destination.
