Gaming headsets

I'll repost what I've built for a few recent posts in the Xbox thread & the Gaming headsets thread.

My favorite lab, and always my first stop for reviews:
Rtings: Best Xbox Gaming Headsets

I've customized Rtings tables for the respective platforms with a focus on wireless headsets. Here is the Xbox table:
Best (Wireless) Headets for Xbox Series X/S & Xbox One

Notes on custom table:
  • "... Non-BT Wireless" are there so you can filter for any headsets that aren't truly, natively wireless on the respective system (PS5, PS4, XSX/XSS, XB1). This includes filtering out those that specifically don't offer a non-Bluetooth connection (Bluetooth carries a higher latency which is bad). Also note that it tells you whether or not both audio and mic (voice-input) is supported wirelessly.
  • "Wireless Gaming" is their score that weights all their different individual measurements with an aim towards presenting the best overall wireless headsets. FYI, you can use your mouse cursor to hover over the blue question mark next to any of these categorical scores to see how they weight it precisely.
  • "Neutral Sound" indicates raw, objective sound quality. The best score here are the best-sounding headsets. You'll quickly notice that all the top scorers here are headphones, not gaming headsets. They're also not wireless.
  • "Passive Soundstage" and "Imaging" are, theoretically, the most important metrics for sound in gaming for those interested in a competitive advantage (i.e. headsets with the best scores here will offer the most accurate directional cues to where a sound is originating in a virtual 3D environment)
  • Finally, I included "Base/Dock Charging" because I know a lot of console gamers like to have a station to hang up their headphones next to their console/TV since they don't have a PC tower or monitor with a headset hanger, and the only meaningful other function such a dock serves is to charge the headset (pretty useless without that). Either way, it's not a huge deal, because the console has power-carrying USB ports, and almost all of these wireless headphones now charge via USB.

Anyways, it looks like the Steelseries Arctis series are the obvious choice for Xbox guys after wireless headsets. The Pro doesn't have true wireless support, indeed, but others do. The 9x is your premier option.
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/headphones/#m=230&w=1&sort=name&page=1
($189) Steelseries Arctis 9x
($199) Steelseries Arctis 7x [short stocked...should be $139-$149]
($99) Steelseries Arctis 3 Bluetooth [direct from Steelseries here]
($79) Steelseries Arctis 1 Wireless



width(2560).png
 
Valhoven said:
Just saw this actually and did a double take at the 300h claim:

​
Click to expand...

I've owned different versions of their headsets over the years. Was never a fan. Like the arctis pro, I found the sound incredible weak, especially bass/gun/explosion sounds.

OP, you can do what I did after searching extensively for a good headset.

I wound up buying Sony's XMB 900n's. You have to use a separate mic (built in one only for calls) but the bass, and sound are excellent, especially the bass, it's banging. You can use Sony's app to alter your sound profile too.

It does sound like a pain in the ass using a sep mic, and I'm not sure how that would work on xbox, but for pc I already had a great one with an arm. Even without my mic, I would have bought one just to keep using this headset for online play.

The bluetooth latency is surprisingly good on these, despite what rtings says, though you can always run a cable. Coupled with the decent noise cancelling and sound quality, I freaking love these.

The price is great (always on sale), and you can use them with so many devices. It has plenty of codecs supported. I get aroubd 25 to 30 hours a charge too.
 
GtehMVP said:
I've owned different versions of their headsets over the years. Was never a fan. Like the arctis pro, I found the sound incredible weak, especially bass/gun/explosion sounds.

OP, you can do what I did after searching extensively for a good headset.

I wound up buying Sony's XMB 900n's. You have to use a separate mic (built in one only for calls) but the bass, and sound are excellent, especially the bass, it's banging. You can use Sony's app to alter your sound profile too.

It does sound like a pain in the ass using a sep mic, and I'm not sure how that would work on xbox, but for pc I already had a great one with an arm. Even without my mic, I would have bought one just to keep using this headset for online play.

The bluetooth latency is surprisingly good on these, despite what rtings says, though you can always run a cable. Coupled with the decent noise cancelling and sound quality, I freaking love these.

The price is great (always on sale), and you can use them with so many devices. It has plenty of codecs supported. I get aroubd 25 to 30 hours a charge too.
Click to expand...
Nice. I'm a lifelong Sennheiser cat but to my own dismay have never owned a wireless set and that's an express criterion of OP. My next headset will 100 be wireless; am so over getting my cable to lie right whatnot every time I adjust my hands.
 
Foppa21 said:
Hey guys,

There’s hopefully still a few deals out there for the holidays so I’ve been thinking about picking up a headset for gaming and some work. Got to be wireless. Been eyeing up the Arctic Wireless Pro for awhile but it says it’s not compatible with XBox. I see the odd workaround out there but can’t get a consistent word.

I have a PC and a Xbox Series X. Thoughts? Any other recommendations?
Click to expand...

I found an excellent dongle for my Bose QC 35-II that's needed for use on PS5. This is my second pair and they're the best pair of headphones I've ever used. The downside is, you have to use a workaround for a mic. I'm not sure how Xbox has their BT setup (PS5 requires licensed headphones) but if they don't restrict use, they could potentially be used with a mic. I use them for both work and gaming and they're Top Tier.
 
GtehMVP said:
I've owned different versions of their headsets over the years. Was never a fan. Like the arctis pro, I found the sound incredible weak, especially bass/gun/explosion sounds.

OP, you can do what I did after searching extensively for a good headset.

I wound up buying Sony's XMB 900n's. You have to use a separate mic (built in one only for calls) but the bass, and sound are excellent, especially the bass, it's banging. You can use Sony's app to alter your sound profile too.

It does sound like a pain in the ass using a sep mic, and I'm not sure how that would work on xbox, but for pc I already had a great one with an arm. Even without my mic, I would have bought one just to keep using this headset for online play.

The bluetooth latency is surprisingly good on these, despite what rtings says, though you can always run a cable. Coupled with the decent noise cancelling and sound quality, I freaking love these.

The price is great (always on sale), and you can use them with so many devices. It has plenty of codecs supported. I get aroubd 25 to 30 hours a charge too.
Click to expand...

It's more for PC but I have a XBox as well and I feel it'd be silly to not include it. I'm trying to keep it as simple as I can so for now, having a separate mic isn't a option I want to explore.
 
Valhoven said:
Nice. I'm a lifelong Sennheiser cat but to my own dismay have never owned a wireless set and that's an express criterion of OP. My next headset will 100 be wireless; am so over getting my cable to lie right whatnot every time I adjust my hands.
Click to expand...

I haven't used Sennheiser for over 10 years now. Not since I had two "sport" headphones that broke within 6 months of use. And all I did was use them for running and day to day use
 
SwamiLeoni said:
I found an excellent dongle for my Bose QC 35-II that's needed for use on PS5. This is my second pair and they're the best pair of headphones I've ever used. The downside is, you have to use a workaround for a mic. I'm not sure how Xbox has their BT setup (PS5 requires licensed headphones) but if they don't restrict use, they could potentially be used with a mic. I use them for both work and gaming and they're Top Tier.
Click to expand...

From what I've read, XBox have their own propriety thing... which is starting to be a pain in the @$$ for me
 
logitechs Blue voice mics are fucking awesome.
 
Lone Coyote said:
@Madmick

sennheiser pc37x
Click to expand...
That's an incredible headset, and I'm fully aboard the Sennheiser master race train for enthusiast headphones, but Foppa made it clear in post #9 he doesn't want to deal with dongles, workarounds, add-on mics, or other DIY jury-rigged methods. He wants a headset with full native audio + mic capability on the Xbox Series X.

That's why the Rtings table I linked is so useful. It details this. Makes it so easy and clear to see which headsets truly have full native compatibility. I know of only one example where it is misleading. Astro has a guide for how their flagship Astro A50 Gen4 (PC/Xbox version only) can be set up using the base station to function with the XSX:
https://blog.astrogaming.com/2020/12/a50-headset-xbox-series-xs-setup-guide/
There's a handful of headsets Rtings hasn't reviewed, and so don't appear on their list.

Xbox Series X/S: Fully, Natively Compatible Wireless Headsets
 
Last edited:
Madmick said:
That's an incredible headset, and I'm fully aboard the Sennheiser master race train for enthusiast headphones, but Foppa made it clear in post #9 he doesn't want to deal with dongles, workarounds, add-on mics, or other DIY jury-rigged methods. He wants a headset with full native audio + mic capability on the Xbox Series X.

That's why the Rtings table I linked is so useful. It details this. Makes it so easy and clear to see which headsets truly have full native compatibility. I know of only one example where it is misleading. Astro has a guide for how their flagship Astro A50 Gen4 (PC/Xbox version only) can be set up using the base station to function with the XSX:
https://blog.astrogaming.com/2020/12/a50-headset-xbox-series-xs-setup-guide/
There's a handful of headsets Rtings hasn't reviewed, and so don't appear on their list.

Xbox Series X/S: Fully, Natively Compatible Wireless Headsets
  • Astro (A50 Gen4 PC/Xbox ; A20 Wireless)
  • Audeze (Penrose X)
  • Bang & Olufsen (Beoplay Portal)
  • Corsair (HS75 XB Wireless)
  • HyperX (CloudX Stinger Core Wireless for Xbox; Cloud Flight for Xbox)
  • Microsoft (Xbox Wireless Headset)
  • Nacon (RIG 700 Pro HX Wireless)
  • Razer (Kaira Pro Wireless ; Kaira Wireless)
  • Steelseries (Arctis 9x ; Arctis 7x ; Arctis 3 Bluetooth ; Arctis 1 Wireless)
  • Turtle Beach (Stealth 700 Gen2 Wireless ; Stealth 600 Gen2 Wireless)
Click to expand...

I just picked up a Arctic 9X.

I saw quite a bit on the Drop X Sennheiser 38X I think it was. Would be open to it if it was easy (read: cheap) to get it to my part of the world. A lot of good reviews. The only negatives for it apart from the above is that it's wired and it's Sennheiser (which I covered on why it's a concern to me in a previous post)
 
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